Someone else was using my domain name

[shottie]

Hi - I'm new to all of this so forgive me if this is a stupid question and apologies if its been asked before.

I registered a couple of domain names a few weeks back. Yesterday I typed in the url and low and behold there's a website all setup using the domain name I registered. It's not my site - I haven't designed it yet. How can that happen?

I checked WHOIS and the name is registered to me. I think I've sorted it now by assigning dns servers and parking the domain with my host package. How did they manage to use my domain name - I'm curious?

[jonesre]

When you purchase a domain (through Godaddy for example) and take advantage of their free parking service. The registrar is essentially hosting that domain for you until such time as you find hosting of your own.

While it's parked on their server, typically they will throw up a page full of ads in an attempt to squeeze some revenue out of it.

Nothing to worry about though. When you get web hosting and change the DNS info in the registrars utility page, it will then point to your own website.

Ron Jones

[shottie]

Ron - Thanks for that.

It makes sense now and the website was full of sponsored ads and links. It even had a logo with a slogan to match the domain name. Would they have gone to the trouble of quickly designing a page? I guess so if it makes them some extra income.

Thanks again,

Darren