Whois Contact Info

[Fearless]

I've heard that there is an ICANN rule that you can't have fictitious contact information for a domain name. Is this true?

 

[NamePopper.com]

I've always heard the same thing. However it seems that nobody has the same definition as to the real meaning of it. The only thing I've heard people agree on for sure--is that you must have a valid email address.

It seems like a lot of domain owners use atleast partially incorrect information.
Not to say fraudulent--just more like incomplete.

I myself almost never list my phone number anymore--because as much as I hate email spam--I hate cold sales phone calls even more. Not to mention crank calls--weirdos--etc. I was even told by more than one registrar that you don't have to list your phone#. I don't know if that's technically correct though--or just what's become accepted practice.

 

[Zoobar]

That is true. If you recall a few months back they came down hard on NSI to enforce this rule with particular domains considered to have false information.

 

[CoolHost.com]

Hi -
I had heard the exact same thing. And, I believe, it's up to the individual registrars to enforce the ICANN rule(s). So, as Namepopper suggests, I don't think there's any "standardized" answer ... it MAY be different from registrar to registrar. Also, minimum Admin. info (for instance e-mail, or e-mail and address, or e-mail and Org. name, or address and tel. number) doesn't appear to be standardized, either. I may be wrong, but this is the gist I've heard over time.
Finally, I do know from a friend that whatever you do, RESPOND to the Registrar if there's a question or inquiry. If you don't, or you have an old e-mail address (my friend's case), it can be forfeitted within a time-frame they so designate (which I'm sure varies, as well).
Man, I'm out of breath now ... sorry about that! Hope it helps a little.
-Meg
PS. Any experts??

 

[GiantDomains]

It would cost the registrar $$$ to try to prove the info is fictitious. They would have to take you to court to prove that "John Smith" is not your technical contact...etc......therefore...it is rarely enforced.

 

[GeorgeK]

If the WHOIS info is fake, the name can be deleted by the registrar!! Make sure your contact info is real. See:

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-03sep02.htm

 

[Fearless]

Originally posted by GeorgeK
If the WHOIS info is fake, the name can be deleted by the registrar!! Make sure your contact info is real. See:

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-03sep02.htm

Thanks everyone.

 

[dkny]

I don't understand why someone wants to put up a fake info. That shows bad faith of registering the name.

 

[Bob]

Originally posted by dkny
I don't understand why someone wants to put up a fake info. That shows bad faith of registering the name.

If you have ficticious info, you can register trademark-infringement names. The the person initiating a complaint chooses to file a suit instead of a WIPO case, the police will serve you with a summons.org. If the info is ficticous, they will never find you and you will not have a summons.org to deal with

(I had a corporation elect to take me to a US Federal Court rather than do through the UDRP procedure. An officer showed up on my doorstap and made me sign for the dreaded stack of papers... heh heh).

Just one reason I can think of to use false info.

-Bob

 

[jberryhill]

Using fictitious data will not avoid service for long. Did you use a credit card to register the domain name? If the answer is "yes" then it is a fairly simple matter to file a Doe suit and then subpoena the registrar to get information sufficient to identify the registrant.

If you read your domain name registration contract, you will find that you are obligated to provide correct data, and there is a 15 day deadline for responding to any registrar inquiry concerning the accuracy of contact details. That has always been a provision of your contract, as it is a standard term required by the registrar accreditation agreement with ICANN to be incorporated into all ICANN gTLD domain registration contracts.

This is an area of present concern, as ICANN is considering additional procedures for verifying registrar compliance with whois contact accuracy requirements. For further information, you might consider the following:

http://www.icannwatch.com/article.php?sid=934

WHOIS INTERIM REPORT OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
October 15 to November 8, 2002

FOUND AT:
http://www.dnso.org/dnso/notes/20021015.NCWhoisTF-interim-report.html