I'm the product development manager at directNIC so I know exactly how the invalid WHOIS system works that ICANN recently implemented. I'll try to explain it as best as I can.

On September 3, 2002, the vice president of ICANN sent a letter to Network Solutions/Verisign about domains that had invalid WHOIS information. The whole letter is located at http://www.icann.org/correspondence/...th-03sep02.htm. Because of this letter ICANN decided that it would allow everybody to submit to them invalid WHOIS information via a web form at http://www.internic.net/cgi/rpt_whois/rpt.cgi.

The form let's anybody submit to ICANN a domain that has invalid WHOIS information. ICANN after a few days then forwards the complaint on to the domain registrar. We then have 15 days to get the information corrected or we are required to delete the domain. This goes for all domain registrars. I don't like it, but it's a rule that I must follow.

Just because you get one of the emails that does not mean that your information is invalid. For example, just yesterday we received one from ICANN about a domain that has completely valid information. ICANN does not verify if the information is valid or not, that is for the registrar to determine if its correct or not.

What we have noticed recently is that if you spam from the domain, have a really good domain, piss somebody off, or have questionable content on you site, people submit these domains to ICANN as having invalid WHOIS information. They hope that the domain will be deleted or whatever.

At directNIC we were an opensrs reseller, we still are, but we are no longer registering domains with them. Since April 2001, we have been an ICANN accredited domain registrar.

This invalid WHOIS thing is not a hoax. Registrars are deleting domains on a daily basis! So I would definitely recommend to everybody no matter who you use to register domains to make sure your contact information is correct and up to date.

If anybody has any questions about this, let me know.

Donny
directNIC

Donny - It's awesome to have a DirectNIC guy here.

No problems, I plan on calling tomorrow to make sure the folks at DirectNic, know my info is correct and its some guy trying to hassle me about getting a domain before he could.

Nice to meet ya.

;)

Fletch it's no problem. We are always watching the boards and only make ourselves known when the time is right. And this was one of those times.

If you have any problems tomorrow send me an email and I will see what I can do for you.

Donny
directNIC

I have a few domains with Directnic, no problem.

Thumbs up for the answer directly from Directnic...

A lot of class

:thumbsup

Thanks for clearing up some details Don :)

Kinda funny to see Namezero.com on ICANN's list! :1orglaugh

Don.

I just got a 24 warning about this.

I had already updated the info and im getting the 'correct info warning again'

this guy is harrassing me man.

Im trying to call directnic right now looking for the number, I do NOT WANT TO LOSE my domain because some prick thinks its funny climing my info is incorrect.

Hey ya might want to talk with gemini Gem was setting something up to cover other webmasters whois info, so if you want to cover your domains, talk to her. She was going to provide a PO, city, email and phone for a small monthly charge.
:2 cents:

They will remove your domain if you don't comply, I've seen it happen and it sucks. Usually you can just fax them something with your letterhead if you have it and prove them wrong.

Thing is, anyone can do this now (AFAIK), and they (the registrar) have to contact you and you have to prove that your information is correct. If not they will disable the domain.

I just got off the phone with directNIc.

Everythings good.

Where do these people 'report' bad whois info anyway?

donsimon was bang on ......

gotta take those emails seriously....

i wonder what directnic would do in a situation where there is clear harassment ie multiple ICAAN submissions over time.

this was in Donnys post

http://www.internic.net/cgi/rpt_whois/rpt.cgi :)