Reporting abuse

This article explains how to submit a complaint about a domain name to our team. As the registrar, we will notify the relevant reseller; however, we cannot make judgments about website content, nor can we transfer a domain to another owner or registrar. For such matters, please refer to our formal Abuse and Complaints Policy.

As a large registrar, some domains under our management may be misused for fraudulent web-shops, phishing, copyright infringements, or other forms of abuse. If you encounter such domains, please report them to our abuse department via this website: https://abuse.registrar.eu 

Common misunderstanding while reporting abuse:

Before submitting an abuse report, please be aware of a very common misunderstanding: Domain registrars like Openprovider manage domain name registrations (for example, yourexample.com or yourownbusiness.nl). We maintain the technical link between a domain name and the services it connects to but we do not host or control the website content displayed under that domain. If you have concerns about a website’s content, please contact the website owner or the hosting provider directly, as they are the ones able to review and remove the material in question.

Contacting the Domain Owner

The domain owner (registrant) can usually be reached in one of the following ways: Through the website itself: You can look for a “Contact,” “About,” or “Legal” page. This is usually the fastest and most direct way to reach the website owner.

By performing a Whois lookup : Check for a “Registrant Email” address or a privacy contact form. If privacy protection is active use the contact form included in the Whois results to send a message through the privacy service.

Openprovider cannot forward messages or mediate between you and the registrant regarding website content.

Finding the Website’s Hosting Provider

If the issue relates to where the website is hosted, you can often identify the hosting company by checking the domain’s Name Server (NS) records via a Whois lookup.
Example:
Name Server: ns1.hostexample.net
Name Server: ns2.hostexample.net
The part after “ns1.” or “ns2.” (in this case, hostexample.net) often points to the hosting or DNS provider. In some cases, the domain may use a security or performance network (such as a content delivery network), which does not host the website itself. If so, visit that network’s website to find their abuse reporting page or guidance for identifying the underlying host.

At Openprovider, we understand it’s not always easy to determine who is responsible for a website’s content. However, reaching out to the correct party (the registrant or hosting provider) ensures your concern is addressed efficiently and by the people who can act on it.

Information for the complainant

If you wish to report an abuse case, please contact us by completing the contact form. To help us act more efficiently, include the fraudulent domain name and a clear explanation of why you believe the domain is being misused.

As the registrar, we may take immediate action in certain cases, such as DNS abuse. In other situations, however, we are required to follow defined processes before taking further steps.

Examples of abuse that we can address immediately:

Phishing & Pharming

Examples:

• Fake websites imitating legitimate services (e.g., banks) to steal personal information.

• Deceptive emails that appear to come from trusted sources in order to capture login credentials.

• Redirections from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones.

Required Evidence:

• Full URLs of the suspected phishing sites or screenshots clearly showing the fraudulent content.

• Copies of phishing emails, including complete email headers (with IP addresses and sender details).

What Happens Next:

• If phishing is confirmed, we will take immediate action to suspend the domain.

• If the provided evidence is insufficient, we will escalate the case to the reseller or hosting provider for further investigation.

Malware & Botnets

Examples:

• Websites distributing malicious software (e.g., ransomware, spyware, trojans).

• Domains used to control botnets engaged in illegal activities.

Required Evidence:

• Malware scan results, antivirus or security logs, or screenshots showing the malicious behavior.

• URLs associated with malware distribution or botnet command-and-control.

What Happens Next:

• If confirmed that the domain is spreading malware, we will take immediate action to suspend it.

• If the evidence points to a compromised subpage or hosting account, we will refer the case to the reseller or hosting provider for remediation.

Examples of abuse that conditions need to be met for us to act:

Pharmacy & Drug Complaints

Examples of Abuse:

• Websites selling illegal or unlicensed drugs without valid prescriptions.

• Online pharmacies offering controlled substances (e.g., opioids) without proper authorization.

Required Evidence:

• Official reports from law enforcement or government agencies.

• Proof that the pharmacy is operating without a valid license.

Jurisdiction:

• Action can only be taken if the jurisdiction of the reporter aligns with both the domain holder’s jurisdiction and our company’s jurisdiction.

• If jurisdictions do not align, the case must be referred to the appropriate local authorities or to the reseller/hosting provider for further handling.

