information Finding Previous Owner Of Domain

[skyz21]

Hi everyone,

I recently got a few domains through GD Closeouts and would like to try contacting the previous owners about the domain auction.

Anyone know how I can find out the previous owner? Doing a who is search returns my details as I'm the current registrant.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

 

[todaygold]

Why would you want to contact the previous owners? Are you going to try to offer it back to them for some exorbitant charge or something?

 

[skyz21]

For a reasonable fee :P

 

[Hypersot]

I'm trying to imagine how I'd react if someone tried to sell the tv set I just threw in the bin back to me

 

[todaygold]

I'm trying to imagine how I'd react if someone tried to sell the tv set I just threw in the bin back to me

Agreed! skyz21, don't act dumb, that makes the rest of us look bad. Leave the past owner alone and find someone else to sell it to.

 

[skyz21]

How am I acting dumb? I will be finding other people to sell to. But why shouldn't I contact someone who has previously invested in the domain? :S

 

[todaygold]

How am I acting dumb? I will be finding other people to sell to. But why shouldn't I contact someone who has previously invested in the domain? :S

I think anybody with ethics and morals could explain it to you. You essentially went out of your way to buy a domain they let drop...now you are going out of your way to try to look up their contact information so you can send them an email or give them a call and basically say: 'haha, I have the domain you let drop. Want it back? Do ya? Cause if you do I'm going to charge you more than registration fee because I picked it up so I could make money off of it.' Most people that are not domainers would find that unethical. They would see it as similar to finding someone's wallet that they accidentally dropped, then charging them money if they wanted it back.

 

[Asfas1000]

They let the domain drop, they didn't pay even reg fee for it, so they are probably not interested in it anymore.
And if they are, they will contact you themselves.

 

[wayne wooldridge]

Anyways, if it was any value to them, they would easily track you down(and possibly berate you) via email. Otherwise, they probably couldn't care less about it...
Unless you are going to be nice and cut them an Awesome deal, I doubt they would respond kindly towards you.

Imagine your car getting repoed bc you couldn't keep up payments. Then later someone showing up at your door with your long lost baby sitting in the driveway and they offer it to you for 50x the amount of the original loan you had on it....

 

[skyz21]

I'm sure there are people who have had domains expire for many different reasons. Thought it would seem logical to include the previous owner, who paid $XXXX for the domain, in the end user list. Anyway appreciate your response and views. Cheers

 

[todaygold]

I'm sure there are people who have had domains expire for many different reasons. Thought it would seem logical to include the previous owner, who paid $XXXX for the domain, in the end user list. Anyway appreciate your response and views. Cheers

And as you can see, all 4 of us that responded disagree with you. So I hope you do the right thing and just find another buyer. If the former owner wants to contact you, they will.

 

[Kate]

You are wasting your time and money.
Even if you find one party who let the domain lapse by accident, your approach will be construed as extortion. You'll get angry replies but no money.

If you decide to proceed, do NOT spam me. If I drop a domain it is a deliberate action.
This is not a good way to do domaining. It almost looks like ransomware.

 

[ikhub]

You don't have to look for him/her.
He/She will look for you if he/she needs the domain.
Happened to me a few times.

 

[skyz21]

lol ransom and extortion? i think you need to look up the definitions of those CRIMINAL acts. Like I said previously I appreciate all your responses, even though the information hasn't been provided.

 

[todaygold]

lol ransom and extortion? i think you need to look up the definitions of those CRIMINAL acts. Like I said previously I appreciate all your responses, even though the information hasn't been provided.

Ransom = To hold an item in order to extort money.
Extort = To obtain something by unfair means.

Hmmm, sounds like what you are doing. Regardless, all 6 of us that replied disagree with what you are trying to do. No one said it was illegal, but we all agree it is the wrong way to do things...and you are far more likely to piss off the former owner, not get them on your good side.

 

[wayne wooldridge]

lol ransom and extortion? i think you need to look up the definitions of those CRIMINAL acts. Like I said previously I appreciate all your responses, even though the information hasn't been provided.

I couldn't find where anyone actually called it extortion, just that it can easily be construed that way. I can understand that you are not hearing what you wanted to hear, and that's fine.

