So, after all this time it turns out to be true – someone DOES snitch domain names at the time of the search. Guess who that might be? Some anonymous hacker? Wrong! It’s one of the largest domain name registrar – Network Solutions. Multiple blogs and other sources confirm that NetSol preserves any .com name searched through their web site for at least 4 days “to protect customers from front-runners”.
What it looks like to me is that whenever any company feels too comfortable at the place it is bad things start to happen. But off with the generalizations. I have some clients who have some domains registered through Network Solutions. After a hit like that the company might do all kinds of crazy stuff, so I better have those domains secured at other registrars.