• Openprovider has jurisdiction on these locations - Netherlands, Spain, Russia, India, Canada.

What Happens Next:

• If all conditions are met and sufficient evidence is provided, the domain will be suspended.

• If the evidence is insufficient or falls outside our jurisdiction, we recommend contacting your local law enforcement or reaching out directly to the hosting provider, who can take the appropriate action on their servers.

Child Abuse Material (CSAM)

Examples of Abuse:

• Websites hosting, distributing, or sharing illegal content involving minors.

Required Evidence:

• Verified reports from trusted child protection organizations or law enforcement authorities.

What Happens Next:

• Upon receipt of a verified request from law enforcement or a recognized child protection authority, the domain will be suspended immediately.

• If the report does not come from a trusted authority, we will escalate the matter by notifying the appropriate agencies for further investigation.

At Openprovider, we treat all CSAM allegations with the utmost seriousness and are committed to supporting the enforcement of laws designed to protect children online. However, as a registrar, we are neither permitted nor equipped to validate such allegations ourselves, and we cannot require employees to review suspected CSAM material.

We strongly encourage you to act swiftly and report suspected CSAM directly to law enforcement in your country. You can find the appropriate reporting channel via the official INHOPE website.

Intellectual Property (Trademark)

Examples of Abuse:

• Unauthorized use of trademarks, copyrights, or patents.

Required Evidence:

• A valid court order or a complaint from a trusted authority (e.g., WIPO).

• Proof that the complainant is the legitimate trademark holder or an authorized representative.

• Reference to the applicable law under which the alleged infringement falls.

• Clear URLs and file paths where the infringement occurs.

Special Note for India:

• If the domain is registered under Indian jurisdiction, you may also file a complaint under India’s Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy.

• We will act in accordance with legal rulings issued by the relevant Indian authorities.

What Happens Next:

• If a court order or ruling is provided, we will suspend the domain.

• If the evidence is insufficient, we will advise you on pursuing official legal channels, such as the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP).

Other Illegal Activities

Examples of Abuse:

• Online activities prohibited by law, such as financial scams, illegal content distribution, cyberstalking, or the sale of contraband.

Required Evidence:

• Official requests from law enforcement authorities or valid court orders.

What Happens Next:

• As a registrar, we cannot take direct action on these cases unless they involve phishing, malware, or other forms of DNS abuse.

• We strongly recommend reporting such illegal activities directly to law enforcement or contacting the hosting provider, who can act more quickly to remove or block the content.

Examples of abuse we do not act:

Spam (Not Phishing or Malware)

Examples of Abuse:

• Mass-distributed unsolicited emails, such as irrelevant marketing or promotional offers.

Required Evidence:

• Sample spam emails, including complete email headers (with IP addresses and sender details).

What Happens Next:

• Domains will not be suspended solely for sending general spam, unless the activity is directly linked to phishing, malware, or another form of DNS abuse.

• For regular spam issues, we recommend managing filtering settings through your email provider or contacting the hosting provider for further assistance.

If, after contacting us, the issue remains unresolved, you may submit a formal complaint to ICANN (https://www.icann.org/compliance/complaint) or to WIPO (https://www.wipo.int/portal/en/).
Please note that only upon receiving a formal resolution from these authorities are we authorized to delete or transfer a domain.

Information for the reseller

When we receive a complaint, we immediately forward it to the reseller and mark the domain as “abusive.” The reseller will receive an email notification containing details of the complaint along with a response deadline.

Response Timeline:

• In most cases, the reseller has 5 days to address the issue and provide a response via the control panel.

• The abusive domain will be highlighted in the control panel, and accessing its details page will display a pop-up with the full abuse report.

• In specific cases, a different deadline may apply (this will be stated in the email).

Response Requirements:

• The response must clearly explain how the abuse was resolved and what measures are in place to prevent recurrence.

• If the complaint is invalid, the response should provide a clear explanation of why the complaint is incorrect.

Failure to Respond:

• If no response is submitted by the deadline, the domain may be suspended and rendered inactive.

• If a domain is suspended, the reseller will be notified via email.

• At any time, the reseller can remove the suspension directly through the control panel.