Help me claim "my" domain.

I have been trying to get my domain name from the owner for quite a few months now and thought I'd try to enlist the brain collective on CPF for help.

Cromagnet has been my exclusive alias for many years and doing a google search, pretty much brings up only me. It was stupid not to get the domain years ago but I didn't really think the name would last.

What is in a name? To me, this one is a paradox reminding me of the more things change, the more they stay the same. It's juxtaposition. A creative expression and apropos of how far we have come and what a leap forward the internet has given us and the future. (and how poor my grammar skills is.) It even slightly reflects my Croatian roots within the name a little bit. In the end it really means nothing but it's a kewl creative handle that has grown on me

Currently, I have many websites that could be consolidated thru cromagnet.com and host plenty of online information and projects.

I have done a whois and tried calling the person, emailing and scouring their name and website for more contact info. I have surprisingly not had any contact or response from the owner of cromagnet.com and have been hoping they would not renew last week. But they did

I think they might not even know I'm out here and would love to buy the name for a reasonable price since they are even not using it.

Can anyone here help get me in touch with the owner or even help acquire the domain?

Thanks for reading.

CromagNet.net?
.org?
.fam?
.info?

If you don't hold a trademark, the only thing that will help you is a large enough offer to satisfy the domain holder. If you hold a trademark, and can demonstrate that the domain holder holds no legal entitlement or reason to it's use, and/or is simply trying to exploit you, then you may make a successful challenge. It may have to be by court order though.

Better yet, "CroMag.Net" is still available and unregistered. Personally, I think that'd be an even neater address than cromagnet.com! A very cool way to translate your nickname into a domain name.

Of course, that's just my two cents. As to your real concern of securing an already-registered domain name...

You have a couple of options. First, you could always try using a commercial service like SnapNames.com. Essentially, their service lets you "backorder" a domain name; SnapNames will then keep a constant watch on your desired domain and immediately purchase it for you if (when) it becomes available.

However, it looks like the owners of CroMagNet.com are actually using their domain to host an email service. Accordingly, I'm not sure how willing they'll be to give it up! I do notice that the bottom of the page contains a link to a site called "schtuff.com." When I click that link and visit Schtuff.com, I notice that their "about us" page provides email addresses for specific people you can contact (as opposed to CrogMagNet.com's generic "contact page"). I don't know if these people are related to CroMagNet.com, but it might help get your communications a bit further than they've gone so far. (See http://www.schtuff.com/about_us). Hope this helps!

Regarding what Empath said, is there a legal standing for holding a domain name that is very close to the domain name that you use? Like buying up misspellings/typos of your domain name to keep PRON sites and phishermen from capitalizing on your success?

LOL!

Dosen't that just SUCK?

Who in the world could possibly want www.walkowiak.com but there it is sitting on some cyber-squatter, last time I WHOIS'd it, it was in Malaysia...

Yah, lots of Polish-American ex-pats there, I bet...

Fortuntately, we've had some kids, so www.walkowiaks.com is more appropo nowadays.

For what it is worth I truly like FlashInThePan's idea of "CroMag.Net"

Best of luck to you!

I like that suggestion from FlashInThePan. . .

ditto fitp... what are you waiting for... someone to buy it and offer to sell it to you?

Thankfully I don't need a greenlight website.

Thanks for all the replies and PM's

These are some great suggestions to look into, which I will be following up on doing. :naughty: :fingerscrossed:

FYI I did buy the .net suggestion and you all can reach me there using TONY

When you contact them, there are several things that might be done.

I have a domain that matches my business name, but had to settle for the ".us" TLD. I contacted the person who owned the ".com" equivilent and made a deal with him. Mail to david at my domain is redirected to his mail address and he set his system up so mail to daniel at his domain is forwarded to me.

You will not be able to force them to relinquish the domain.

Daniel

gadget_lover said:

... I have a domain that matches my business name, but had to settle for the ".us" TLD. I contacted the person who owned the ".com" equivilent and made a deal with him. Mail to david at my domain is redirected to his mail address and he set his system up so mail to daniel at his domain is forwarded to me...

Daniel

Click to expand...

No worries about the privacy of your emails going through them?

I've been, both, a winner and a loser in the "domain game". I was fortunate to register (my name).com, a fairly common name, as well as the names of loved ones. An actor, seen in movies and TV shows, contacted my brother-in-law about the domain registered to my nephew by me. Needless to say, the domain is not for sale. I was scooped on one domain, and my patience rewarded on two others, including (my name).com. As long as a name is not stolen and/or squatted for extortion or ill will, not only is it first come first serve, but also, a domain name must be maintained by not forgetting to pay periodically as required to keep the name...because there is somebody out there who wants it.

73
dim

CroMAGnet said:

No worries about the privacy of your emails going through them?

Click to expand...

Nope. I talked with the guy (via e-mail) and decided he was fairly trustworthy. Mail that goes through there would be the ones that are misdirected... sent by folks that always add a '.com' to every address.

I've owned own my domain since 94 or so, and I maintain my own mail servers, so privacy is not an issue when I want privacy.

Daniel

the .net is a good choice.