| >"I believe someone scraped this name and stole the domain." I believe it is a bit harsh accusing someone of theft because he registered a domain before you did or doing some action before you did. Merely having an idea doesn't give you the right to a property before you pay for it. Let's suppose I have found my dream home and I take my wife out for dinner and talk loud about why is that house wonderful, why does it have a huge potential and how I've talked the owner into making a nice discount. I brag loudly about how that house is almost a steal. Because I have some things to do at work, I will be able to speak with the real estate agent in one or two weeks, only to find out it was sold to the gentleman sitting on the next table in the restaurant. Should I go to the police and open a theft complain? Of course, domain scrapping and squatting has some gray moral areas but are not against the law. When I have an idea I like, I go register the domain first. Even if I will not pursue that idea further. At worst I will lose 5 to 10 dollars. At best I will make something out of it. Or I can even sell the domain along with my idea to someone else who might want to use it. I don't search the domain names using registrars or various domain tools. I only use Whois services I trust and I usually buy the domain short time after that. |
Imagine that I overhear you wanting that home but I front run you. Not because I also love that house, I just buy it because I heard you like it and so that you can't have it. I don't do anything with the house. I don't live in it. I don't consider the house to have any value other than you wanting it.
That's not the same thing as 2 home buyers appreciating hot property.