I contacted them after realizing this issue. They were really RUDE. Nothing could be done.

So I filed BBB complain. Don’t expect to get it unlocked, but at least share my experience with others.

When we called to talk to support, they couldn’t get past the fact that in their opinion, they don’t know why that warning page didn’t pop up but it does on their site and since I changed the info then that means I agreed. I asked them for a copy of an electronic agreement. They explained that it didn’t matter because the pop up warning shows up on their screen. I offered to take screen shots and they still said it didn’t matter.

So, the first problem is why was my Whois all screwed up and before you ask, I wouldn’t know what was there because Go Daddy helped me set up with privacy the moment we transferred over a year ago to them so I haven’t seen my Whois data for a year. Then, I didn’t get the warning and didn’t say ok to that warning. They have no electronic signature and cannot prove otherwise.

Bottom line, in my opinion, when do you think you would normally look and update your Whois?? Probably when you are transferring and that is usually when you start to expire – wouldn’t you agree? Rhetorical question. Anyway, it is a scam to force you to pay an additional year with them because they lock you out from transferring for 60 days when you are due to expire well before that.

I will send the e-mail above and hope for the best but we have been at this for 3 days and the site domain expires tomorrow, I am sure they will not release it in time.

Oh, and before anyone criticizes this post and disagrees with what I say – it only makes you appear to be working for Go Daddy or a Troll so don’t bother. Your words are biased and do not make a difference. It is illegal to force a voluntary opt in when the opt in doesn’t even appear!!!

Thanks for this post, it has been very helpful. Keep up the good work warning and educating people.

Kelly

Thank you for making this post!

That whole industry has a SERIOUS racket going against the little guy domain owner right now.. Must be nice to have absolutely no conscious whatsoever as one walks through this Life.

EHN-EE-WAY…

Thanks for the article..

Warmest from Talking Rock..
.

Thank you for contacting online support.

We apologize for any confusion, however, note that the lock on your domain does not conflict with this rule. The 60-day lock on your domain is a result of a voluntary opt-in which is requested when you make the updates to your Registrant data. We do not require you to update this data prior to completing the transfer, and as such you are not required to agree to the 60-day lock placed on the domain. As noted, this falls under the Express Written Objection rule, stating that a domain can be locked as a result of:

Express written objection to the transfer from the Transfer Contact. (e.g. – email, fax, paper document or other processes by which the Transfer Contact has expressly and voluntarily objected through opt-in means).

However, as a one-time courtesy, we would be willing to remove the lock from this domain so that you may continue with your transfer. In order to do so, we must first ask that you modify the Registrant data and revert it back to the information it was prior to the lock being placed on the domain. Once you have made these updates, you will need to reply to this message so that we can review your request with the appropriate parties. We thank you for your understanding.

Please let us know if we can help you in any other way.

Sincerely,
David P.
Online Support Team

Thanks, Jaime. Your email worked in under an hour.

I am replying that there is nothing voluntary about the “opt-in”. No “opt-in” means no changing whois. “Voluntary” would mean I had a choice.

I used your email – thanks for that – will see what happen now.

For the life of me can’t imagine why so many people flock to them.

Rules are very similar when a domain transfers between registrars. There is a 60 day lock placed on domains transferred to another registrar. This is done for security purposes and makes a lot of sense when you look into why someone would want to transfer registrars more than once in a 60 day period. These “registry locks” are overall a very good thing.

The confusing part is the status of a domain recently registered or transferred is “ok” when you look at registry whois data. However there is what seems to be a “hidden lock” end users can not see. This is confusing and leads to countless hours of people thinking they can transfer domains but get stuck and terribly confused.

The above are different from GoDaddy’s whois update lock. When you update a domain’s whois at GoDaddy they implement a “registrar lock” whereby they lock the domain themselves. It is not well documented as you suggested, but you have to check a few boxes that agree to this before updating whois. I understand this now, I was confused the first few times it happened.

I hate to go against you on your post, but I think for security this is a good feature and something you should respect GoDaddy in doing. It is annoying to a lot of people, but when you value your domain assets, it is a protective feature they have implemented.

Yes, I have been annoyed by this many times in the past. With the right contacts and persuasion you can get this hidden “registrar lock” removed.