And in this case it did.

As reported on many other blogs today, Network Solutions automatically does the following (without ANY warning) after you use their site to check the availability of any domain name ending in .com (try it now, before they’ve refined their script to exclude domains that are too long for example – that would spoil the fun):

a) they register the domain within seconds, in the name of a registrant called “This Domain is available at NetworkSolutions.com” (does a company by that name really exists as of Jan 8, 2008?);

b) within minutes they put up a NetSol ad-filled web page telling anyone who visits that this domain is available at Network Solutions (for $34.99, unless you also buy hosting or otherwise negotiate a better deal);

c) they automatically stop other registrars from being able to offer you much lower prices (in most cases in the range of $7.15-$9.95) for the same domain – since it’s already registered by Network Solutions;

d) they automatically drop the domain in 4 to 5 days (without paying anything for the registration, using a procedure meant to allow registrars to refund their customers for mistyped domains) if you don’t give in to the temptation to pay $34.95 or otherwise acquire it from them;

e) even if you’re not unlucky enough to find that another person has buught the domain from NetSol in these 4-5 days, when they drop the registration they expose you to the serious risk of loosing your domain permanently to the multiple professional ‘domain tasters’ and other parties who usually register dropped domain names within a very short period of time.

The most unsettling part is that NetSol now defend their actions in terms that make me believe they seriously underestimate the IQ of the average domainer:

This is a quote attributed to Jonathon Nevett, Vice President of Policy at Network Solutions – courtesy of Circle ID:

“I’d like to clarify what we are doing. In response to customer concerns about Domain Name Front Running (domains being registered by someone else just after they have conducted a domain name search), we have implemented a security measure to protect our customers. The measure will kick in when a customer searches for an available domain name at our website, but decides not to purchase the name immediately after conducting the search.

After the search ends, we will put the domain name on reserve. During this reservation period, the name is not active and we do not monetize the traffic on these domains. If a customer searches for the domain again during the next 4 days at networksolutions.com, the domain will be available to register. If the domain name is not purchased within 4 days, it will be released back to the registry and will be generally available for registration.

This protection measure provides our customers the opportunity to register domains they have previously searched without the fear that the name will be already taken through Front Running.

You are correct that we are trying to take an arrow out of the quiver of the tasters. As you know, domain tasters are the largest Front Runners. Due to no fault of registrars, Front Runners purchase search data from Internet Service Providers and/or registries and then taste those names. Some folks may not agree with our approach, but we are trying to prevent this malicious activity from impacting our customers.”

I am speechless…