Oath Research Sues Registrar After Dozens of Domains Allegedly Stolen

Company claims theft of multiple domains has cost it significant revenue, including one domain reportedly generating $70,000 per day.

Update: Court Denies Immediate Restraining Order

Update: On Thursday afternoon, a judge denied the request for a temporary restraining order. The court cited a lack of personal jurisdiction and noted that the registrar, TrustName, should be given an opportunity to respond before emergency relief is granted.

Background

Oath Research, LLC has filed a lawsuit against FewMoreTaps, which does business as TrustName, after alleging that a large number of its domain names were taken from the registrar’s control. The complaint describes a series of transfers that the company says were unauthorized and resulted in significant business disruption.

TrustName has previously been characterized by some customers as a “bulletproof” registrar, a service profile that appealed to organizations seeking extra protection against abusive or bad-faith reporting. However, ICANN issued a de-accreditation or termination notice to TrustName, indicating concerns about how the registrar was handling abuse complaints and other compliance obligations. Shortly after that notice, multiple customers reported domains disappearing from their accounts.

Allegations and Impact

According to Oath Research’s complaint, the alleged thief initiated transfers for 25 of the company’s domain names. Despite customers having enabled two-factor authentication on their accounts, the accounts were reportedly compromised and the domains were transferred away from the Estonian-based registrar. Several victims say their domains ultimately landed at a registrar based in China called NiceNic.

Oath Research claims the financial consequences are severe. In its filing, the company states that one of the stolen domains generated roughly $70,000 in daily revenue prior to the transfer. In response to those losses, Oath Research has asked the court for emergency relief in the form of a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to halt further transfers and compel remedial action.

Registrar Practices and Customer Concerns

This case highlights growing concerns about registrar security and accountability. Customers who chose TrustName for perceived protections say they expected better safeguards, particularly around abuse handling and transfer security. The presence of two-factor authentication did not prevent the alleged thefts, raising questions about how the transfers were authorized and whether proper registry and registrar procedures were followed.

ICANN’s action against the registrar underscores the regulatory dimension: registrars are required to address abuse reports and follow standards that protect registrants. Termination or de-accreditation notices can create instability, and in this instance some customers reported domain losses occurring in the same timeframe as the registrar’s regulatory issues.

Legal Remedies Sought

In its lawsuit, Oath Research asks the court for immediate injunctive relief to freeze the disputed domains, reverse unauthorized transfers if possible, and prevent further damage while the case proceeds. The company also seeks a preliminary injunction to maintain those protections during litigation. The initial request for emergency measures was denied by the court on jurisdictional grounds, meaning the registrar will have an opportunity to respond to the allegations and the parties may need to pursue other procedural steps before any relief can be granted.

What Comes Next

The dispute will now proceed through the court system, where jurisdictional issues and the merits of the theft allegations will be addressed. For affected registrants and the broader domain community, the case serves as a reminder of the potential fallout when registrars face compliance problems and when account security mechanisms fail to stop unauthorized transfers.