Shielding Domain Registration Info?

occamboy asks: "I'd like to register a new domain, but I'm tired of getting tons of spam (most filtered, but some not) and snail mail whenever I register a new domain. In short, I'd like the domain, but I don't want to announce the details of its owner to the world. I was thinking of using GoDaddy's domain proxy, but the terms are scary: they reserve the right to change the agreement anytime, by posting the new terms on their site, and the buyer automatically agrees to the new terms. What's to prevent them from grabbing my domain name from me, or doing some other nefarious thing? So, is there any good way to anonymously acquire a domain? Should I just register with fake info, use a service ... or what?"

Comments

PO Box

[Arngautr]

I use a PO Box and an email account I can throw away if things get too bad. I think I might try the 'protected' option next time as the price isn't too bad.

Sneakemail it

[polymath69]

This won't do anything about the postal spam, but give your email as a sneakemail address. Then whenever that address gets harvested for spam, you can cancel it, set up a new one, and update your whois record.

It will still get harvested... but you'll probably only have to cycle it a couple of times a year. The three or four spams a year that'll get through is probably negligible.

This is a good strategy for /. email, too.

Incorporate

[Rick the Red]

Form a company to own the domain, and register it in the name of that company. That way if someone really needs to find you they can, but it will take some work (they'll have to find where you incorporated and then find your name in that paperwork). That should keep the spammers away -- they hate real work.

Re:Use fake information

[brewthatistrue]

well, if you are worried about what agreements you are entering into, ICANN requires valid contact information. How often your info will be checked for validity varies, but if you get caught with fraudulent info you can lose your domain. http://www.icann.org/registrars/wdrp.htm http://www.internetprivacyadvocate.org/ProtectYour PersonalInfo.htm (urls via google keywords: whois contact icann)

namecheap!

[hookedup]

namecheap.com

$8.88 USD domain registry, and like 5$ a year for a 'whoisguard' subscription per domain per year..nobody is getting your info without subpoena

I use them for all of my domains, and couldnt imagine using anyone else..

Also.. you should be wary of godaddy.. i've heard of them snatching up peoples domain for no good reason..

Re:namecheap!

[adam mcmaster]

RegisterFly.com offer something similar, only $1 to protect each domain. It puts something like this in the whois record:

Registrant Contact:
RegisterFly.com - Ref# 11453500
Whois Protection Service - ProtectFly.com (11453500.fly@spamfly.com)
+1.2122952121
Fax: +1.2122952153
230 Park Avenue
Suite 864
New York, NY 10169
US

That email address gets forwarded to your actual address, and it changes every so often so you don't get spam to it.

Please don't fake your e-mail address

[cgenman]

Sometimes people really do need to contact you. If your domain is causing problems or otherwise interfering with the network, or someone has a dispute with you but would rather not let it escalate to the point of sending nastygrams to the owner of your IP block, it is very convienient to be able to just e-mail someone. That's why it is there. Sending a message out to the larger hosting / access company usually results in absolutely nothing, especially if it is a large hosting company.

Stay a part of the community. Keep your contact information available and up-to-date.