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Frequently asked questions

  • I am looking for a domain name registrant. Where can I look it up?

    The Whois is an easy-to-use tool for checking the availability of a .nl domain name. If the domain name is already taken, you can see who has registered it.

    On the page looking up a domain name you will find more information about what a domain name is, how the Whois works and how the privacy of personal data is protected. Alternatively, you can go straight to look for a domain name via the Whois.

  • I would like to transfer my domain name to another registrar. What is the procedure?

    To get your domain name transferred, you need the token (unique ID number) for your domain name. Your existing registrar has the token and is obliged to give it to you within five days, if you ask for it. The procedure for changing your registrar is described on the page transferring your domain name.

  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date. How can I get them updated?

    To update the contact details associated with your domain name, you need to contact your registrar. Read more about updating contact details.

  • Why is my domain name in quarantine?

    When a domain name is cancelled, we aren't told the reason, so we can't tell you. You'll need to ask your registrar. The advantage of quarantine is that, if a name's cancelled by mistake, you can always get it back.

    One common reason is that the contract between you and your registrar says you've got to renew the registration every year. If you haven't set up automatic renewal and you don't renew manually, the registration will expire.

  • Ik heb een klacht over mijn provider/registrar. Kan ik daarvoor bij SIDN terecht?

    Wanneer je een klacht hebt over of een geschil met je registrar dan zijn er verschillende mogelijkheden om tot een oplossing te komen. Hierover lees je meer op pagina klacht over registrar. SIDN heeft geen formele klachtenprocedure voor het behandelen van een klacht over jouw registrar.

  • What conditions do I have to meet as a registrar?

    Would you like to be able to register domain names for customers or for your own organisation by dealing directly with SIDN? If so, you can become a .nl registrar. Read more about the conditions and how to apply for registrar status on the page becoming a registrar.

More frequently asked questions

Mind your old websites, or scammers may take them

Cybercrooks are hacking old .nl websites

  • Monday 7 September 2020

Scammers like websites that the owners no longer want. Why? For their backlinks, traffic and reputations.

We've been actively fighting fake webshops for years, during which time we've got tens of thousands taken down. Unfortunately, though, new ones keep springing up. Often the scammers use domain names that have nothing to do with what they're pretending to sell. So a name that was previously used for a wine merchant's website gets taken to sell counterfeit sneakers, for example. The crooks don't care that there's no link between the name and the product. All they're interested in is the reputation of the domain name and its owner. The point being that websites and domain names that have been in use for a while tend to rank better in searches. The (old) owner's status draws traffic to the scammers' site.

Outdated software

Cybercrooks find suitable sites and domain names by scanning the internet for backlinks and outdated software with known security flaws. They then use the flaws to hack the sites. If they find backlinks to a cancelled domain name, they register the name and use it for a malicious webshop.

Tips for avoiding trouble

How can you prevent this happening to your business's sites and domain names? Take a look at the tips we recently gave. It's also important to take a careful approach to disposing of websites and domain names that you no longer want. Here's what we advise:

  • Got a website you no longer use? Keep the domain name for a while and make it redirect to your new site. Or 'park' the domain name with a cheap registrar, without any linked site or services.

  • Get links to your old site removed if you can. The fewer links, the less traffic there'll be, and the less attractive the domain name will be to scammers.

  • If you're still using an old website, make sure that you regularly update the software (CMS). Many hosting service providers provide tools to help you.

  • Ready to cancel or sell an old domain name? If you wait a while, the name's backlinks and reputation will decline, making it less attractive to scammers.

By following our advice, you can prevent your business being associated with dishonest activities.