Man Accidentally Buys Google.com for $12—Owns It for One Minute Before Google Reclaims It

In a truly surreal twist, former Google employee Sanmay Ved managed to purchase the domain name Google.com for just $12 using Google’s own domain-purchasing system.

It wasn’t a prank, a hack, or a plot—simply a glitch. While experimenting with their Domains late one night, Ved typed in “google.com” to explore the interface—and to his astonishment, found the option to buy it. He checked out, and the charge went through. Only afterward did reality catch up.

Ownership by Mistake, Reclaimed in Seconds

The notion of owning the most valuable domain online—even briefly—seemed absurd. Ved completed the purchase and gained control, confirmed by access to Google’s webmaster tools and a confirmation in his transaction history. But it lasted barely a minute before Google revoked the order and refunded his payment.

The company swiftly regained ownership, erasing the impossible sale.

Google Rewards the Discovery

Rather than confront Ved, Google treated it as a security finding. They offered a playful $6,000.13 reward—an Easter egg reference to the Google logo and brand. Ved, ever humble, asked them to donate it to charity instead. Moved by the gesture, the website doubled the reward to $12,000.

The funds went to the Art of Living India Foundation’s education program, supporting over 400 free schools across remote regions.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Story Thanks to Google

Ved later shared the anecdote in a LinkedIn post, giving a step-by-step account—entering the domain, seeing the “add to cart” button appear, completing the charge, getting access to tools, then the cancellation email. His post quickly went viral, capturing imaginations worldwide.

The story tickles the core of “what if” fantasies about internet history and domain names.

Legacy of the Mini-Ownership

Although brief, Ved’s ownership of Google.com became legendary in tech folklore.

It’s a reminder that even in tightly controlled systems, bizarre anomalies can happen when complexity meets automation. The story has since inspired postings on Reddit and social media, with fans joking about holding the internet in their hands—if only for a moment.

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