domain-name takeover

[PRR]

A long-time email friend just died unexpectedly.

He had registered a domain-name, unusual but easily typed. The forum on it is abandoned. There is a mail-server, but he is likely the only user.

The domain is paid-up to Dec 2016. Then I guess it goes in a pool?

I would like to buy it.

At present two reputable domain registrars tell me "not available". Obviously I can try again after it expires.

Aren't there sharper registrars who will attempt to get a domain while valid? At least put "dibs" on it to catch it when it expires?

 

[JohnRoberts]

Do you know any relatives or people dealing with his estate? It might be easier to get it reassigned or buy it from them for some nominal amount.  Does WHOIS have anything useful about the domain?

Is the website still being hosted by a provider or down?

I recall when the guy behind the drum tuning bible , prof sound (aka J Scott Johnson) let that website lapse. It was up on an earthlink host and apparently after the rent was not being paid it went down. I ASSume he passed away.

JR

 

[midwayfair]

My best guess for how to get it without it going to a pool upon expiration: I believe it's property that can pass through the estate. So whoever his heir is needs to get letters of administration for and estate, which they can provide to the current domain registrar (which you find using a whois) and have the rights transferred to them. Then they can give or sell it to you.

 

[PRR]

Thanks for comments.

I'm aware the domain goes to the Heirs. It expires in 3 weeks, so the cash value is a few bucks. The name has no apparent "value" like say food dot com would.

I am in touch with his father. Son died in a crash last week, and burying a son must be really tough. He also "inherits" Son's nice house and two nice cars. Father is not tech-savvy. I can't see him dealing with this now.

For MORE fun-- the outfit who registered the domain for my friend is apparently kaput! So even if Father did the paperwork, there's nobody to look at it.

Kicking it all to higher powers, probate and top-level registrars, would take much longer than the 3 weeks left.

Which is why I'm thinking a "sharp" domain service. The kind that jump on expired domains and hold them for ransom. Yeah, they could ask way more than I am prepared to spend. Anybody have any experience?

The other path is to let it expire then request it through the usual registrars. I know there may be a time-out when the nominal owner can pay to have it again.

As said, there was a forum but dead for 6 years and now shrouded in database errors. There was a mail-host, and he used it a few weeks ago, but I strongly suspect he was the only active user.

The server is running but I bet it ran on an old PC in his spare bedroom. Meaning whenever his folks turn off the power in Son's house, it will go down.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Thanks for comments.

I'm aware the domain goes to the Heirs. It expires in 3 weeks, so the cash value is a few bucks. The name has no apparent "value" like say food dot com would.

I am in touch with his father. Son died in a crash last week, and burying a son must be really tough. He also "inherits" Son's nice house and two nice cars. Father is not tech-savvy. I can't see him dealing with this now.

For MORE fun-- the outfit who registered the domain for my friend is apparently kaput! So even if Father did the paperwork, there's nobody to look at it.

Kicking it all to higher powers, probate and top-level registrars, would take much longer than the 3 weeks left.

Which is why I'm thinking a "sharp" domain service. The kind that jump on expired domains and hold them for ransom. Yeah, they could ask way more than I am prepared to spend. Anybody have any experience?

The other path is to let it expire then request it through the usual registrars. I know there may be a time-out when the nominal owner can pay to have it again.

As said, there was a forum but dead for 6 years and now shrouded in database errors. There was a mail-host, and he used it a few weeks ago, but I strongly suspect he was the only active user.

The server is running but I bet it ran on an old PC in his spare bedroom. Meaning whenever his folks turn off the power in Son's house, it will go down.

You might be able to pay to renew it for 1 year so the father does not have to deal with  it right now... There are several reputable registrars and they will probably take money from anybody. You may not even need to tell the father you did that.

Then after the body is cold, you can work this out with the father/estate.

JR

 

[PRR]

me> I'm thinking a "sharp" domain service.

What GoDaddy says will happen:
https://www.godaddy.com/help/what-happens-after-domain-names-expire-6700

What really happens (old):
https://mikeindustries.com/blog/archive/2005/03/how-to-snatch-an-expiring-domain

 

[Ethan]

If you're willing to spent $200-300(varies depending on the domain extension), it shouldn't be a problem. Last I checked that's the base price for sniping domains in the drop (if no one else has dibs). It's also around the same price for getting it during redemption. I guess the prices have gone up a bit since that blog post  was written in 2005.
If it's not a particularly attractive domain that professional domain hustlers are after, I would patiently (quietly)wait until it comes out of redemption and register it for a fraction of the price.

 

[PRR]

> patiently (quietly) wait until it comes out of redemption and register it for a fraction of the price.

That's the conclusion I was coming to. Don't even Google it; domain-grabbers use search terms to know what to grab. Non-negligible searching, they'll grab it and point it to a porn-site.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

A long-time email friend just died unexpectedly.

He had registered a domain-name, unusual but easily typed. The forum on it is abandoned. There is a mail-server, but he is likely the only user.

The domain is paid-up to Dec 2016. Then I guess it goes in a pool?

I would like to buy it.

At present two reputable domain registrars tell me "not available". Obviously I can try again after it expires.

Aren't there sharper registrars who will attempt to get a domain while valid? At least put "dibs" on it to catch it when it expires?

Have you tried Gandi
https://www.gandi.net/?lang=en
I found them to be quite responsive.

 

[PRR]

Thanks, I will look at Gandi.

For more fun: the "kaput registrar" is actually owned by my friend! And its registration expires soon after the other one. And that authority comes from one of the large "domain sharks" mentioned in the Mike Industries essay.

Another aspect: most billing is auto-renew. I am not sure my friend would have done that. But if he did, and the old card is not expired, and the card company does not know of his death, these things may be paid-up for another year.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Thanks, I will look at Gandi.

For more fun: the "kaput registrar" is actually owned by my friend! And its registration expires soon after the other one. And that authority comes from one of the large "domain sharks" mentioned in the Mike Industries essay.

Another aspect: most billing is auto-renew. I am not sure my friend would have done that. But if he did, and the old card is not expired, and the card company does not know of his death, these things may be paid-up for another year.

They usually ping you to check and update the WHOIS  listing too, but yes they may auto-bill owner of record.

But a dead man's credit card might not pay bills.

I still wonder how hard it is to pay somebody else's renewal fee? I can imagine them not allowing you to change the WHOIS data, but money is money, who doesn't accept money with no other strings?

JR

 

[PRR]

> how hard it is to pay somebody else's renewal fee?

Well, yeah, but unless the records are changed the confirmations and renewal notices will still go to defunct.net. Yes, once they taste my money I can try to "correct" the record, changing email then phone etc.

Fuggit. It was a nice thought. It isn't worth chicanery. I can get other domains at much lower prices. I can even honor his death with a unique string associated with the crash.

> tried Gandi

I like the prices, until I put them in Cart. Then there is a 20% tax??  {EDIT} Ah, must be a EUR VAT, they forget that when they see my US greenbucks. $14/year.