socialmedian: SnapNames: Former exec. bid up domain prices

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SnapNames: Former exec. bid up domain prices

Source: Washington Post

Nov 04, 2009

Summary

SnapNames, the largest reseller of Web site names, Wednesday alleged that a former top executive secretly bid on tens of thousands of domain name auctions over the past four years, driving up costs for other bidders and enriching himself in the process. SnapNames owner Oversee Corp. said it learned about a month ago that the executive had been bidding on its domain auctions in violation of company policy that bars employees from doing so. Mason Cole, vice president of Oversee Corp. Communications, said the executive was dismissed a week ago Monday. The company Wednesday began notifying affected customers via e-mail, stating that "in every auction where the employee's fictitious account submitted a bid which resulted in a higher price being paid by the winning bidder, SnapNames will offer a rebate, with 5.22 percent interest (the highest applicable federal rate during the affected time period), to affect customers for the difference