Verifying against the live site and live WHOIS/DNS…
Common questions
Is therecord.com legit or a scam?
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 therecord.com?
Nobody has completed AboutUs's owner verification for therecord.com. That's true of most sites here — it isn't itself a warning sign.
Checked in the last 30 daysOlder, dated recordFrom registration records
On AboutUs since 2006 · 3 registrar changes since Jan 11, 2008 · 2 ownership changes since 2008 · last checked Sep 28, 2026.
Registration
No registration date on file yet. AboutUs reads it from RDAP when the site is checked.
AboutUs record
AboutUs wiki pageAboutUs wiki pageJun 21, 2006 – Nov 5, 2013An AboutUs wiki page described therecord.com from Jun 21, 2006 to Nov 5, 2013 (3 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023Said about itself in 2006Jul 1, 2006“TheRecord.com -- The Internet edition of The Record, Waterloo Region's most read daily newspaper. Coverage includes: local columnists; top local news and sports stories updated daily; entertainment news; a calendar of e…”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Registrar
TUCOWS, INC.Jan 11, 2008 – Sep 13, 2010Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for therecord.com, from Jan 11, 2008 to Sep 13, 2010.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)TUCOWS.COM CO.Jul 15, 2011Registrar TUCOWS.COM CO. in the registration data recorded on Jul 15, 2011.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Ownership
Ownership recordsJan 11, 2008 – Jun 26, 2026Registration records for therecord.com are held from Jan 11, 2008 to Jun 26, 2026 (125 records). 2 changes of registrant name or organization are marked. Privacy-service and redaction changes are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Zone file
Nameservers: thestar.comNameservers: thestar.comJan 11, 2008 – Oct 17, 2013Registration records listed thestar.com nameservers (ns.thestar.com, ns2.thestar.com) for therecord.com from Jan 11, 2008 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)
Certificate
Certificate from Let's EncryptSep 6, 2026 – Sep 28, 2026 (latest)Let's Encrypt certificate valid Sep 6, 2026 to Dec 5, 2026, as seen on Sep 28, 2026.Source: TLS check, Sep 28, 2026
2010201520202025Jan ’26← last 12 months, drawn wider
Every dated fact on this lifeline (18)
Jun 21, 2006 – Nov 5, 2013AboutUs record: An AboutUs wiki page described therecord.com from Jun 21, 2006 to Nov 5, 2013 (3 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Jul 1, 2006AboutUs record: “TheRecord.com -- The Internet edition of The Record, Waterloo Region's most read daily newspaper. Coverage includes: local columnists; top local news and sports stories updated daily; entertainment news; a calendar of e…”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Jan 11, 2008 – Sep 13, 2010Registrar: Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for therecord.com, from Jan 11, 2008 to Sep 13, 2010.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Jan 11, 2008 – Jun 26, 2026Ownership: Registration records for therecord.com are held from Jan 11, 2008 to Jun 26, 2026 (125 records). 2 changes of registrant name or organization are marked. Privacy-service and redaction changes are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Jan 11, 2008 – Oct 17, 2013Zone file: Registration records listed thestar.com nameservers (ns.thestar.com, ns2.thestar.com) for therecord.com from Jan 11, 2008 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)
Current AboutUs recordJul 3, 2026 – Aug 21, 2026 (latest)Authority and Safety last refreshed Aug 21, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
TUCOWS, INC.TUCOWS, INC.Jul 25, 2011 – Jun 26, 2026Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for therecord.com, from Jul 25, 2011 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Tucows Domains Inc.Aug 19, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 (latest)Registrar Tucows Domains Inc. in the registration data recorded, first on Aug 19, 2026 and most recently on Sep 27, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Jul 3, 2026
Ownership change
Jan 4, 2012
The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Jan 4, 2012. Who it changed to is in the full report.
Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Ownership changeDec 24, 2013The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Dec 24, 2013. Who it changed to is in the full report.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
2 ownership changes, 2008–2026
Nameservers: thestar.com
Nameservers: thestar.comOct 18, 2013 – Apr 3, 2018thestar.com (ns1.thestar.com, ns2.thestar.com) were the nameservers listed for therecord.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nameservers: d-zone.caAug 2, 2018 – Apr 7, 2020Registration records listed d-zone.ca nameservers (ns1.d-zone.ca, ns2.d-zone.ca) for therecord.com from Aug 2, 2018 to Apr 7, 2020.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to d-zone.caAug 2, 2018therecord.com's nameservers moved from thestar.com to d-zone.ca at some point between Apr 3, 2018 and Aug 2, 2018. Last seen at thestar.com: Apr 3, 2018 (ICANN zone-file snapshot). First seen at d-zone.ca: Aug 2, 2018 (registration record). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 4 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (ICANN zone-file snapshot → registration record)
Nameservers: Amazon Route 53Nameservers: Amazon Route 53May 5, 2020 – Jun 26, 2026Registration records listed Amazon Route 53 nameservers (ns-104.awsdns-13.com, ns-1314.awsdns-36.org, ns-2028.awsdns-61.co.uk…) for therecord.com from May 5, 2020 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to Amazon Route 53May 5, 2020therecord.com's nameservers moved from d-zone.ca to Amazon Route 53 between Apr 7, 2020 and May 5, 2020. Last seen at d-zone.ca: Apr 7, 2020 (registration record). First seen at Amazon Route 53: May 5, 2020 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Seen in the .com zone fileSep 8, 2026 – Sep 22, 2026 (latest)First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Sep 8, 2026; latest sighting Sep 22, 2026. Nameservers on Sep 22, 2026: ns-104.awsdns-13.com, ns-1314.awsdns-36.org, ns-2028.awsdns-61.co.uk, ns-655.awsdns-17.net.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Sep 22, 2026
Jul 15, 2011Registrar: Registrar TUCOWS.COM CO. in the registration data recorded on Jul 15, 2011.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Jul 25, 2011 – Jun 26, 2026Registrar: Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for therecord.com, from Jul 25, 2011 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Jan 4, 2012Ownership: The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Jan 4, 2012. Who it changed to is in the full report.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Oct 18, 2013 – Apr 3, 2018Zone file: thestar.com (ns1.thestar.com, ns2.thestar.com) were the nameservers listed for therecord.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Dec 24, 2013Ownership: The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Dec 24, 2013. Who it changed to is in the full report.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Aug 2, 2018 – Apr 7, 2020Zone file: Registration records listed d-zone.ca nameservers (ns1.d-zone.ca, ns2.d-zone.ca) for therecord.com from Aug 2, 2018 to Apr 7, 2020.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Aug 2, 2018Zone file: therecord.com's nameservers moved from thestar.com to d-zone.ca at some point between Apr 3, 2018 and Aug 2, 2018. Last seen at thestar.com: Apr 3, 2018 (ICANN zone-file snapshot). First seen at d-zone.ca: Aug 2, 2018 (registration record). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 4 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (ICANN zone-file snapshot → registration record)
May 5, 2020 – Jun 26, 2026Zone file: Registration records listed Amazon Route 53 nameservers (ns-104.awsdns-13.com, ns-1314.awsdns-36.org, ns-2028.awsdns-61.co.uk…) for therecord.com from May 5, 2020 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
May 5, 2020Zone file: therecord.com's nameservers moved from d-zone.ca to Amazon Route 53 between Apr 7, 2020 and May 5, 2020. Last seen at d-zone.ca: Apr 7, 2020 (registration record). First seen at Amazon Route 53: May 5, 2020 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Jul 3, 2026 – Aug 21, 2026AboutUs record: Authority and Safety last refreshed Aug 21, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Aug 19, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026Registrar: Registrar Tucows Domains Inc. in the registration data recorded, first on Aug 19, 2026 and most recently on Sep 27, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Jul 3, 2026
Sep 6, 2026 – Sep 28, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt certificate valid Sep 6, 2026 to Dec 5, 2026, as seen on Sep 28, 2026.Source: TLS check, Sep 28, 2026
Sep 8, 2026 – Sep 22, 2026Zone file: First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Sep 8, 2026; latest sighting Sep 22, 2026. Nameservers on Sep 22, 2026: ns-104.awsdns-13.com, ns-1314.awsdns-36.org, ns-2028.awsdns-61.co.uk, ns-655.awsdns-17.net.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Sep 22, 2026
All 4 safety checks passed (Oct 25, 2026).
Automated safety checks
DNS (passed)
HTTPS (passed)
Page metadata (passed)
Security headers (passed)
Current facts
Latest available measurements; dated entries retain their dates. These are measurements, not an endorsement of the site.
latest result
Domain registered Feb 22, 1995 — 31 years old.
latest result
Registrar on record: Tucows Domains Inc. — unchanged since AboutUs began tracking (Aug 19, 2026).
latest result
HTTPS request succeeded for www.therecord.com.
checked Sep 30, 2026
The site names The Record as the organisation behind it.
checked Sep 30, 2026
The live front page reads as a news or media site that publishes free content supported by ads, mainly for a local community.
Authority 75/100— ahead of 75% of the August 2026 scored sampleClear
Why this authority score
75 is a percentile: higher than 75% of sites we score.
How it's calculated
Prominence (Tranco rank #56,378)+7
Verified continuity: 31.7 years (RDAP registration)+11
Identity corroboration (capped)+4
Security & email hygiene+3
Calibration adjustment (published map)+13
Model score: 38/99 — what these reason lines add up to.
Published Authority (percentile): 75/100 — this site's rank against the August 2026 scored sample. Public Authority is capped at 99.
What therecord.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
TheRecord.com -- The Internet edition of The Record, Waterloo Region's most read daily newspaper. Coverage includes: local columnists; top local news and sports stories updated daily; entertainment news; a calendar of events; movie times, locations and reviews; restaurant reviews; searchable classified advertisements; and community information and links.
Site history
Dated record — historical facts always carry their date; self-description below is the 2013 record.
1995
Domain registered (Feb 22, 1995).
2006
First tracked by AboutUs (Jun 21, 2006); profile edited 3 times through 2013.
2013
Self-description at the time:
“TheRecord.com Internet edition of Canadian daily newspaper”
✓ domain continuity 31 years registered✓ live verified Oct 25, 2026
Safety evidence
No unexpired threat-feed result; name-similarity check available (recorded about 65 days ago); 3/3 transport and email checks available (oldest recorded about 65 days ago). This is evidence coverage, not a probability that a website is safe.
No caution flags in the available scoring observations; this is not a complete safety assessment