The fourth most-read post on Domain Name Wire last year.
On Friday, I published the first of five posts covering the most-read stories on Domain Name Wire last year.
Coming in at #4 is an unfortunate story: DNForum owner and prominent domain conference speaker Adam Dicker fell from grace.
It all started when Shane Bellone published an expose post about Dicker’s business activities. Bellone posted a link to it on NamePros, and that thread has over 3,400 replies and a whopping 250,000 views.
In a nutshell, Bellone alleged that Dicker was exaggerating the success of websites he developed, was behind on payments to employees and didn’t deliver when creating websites for clients.
Many former clients came out of the woodwork to say this was true. Based on slow payments to people he owed money to, it’s clear Dicker was facing a cashflow crunch. Subsequent posts on the NamePros thread identified other exaggerations on Dicker’s sites. For example, the picture for one of his domain brokers was actually a photo of Yahoo CEO Marisa Mayer.
Dicker told Domain Name Wire that he eventually paid all of his employees (before Bellone made his post). A number of people subsequently received refunds for the sites they ordered through Dicker’s business. Some were asked to remove posts on the NamePros thread as part of an arrangement to get their money back.
John says
This story has not ended. Dicker still owes many people money. I am one of the people he owes money to, and my situation is “cut and dry” (I paid him, he didn’t deliver anything).
I have no idea what’s going on with him. I’ll never do business with him again, and I just want to be paid back for the money I gave him in good faith.
Memories are short. I warn others to stay away. Leopards do not change their spots.
Anon says
John is correct. The story has not ended. Adam has not refunded everyone to whom he owes thousands of dollars. Until he does, he is persona non grata in the domain industry — a pariah.
Andrew Allemann says
That’s unfortunate. With all of the domains he has, you’d think he could sell some quickly to cover this. (Assuming they aren’t used as collateral.)
Aaron Strong says
I was not scammed, but I was one click away from giving thousand’s of dollars to him..WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!..The most troubling part of this story, besides good folks being completely ripped off, is that the domain ‘ESTABLISHMENT’ assisted with the fraud. This was a team effort and many of those that benefited from this fraud remain publicly silent, except within the inner circles….
Kevin says
“”The most troubling part of this story, besides good folks being completely ripped off, is that the domain ‘ESTABLISHMENT’ assisted with the fraud. This was a team effort and many of those that benefited from this fraud remain publicly silent, except within the inner circles….””
@Aaron There you go, making up more conspiracy stories that you have ‘NO’ proof of. If you know who these ‘folks’ are, or have proof of your accusations, feel free to share with others so they can be warned. Otherwise you’re better off keeping your baseless conspiracies, and what little industry rep you have left, to yourself. ..good grief…
Aaron Strong says
Kevin – Did I rattle a cage with you?…Come out of your anonymous hiding and let’s discuss this. Until then, you prove my point and that alone serves as a warning to others.
Joseph Peterson says
@Kevin,
What Aaron is alluding to isn’t a conspiracy theory. It’s quite true that Adam Dicker had help promoting himself AND marginalizing critics, thanks to some established players within the industry.
I sincerely doubt they meant to help him defraud customers, but they made money from him and didn’t examine his business sufficiently or listen to clients’ complaints. Instead, they endorsed and advertised him.
How you evaluate that is up to you. This isn’t the place for me to give my opinion. But it’s historical fact that Adam Dicker had business associates.
Joseph Peterson says
You’re lucky not to have paid him. I met several people at NamesCon who say they are still owed thousands by Dicker. That includes members of the so-called establishment, actually – people who run domainer-focused companies, not just domainers.
We’re an industry held together with shoe string and bubble gum. Most domainers haven’t done business with one another. So we depend on conference handshakes or on reputation – on private feedback from those we trust or (most risky of all) on the person’s sheer online visibility.
Even after many years, this is a fledgling business. In our eagerness to forge connections and find success stories to point to, it’s perilously easy to “round up”, assume what we’re told is true, trust “authorities” who got rich in the past, and skip critical thinking and due diligence. That’s no excuse. Just a predilection.
