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Need Advice how to register a website w/ private WHOIS info?

Discussion in 'Community Broadband & Computers' started by Mike-and-Kim, Jan 5, 2012.

  1. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    I would like my name and address hidden to prevent identity theft.

    Called network solutions to set up a website and asked specifically if I put my name and the website in google will it show up? They say no. So of course the next day I do this (having bought the privacy option) and there I am...

    Call them up and they say no you need a business account (despite what they told me). I do not have a business and am leery of assigning to something that does not exist. Requested a refund and they said OK, but now my name AND address will be visible since there is no privacy option in effect, and the website has to sit there per some requirement.

    Tried dyndns but they would only register it, then after the fact add the privacy option. Of course, there is no number to call and talk to a person.

    Any advice appreciated.
     
  2. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Use GoDaddy - they offer a private registration option:

    http://www.godaddy.com/domainaddon/private-registration.aspx

    I'm curious though how you believe that having your name and address on your domain registration can be used for identity theft. That same information is available in a variety of other public resources/locations...
     
  3. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    I dunno, just still not comfortable with it. I guess trying to err on the side of caution. Also I have a lot of electronics, so it would be nice to write articles about some of my experiments. I would prefer not to have someone "easily" look up my address.

    Here is how I would see it working: I tell someone I've ordered parts from a small electronics distributor (because I am not thinking). They call up the distributor and order parts using a little social engineering. Anyway I guess that is not identity theft either.

    So, should have said "theft".

    I just want to try it to see if I like this, kind of as a means of organizing things. A friend of Kim's has offered me space on a virtual server he has. I still cut out test results and measurements and tape them in to a lab notebook at work...
     
  4. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    Here's some information about it from my web hosting provider:

    https://my.bluehost.com/cgi/help/129

    Domain Privacy is a service that helps to protect your personal information on the web. Without Domain Privacy, when you register a domain name, ICANN (the governing body for internet domain names) requires you to provide accurate contact information, which they then make available in a public WHOIS database. This makes it easy for spammers and other undesired parties to obtain your personal contact information.

    Our Domain Privacy service acts as a shield -- instead of showing YOUR personal contact information in the public database, the database will show contact information for the bluehost Domain Privacy service. This allows you to keep your information accurate and up-to-date with our service, as demanded by ICANN regulations, but still invisible and shielded from the public.

    Domain Privacy protects you from:
    Spam and other Unsolicited Email
    Unwanted Phone Calls & Postal Mail
    Identity Theft
    Fraudulent Domain Transfers
    Competitors being able to look up which domains you own
    and much more

    If you would like the domain privacy on your domain and domain is registered through us, please see Bluehost Pricing for the pricing of Domain Privacy.
     
  5. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Providers and Registrars will try to throw everything but the kitchen sink in order to scare folks into paying into the premium service. Most charge an extra $10/year or more and has become a cash cow 'added value service' for them. It's it their advantage to try and convince you that if you don't use the Privacy option, something very bad might happen to you so you should pay up to 'protect' yourself.

    By all means, if it makes you feel 'safer' and you don't mind spending the money, go for it. Like I mentioned before, I know a few people who registered their domain with GoDaddy and use their Privacy option and are happy with it.
     
  6. mdcrim

    mdcrim Member

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    I think it's more about being anonymous on the internet. If you have a blog and write about what's on your mind (may not necessarily be a popular opinion), I think you'd almost put yourself at risk if your domain is traceable back to you.

    So is it better to get the privacy from Godaddy or Bluehost (anyone know)?
     
  7. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    That's a myth, but I won't hijack this thread... If you want to me anonymous on the Internet, don't use it at all.
     
  8. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    The privacy options are basically all the same.. they just don't publish your contact details in the nameserver lookups. It's nothing difficult, it's more just like a product to avoid publishing according to policy like you are supposed to. Instead of posting your info, they post theirs 'info' and have to front-end queries, etc.. so they charge for it. Difference is just how much they charge and what their tools look like/usability.

    If someone wants to write something and they are concerned what they write will cause problems if someone knew who wrote it... then don't write it. You are never really anonymous on the web - its just a matter of how public you are or not.
     
  9. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    I like the idea that spammers (human as well as computer) can't get my personal contact information from Whois. That's what the privacy means to me. I can't say what things would be like if I *didn't* have the domain privacy option, but I haven't had much of an issue with spam with my current domain provider. Still, I suppose that simply by having an email address and using it, spammers can easily spam me anyway. It isn't as though my email address is hidden from the world. So I guess I don't really know if there is a value to it or not. I appear to be being billed about $5 every other month for the privacy option. Back when I registered my domain it seemed like a good idea. Maybe it wasn't or maybe things have changed that it isn't as useful anymore.

    Regardless, I am very happy with my 7 years with Bluehost and if anyone would like an account with them I'd be happy to give a referral link.
     
  10. '03 Cavalier

    '03 Cavalier New Member

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    1&1 (1and1.com) is nice for private registrations. It's a free option, so as long as you have your domain you pretty much just have to pay for the registration. Most other registrars charge extra for private registration, on top of the standard reg fee.
     
  11. boomertsfx

    boomertsfx Booyakasha!

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    GoDaddy stinks, with all their upsells... and they supported SOPA, boo. I use 1and1 .. I think it's around $9 a year or so..
     
  12. tideland

    tideland Resident Since 1998

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    Agree about GoDaddy and their up sales stinks. I had them and switched to NameCheap https://www.namecheap.com/ . Have been happy with them so far.
     

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