Best way to purchase abandoned domain?

[evotsi]

I am currently looking at a domain that was owned by a company that went out of business. When they went out of business they stopped paying for their web hosting services and basically disappeared. I have tried contacting the whois information, but the numbers have been shut off and the emails listed are @domain.com which don't work now that the hosting has been canceled. In the event I can't reach someone who worked at the company is there any way I can obtain it without waiting for it to expire? It is registered for another 3 years. Also I don't want to try to resume their account at the hosting company, or anything else shady.

[2lame2rank]

If they went bankrupt then the liquidators will control ownership of the domain. You may be able to buy the domain off them assuming they have the mandate to sell the company's assets. So look through the bankruptcy courts of the company's home state / juristiction, start looking for judgments and get on the phone to however the lawyer is!

[mike031]

Try to contact the registry directly.. They may be able to help. I know Moniker or Fabulous are pretty helpful when it comes to this stuff.

If it's over at eNom or GoDaddy... different story.

Worth a shot. Good luck! :)

Mike
<snip>

[edited by: buckworks at 11:30 pm (utc) on Jan. 10, 2009]
[edit reason] No sigs, please (ToS) [/edit]