Acquiring an 'abandoned' domain with invalid whois and DNS?

[igalvez]

There is a domain name that appears to be abandoned, with invalid whois data (email set to non-existent domain, 555-5555 phone, etc) and invalid DNS (pointing to dead name servers).

I would love to be able to own this domain name, but I don't know how to go about this.

The registrar is Domain.com. I have asked them about the domain name, and they referred me to the registrant contact. That doesn't help, because the info is invalid.

The domain was set to expire on May 8, 2014, but it was surprisingly renewed for an extra year on May 9!

Am I out of luck? Any tips would be appreciated!

 

[Keith]

If it's a .com you can submit a complaint to icann.

 

[igalvez]

If it's a .com you can submit a complaint to icann.

Which form do I fill out? Is it this one?

https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/whois/inaccuracy-form

 

[Keith]

Yes that form. They'll ask you to supply proof of false info, such as a bounce back email attempt.

 

[igalvez]

Yes that form. They'll ask you to supply proof of false info, such as a bounce back email attempt.

OK. Thanks. I have just submitted that form.

 

[Jasonn]

it surely doesn't mean you will get it. the domain will expire and be available for anyone to backorder it.

 

[Keith]

Correct. You need to backorder it as if it were going to expire.

 

[igalvez]

Where do I backorder the domain name? Domain.com does not seem to provide a way to backorder this domain on their website.

 

[Keith]

Namejet, Snapnames

 

[DU]

If it's being renewed it's not abandoned. Filing a complaint seems like being a snitch to me.

 

[Keith]

If it's being renewed it's not abandoned. Filing a complaint seems like being a snitch to me.

Not true.

Credit cards are on file and auto renew can be set. Per icann rules, all contact info has to be current. If the registrant doesn't follow the rules, they take the chance that they could lose the domain.

 

[DU]

Fair enough... let's hope we found an old valuable domain with a dead owner and a family who doesn't know about a name worth some $$$.

It's a domainer wet dream.

(Not accusing the OP but that's really what the auto renew excuse is with a rule technicality thrown in).

Maybe I should run a job and auto report all the "incorrect" whois just for grins.

 

[Keith]

Fair enough... let's hope we found an old valuable domain with a dead owner and a family who doesn't know about a name worth some $$$.

It's not uncommon. I've been tracking a domain in client hold for 2 years. Technically the registrar isn't allowed to let the renewal happen but they don't abide by the rules anyhow.

 

[JBubba]

When a .COM domain hits it's expiration date, Verisign automatically renews it for one year and charges the registrar. It is up to the registrar to delete the domain if they are unable to get payment from the registrant.

For example:
- Domain xyz.com expires on 5/16/2014.
- Verisign auto-renews the domain on 5/17/2014. Whois output now shows new expiration date of 5/17/2015.
- If the customer pays the registrar, the registrar needs to do nothing. If the customer does not pay, the registrar is responsible for deleting the domain and letting it go through the Redemption period.

Now, according to the 2013 RAA, the registrar is responsible for outputting the "Registrar Registration Expiration Date", which should be accurate as to whether or not the registrant paid for renewal or not. Not all registrars are on the 2013 RAA, and not all have conforming Whois output yet.

Hope this helps.

 

[Name Trader]

Just to clarify what JBubba is saying, and I agree with. You need to do your whois lookup using domain.com's whois servers, not the registry's whois servers. If it shows the new registration date, then it has definitely been renewed by the registrant. If it shows the old expiry date then it hasn't been renewed. The registry whois will show that it has been renewed automatically by the registrar, when it may not have actually been renewed by the owner at that registrar. In this case domain.com.

 

[NameBot]

Since you're saying the domain seem to be abandoned, it might be an auto renewal. If the whois contact details are not valid, i think you should contact the registrar again.

 

[igalvez]

UPDATE:

The domain name was updated yesterday with valid contact information and working DNS.

So, it seems that submitting the complaint with ICANN and Domain.com helped resolve this issue.

 

[RogueWriter]

Fair enough... let's hope we found an old valuable domain with a dead owner and a family who doesn't know about a name worth some $$$.

It's a domainer wet dream.

(Not accusing the OP but that's really what the auto renew excuse is with a rule technicality thrown in).

Maybe I should run a job and auto report all the "incorrect" whois just for grins.

Eh, I can see where, at times, you want to minimalize the chance of anyone being able to contact you. Say, you own hundreds of porno names, you really might not want the neighborhood thinking you run an online porn business. Or, say, you own a politcally sensitive domain name, and you live in a country where that could get you killed. My knee jerk reaction is, everyone needs to play by the rules; if I have to have my name out there, so should everyone else. But thinking it out, I keep asking myself "Why?". Why is it anyone else's business, as long as I keep renewing a domain every year? If I do not want to be contacted under any circumstances, why is it just accepted that I am out of luck?

 

[Domainstore]

Thanks for all this valuable information on this issue, I also already came across.

 

[dompro]

"pending delete" state not the invalid whos data that what would make abandoned, IMHO. Somebody may be renewing it each year, just not willing to cope with the spam coming from whois scrappers and not willing to pay $ for whois privacy