Tell HN: Namecheap is stealing domains with keywords

2 pointshtml5web3 comments

I have searched a domain name for my business yesterday and it was available, the domain name I searched is a one English word domain. Today I wanted to buy the domain name, but it's no longer available. Whois database shows the domain name as reserved.

View on HN

This type of activity has been happening since the 90s and it's not limited to namecheap. You need to purchase a domain if you check its availability.

Is there any way to just check a domain exists at all without risking it being squatted? Whois maybe?

P.S: It happened to me before, this is the second time I experienced it.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com