Registrar Problem Help Please!

[livpj11]

I just joined with a company that has a domain problem. A year ago a registrar that owned half of our domains went out of business. Some other company, Tucows, stepped in and took over as the registrar. However we don't have any way to login to these domains now or manage them. One of these domains expires in October and we want to move it to a known and trusted registrar. This company however won't return our calls or emails. What else can I do to get this domain out of his hands?

[mjtaylor]

Tucows is a respected company but they are a wholesaler and not a registrar that deals directly with domain owners. I would suggest you go to a registrar you feel you can trust (I use several including itsyoursdomain dot com and register4less dot com) and set up an account to move the domain in question. Unless it is locked, that should solve your problem. If it is locked, I suggest you appeal for help from your new registrar. I have found it easy to get personalized help from register4less.

Hope that helps, MJ

[livpj11]

Unfortunately it is locked. And I have tried contacting Tucows but they refuse to answer my calls and emails.

[activeco]

Contact ICANN: http://www.icann.org/general/contact.htm
Check this too:
ICANN | How to Get Help When You Have a Problem with Your Registrar
ICANN | Policy on Transfer of Registrations between Registrars

[jwilson721]

If you can possibly find the reseller, you can fax in a form to prove you are the owner and gain access to the account. Now we are assuming that your name is actually on the registration of the domain name. If it is not, and some developers and hosting companies put their own name, then you have a major problem. The registered name is the actual owner of the domain name unless there is proof of copyright.

[mjtaylor]

Originally Posted by jwilson721

If you can possibly find the reseller, you can fax in a form to prove you are the owner and gain access to the account. Now we are assuming that your name is actually on the registration of the domain name. If it is not, and some developers and hosting companies put their own name, then you have a major problem. The registered name is the actual owner of the domain name unless there is proof of copyright.

Originally Posted by livpj11

Unfortunately it is locked. And I have tried contacting Tucows but they refuse to answer my calls and emails.

You mean they have not yet answered ... maybe they are that busy? In any case, I would call the guy at register4less ... the owner will answer the phone and he will tell you what to do. He can probably quickly identify whether this domain has been reassigned to another registrar. That's how I started using his services. I had a problem; he had the solution.

[Orion]

I resell with tucows, and I do because I've had nightmares with almost every other registrar company (on behalf of clients) out there. OpenSRS (tucows) is one of the easiest to deal with.

What is the domain name? When you do a whois look up on your domain at tucows it usually lists the reseller. Contact them, keep record of it (copy of email) if they don't respond in a couple of days then tucows has a direct contact for that issue.

To Contact Your Service Provider
Locate your service provider's contact information by using the "Find my Domain Service Provider" tool on the right. If you have problems contacting your service provider you can go here for assistance.

The email link (ONLY after you have unsuccessfully attempted to contact your provider) is: Tucows FAQ Center

Some reseller has been assigned to your domain. Start there.. if that doesn't work go through the above, if that doesn't work, let me know and I'll personally help you out if you like.

I hope that helps a bit, it can be a nightmare when a provider decides to fold up shop or someone else buys them out. Chances are that a reseller was bought out by another reseller, that's usually when things get all messy.

All the best, hope that helps a bit...

[livpj11]

Thanks for the help everyone. It seems that the reseller is http://www.whatevercomputes.com/ My apologies for discrediting Tucows. I have sent emails and left messages for them and I guess now I just wait to hear from them.

[Orion]

Glad you were able to find that sometimes if privacy is enabled or a reseller opts not to have their contact info displayed it can be a chore figuring out where to go, lol...

Make sure you keep us posted here as to how it comes out, and if there's anything I can do to help let me know.

[mjtaylor]

Good job, Ron! Thanks for helping out. Rep points awarded!