How do I report a look-alike domain to its registrar?

Who is the registrar, and why report to them?

Registrar shall publish an email address to receive such reports on the home page of Registrar's website (or in another standardized place that may be designated by ICANN from time to time). Registrar shall take reasonable and prompt steps to investigate and respond appropriately to any reports of abuse.

The registrar is the company that sold the look-alike domain to the person using it. It can suspend the name, which stops both the website and the email that depend on it.

Every registrar accredited by ICANN must keep an abuse contact, publish its email address on the home page of its website, and take reasonable and prompt steps to investigate and respond to reports of abuse.

The registrar must also publish how it receives, handles and tracks abuse reports.

How do I find the registrar and its abuse contact?

Registrar shall publish on its website a description of its procedures for the receipt, handling, and tracking of abuse reports.

Look the domain up in a registration data lookup. The record names the registrar and lists an abuse email address and telephone number.

1. Look up the look-alike, for example yourfirm-billing.example, and note the registrar's name.
2. Find the registrar's abuse email address or web form in the lookup result or on the registrar's home page.
3. Read the registrar's published abuse procedure so your report fits what it asks for.

What should the report say?

1. Say in the first line that the domain is being used for phishing or fraud, not only that it looks like yours.
2. Attach the full email with its headers, and screenshots of any website on the domain.
3. Name your own domain and say who you are, so the registrar can compare the two.
4. Keep a copy of what you sent and the date, and note any reference number you are given.

What if nothing happens?

Give the registrar a few days to act. If it does not respond, you can complain to ICANN, which enforces the registrar's contract.