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Ask HN: How to get domain with invalid contact details

1 points by nrkn ↗ HN
There's a domain that I want. The registrant details were hidden behind Domain Discreet, which no longer exists, and none of the contact info works, email bounces etc. so I can't approach the owner and ask what they want for it. It was due to expire last year so I used a deleting domains provider to try and grab it, but several months after it was supposed to have expired it was re-registered by its current owner for another two years. Tried filing a complaint with ICANN about the invalid contact details but no dice. Advice?

4 comments

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ecommando
NameJet, SnapNames, or SEDOPro. The latter WILL track down the owner, but will cost you more. Backorder thru the other two and wait.
nrkn
Thanks. They've renewed it for another two years, and I've already failed to grab it through a backordering service once (despite it being expired for what seems much longer than the reasonable renewal time, several months), is there something different about NameJet/SnapNames? I don't really want to wait another two years. The "join" page for Sedo doesn't work either, but do you any idea what kind of money we'd be looking at?
kovar
I tried using sedo to obtain a domain that has been parked for eight years. The initial asking price was $15,000. I countered with $150. A response came back within five minutes for $14,900. I countered with $250. The other side cancelled the negotiation.

I don't trust any of the negotiation services. Call me cynical, but I suspect domain lookup service to be in bed with domain negotiation services and domain parking services.

nrkn
Yeah we had a similar experience recently as well, but we didn't really need that domain so we just shrugged it off. And yeah plenty of registrars etc. are definitely in bed with speculators.