Domain Names...

Squarehed · 25 Jun 2007 at 17:50

So, to set up email for my family, I'd like to order the domain name of 'lastname.com'. It's taken so i've tried to contact the owner using his whois details (all short of phoning him).

His house is up for sale and all the email addresses for him that i could think of, including the one given as a contact are bouncing.

So I've tried everything in purchasing it. I then noticed that having been registered in 1998, it'll expire next year as he's had it for (the maximum term of) 10 years. Last database activity is shown as last October, so this again suggests he's really not using it at all so will hopefully not renew it.
My question to you (and sorry if this shouldn't be in GD) is: Can i place an order on this domain name for when it becomes available next year, and is there any way I would be able to get it now.

Vulcan · 25 Jun 2007 at 17:59

You can order it when it expires, but that's assuming he doesn't renew it every year. A lot of domains that are left to expire are taken by those holding pages, with ads etc on it. So in the event it does expire, don't expect to be the first person to grab it.

And HTML, Graphics & Programming is where domain questions should be.

How did you know his house is for sale?

Squarehed · 25 Jun 2007 at 18:02

Googled his address.

Biohazard · 25 Jun 2007 at 18:04

lol

stoofa · 25 Jun 2007 at 18:24

Squarehed said:
So, to set up email for my family, I'd like to order the domain name of 'lastname.com'. It's taken so i've tried to contact the owner using his whois details (all short of phoning him).

His house is up for sale and all the email addresses for him that i could think of, including the one given as a contact are bouncing.

So I've tried everything in purchasing it. I then noticed that having been registered in 1998, it'll expire next year as he's had it for (the maximum term of) 10 years. Last database activity is shown as last October, so this again suggests he's really not using it at all so will hopefully not renew it.
My question to you (and sorry if this shouldn't be in GD) is: Can i place an order on this domain name for when it becomes available next year, and is there any way I would be able to get it now.

There is a good market for surname dot com domains - so if it's a common name really don't expect it to drop.
When the renewal date gets close you may well see he just adds another year on - it costs next to nothing to do these days.
If it does drop then you can either try and grab it yourself or you can use a company like snapnames.com to try and secure it for you.
Basically the companies who do domain snapping for a living will nealy always beat you to a dropped domain as they will be in there the milisecond the domain drops.
You can only get it now by getting the current owner to sell/give it to you.
Find out how the domain is actually registered with and contact them - ask them to pass on an e-mail to the owner of the domain.

Last option, if you think that any of the WHOIS information is false you could contact ICAAN and tell them that you've been trying to contact the owner of the domain over a serious matter and that his contact details udner WHOIS are incorrect.
Part of the ICAAN terms & conditions are that this information must be truthful - it's still debateable at the moment if the companies that offer to proxy their information onto domains is breaking the T&C's and people may risk loising the domains in doing so.

Ed · 25 Jun 2007 at 18:32

Sign up for a free acount at 123 Reg, then purchase a 'domain watcher' for £15+VAT. This allows you to snatch the domain the day it's released and becomes available. You'll be notified by email as soon as it's complete. Of course, this assumes he doesn't renew the domain. As soon as you express an interest, for the sake of a couple of quid, he could hold you to ransom and charge you hundreds.

Keep quiet, don't tell him, purchase the watcher and wait.

Edit: beaten by Stoofa

Squarehed · 25 Jun 2007 at 18:55

spinneR~uk said:
Sign up for a free acount at 123 Reg, then purchase a 'domain watcher' for £15+VAT. This allows you to snatch the domain the day it's released and becomes available. You'll be notified by email as soon as it's complete. Of course, this assumes he doesn't renew the domain. As soon as you express an interest, for the sake of a couple of quid, he could hold you to ransom and charge you hundreds.

Keep quiet, don't tell him, purchase the watcher and wait.

Edit: beaten by Stoofa

Thanks, that's the kind of service i've been looking for and thank you stoofa also for the information there.

I'm pretty sure he's not got a valid email address for his WHOIS info (this is from the company that hold his domain name as well). Must all of the information be wrong or just a part of it be unable to be contacted in order to be violating the rules?

Furthermore, because the emails have bounced i'm pretty sure he won't realise that i'm interested. The name I'm looking for is certainly uncommon. Nice house though.

Also, perhaps he's dead?

stoofa · 26 Jun 2007 at 01:42

Your best bet is to purchase a domain watcher - if it drops yes it will cost you more than simply being able to register it.
However it gives you a lot more chance of getting it.

Approaching the buyer is the other option - however you seem to have run into a brick wall on that front.
I personally don't worry about my WHOIS information being public.
I like to think that should someone want to offer me millions for a domain name they can find out who I am, drop me an e-mail and make me an offer.

For incorrect WHOIS information the links below maybe of some help.

http://wdprs.internic.net/
http://www.icann.org/whois/wdprs-report-final-31mar05.htm

The first one is a link to actually make a report, the second one is a report of how reports of false/incorrect WHOIS information has been dealt with in the past.