Results 1 to 23 of 23
  1. #1

    Post Concern over godaddy's verification request

    Hello,

    I am new to web hosting and new to this forum and wish to ask a question concerning godaddy's verification policy. Any feedback would be appreciated.

    Yesterday I registered a domain with godaddy and paid with my credit card and this morning when I woke up I found this email from ccinquiries@godaddy.com

    Thank you for being our valued customer. Your account has been selected by our verification office as a precautionary measure to defend you from possible misuse of either your payment method or products in shopper account XXXXXXXXX.

    During the login process, our secure site will prompt you to upload a viewable, scanned copy of the payment method account holder's government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license or passport. In the comments box, we ask that you also provide a brief explanation of how you intend to use the
    product(s) purchased. If we do not receive the requested documentation within the next 48 hours, your order(s) may be cancelled for your protection.

    Upon receipt and verification, we will notate your account that the necessary documentation to substantiate your account has been received. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

    Sincerely,
    Verification Office


    In all of my online dealings with other organizations (including online banking) I have never been required to upload a scanned copy of either my credit card, driver's licence or passport. I personally consider this to be a great risk to submit to a corporation who I have read in the past has had complaints regarding account hacking, and as I have only just gotten involved with web hosting and domain registration, I personally feel it to be an uncomfortable start to future web hosting transactions.

    I am curious whether this is standard procedure within the business or if it sounds somewhat strange. I personally do not feel comfortable uploading scanned copies of these documents and was wondering if there is any way around this.

    Kind regards.

  2. #2
    Welcome to the forum.

    Quote Originally Posted by rennowanders View Post
    I am curious whether this is standard procedure within the business or if it sounds somewhat strange. I personally do not feel comfortable uploading scanned copies of these documents and was wondering if there is any way around this.
    Understandable, although what Go Daddy asked you is "standard". During my ex-registrar work, we asked some customers to send a copy of their identification. Many of those experiences weren't pleasant, of course, yet necessary.

    While I obviously can't explain for Go Daddy, one reason that happens is if the registrar finds signs (i.e. IP address not matching customer's postal address) that'll make them question the order. At least, they're willing to work with you rather than maybe immediately shut down your account and refund your money. (although some people will probably prefer that option...)

    Despite reports of customers' accounts broken into, I've yet to know of any -- say -- customer data breach on a mass scale at Go Daddy. So far, only fellow registrar Network Solutions has admitted to such years ago.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    England, UK
    Posts
    974
    Quote Originally Posted by rennowanders View Post
    In all of my online dealings with other organizations (including online banking) I have never been required to upload a scanned copy of either my credit card, driver's licence or passport.
    Ask for a refund if your not comfortable with their request and move on to another provider.
    LampNetworks - Affordable Web Hosting
    Hosting locations in United Kingdom & United States
    cPanel+Softaculous | 99.9% Uptime SLA | Daily & Monthly Backups
    Custom Hosting Plans Available - Select and Pay only for the Quotas YOU need

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Harrisburg, PA
    Posts
    2,074
    Quote Originally Posted by LampNetworks View Post
    Ask for a refund if your not comfortable with their request and move on to another provider.
    I agree that this is par for the course, and this is good advice.

    OP, you may find that other hosts require this as well, however. There's a lot of back-end analytics that determine whether or not an order is deemed in need of additional verification. The exact nature of these criteria vary from host to host. Suffice to say, if your next host has similar criteria, you could get the same issue again.

    Are you doing anything that might flag your order for review, such as ordering through a VPN? Are you physically in the same country as your credit card and billing address? Have you ordered with them before? Are you using a gift / prepaid credit card to order? Anything like that at all?
    Fresh Roasted Hosting :: High-performance Harrisburg web hosting since 2012!
    "The only thing better than the world's best customer service is never needing them in the first place."
    Shared :: VPS :: Reseller :: Dedicated :: Co-Location :: SSL Certificates

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    554
    Having been a customer of many hosting providers, I can confirm that this isn't an uncommon request. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's standard, and it's more likely to happen with bigger hosts charging very low amounts — they don't really care if it puts you off as you're a small drop in the ocean.

  6. #6

    Thanks for the input

    Hello all,

    Thank you for your replies and thoughts on the matter. To begin, Dave and FRH lisa, regarding your comment about having an alternate IP, that could very easily be the reason for the issue. I am an international teacher who is trying to start up a website for teaching purposes, but for continuity sake, I keep my credit card registered to my home address in Canada. So, that is likely the problem right there. If that is all there is to it, and it is a relatively regular request of a host company, I feel more comfortable proceeding. In response to Ryan, you too were correct in assuming that I am "just another drop in the ocean". The initial registration cost very little, and I am not surprised that as of now, I don't represent a large investment on the part of godaddy.

    In the meantime, I would like to thank each of you for your helpful feedback. It is much appreciated.

