In 2011 we lost one of our domain names. This happened because our R50 a year renewal fee lapsed. It happened so easily. We had registered the domain name years ago using an old email address. The bill was sent to that address. We didn’t see it, therefore didn’t pay it and we lost it.

And that’s how easy it was. Imagine: you have an IT guy who organises your domain name issues, receives the bills and so on. He leaves and his dedicated work email address lies stagnant, silently filling with bills looking more and more red and menacing until the final bill arrives, remains unread, and that's it. Gone.

Uniforum, the custodians of all domain names in South Africa, told us that the name was lost and there was nothing they could do. Then we found the name for sale by a company in Florida, Real Deal Domains. They could sell it back to us, of course, for sure, no problem. For $5000.

This is extortionist. Basically, we feel it is like a hijacking syndicate.

We believe the lapsed domain names are sold by some insider at Uniforum. How else did Real Deal Domains know. Someone is being paid to supply the names of domains that have lapsed. The time between the lapse and Real Deal Domains offering to sell the name back to us was a matter of days.

So, this is a warning. Beware of the site-jackers. Best be fully paid up to the second, or else your domain name could be flogged and then offered back to you, at a price. As my colleague says, that’s just rude.

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