From an experienced domainers perspective you're better off knowing why it's not advisable, rather than how to accomplish what you want; and later find out it was a terrible idea anyway.

Anyhow, I am sure there are other information sources on how-to annoy previous domain owners (and other ways to waste your time), I just hope it won't be found here... -just don't need confused, we are trying to help. There is no reason to be defensive. Nobody is disagreeing with you for the fun of it. It's because we have experienced it(whether doing it ourselves in the past, or being on the business end of the spam emails) and respectively disagree with that M.O.

 

[hookbox]

@skyz21 There are times that I totally missed the renewal on a name and would love to buy it back at a small fee. It does happen sometimes.

DomainHistory.net

 

[skyz21]

@wayne wooldridge Thanks for your reply. I do understand what you're saying. I think I got defensive because of the first post calling it a dumb idea, when I was just asking for information. I definitely value all of your opinions, as I am new to this.

@hookbox Thank you for providing the requested information. I thought that situation might happen, even if the chance is small.

@todaygold I don't think registering a website then offering it for sale is extortion? Correct me if I'm wrong though.

Cheers for all your responses

 

[todaygold]

@wayne wooldridge Thanks for your reply. I do understand what you're saying. I think I got defensive because of the first post calling it a dumb idea, when I was just asking for information. I definitely value all of your opinions, as I am new to this.

Seeing as how 6 of the 7 respondents think it's a dumb idea, I think the vast majority agree it is a dumb idea.

@todaygold I don't think registering a website then offering it for sale is extortion? Correct me if I'm wrong though.

I love how you conveniently leave out the rest of it...you aren't just registering a domain to sell...you are going out of your way to register a domain they let expire...then going out of your way yet again to look up the previous owners contact information...then contacting them and telling them you purchased their expired domain for the sole purpose of selling it at a profit and telling them they won't get their domain back unless they line your pockets.

Regardless, this topic has been talked to death...you are going to do what you want to do regardless of what we tell you. I hope one day you lose your wallet and the person that finds it demands a 'transportation fee' to return it to you.

 

[skyz21]

@todaygold My mistake, you said I'm acting dumb in the post, not the idea. So you've come to a thread that requested information, gone out of your way to write numerous replies with your opinion, said I'm dumb and yet couldn't provide the actual information? lol

Your right, this has been talked to death and Hookbox has showed me the site I was looking for. So if mods want to close this thread then by all means please do.

 

[todaygold]

@todaygold So you've come to a thread that requested information, gone out of your way to write numerous replies with your opinion, said I'm dumb and yet couldn't provide the actual information? lol

What 'actual information' was I supposed to provide?

 

[redesignunit]

you can check in whois if they still showing old data no any other way to contact old owner.

 

[trap3]

I think anybody with ethics and morals could explain it to you. You essentially went out of your way to buy a domain they let drop...now you are going out of your way to try to look up their contact information so you can send them an email or give them a call and basically say: 'haha, I have the domain you let drop. Want it back? Do ya? Cause if you do I'm going to charge you more than registration fee because I picked it up so I could make money off of it.' Most people that are not domainers would find that unethical. They would see it as similar to finding someone's wallet that they accidentally dropped, then charging them money if they wanted it back.

I see the point your trying to make. However, this is a business, and like every business there are winners and losers. Fact of life.

Perhaps you could call it bad taste to contact the previous owner, but its not unethical. It is also, nothing like dropping a wallet either. That wallet belonged to you at the time, so it would be ethical to give it back to the owner.

A domain name is leasehold property. You have the opportunity to renew the lease before it expires (and x amount of days thereafter) . But, once the lease expires, it doesnt belong to you anymore!

 

[Kate]

Bad taste yes and IMO it is borderline unethical. In fact it is spamming and it would be unethical for that reason alone. At the very least it fosters the perception among the public that domainers are scavengers and bottom feeders.

 

[Abdullah Abdullah]

It is simple. If the previous owner wanted the name he or she will contact you the minute he or she finds it is owned by someone else. I dropped many domains and received many emails offering me he names. Hell most of them did not even reg the name first but assumed I was idiot enough to negotiate on something that I can gwt for free.