Verifying against the live site and live WHOIS/DNS…
Common questions
Is reference.com legit or a scam?
reference.com was registered Jan 25, 1995 (31 years old), per public registration records. AboutUs doesn't label sites "legit" or "a scam": this page lists the dated registration, DNS, HTTPS, mail-authentication and safety checks we could verify, each with its source, so you can decide for yourself.
Who owns reference.com?
Nobody has completed AboutUs's owner verification for reference.com. That's true of most sites here — it isn't itself a warning sign.
When was reference.com registered?
reference.com's registration dates to Jan 25, 1995 (31 years old), per public registration records. MarkMonitor Inc. is the registrar on record today.
Checked in the last 30 daysOlder, dated recordFrom registration records
Registered 31 years ago · on AboutUs since 2006 · 2 registrar changes since Sep 10, 2008 · 1 registrant change since 2007 · last checked Nov 12, 2026.
Registration
RegisteredJan 25, 1995reference.com was registered on Jan 25, 1995.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
AboutUs record
AboutUs wiki pageAboutUs wiki pageJun 21, 2006 – Nov 9, 2013An AboutUs wiki page described reference.com from Jun 21, 2006 to Nov 9, 2013 (6 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023Said about itself in 2006
Registrar
CORPORATE DOMAINS, INC.Sep 10, 2008 – Jul 23, 2009Registrar CORPORATE DOMAINS, INC. in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for reference.com, from Sep 10, 2008 to Jul 23, 2009.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)Markmonitor.comJul 27, 2009 – Nov 13, 2013
Registrant
Registrant recordsJun 29, 2007 – Jun 2, 2026Registration records for reference.com are held from Jun 29, 2007 to Jun 2, 2026 (691 records). 1 change of registrant name or organization is marked. Privacy-service and redaction changes, renames of the same organization and new contacts at it are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Zone file
Nameservers: UltraDNS (Neustar/Vercara)Jun 29, 2007 – Jul 16, 2008Registration records listed UltraDNS (Neustar/Vercara) nameservers (pdns1.ultradns.net, pdns2.ultradns.net, pdns3.ultradns.org…) for reference.com from Jun 29, 2007 to Jul 16, 2008.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Certificate
GlobalSign nv-saJun 18, 2025 – Jul 20, 2026GlobalSign nv-sa issued 1 certificate for reference.com from Jun 18, 2025, the latest valid until Jul 20, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
200020102020Jan ’26Oct ’26← last 12 months, drawn wider
Every dated fact on this lifeline (26)
Jan 25, 1995Registration: reference.com was registered on Jan 25, 1995.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
Jun 21, 2006 – Nov 9, 2013AboutUs record: An AboutUs wiki page described reference.com from Jun 21, 2006 to Nov 9, 2013 (6 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Jul 1, 2006AboutUs record: “Reference.com - online encyclopedia, almanac, Web search powered by Google, Web directory, dictionary and thesaurus.”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Jun 29, 2007 – Jun 2, 2026Registrant: Registration records for reference.com are held from Jun 29, 2007 to Jun 2, 2026 (691 records). 1 change of registrant name or organization is marked. Privacy-service and redaction changes, renames of the same organization and new contacts at it are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Jun 29, 2007 – Jul 16, 2008Zone file: Registration records listed UltraDNS (Neustar/Vercara) nameservers (pdns1.ultradns.net, pdns2.ultradns.net, pdns3.ultradns.org…) for reference.com from Jun 29, 2007 to Jul 16, 2008.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Jul 1, 2006
“Reference.com - online encyclopedia, almanac, Web search powered by Google, Web directory, dictionary and thesaurus.”
Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Current AboutUs recordJun 18, 2026 – Nov 8, 2026 (latest)Authority and Safety last refreshed Nov 8, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Registrar Markmonitor.com in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for reference.com, from Jul 27, 2009 to Nov 13, 2013.
Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
MarkMonitor, Inc.MarkMonitor, Inc.Nov 21, 2013 – Nov 10, 2026 (latest)Registrar MarkMonitor, Inc. (IANA 292) in the registration data recorded, first on Nov 21, 2013 and most recently on Nov 10, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
Registrant changeSep 10, 2008The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Sep 10, 2008. That can be a rename, a new contact or a sale; the record alone does not say which.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
1 registrant change, 2007–2026
Nameservers: ask.com, askjeeves.com
Jul 23, 2008 – Sep 4, 2008
Registration records listed ask.com, askjeeves.com nameservers (name1.askjeeves.com, name5.ask.com) for reference.com from Jul 23, 2008 to Sep 4, 2008.
Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to ask.com, askjeeves.comJul 23, 2008reference.com's nameservers moved from UltraDNS (Neustar/Vercara) to ask.com, askjeeves.com between Jul 16, 2008 and Jul 23, 2008. Last seen at UltraDNS (Neustar/Vercara): Jul 16, 2008 (registration record). First seen at ask.com, askjeeves.com: Jul 23, 2008 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Nameservers: ask.comMar 12, 2009 – Oct 17, 2013Registration records listed ask.com nameservers (name1.ask.com, name2.ask.com, name5.ask.com…) for reference.com from Mar 12, 2009 to Oct 17, 2013. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to ask.comMar 12, 2009reference.com's nameservers moved from ask.com, askjeeves.com to ask.com at some point between Sep 4, 2008 and Mar 12, 2009. Last seen at ask.com, askjeeves.com: Sep 4, 2008 (registration record). First seen at ask.com: Mar 12, 2009 (registration record). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 6 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Nameservers: ask.comOct 18, 2013 – Apr 1, 2016ask.com (name1.ask.com, name2.ask.com, name5.ask.com…) were the nameservers listed for reference.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Apr 1, 2016 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nameservers: ask.comApr 2, 2016 – Aug 18, 2017Registration records listed ask.com nameservers (name1.ask.com, name2.ask.com, name5.ask.com…) for reference.com from Apr 2, 2016 to Aug 18, 2017. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Nameservers: NS1Sep 24, 2017 – Apr 2, 2018Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p03.nsone.net, dns2.p03.nsone.net, dns3.p03.nsone.net…) for reference.com from Sep 24, 2017 to Apr 2, 2018. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to NS1Sep 24, 2017reference.com's nameservers moved from ask.com to NS1 between Aug 18, 2017 and Sep 24, 2017. Last seen at ask.com: Aug 18, 2017 (registration record). First seen at NS1: Sep 24, 2017 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Nameservers: NS1Apr 3, 2018NS1 (dns1.p03.nsone.net, dns2.p03.nsone.net, dns3.p03.nsone.net…) were the nameservers listed for reference.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Apr 3, 2018 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nameservers: NS1Nameservers: NS1Apr 4, 2018 – Jun 2, 2026Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p03.nsone.net, dns2.p03.nsone.net, dns3.p03.nsone.net…) for reference.com from Apr 4, 2018 to Jun 2, 2026. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Seen in the .com zone fileSep 8, 2026 – Nov 12, 2026 (latest)First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Sep 8, 2026; latest sighting Nov 12, 2026. Nameservers on Nov 12, 2026: blue.foundationdns.com, blue.foundationdns.net, blue.foundationdns.org.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 12, 2026
DNS moved to foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.orgNov 12, 2026reference.com's nameservers moved from NS1 to foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org at some point between Jun 2, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026. Last seen at NS1: Jun 2, 2026 (registration record). First seen at foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org: Nov 12, 2026 (ICANN zone file (CZDS)). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 5 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → ICANN zone file (CZDS))
Let's Encrypt
May 4, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026 (latest)
Let's Encrypt issued 10 certificates for reference.com from May 4, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 30, 2027. Seen in use on Oct 28, 2026.
Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader); TLS check, Oct 28, 2026
Google Trust ServicesAug 26, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Google Trust Services issued 3 certificates for reference.com from Aug 26, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 23, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
SSL CorporationAug 28, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026SSL Corporation issued 4 certificates for reference.com from Aug 28, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 27, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Jul 23, 2008 – Sep 4, 2008
Zone file: Registration records listed ask.com, askjeeves.com nameservers (name1.askjeeves.com, name5.ask.com) for reference.com from Jul 23, 2008 to Sep 4, 2008.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Jul 23, 2008Zone file: reference.com's nameservers moved from UltraDNS (Neustar/Vercara) to ask.com, askjeeves.com between Jul 16, 2008 and Jul 23, 2008. Last seen at UltraDNS (Neustar/Vercara): Jul 16, 2008 (registration record). First seen at ask.com, askjeeves.com: Jul 23, 2008 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Sep 10, 2008 – Jul 23, 2009Registrar: Registrar CORPORATE DOMAINS, INC. in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for reference.com, from Sep 10, 2008 to Jul 23, 2009.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Sep 10, 2008Registrant: The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Sep 10, 2008. That can be a rename, a new contact or a sale; the record alone does not say which.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Mar 12, 2009 – Oct 17, 2013Zone file: Registration records listed ask.com nameservers (name1.ask.com, name2.ask.com, name5.ask.com…) for reference.com from Mar 12, 2009 to Oct 17, 2013. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Mar 12, 2009Zone file: reference.com's nameservers moved from ask.com, askjeeves.com to ask.com at some point between Sep 4, 2008 and Mar 12, 2009. Last seen at ask.com, askjeeves.com: Sep 4, 2008 (registration record). First seen at ask.com: Mar 12, 2009 (registration record). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 6 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Jul 27, 2009 – Nov 13, 2013Registrar: Registrar Markmonitor.com in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for reference.com, from Jul 27, 2009 to Nov 13, 2013.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Oct 18, 2013 – Apr 1, 2016Zone file: ask.com (name1.ask.com, name2.ask.com, name5.ask.com…) were the nameservers listed for reference.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Apr 1, 2016 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nov 21, 2013 – Nov 10, 2026Registrar: Registrar MarkMonitor, Inc. (IANA 292) in the registration data recorded, first on Nov 21, 2013 and most recently on Nov 10, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
