Looking Up Who Owns A Domain Name
The first thing you need to know is that WHOIS is not an acronym. Its a rare internet find where the word just makes sense.
Who is the owner of this domain and how can I find them?
A WHOIS lookup is a simple method to gain contact information and find out who owns a site.
Heres an example of how WHOIS lookup works with ICANN WHOIS Lookup:
Ever wondered who is behind a certain website?
If youre looking for a way to check who owns a domain name, youre in the right place.
In this article, we discuss how you can find out a domain owners information easily by using a WHOIS lookup tool.
Finding Out Who Owns A Domain
Many times youll want to know who is behind a domain. This used to be relatively easy to find out in the past: when a person bought a domain, their name was put into a registry, which is sort of like the phonebook of domains.
Back then, to find out who owned a domain, youd just go and look it up, using a service called WHOIS.
Unfortunately, things got more complicated. People who had their email addresses and names in the domain phonebook would get spam email, or the information displayed on the registry would be used to try to hack their site. And many peoplefor example, political dissidentshad good reason to not reveal their names. So, a lot of the registrars started offering masking services, which hide the owner of the domain.
Nowadays, if you want to find out who owns a domain, WHOIS-type services are a good first stop, even though they will usually fail for smaller sites.
To look up domain ownership, we recommend a tool called Domain Dossier. Go to the site and type in your root URL and check all the checkboxes:
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How To Secure Domain Privacy
If youve managed to secure a domain name, but havent registered it for domain privacy, your private information will be available to anyone who conducts a WHOIS database search. If youre not comfortable with having your information so readily accessible, but are set on domain ownership, Domain.com offers Domain Privacy registration for several TLD domain extensions.
If you register for Domain privacy, a WHOIS database search for your domain will report Domain.coms information instead of your personal information. In effect, Domain.com will mask all of the personal details that you dont want to be shared with the public. Registering for Domain Privacy does not mean that you sacrifice any control over your domainyou retain total ownership.
Unfortunately, not all TLDs qualify for Domain Extension privacy. Domain Privacy is only available to .com, .co, .net, .org, .tv, .info, and .mobi domain extensions.
Search Engines And Social Media
If current ownership information is not available through a WHOIS database or not directly shown on a site, it may be possible to track it down through other kinds of information, such as social media profiles or links to related sites. For example, a searcher might find the site owner through a Twitter account or LinkedIn profile, even if that information is not on the domain or in a WHOIS database. Even a Google search might turn up clues to a domain owners identity and contact information.
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Visit The Website Directly
If youve checked the domain status to find out your wanted domain name is not available, the first thing you should do is visit the website directly.
Some domain names are bought out to be resold later for a higher price. In such cases, the site will state the domains availability for sale and provide contact information right away, like in the example below.
If you enter the domain name into the search bar and get taken to a proper website, see if there is a Contact Us page in the navigation bar or the sites footer.
There you will either find the contact details of the website owner or a contact form. Take the chance to reach out and offer to buy the domain name from the registrant.
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Go Around The Whois Protection
Some domain owners decide to hide their information by using third-party protection services, such as WhoisGuard. Such services use methods to protect the privacy of their clients by providing their own contact details instead.
The best way to go around this kind of privacy protection is to contact the third-party company and ask them to pass on the email to the owner. While there are no guarantees that this method will work, it will increase your chances.
How Do You Find Out Who Owns A Domain
Sometimes you will discover that the name of a domain you wish to purchase is not available and this can be frustrating if you desire to own that specific domain name. In that case, it is important to find out who owns the domain name or who owns the website you want. The owner of a domain or website is called a registrant and this person or entity is legally recognized by the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers .
You can find out who owns the domain or who owns the website you are interested in owning by performing a WHOIS lookup search. WHOIS is an extensively used Internet record listing that archives the details of a domain registrant. To conduct a WHOIS lookup search, all you have to do is:
*Please note that this search will not issue to you the name of the owner behind the domain name if the registrant has used WHOIS lookup privacy security features.
However, you will be able to see the website hosting platform, registration duration of the domain name among other things that are allowed by the owner. From this listing of information, it is easy for you to find out who owns the website. If you desire, you can reach out to find out if the owner is willing to sell the ownership to you.
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How Can You Find Domain Information Using Gandis Whois Lookup Tool
Though there is an abundance of WHOIS lookup tools online, we have decided to create our own free WHOIS domain lookup tool which we have designed to be as simple to use as possible. All you have to do after opening our WHOIS lookup page is to search for the domain you want to know more about. The WHOIS domain lookup tool will output every piece of information you need, presented in a clear and readable way.
