Get domain back from rogue hoster [Hetzner]

[MielieSpoor]

Hello,
I know this has been asked a million times before, but here goes again.

A friend of mine asked me to help him get his domain back from someone that registered the domain and now disappeared without a trace.

Domain: maverickfishing.co.za.
Registrar: Hetzner
Registrant: Reid, shaun (+27.828398174)

Of course, the number doesn't work.

We've tried to contact Hetznet, but they won't really give out info as they tell my friend they can't give it to him since he is not the owner of the domain.

All I want to do, is get the website registered so that my friend is the registrar and that he can get his website back online.

I don't really want to go down the domain name dispute route, but we'll do that if needs be.

Thanks,
MS

 

[durbandave]

there is an email address and physical address in the registrar information as well.

 

[willo]

Hello,
A friend of mine asked me to help him get his domain back from someone that registered the domain and now disappeared without a trace.

Sorry MielieSpoor, but that makes Shaun the legal owner of the domain. There are only three ways to resolve this:
1) Amicably with the registrant, and get the domain transferred. For obvious reasons this is the preferred way.
2) Start the domain dispute process - expensive and no guarantees.
3) Wait until the domain expires and hope it doesn't get renewed, then pick it up.