    All the best.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    144
    As you noted above, the alternate IP could be the issue right there. Especially if you are in a completely different country. Usually hosts do this for bigger orders (dedicated servers, VPS sometimes) but not as often in shared hosting. But with the age of identity theft and fraud, as well as the risk of sketchy activity of people using stolen information... Things aside, I haven't heard of GoDaddy losing information either, it comes down to personal preference in the end.
    Winged Hosting LLC | Reliable Web Hosting! | Personal Support!| Inexpensive quality alternatives
    █Personalized 24/7 Support! | Up to 30 Day Money Back
    █Learn More About Us!

  8. #8
    wow. That sounds like a prime request for identity fraud.

    Which host do not request this type of very personal info on their file?


    They will see what you are doing and know if complies with the agreements.
    I don't mind paying with credit card and giving an addres, but no way am I scanning my DL, ss#, bank account number and that sort just to do emails and possible a website.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Kepler 62f
    Posts
    16,703
    Quote Originally Posted by btnew View Post
    Which host do not request this type of very personal info on their file?
    What's "very personal" about a government issued ID?

    They didn't ask what you favorite sexual position is. See, that's an example of "very personal" info. Some people here have a warped idea of privacy.

    Godaddy's request is fine.
    || Need a good host?
    || See my Suggested Hosts List || Editorial: EIG/Site5/Arvixe/Hostgator Alternatives
    ||

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    London
    Posts
    4,931
    Quote Originally Posted by kpmedia View Post
    What's "very personal" about a government issued ID?

    They didn't ask what you favorite sexual position is. See, that's an example of "very personal" info. Some people here have a warped idea of privacy.

    Godaddy's request is fine.
    I bet the NSA and GCHQ already know this though
    Matthew Russell | Namecheap
    Twitter: @mattdrussell

    www.easywp.com - True Managed WordPress, made easy

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    931
    Quote Originally Posted by btnew View Post
    wow. That sounds like a prime request for identity fraud.
    The OPs order was likely flagged on some sort of criteria as high-risk for fraud. The web hosting company has no other alternative other than to simply cancel and refund the order.

    If customer fraud weren't so rampant in the hosting industry, then this wouldn't be an issue.
    ▄▀▄ Brian Harrison, Lead Engineer - Reprise Hosting (AS62838)
    ▄▀▄ Deals on cheap dedicated server hosting. IPMI included! Unmetered bandwidth.
    ▄▀▄ Website migration, 24/7/365 support, basic server setup, 15 day money back.
    ▄▀▄ Looking for DEALS on self-managed cheap VPS hosting? Visit VPSHostingDEAL.com

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    England, UK
    Posts
    974
    Quote Originally Posted by mdrussell View Post
    I bet the NSA and GCHQ already know this though
    Moreover, if GD go bust, you'll know your data is safe

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by kpmedia View Post
    What's "very personal" about a government issued ID?

    They didn't ask what you favorite sexual position is. See, that's an example of "very personal" info. Some people here have a warped idea of privacy.

    Godaddy's request is fine.
    Godaddy's request might be fine with you, but not with me.
    Your social security card is government issue form of ID and are you handing that out to anybody that ask?
    Apparently you or someone you know has never been a victual of identity theft. It takes years to get it fixed

    Back to the question and will put it like this: has anyone here signed onto a host service without asking for scanned copies of personal information?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    5,393
    Quote Originally Posted by btnew View Post
    Godaddy's request might be fine with you, but not with me.
    Your social security card is government issue form of ID and are you handing that out to anybody that ask?
    Apparently you or someone you know has never been a victual of identity theft. It takes years to get it fixed
    I understand where you're coming from. A scanned CC + ID in the wrong hands could definitely be identity theft waiting to happen. This comes down to an issue of trust, do you think that GoDaddy would readily make this information available to others?

    Quote Originally Posted by btnew View Post
    Back to the question and will put it like this: has anyone here signed onto a host service without asking for scanned copies of personal information?
    Keep in mind that this type of request generally occurs only if your order has been flagged as potentially fraudulent. The only providers that I've seen that request this information with every order are dedicated server providers.
    WHMEasyBackup.com - Take Control Of Your Backups!
    Complete Backup Solution For WHM Reseller Accounts

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    67
    Send GoDaddy a NDA(non disclosure agreement), have it signed by a signing officer of the corporation and returned. If they complete this part, send them the ID required. If they are not willing to sign on the dotted line to protect your information, move on to a provider that will. There are many. The information they are requesting can be used to open a bank account or credit account in your name and should never be given out in this situation.Also, contact your credit card provider, they can and will assist with situations such as this.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    554
    I think that of all providers, GoDaddy isn't one that's worth going to such bother with. Here are some providers I haven't had ask me for any details beyond the usual address, etc:

    • Gandi
    • EuroVPS
    • Future Hosting
    • OVH
    • Site5
    • TsoHost

    Happy hunting.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    London
    Posts
    4,931
    Quote Originally Posted by kpmedia View Post
    What's "very personal" about a government issued ID?

