31 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
31 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Protecting Privacy: Getting my Personal Info off Who.is

by CED59
27 replies
Hey guys, searching Who.is for my websites displays my personal information, how do I 'block' that? or conceal it?...

i think I should have got that $10/year privacy offer (that I decided against) when I signed up for the domain

thank you in advance
#info #personal #privacy #protecting #whois
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    You can use fake information and just set up a junk email and use that for the information you use for registering your domain, you can make it different than your real billing address.

    Just go into your domain and look for the public data. For example, if you are using GoDaddy, click on your domain and at the bottom you'll see 4 boxes. Edit the "registrant" information. It doesn't effect the billing info or any credit card data. Or buy privacy. That's about it.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701629].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author bt
      I buy all my domains from NameCheap, they offer free whois privacy protection when you buy domains from them. Then I change the name servers to my hosting and then assign the domain as an addon domain to my cpanel.
      Signature
      You could get 1 Million Visitors to your website for free, you have got to see this
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701682].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author StunningWarrior
        Originally Posted by bt View Post

        I buy all my domains from NameCheap, they offer free whois privacy protection when you buy domains from them. Then I change the name servers to my hosting and then assign the domain as an addon domain to my cpanel.
        I usually use domainmonster.com because privacy comes free. With namecheap.com I thought that it was about USD2,50 per domain although there's usually a coupon available to drop it to 99 cents. I recently renewed one of the domains that I do have at namecheap and the privacy was 99 cents after I found a coupon.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5702084].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      You can use fake information and just set up a junk email and use that for the information you use for registering your domain, you can make it different than your real billing address.
      It would be better to use WhoIsGuard. If you supply fake information, you risk losing your domain.


      Frank
      Signature


      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701702].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      You can use fake information and just set up a junk email and use that for the information you use for registering your domain, you can make it different than your real billing address.
      Then an unscrupulous, dishonest, or unethical competitor could email your administrative contact from the WHOIS data... and when the email bounces, report it to ICANN and seize the domain.

      It's a little more complex than "his email bounced, gimme," but I don't want to give any free training to anyone who thinks that sounds like a fine business model.

      ICANN requires accurate contact information as a condition of owning domains. Privacy protection uses a proxy, which satisfies their requirements, but you can't just make stuff up.
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701716].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    Why would you risk losing your domain?
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701720].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      Why would you risk losing your domain?
      Icann do random checks that the address is valid. Granted they don't check everyone but you still run a risk of losing domains if they find the address isn't a current valid address to reach you at.

      Rich
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701756].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    Who is to know if it is fake data? The email is still yours, just not one you use often. Who is going to check the other data? I do this and have never had a problem. Or a bunch of spam sent to my personal email.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701738].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      Who is to know if it is fake data?
      You know what? You're right! Nobody can find out anything on the internet. Your privacy is protected, your secrets are secure! Just fill up the WHOIS record with stuff you made up, like "123 Fake Street" or something. Nothing bad can happen at all. It's not like this data is listed in a public database or anything.

      Oh, wait... it's in WHOIS, isn't it? And that's... well, public.

      But hey! Who would be out there scanning WHOIS records for domains to steal, anyway? That would never happen. It's not as if domains are like, worth money, or anything.
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701917].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author davezan
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      Who is to know if it is fake data?
      Your registrar if it's brought to their attention. In my ex-registrar life, we have
      shut down a few domains due to invalid or inaccurate WHOIS data.

      Of course, we didn't get everything right (and who does?). But when we notify
      someone and they don't respond on time, that's where problems occur.

      Search online and you'll find a couple of stories of that happening.
      Signature

      David

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5704209].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    Rather than pay for each domain to be private why don't you pay for a business mailing address or mailbox. You need a reachable address for many things online not just domain registration. I don't know whereabouts in the world you are but in the UK you can get a mailing address for about $20 a year inclusive of a few scanned mails to your email address.

    Rich
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701744].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Chris Kent View Post

      Please tell me where, Richard?
      I've never seen $20 a year, but Virtual Offices in London, Mail Forwarding, Telephone Answering has £15 a month.
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5702068].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author StunningWarrior
      Originally Posted by Chris Kent View Post

      Please tell me where, Richard?

