I was curious how this works, so I followed instructions from a reply below to retrieve an 'authentic' WHOIS reply for the real domain: use 'WHOIS domain apple.com'. However, this led to another 'spoofed' result [1].
From what I gather [2], WHOIS often matches sub-domains before top-level-domains, making it easy for someone to create a sub-domain such as 'microsoft.foobar.com' with false records that will populate before the actual domain.
It seems that using the following WHOIS query returns registrar information for Microsoft.com, though it requires sifting through the 'spoofed' results: 'WHOIS =Microsoft.com' [3]. You'll have to wade to the bottom of the results.
[1]
MICROSOFT.COM.ARE.GODDAMN.PIGFUCKERS.NET.NS-NOT-IN-SERVICE.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.CAN.GO.FUCK.ITSELF.AT.SECZY.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.EENGURRA.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.FILLS.ME.WITH.BELLIGERENCE.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.HAS.A.PRESENT.COMING.FROM.HUGHESMISSILES.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.A.MESS.TIMPORTER.CO.UK
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.A.STEAMING.HEAP.OF.FUCKING-BULLSHIT.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.IN.BED.WITH.CURTYV.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.NICE.WHEN.TOASTED.COMKAL.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.NOT.HOSTED.BY.ACTIVEDOMAINDNS.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.NOT.YEPPA.ORG
MICROSOFT.COM.LIVES.AT.SHAUNEWING.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.LOVES.ME.KOSMAL.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.MAKES.RICKARD.DRINK.SAMBUCA.0800CARRENTAL.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.MATCHES.THIS.STRING.AT.KEYSIGNERS.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.MORE.INFO.AT.WWW.BEYONDWHOIS.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.RAWKZ.MUH.WERLD.MENTALFLOSS.CA
MICROSOFT.COM.SHOULD.GIVE.UP.BECAUSE.LINUXISGOD.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.SHOULD.INSTALL-GENTOO.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.SOFTWARE.IS.NOT.USED.AT.REG.RU
MICROSOFT.COM.WAREZ.AT.TOPLIST.GULLI.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.WILL.BE.BEATEN.WITH.MY.SPANNER.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.WILL.BE.SLAPPED.IN.THE.FACE.BY.MY.BLUE.VEINED.SPANNER.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZ.IS.0WNED.AND.HAX0RED.BY.SUB7.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZZZ.GET.LAID.AT.WWW.SWINGINGCOMMUNITY.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZZZZ.MORE.DETAILS.AT.WWW.BEYONDWHOIS.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZZZZZ.LOLLERSKATES.RENDRAG.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.IM.ELITE.WANNABE.TOO.WWW.PLUS613.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.GET.ONE.MILLION.DOLLARS.AT.WWW.UNIMUNDI.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.LOLLERSKATES.RENDRAG.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.IS.A.GREAT.COMPANY.ITREBAL.COM
MICROSOFT.COM
[2] http://www.securiteam.com/securitynews/6D00L0K00G.html
[3]
Domain Name: MICROSOFT.COM
Registrar: MARKMONITOR INC.
Sponsoring Registrar IANA ID: 292
Whois Server: whois.markmonitor.com
Referral URL: http://www.markmonitor.com
Name Server: NS1.MSFT.NET
Name Server: NS2.MSFT.NET
Name Server: NS3.MSFT.NET
Name Server: NS4.MSFT.NET