    They didn't ask what you favorite sexual position is. See, that's an example of "very personal" info. Some people here have a warped idea of privacy.

    Godaddy's request is fine.
    And here we have it:
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01...apps_nsa_gchq/
    Matthew Russell | Namecheap
    Twitter: @mattdrussell

    www.easywp.com - True Managed WordPress, made easy

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Kepler 62f
    Posts
    16,703
    Quote Originally Posted by btnew View Post
    Your social security card is government issue form of ID
    They didn't ask for a social security card.

    Most identity theft is from local/in-person swiping of your details. And when it is online, they go after big databases, not a small one for suspicious users.
    || Need a good host?
    || See my Suggested Hosts List || Editorial: EIG/Site5/Arvixe/Hostgator Alternatives
    ||

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by btnew View Post
    Back to the question and will put it like this: has anyone here signed onto a host service without asking for scanned copies of personal information?
    Yup. X10Hosting, though they can always ask that if they see fit.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Williams View Post
    I think that of all providers, GoDaddy isn't one that's worth going to such bother with. Here are some providers I haven't had ask me for any details beyond the usual address, etc:

    • Gandi
    • EuroVPS
    • Future Hosting
    • OVH
    • Site5
    • TsoHost

    Happy hunting.
    I think your location is a big factor for those hosts determining whether or not to ask for ID. Any of them might not ask if you're someplace maybe near their jurisdiction, then they might ask if you're someplace they receive some questionable -- if not fraudulent -- orders.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Chicago IL
    Posts
    573
    rennowanders, all you did is sent up a red flag, as you said it was possible because of your location. GoDaddy is doing nothing wrong in this case to ask you to verify who you are. They are protecting themselves, other clients and yourself against credit card fraud. They are being proactive and you should feel good that a company is willing to loose a sale to make sure it is legitimate. Once you do they will never ask you again. We have a three level fraud check and if anyone of those checks throws a flag we have other ways of verifying a customers identity including asking for ID verification. It those companies that don't take extra steps to prevent fraud I'd worry about.
    WebzPro.com Hosting Solutions Since 2004
    Shared/Reseller Hosting - Semi-Dedicated
    24/7 Support Help Desk
    - LiteSpeed Powered Servers CPanel/WHM

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by WebzPro View Post
    rennowanders, all you did is sent up a red flag, as you said it was possible because of your location. GoDaddy is doing nothing wrong in this case to ask you to verify who you are. They are protecting themselves, other clients and yourself against credit card fraud. They are being proactive and you should feel good that a company is willing to loose a sale to make sure it is legitimate. Once you do they will never ask you again. We have a three level fraud check and if anyone of those checks throws a flag we have other ways of verifying a customers identity including asking for ID verification. It those companies that don't take extra steps to prevent fraud I'd worry about.
    Hey I can understand a company wanting to protect themselves against credit card fraud. But there has to be another way then collecting personal scanned copies of personal information.

    I use my credit card all the time on-line like amazon and such. They never ask me to submit personal scanned copies of my DL and all that stuff (before I can make a purchase) so they can protect themselves against fraud. They must have ways to be "proactive" by other means.

    If a company want to loose a sale over that, it's not the company for me. I want to find a place that respects my privacy as much as possible.
    A host site will monitor everything a person does on their system anyway, so they know who is legit and who is there to do things they should not be doing - they can pull the plug real fast. Ya don't need personal info to do that.

    I'm trying to find a place for personal use only - 200-400 emails a day if not less. I may tinker with website learning. Someone like me probably won't even be a blip on their system.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Williams View Post
    I think that of all providers, GoDaddy isn't one that's worth going to such bother with. Here are some providers I haven't had ask me for any details beyond the usual address, etc:

    • Gandi
    • EuroVPS
    • Future Hosting
    • OVH
    • Site5
    • TsoHost

    Happy hunting.
    Thanks a lot for that list Ryan!!! But, I'm in the southeast USA and like to find a place within my home country. Read on this forum about the Site5 downtime issues, bummer.
    Appreciate it, thanks

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by btnew View Post
    Hey I can understand a company wanting to protect themselves against credit card fraud. But there has to be another way then collecting personal scanned copies of personal information.
    Pretty much every online service provider has been asking themselves that. Maybe there'll be a better way someday than what's currently in use.

Similar Threads

  1. Request for WebSitePanel installation on GoDaddy Windows Virtual Server.
    By sepia2006 in forum Hosting Software and Control Panels
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 12-30-2010, 03:31 AM
  2. Host Gator: strange verification request
    By Master Bo in forum Web Hosting
    Replies: 56
    Last Post: 01-10-2008, 11:09 AM
  3. IP Concern
    By pixd in forum Web Hosting Lounge
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 03-19-2004, 08:30 PM
  4. Does it concern anyone about this?
    By south in forum Web Hosting
    Replies: 27
    Last Post: 09-28-2002, 07:54 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •