Story.com Stolen

[mxdominios]

STORY.COM ----> STOLEN

The guy also offered Right.net for sale, so I guess is stolen
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006-09-16

Registrant:
Hershel Webster
3964 6th Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90008
Los Angeles, CA 90008
US

Administrative, Technical Contact:
Webster, Hershel scorpiusb2000@yahoo.com
3964 6th Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90008
Los Angeles, CA 90008
US
323-298-4924
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006-09-17

Registrant:
Story.com, Inc.
Private Registration
Private Registration, Private Registration 00000
US

Administrative Contact:
Inc., Story.com, AmirSeddiqi@gmail.com
Story.com, Inc.
Private Registration
Private Registration, Private Registration 00000
US
+1.000000000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007-08-25

Registrant:
Domain Manager
3964 6th Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90008
US

Administrative, Technical Contact:
Manager, Domain DomainManager2006@gmail.com
3964 6th Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90008
US
323-298111
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEWARE: Guy is asking for $60k and wants the deal be completed ASAP (1-2 days)

REAL OWNER: http://www.myspace.com/scorpiusb2000
http://community.adlandpro.com/go/sc...Biography.aspx

[snoopy]

Yes, looks like it, Iranians again.

Also has been put up on sedo,

http://www.sedo.com/search/details.p...d=&language=us

[fizz]

The theft of great domains like this doesn't look like it will slow down any time soon. Not good.

[snoopy]

I have just spoken the the real owner on the phone. Definitely stolen. Hopefully it will get returned to him in a short space of time.

[snoopy]

"Whois Server: whois.namesdirect.com
Registrar: NAMESDIRECT.COM, INC.
Status: ok
Nameservers (From Internic): NS1.NAMERESOLVE.COM,NS2.NAMERESOLVE.COM,NS3.NAMERESOLVE.COM,NS4.NAMERESOLVE.COM,
Updated: 24-aug-2007"

Hopefully namesdirect are locking this down.

[fizz]

Good work snoopy.

[storyman007]

This is Hershel Webster, owner of story.com. I want to thank Snoopy for giving me a call. I was shocked to hear from someone from Australia. I had to create a NEW yahoo account to get in here, no problem I guess you blocked the scorpiusb2000 one for security reasons. Anyway, I’m starting to wonder if Sedo themselves had anything to do with this. This past Friday the 24, I gave them the $49.95 to do a full domain appraisal, then, I read a few negative comments about them here on Domainstate.com. One, I did notice they don’t seem to have a phone number for voice contact, two I could not sigh up with them using my scorpiusb2000 email address, I figured it could be a problem with their sign up page, so I moved on. I found I didn’t have to sign up to get an appraisal, so I took that route. Also I renewed story.com that same day, but on a remote system due to lack of trust on my home network. To add, I found Sedo via LeapFish.com. I’ve had so many people ask me to sale the domain I decided to find out why. I know it’s a top domain, so I check out Leapfish.com after reading about them. I have no idea no way to verify the appraisal figure $$$ LeapFish.com gave me, but it’s way out. From the answer page there is a big blue button that says EXPERT APPRAISAL it took me to SEDO. I like what they said, so I shelled out the $49.95. Now I think there is a chance I just got ripped off for $50.00 USA.

The appraisal I got from LeapFish for story.com is a bit high not knowing what LeapFish bases their appraisals on. Nonetheless, it came back with an estimated domain value of: $2,150, 319, 00. I’m starting to think LeapFish could be part of a SCAM if there is one. I have already talked to my hosting service and they say they are blocking the transfer. This makes the third time this has happened and I have a feeling it’s the same guy from last time.

Hershel Webster
SysOp story.com

[Rob]

This is a rather strange post and I'm not sure what you are trying to say. Can you elaborate? It doesn't seem to address the fact at all that your domain has been stolen.

[storyman007]

Sorry, it’s been a rough two days. I found it odd that after I did business with SEDO my account was hacked over at names direct. I could not find a phone number for SEDO so that worried me when I thought back on it. To add, I just looked up an old record I kept and it’s the same guy who tried to take it before.

Hershel Webster
SysOp story.com

[snoopy]

Originally posted by storyman007
To add, I just looked up an old record I kept and it’s the same guy who tried to take it before.

What ever the security hole is make sure it is well plugged. Since it has been stolen multiple times he is probably doing the same thing to gain access (likely related to a weakness in your email account).

The most common way for thieves to steal domains (in particular this thief) is via social engineering, ie ringing up a host or isp and pretending to be you and obtaining information or changing a setting. Given it was a Yahoo email account I'm not sure if that would be likely to be the case here or not.

The domain still looks to be in unlocked status which is a bit of a worry to me. Though I believe the registry whois only updates every 12 hours or so so it might not be showing an accurate status.

Whois results from Internic:
Domain: story.com
Whois Server: whois.namesdirect.com
Registrar: NAMESDIRECT.COM, INC.
Status: ok

(ok means unlocked)

Just a thought but I see Yahoo allows people to reset a password using a previously used credit card so perhaps he has obtained that information from somewhere else. I doubt it would be Sedo that is the security leak, I would think a host or ISP is more likely.

https://edit.yahoo.com/forgot?login=...m&src=ym&bail=

[Giode]

Well, I'm glad I saw this! I was about to purchase Story.com for 50k. Funny thing, I emailed the owner regarding another domain, which he quickly replied was about to be sold to someone else. It was a following email where he offered Story.com for 50k.

I contacted the original owner of the other stolen domain, since it is about to be sold.

To the owner of Story.com, you really are lucky this forum has so many good guys!

[lol]

Originally posted by Giode
Well, I'm glad I saw this! I was about to purchase Story.com for 50k. Funny thing, I emailed the owner regarding another domain, which he quickly replied was about to be sold to someone else. It was a following email where he offered Story.com for 50k.

I contacted the original owner of the other stolen domain, since it is about to be sold.

To the owner of Story.com, you really are lucky this forum has so many good guys!

So, is this other domain stolen or not? If so, what's the name and has the domain been sold yet--that would be pertinent information for everyone to know, especially the person "about" to buy it.

[Giode]

Originally posted by
So, is this other domain stolen or not? If so, what's the name and has the domain been sold yet--that would be pertinent information for everyone to know, especially the person "about" to buy it.

The domain is Newspaper.com. The previous owners name is Todd Chronis, and I can't seem to find a correct phone number for him. I did email him at todd @ chronis.com,informing him of this. Nothing yet.

The deal may be done already.

[storyman007]

Thanks guys for all the support and most of all thanks to Snoopy.

This is what I got from Names Direct:

Response (Matthew T) - 08/27/2007 04:26 PM
We stopped the transfer and are awaiting a clear copy of your photo id.
Thank you.

I’ve sent them my photo ID.

Now I’m going after Yahoo. I need a better understanding of this problem with them. No matter, Names Direct has offered me to set up an e-mail account with them. Any info will be welcomed. Last does anyone here know anything about LeapFish.com

Hershel Webster

[namethink]

Originally posted by fizz
Good work snoopy.

Ditto. Snoopy is the batman of stolen domains.

Snoopy, it always amazes me how much of your own time and resources and initiative you freely provide in vigilantly pursuing a stolen domain brought to your attention. It's a true community service to domainers. Maybe one of these days one of the big domain conferences will pause long enough in their cloistered self-congratulations to provide you with a much-deserved plaque of recognition.