      I am currently using MBE and it is a rip-off!
      I am also using MBE and Richard's annual figure is less than my monthly figure. I'd be very interested in a 20 quid a year service provider.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5702073].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author megawarrior
    Yep it's safer to just use whoisguard (which namecheap offers for free with domains registered through them), since ICANN does not allow false data and it's better to avoid the risk.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701749].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    By junk email, I meant create a hotmail or gmail email that you aren't going to use every day. Sorry, maybe I needed to be clearer. But it is still your email.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701751].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    An incredible 77 per cent of internet domains - nearly 90 million internet addresses - are registered with false, incomplete, or unverifiable information.


    An extensive review of 1,419 representative domain names conducted by overseeing body ICANN, including direct contact with over 500 individual domain owners, produced some startling results (PDF). Example: only 23 per cent of domain registrations display the owner's correct name and physical address.


    The report may help break a decade-long impasse over the Whois service, during which conflicting interests have ensured that no progress has been made on much-needed changes. The last time a full study (PDF) of Whois accuracy was commissioned - by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2005 - it was reported that only 5 per cent of domain names contained "missing or patently false information."

    77% of domain registrations stuffed with rubbish ? The Register

    Can't see anyone taking all of those domains...but do what you will.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701781].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Lucy Writes
      With NameCheap, you can get free WhoIs Guard for a year when you register a domain. That will keep your private information off of WhoIs. I've always thought it was kind of dangerous to make a person's personal contact details available publicly through WhoIs. It's perfect for criminals and stalkers to find you. I can see why ICANN wants a database of real registration information, but they don't have to make it publicly available. In this day and age, you can't be too careful.

      You can also get a P.O. box and register a company name with your state, and use that information on your domain registrations. That way, your real name and physical address aren't listed on WhoIs, and you can always create an email JUST for domain registrations.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701844].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    The important thing to know here is that in the eyes of the domain Registry to which all the Registrars interact, and the Registry's oversight body (like ICANN, or in Canada, CIRA), whoever is listed in the domain whois record as the domain Registrant is the legal owner of the domain name. Keep that in mind, if you use a service like this, they own the domain, not you, notwithstanding whatever contract or Terms of Service you enter into with them to "own" this name on your behalf. If it lands in a dispute proceeding it will be an open and shut case: they own the name.

    Taking it one step further, some "privacy" services will get you to sign up for the whois privacy service and then they turn around and happily offer to sell your true data to anybody else who cares to pay for it.
    This is pretty eye opening...

    10 things you MUST know before you register a domain name with anyone
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701829].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author PlotHost
    There are many sites like who.is that will list your infos. The only solution is to use a whois guard - $5-$10/year.
    Signature

    PlotHost - http://www.plothost.com
    99.9% uptime | 15 days money back | 24/7 support

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701840].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    how do they steal your domain? I don't understand. Please explain as I really want to know.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701931].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      how do they steal your domain?
      You know how if you're transporting drugs in your car, and you get caught, the police take your car?

      And then the car goes up for auction?

      It's a little different with domains. The person who reports you for violating the ICANN policy on domain contact information can assert a material claim to the domain, and ICANN doesn't return it to the pool of available domains on seizure - instead, they order that your registrar transfer it to the guy who reported you, along with all remaining registration time.

      And if you're stupid enough to host at your domain registrar, there's a significant chance your registrar will helpfully give him your existing website, too. (GoDaddy is known for that.)
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5701987].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    I see. Well, then use a PO Box and an email you set up only for domains then. problem solved and you are masked and legal.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5702005].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      problem solved and you are masked and legal.
      Yep. Doesn't have to be privacy-invading... just true.
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5702053].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    Domain Name | Internet Domain Registration | Register Domain Names comes with free privacy as well. .com's are 8.49, always. And they have a real help desk, 24 hours!
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5702134].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Tobarja
    I just registered a new domain with namesilo.com, to try them out. Interface could use a little tightening up, but whois privacy is included with all registrations.
    Signature

    Regular guest posters wanted for blogging, white hat SEO, vacation/travel niches. New sites, will pay($) for good content. PM samples.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5702960].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author bt
      The sucky part about Whois protection Is that hosting companies keep raising the price. My hosting company was charging $5 yearly for whois protection and then jumped from 5 bucks to 10 bucks a year.

      That's when I said forget It and went with NameCheap. Call me a cheap scate If you want, but why pay for Whois protection through a hosting company when you get It free through NameCheap.
      Signature
      You could get 1 Million Visitors to your website for free, you have got to see this
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5703257].message }}

Trending Topics