IP Address Lookup
IP Address Lookup can provide you with a wealth of information about an IP address including location, ISP, hostname and type. If the IP is not in our database then we will show if it has been blacklisted or not. We know how important it is to keep your online presence secure.
What is a Whois Lookup and Why You Should Do One
a search of the public registry that contains information about a specific domain name. It helps you verify that you’re dealing with the correct individual or company when buying domains, so that you know they are the rightful owners of any domains before you buy them. A whois lookup also reveals useful information about a domain name, such as when it’s set to expire and if there are any security measures in place to protect it.
Whois Lookup vs. Domain Review
A domain review is slightly different from a whois lookup. While a whois lookup is to verify that the registrant of a domain is the rightful owner, a domain review is an in-depth analysis of a domain’s potential value, reputation, traffic, and other metrics.
How to do a Whois Lookup
A whois lookup is extremely simple to do. Enter the domain you want to check. You’ll then be presented with all the information about the domain.
Why Should You Do a Whois Lookup?
A whois lookup is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself from buying a stolen domain. It is estimated that up to 10% of domains are stolen, meaning that they were illegally taken from their rightful owners. This results in a significant amount of lost revenue for legitimate buyers and often leads to a massive headache for both the buyer and the seller.
A whois lookup allows you to verify that you are buying the domain from its rightful owner and not someone using a stolen identity.
Whois Checklist - What to look for during your lookup
Registrant details
Who is the registrant of the domain? Is it a person or a company? A fake identity can be a sign that the domain was stolen, so make sure you’re dealing with the rightful owners.
Expiration Date
When is the domain set to expire? If it’s set to expire soon, the owner may be willing to sell it at a lower price. Or they may not be willing to sell it at all.
Registrar’s details
What is the name of the domain’s registrar? Is it a trustworthy domain registrar? Some rogue domain registrars have been known to steal domains from their rightful owners.
Domain’s owner
Who owns the domain? What’s their contact info, email, phone number? If you get in touch with the owner directly, you can often get the domain at a reduced price.
Any security measures
Does the domain have a lock icon or a red “x” next to the name? These indicate that the domain has security measures in place to prevent theft.
Recent Theft of Domains by Rogue Registrars
In May 2018, a trio of rogue registrars stole 90,000 domains and sold them to unsuspecting customers. This is just one example of the many instances of domain theft that occur every year. And with the amount of money that can be made from stolen domains, these rogue registrars are unlikely to stop anytime soon.
It’s important to remember that you can’t always trust someone just because they have an “.com” domain name. With the amount of domain theft that occurs every year, it’s important to do a whois lookup on every domain you buy. Avoiding the headaches that come with buying stolen domains can save you a lot of time and money.
When is a Whois Check not Enough?
While a whois lookup is an important first step when buying domains, it isn’t an ironclad guarantee that you aren’t buying a stolen domain. In order to make sure you aren’t buying a stolen domain, you need to do the following:
Verify the identity of the seller
A whois lookup can only tell you so much. Make sure the seller’s identity matches up with what they claim it is.
Verify the seller’s payment method
If the seller claims they’re paying you with a certain method, make sure they actually do.
Verify the reason for selling
Many legitimate sellers will list the reason they are selling the domain. If the reason doesn’t make sense, like if the domain owner is selling a domain that is worth thousands of dollars, you may have stumbled upon a stolen domain.
Verify the domain’s backlinks
Backlinks are the number of external links that point to a website. If a domain has a high number of backlinks, you can be more certain that the domain is legitimate.
Verify the domain’s reputation
What are people saying about the domain? If the majority of people have good things to say about it, you can be more confident that you’re not buying a stolen domain.
Conclusion
A whois lookup is a quick and easy way to verify that you are dealing with the rightful owner of a domain name. You can also learn useful information like when the domain is set to expire, who owns the domain, and if there are any security measures in place to protect it. A whois lookup is an essential first step when buying domains and can help you avoid buying stolen domains.