WHOIS lookup is the easiest way to check the availability of a domain. If it happens to be taken, you always have the option to contact its owner using their contact information you find using our WHOIS lookup tool, and maybe directly negotiate a purchase. The WHOIS domain lookup might indicate that the domain name youre looking for points to an abandoned website. In that case, it might simply be available for purchase again when it reaches its expiration date. In this case, you will be able to acquire it just like you would any other new domain name.
Why Is Whois Important And Who Can Use It
A Whois database helps you locate the owner of a website. For example, if you are a legal team seeking to clarify ownership in a trademark dispute, you might find this useful.
Whois can also help buyers and sellers view site ownership information quickly, which makes the domain purchasing process more efficient. Using our Whois search tool, you can determine whether a domain has already been registered or not if youre considering acquiring it.
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Why Domain Names Are Important
Now that weve covered how to find the owner of a domain name, its necessary to understand why domain names are important in the first place. Domain names are there to help websites be located and categorized. However, for companies and individuals, domain names can be the difference between a thriving web presence and one that has trouble getting off the ground.
When youre the owner of a domain name, your business or personal website gains credibility. Many internet users are rightfully skeptical of unknown websites, and when your domain name is tailored to your business, it gives your company a sense of trustworthiness that it might not have otherwise.
If a companys domain name is related to the services they provide, it becomes easier for internet users to find them, even if they havent heard of the company before. People who use a search engine to look up services or goods will have a higher chance of being directed to the companys website, especially if the content on that website has been optimized for search engines.
Use Whois To Identify Website Owner
You may be asking what WHOIS is in the first place. Simply put, this term is used whenever anyone wants to access information about a website. Whenever someone registers a web domain, relevant information becomes part of a public database.
If you are looking for the domain name, IP address, or even the address and contact numbers, WHOIS will serve as your best friend.
WHOIS websites:
- WHOIS record
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How Is The Gdpr Applicable To Webnamesca
Under Recital 23 of the GDPR, Webnames.ca claims no nexus with the EU, EEA nor the citizens of either, and therefore claims non-applicability of the GDPR to any and all aspects of its business.
Despite this, many of the domain Registries that Webnames is partnered with to provide domain extensions must comply fully with the GDPR. The changes to policies and procedures required of these partners will affect what information is collected, shared and displayed, and may result in changes to agreements and terms.
Notwithstanding, many domain Registries with whom Webnames.ca contracts must fully comply with the GDPR, and therefore these Registries may implement policies or procedures relating to WHOIS data which result in changes. These changes may include, but are not limited to,?variations in what WHOIS data is included and how it is displayed via the Webnames’s WHOIS lookup page.
Therefore, in regards to WHOIS output:
Where the domain Registry is the sole source of Registrant WHOIS data for the queried domain, the WHOIS data will be displayed by Webnames in whatever form it is received from the Registry, without alteration of any kind. This may result in some fields, particularly those containing Personally Identifiable Information being absent, blank or redacted.
Why Is Whois Data Important
Every time a domain name is registered, registrars need to verify the identity of a domains owner or registrant. This information is important because any domain name disputes and technical issues will need to be resolved by the domain name owner.
Beyond this, WHOIS information is used by different parties in many different ways. In some cases, domain names may be put up for sale and having WHOIS information is a way to determine and generate leads in the sale of a domain name. WHOIS information can also be used by network administrators to combat spam, fraud, identify trademark infringement and track down registrants that may be engaged in damaging or illegal activities.
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Option #: Visit A Domain Name Registrar To Use Whois
Domain name registrars sell domain names, but they generally offer hosting too. If youre not ready for a website, most ICANN-credited registrars dont require hosting services to purchase domain names. The same scenario applies to web hostersthey offer domain name purchases alone. Namecheap.com and Domain.com are a couple of registrar examples. Your domain name searches use WHOIS automatically. However, you can scroll to the bottom of the companys website and access the WHOIS database through their system the same way you would with a web hosting provider.
Choose Your Whois Lookup Tool
Theres a bunch of different WHOIS lookup options online to check who owns a domain.
These tools help you quickly search the WHOIS database. They provide such information as:
- Contact details of the domain owner
- The domain name registration.
The Interner Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers provides a simple summary of the WHOIS records. You see:
- The expiry date.
- The owner of the domain.
- The registration date.
- Where the domain points to.
It is available in a number of languages. It also provides useful information about registration policies and other topics.
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Contact The Domain Registrar If Looking To Buy The Domain
Since the website owners information is private, the registrar holds the details you need. Unfortunately, you have to communicate with the registrar, and they will pass the information on to the website owner. The WHOIS website should have registrar contact details, such as a phone number or email address. Just mention that youre interested in the domain if and when it becomes available. Some domain name owners are willing to sell them, while others may not be interested in closing a deal. Others plan on dropping the name after it expires.