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Report Domain Name Abuse (Phishing, Spam)

Detailed procedure for suspending a malicious domain with its registrar or host.

Why report domain name abuse?

A domain name can be used for malicious purposes such as phishing (phishing), sending spam, the distribution of malware, or the hosting of illicit content. Reporting this abuse can quickly get the domain suspended and protect other potential victims.

Who to contact to report abuse?

The technical resolution of domain abuse relies on the intervention of Internet infrastructure players:

1. The Registrar

The registrar is the entity from whom the domain name was purchased (e.g. OVH, Gandi, GoDaddy). It has the power to technically suspend the domain name if it violates its terms of use.

2. The Hosting Provider

The host stores the website files. It can remove malicious content or cut off access to the server in case of serious breach.

3. The Registry

The registry manages the domain extension (eg: Afnic for .fr). It generally intervenes as a last resort if the registrar does not respond to requests.

How to find the Abuse contact?

To find the email address or contact form dedicated to abuse (“Abuse Contact”), you must make a request WHOIS on the domain name concerned. This public database contains technical information and administrative contacts for the domain.

  1. Go to a public WHOIS service (e.g. ICANN Lookup or Afnic Whois).
  2. Search for the domain name.
  3. Locate the “Registrar Abuse Contact Email” and “Registrar Abuse Contact Phone” fields.

Write an effective report

An Abuse Report must be accurate, factual and provide sufficient evidence to allow the registrar or host to verify the violation. Here are the elements that must be included:

  • The exact domain name or the full URL of the malicious page.
  • The nature of the abuse (Phishing, Malware, Spam, Counterfeiting...).
  • Tangible evidence: Screenshots, source code of the spam email with headers (full headers), connection logs.
  • Your contact details for possible follow-up.

Useful resources

ANRDI provides additional resources for the fight against online fraud. If you are facing a complex network of fraudulent sites, our teams can advise you on the appropriate institutional steps.