How to renew expiring domain where I'm not the registrant

Friend and I started business. Friend now moved and no contact.

[krod]

greetings,
I am in a dilemma currently. A friend of mine and I started a business about a year ago. Since he moved, i have lost all contact with him (cell phone, email, etc) The domain is about to expire and I think some competitors have backordered it knowing of my situation. I can not renew the domain because he has under his godaddy account and i have no idea what his login name/password is. Any ideas of what i can do?
Thanks

[Webwork]

ExpressMail GoDaddy a money order with a generic K.I.S.S. cover letter referencing the domain?

Any reason why they wouldn't accept payment by a money order? Check their website. I've bulk renewed domains before by check.

[nativenewyorker]

It is possible that your friend used a different email address, than the one you have, when he registered the domain name. Do a Whois lookup of the domain name to check the current registrant, administrative, technical and billing contacts. They may have been updated since he moved. If the domain name is listed in Whois under a company name, you may be able to gain access from the registrar, if you can prove that you are a partial owner.

[krod]

the domain name was registerd anonymously (cheaper).
I guess i could try to renew it by moneyorder

[kaled]

Provided you have the account/reference number, I can't see any reason for a problem. If you don't have the account number, could simply write to GoDaddy using a simple white lie along the lines of "My partner is travelling in India for three months and I can't get hold of him at the moment. Can you provide me with an account number so that I may renew the domain registration".

Insofar as you are not attempting to make any changes to the account, I would be surprised if there was a problem. However, you'll have to sort this out eventually.

Kaled.

[larryhatch]

Hello all. I'm not sure how to word this.

Does any of this scare anyone off of GoDaddy? -Larry

[mcavic]

Try calling GoDaddy and ask them how to get it renewed:

24/7 Sales and Support: [phone]
Billing Questions? Call [phone]

Does any of this scare anyone off of GoDaddy?

No. With any registrar, you want your email address to be a contact.

[nativenewyorker]

Check Whois to see if the domain is locked. If it is locked, you will be prevented from making any changes as the status will be:

• Client Delete Prohibited
  
• Client Renew Prohibited
  
• Client Transfer Prohibited
  
• Client Update Prohibited
  

[davezan]

What complicates your case is the registrant is MIA. Unless you can log inside somehow, I doubt Go Daddy will accept your renewal payment.

Anyway, contact them. But remember, they have the final say.

[syber]

I don't see why GoDaddy would care who renews a domain. After all, banks don't care if someone deposits money in another person's account.

I ran into a similar situation with Network Solutions a while back and they took my money without batting an eye. I just tried their interface again and it looks like all they care about is that you have a valid credit card.

[unperturbed]

I don't think they will care who renews the domain but unless the Data Protection laws are different in the US to the UK I doubt they will let someone else have access to the account unless for example the domain was registered in a companies name and the opening poster can prove he has a right to access the account as a director or employee of the company.

[kevinpate]

If you're facing expiration, first and foremost, get it renewed. Dopn't try to change the contacts at the same time. Get it renewed as the information stands. Like the others, I think a check or money order to renew, with no request to change ownership info, should fly fine.

Then, AFTER you secure more time with the domain, figure out the next step, which is revising the information so you don't have the same problem next go around.

Keep copies of the money order or check so you can show later that you are who paid this time if that becomes a question.