Help recovering domain

[DrApple]

I have a new customer that lost control of their domain names. Their former designer let them expire. Someone else registered/picked up the drop and cloned their old site with SEO spam links added.
It is a .org.au domain name which I thought had fairly strict rules. The abn does match a similar name although I suspect it is bogus. Not really the registrant, they just picked an ABN that would meet the criteria.
They also lost the .org version of the domain but I have no idea if that could be recovered.
Any tips on what to say to AUDA to recover it or is it just a lost cause?

 

[Bacon Farmer]

There you go knock yourself out. Just say they're using an org.au and aren't an organisation.
https://www.auda.org.au/index.php/about-auda/our-services/submit-a-domain-complaint-/
If the abn used for the registration isn't for an org then they are stuffed.

Tell us the domain anyway.

 

[DrApple]

There you go knock yourself out. Just say they're using an org.au and aren't an organisation.
https://www.auda.org.au/index.php/about-auda/our-services/submit-a-domain-complaint-/
If the abn used for the registration isn't for an org then they are stuffed.

Tell us the domain anyway.

Thanks they did submit a complaint already but they came back with this link and requested an explain the grounds of the breach.

The domain is: http://saltaustralia.org.au/
There is still some of my customers branding and text on there. I can't see mention of .org.au on the link AUDA provided. Search only comes up with the twitter feed.

The clones site is here: http://www.saltaustralia.org/about-us.html
They have removed the index page now but it is all there behind that still.

https://www.auda.org.au/policies/2012-04/
We advise this matter cannot be accepted for complaint investigation because you have not explained how the registrant has breached auDA policy.

 

[Bacon Farmer]

The rules say it should be incorporated.
https://www.auda.org.au/policies/2012-04/

The abn is for an unincorporated entity.
http://abr.business.gov.au/SearchByAbn.aspx?SearchText=+25276819522

If they have stolen content, use the archive.org to prove it to auDA and possibly send a dmca notice to their web host.

 

[DrApple]

Thanks BF. I can't see specific mention of .org.au in their policy page. Am I missing something?

 

[Bacon Farmer]

Look at schedule F.

 

[johno69]

Yep pretty blatant when they still have the content there.

 

[atom]

How'd you go with this @DrApple, any luck?

 

[DrApple]

I'm still waiting to hear thanks.

 

[DrApple]

Big thanks all. We have now recovered the domain.

 

[Bacon Farmer]

How did you do it?

 

[DrApple]

Pretty much followed your advice (copied below) Bacon Farmer. Thanks.
------------------
The rules say it should be incorporated.
https://www.auda.org.au/policies/2012-04/

The abn is for an unincorporated entity.
http://abr.business.gov.au/SearchByAbn.aspx?SearchText=+25276819522

If they have stolen content, use the archive.org to prove it to auDA and possibly send a dmca notice to their web host.

 

[Bacon Farmer]

That's fantastic. Well done.

 

[chris]

Great news @DrApple

 

[findtim]

nicely done, lucky it was a .org.au, did you say they had the .org as well? i'd say that one is a waste of time trying.

tim

 

[DrApple]

Yes I wasn't going to try on the .org as the int domains seem to be a free for all.