New domainers especially want landmarks in a disorienting landscape. Ideally, these landmarks would be personal experience, hard data, and research; but it’s easier to find sherpas to idolize. No surprise, those with something to sell to an easily impressed audience will step forward to be idolized.
In a sense, the “establishment” let “smaller” domainers down. But the establishment isn’t really very established. Yes, there are clusters of mutually supportive insider buddies. But in general, the industry is quite scattered. Domain professionals don’t interact regularly or keep tabs on one another. And if the “small” domainers hadn’t thought of themselves as small, then they would have spoken up earlier.
Part of the reason Adam Dicker’s claims weren’t interrogated adequately is that people felt intimidated – intimidated by his apparent stature, by litigiousness, and by backlash from those promoting Adam. Altogether, this had a chilling, divide-and-conquer effect, curbing discussion.
Some people within the “establishmet” would have criticized Adam Dicker if they had been made aware of the extent of the problems. Unfortunately, the injured parties complained to Michael Cyger, whose natural motivation would be to protect his DomainSherpa brand by burying negative stories. If those injured parties had complained to someone not allied with Dicker, then the “establishment” might have connected the dots and exposed wrongdoings much earlier.
It’s true that a number of people made money and built brands selling Adam Dicker to a wide audience. Whether they’re judged harshly or instantly forgiven is up to those “small” domainers. I think it’s only fair that there be some public memory of their involvement / culpability. Maybe a grain of salt before swallowing?
Aaron Strong says
Joseph – Thank you for your explanations. This may come as no surprise, but I certainly agree with everything you said.
John Gilmore says
From what I understand in dealing with Michael Cyger, your comment makes assumptions about what was told to him yet you state them as fact.
Before you drag someone through the mud, consider contacting him directly if you have specific questions about what he knew or didn’t know.
Keith DeBoer says
Good commentary Joseph. Domaining is still like the wild west when it comes to industry development. Newcomers who walk in starry eyed with dreams of quick money (most of us) will naturally step in some horse manure and some will even fall in the quicksand of hype and financial misfortune. Let’s hope, as a community, we can keep it to a minimum.
Joseph Peterson says
@John Gilmore,
What have I assumed that you think is false? Be specific. Vague rebukes aren’t worth their weight in cotton candy.
My comments are based on a transcript of a conversation between Michael Cyger and Adam Dicker that was leaked and published in the original NamePros thread that caused this scandal to erupt. You can read it yourself.
My remarks are also based on comments Michael Cyger made on his own website, which have now been deleted and swept under the rug, along with practically the entire history of his involvement with Adam Dicker. You can either do your own research now or wait for me to discuss the matter later.
My opinion is also based on my own interactions with Michael Cyger. He and I have spoken numerous times.
Mike is a likable guy. But that doesn’t mean we have to defend his bad decisions. If something I’ve said is incorrect, please point to it.
Jay says
I heard there is a guy in Ontario owed like $40k, Newby is the name.
Lucky for him
He lives in a legal jurisdiction where he can do something about it.
Jay says
Also a man who has done noting wrong had no need to hide, ie Facebook, Twitter etc
Obviously self inflicted guilt at play, also there were rumours the past month he was moving many of his names to another register behind privacy.
The .ca market has crapped out , and he has taken a huge hit with it
Even the Rams dumped on him, how could you drop that ball go TheRams.com, unless ducker gets his Whistle wet from watching sheep fornicate
Kevin says
“”Kevin – Did I rattle a cage with you?…Come out of your anonymous hiding and let’s discuss this. Until then, you prove my point and that alone serves as a warning to others.””
@Aaron – ?? What, you want me to come out to Newberry Park? Nah.
And how did me asking you to prove your baseless and constant conspiracy theories serve as a warning to others?? Wow, you are…something. Does your doc know you’re not taking your meds again? tsk tsk.
(sorry about this Andrew, I’m out.)
Aaron Strong says
Kevin – You seem more concerned about my ‘reputation’ than your own…If I said something that offended you, it says more about you than me….This may seem odd for somebody of your nature to understand, but I wish you the best!