5 ms·

Ask HN: Someone registered my personal name as a domain name to extort money

Someone's registered my personal name as a domain name and blackmailing me to extort money. What are my legal option to get that domain? Laws in my country is not well defined and legal route will take a lot time. Is there anything I can do by approaching the domain registrar and web host? I am broke and don't have enough money for a legal fight

HelloWizman 7y ago
Your personal name is not unique. Also, there's no law that forbids to register domain with someone else's personal name. Do you really need this domain? Then buy it. Otherwise, simply don't care about it.
- blackmailadvice 7y ago
  Personal name is unique. He is not selling it, He is blackmailing me with some other stuff and threatening me to publish it there.
  - deogeo 7y ago
    Blackmail is illegal - you may be able to have the police handle that aspect (although I would consult a lawyer, regarding what the police is able and likely to do). Assuming you can afford to let the police know about what he's blackmailing you with, that is.
    - blackmailadvice 7y ago
      I am talking with the police regarding this. I live in a country where laws are very vague. Hopefully, I can sort the things through that. I was trying to figure out if there is any policies from domain registers or web hosting providers.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
Nextgrid 7y ago
I don't think you can do anything about the domain itself, but if he's using the domain to spread slander you can do something about that.
- blackmailadvice 7y ago
  > spread slander you can do something about that. He is threatening, but haven't done that yet. I know the one who is doing.
LinuxBender 7y ago
I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advise and probably not great advise. You said you are broke, so that rules out lawyers. Emails however are free. Contact the registrar and datacenter provider and advise them you are working with a legal team to have their registrar status revoked and AS number revoked for the ISP. Maybe barter with a kvetetcher to nag them daily. There are no grounds for revocation of registrar accreditation, but if the right person reads your email, they may just dump the domain to make the problem go away. Ethics aside, lieing is legal. Debt collectors do it all the time.
- blackmailadvice 7y ago
  I can get done through UDPR, but it is very expensive for me at the moment. Let's see if I get any other feasible options.
karmakaze 7y ago
In addition to all the other suggestions posted, compete with the domain. Register the same name with a different TLD and post content, perhaps a blog, with better SEO to obscure the other domain from search results.

HelloWizman 7y ago

Your personal name is not unique. Also, there's no law that forbids to register domain with someone else's personal name. Do you really need this domain? Then buy it. Otherwise, simply don't care about it.

blackmailadvice 7y ago
Personal name is unique. He is not selling it, He is blackmailing me with some other stuff and threatening me to publish it there.
- deogeo 7y ago
  Blackmail is illegal - you may be able to have the police handle that aspect (although I would consult a lawyer, regarding what the police is able and likely to do). Assuming you can afford to let the police know about what he's blackmailing you with, that is.
  - blackmailadvice 7y ago
    I am talking with the police regarding this. I live in a country where laws are very vague. Hopefully, I can sort the things through that. I was trying to figure out if there is any policies from domain registers or web hosting providers.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

Nextgrid 7y ago

I don't think you can do anything about the domain itself, but if he's using the domain to spread slander you can do something about that.

blackmailadvice 7y ago
> spread slander you can do something about that. He is threatening, but haven't done that yet. I know the one who is doing.

LinuxBender 7y ago

I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advise and probably not great advise. You said you are broke, so that rules out lawyers. Emails however are free. Contact the registrar and datacenter provider and advise them you are working with a legal team to have their registrar status revoked and AS number revoked for the ISP. Maybe barter with a kvetetcher to nag them daily. There are no grounds for revocation of registrar accreditation, but if the right person reads your email, they may just dump the domain to make the problem go away. Ethics aside, lieing is legal. Debt collectors do it all the time.

blackmailadvice 7y ago
I can get done through UDPR, but it is very expensive for me at the moment. Let's see if I get any other feasible options.

karmakaze 7y ago

In addition to all the other suggestions posted, compete with the domain. Register the same name with a different TLD and post content, perhaps a blog, with better SEO to obscure the other domain from search results.