Apr 2, 2016 – Aug 18, 2017Zone file: Registration records listed ask.com nameservers (name1.ask.com, name2.ask.com, name5.ask.com…) for reference.com from Apr 2, 2016 to Aug 18, 2017. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Sep 24, 2017 – Apr 2, 2018Zone file: Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p03.nsone.net, dns2.p03.nsone.net, dns3.p03.nsone.net…) for reference.com from Sep 24, 2017 to Apr 2, 2018. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Sep 24, 2017Zone file: reference.com's nameservers moved from ask.com to NS1 between Aug 18, 2017 and Sep 24, 2017. Last seen at ask.com: Aug 18, 2017 (registration record). First seen at NS1: Sep 24, 2017 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Apr 3, 2018Zone file: NS1 (dns1.p03.nsone.net, dns2.p03.nsone.net, dns3.p03.nsone.net…) were the nameservers listed for reference.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Apr 3, 2018 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Apr 4, 2018 – Jun 2, 2026Zone file: Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p03.nsone.net, dns2.p03.nsone.net, dns3.p03.nsone.net…) for reference.com from Apr 4, 2018 to Jun 2, 2026. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Jun 18, 2025 – Jul 20, 2026Certificate: GlobalSign nv-sa issued 1 certificate for reference.com from Jun 18, 2025, the latest valid until Jul 20, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
May 4, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt issued 10 certificates for reference.com from May 4, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 30, 2027. Seen in use on Oct 28, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader); TLS check, Oct 28, 2026
Jun 18, 2026 – Nov 8, 2026AboutUs record: Authority and Safety last refreshed Nov 8, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Aug 26, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Certificate: Google Trust Services issued 3 certificates for reference.com from Aug 26, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 23, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Aug 28, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Certificate: SSL Corporation issued 4 certificates for reference.com from Aug 28, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 27, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Sep 8, 2026 – Nov 12, 2026Zone file: First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Sep 8, 2026; latest sighting Nov 12, 2026. Nameservers on Nov 12, 2026: blue.foundationdns.com, blue.foundationdns.net, blue.foundationdns.org.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 12, 2026
Nov 12, 2026Zone file: reference.com's nameservers moved from NS1 to foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org at some point between Jun 2, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026. Last seen at NS1: Jun 2, 2026 (registration record). First seen at foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org: Nov 12, 2026 (ICANN zone file (CZDS)). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 5 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → ICANN zone file (CZDS))
Automated safety checks
DNS (passed)
HTTPS (passed)
Page metadata (passed)
Security headers (failed)
Add the HSTS, Content-Security-Policy, and X-Frame-Options response headers.
AboutUs has not vetted this site. Everything below is what we could measure automatically. Anything you do on the site — paying, sharing personal details, downloading — is between you and the site, not AboutUs.
Current facts
Latest available measurements; dated entries retain their dates. These are measurements, not an endorsement of the site.
latest result
Domain registered Jan 25, 1995 — 31 years old.
latest result
Registrar on record: MarkMonitor Inc. — unchanged since AboutUs began tracking (Jul 23, 2026).
Authority 76/100— ahead of 76% of the August 2026 scored sampleClear
Why this authority score
76 is a percentile: higher than 76% of sites we score.
How it's calculated
Prominence (Tranco rank #6,042)+8
Verified continuity: 31.8 years (RDAP registration)+11
Security & email hygiene+4
Calibration adjustment (published map)+16
Model score: 39/99 — what these reason lines add up to.
Published Authority (percentile): 76/100 — this site's rank against the August 2026 scored sample. Public Authority is capped at 99.
Safety evidence
Retained threat-feed result (recorded about 4 days ago); name-similarity check available (recorded about 4 days ago); 3/3 transport and email checks available (oldest recorded about 4 days ago). This is evidence coverage, not a probability that a website is safe.
What reference.com said about itself, 2006
Quoted from the site's AboutUs wiki page in each year it changed (1 version). These are the page's own words at the time, not AboutUs's assessment. New words · dropped words
2006
Reference.com - online encyclopedia, almanac, Web search powered by Google, Web directory, dictionary and thesaurus.
Site history
Dated record — historical facts always carry their date; self-description below is the 2013 record.
1995
Domain registered (Jan 25, 1995).
2006
First tracked by AboutUs (Jun 21, 2006); profile edited 6 times through 2013.
2013
Self-description at the time:
“Reference.com is an encyclopedia with a reference guide”