Hello and Assalamo Alaikum,
It’s been a great year overall and was hoping to end with something more good. However, I was hit with a bad news and that came from Pheenix.com which was a good platform some years back but for quite some time they are losing their reputation exponentially.
A week back I received an email from Pheenix that an auction has started for domain MEP.co and since I showed interest some time back (most probably the time of backordering when it was dropped in 2016) so I can participate in that auction which lasted for 3 days.
After winning the domain couple of days back I tried to transfer out and received authorization code. While transferring, the FOA (form of authorization) email was sent to some other email ID which looked suspicious. I went ahead and checked WHOIS and found the contact details are completely different than what I have set default at Pheenix.
So I decided to contact and explained the complete situation to Pheenix, they responded with “This domain is no longer managed by us.” That was strange response since I participated in auction, won and my card was charged. And they told the domain is no longer managed by us!
I replied with:
“But there was auction for this domain and I received email from you of winning the domain. Also your system deducted money from my credit card.
What’s wrong with you guys? If a domain is not owned by you then how can you auction and deduct money from my card and fails to deliver the domain???”
As expected it was another nonsensical response from their side:
“Nothing is wrong with us.
The domain was mislisted. We have now reversed the charge so you should be good to go.
Please keep in mind that non com/net domain extensions may sometimes be mislisted in the Expired Domains marketplace and to double check whois to confirm that it is still with us.”
That’s utter nonsense from Pheenix by showing such irresponsible and unprofessional behavior. It’s run by a bunch of fraudsters. Now that’s not any domain buyer’s duty to check WHOIS before buying domain from auction platform like Pheenix because I’m not buying a domain from any individual where I need to check if the domain is stolen or not owned by the person I’m dealing with.
If that’s the case, we all need to keep checking WHOIS for all domains we regularly buy at GoDaddy Auctions, NameJet, DropCatch, etc.
Pheenix is no longer a trustworthy platform and I don’t plan to use them in future like I stopped using Flippa which is another dreadful platform… at least for me…
Well, there is nothing wrong or to blame the current owner of the domain. It’s the Pheenix who is responsible for causing this trouble and the least they could do was to admit their mistake but they have no regret of doing fraudulent activity.
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Dear Basit, I know how frustrating it feels when things like this happen that too on platforms of that level. Happens all the time. I have been the sole back ordering person even 2-5 minutes before the drop and the site goes for public auction stating that there were multiple backorders. Things are getting out of hand with no proper body to keep an eye on such errors. Last fortnight one of my auctions accounts was frozen stating that I bidded on a domain 5 years ago and didn’t purchase it. Very funny because I was not even in this… Read more »
That’s sad to hear your similar story.
I don’t consider it an error from Pheenix but a deliberate practice.
Can you share which was the platform who froze your account. I would suggest to let your voice be heard and we shouldn’t remain silent. Although there is no body to regulate such problems but we (domainers) collectively can hit them back by stop using their platform if such fraudulent activity is done.
Thanks for sharing your experience Nahdi.
Hi Abdul,
I’m sorry for your experience with Pheenix. I still use them, but in the past 3 months, they haven’t caught any domains.
Any good news – any sales? 🙂
Happy New Year!
Hi Tornya,
Thanks for sharing your feedback which is appreciated.
Glad to know you’re having pleasant experience with them so far… Just beware of them.
I was just waiting for some big sales lately to happen and I can share along with some small sales but unfortunately that didn’t happen so I’ll need to publish a post either before the end of this month or first week of Jan without something sparkling!
Happy New Year! 🙂
There is problem with pheenix for sure. Last week i renewed a domain and wanted to transfer it out but i was told it is locked because of a registar change. No one helped or replied from pheenix.
Well, that 60 days lock period is understandable but most of the times Pheenix send over wrong authorization codes which doesn’t work and need to asked them for generating new one.
Also their support is pathetic since the beginning and I agree with you.
Thanks Fatih for sharing your experience 🙂
AbdulBasit,
The issue was i did not change any registrar during that period. They somehow sent and returned back my domain within their registars.
Hello Mr Abdul Basit, Thank you for sharing your worst experience with Pheenix.com. It is the practice of big names to make mistakes, again and again, and no one is there for you to sort out. All we get from them is the auto-email excuses. You are right; these big names should be exposed of their mistakes and blunders. Even Godaddy is making blunders. I can list dozens of mistakes happened to me from Godaddy auction system. First, there is no guarantee that you will receive the domain name that you won in the auction. Usually domain name that we… Read more »
Thanks for your detailed feedback Haroon which is appreciated 🙂 I agree with you. But as you say we need to raise our voice, no matter what the outcome be. At least, we domainers should be united and make aware each others by any wrongful activity going in our industry. Collectively we can make a difference. On the other hand, GoDaddy finally took major step in changing when the domain will be awarded. At least, you’ll get the domain after you’ve won and paid for the expiring auction. Although timing of getting the domain in your account will remain same… Read more »
What i have also noticed with pheenix is the fact everytime they manage to grab a dropped domain it always ends up in an auction, which will finish for a rediculous price. I swear there is some form of shill bidding going on.
Thanks for sharing your experience Stewart!
I can think of winning only 1 domain at Pheenix without any bidder to date. For every other domain I backordered had at least 1 bidder. With such ridiculous and shady activity practiced by Pheenix, I not only will use Pheenix but would suggest others to stop since they have lost credibility and you may end up being bidding with some shill bidder. It’s highly risky.
Absolutely right AbdulBasit Makrani; five stars for your story. Totally agree !!! Pheenix and Flippa suck seriously…
If you also had some bad experience, feel free to raise your voice and let others know about it by commenting on this blog and/or any other platform.
guys
pheenix.com shot down and all hosted domain gone include my valuable Domain .
and no one take responsible for this horrible issue .
You may submit a complaint about your issue to ICANN.