Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Domain Names : Your home address in the NIC whois good or bad?

[Rock]

Do you guys think it's bad to have your home address listed in the whois look up? personally all my domains do not list my real name or address simply because i work at home if i had a business address it would be different. I do adult web sites and when i go and buy content the publishers wants my home address in the whois lookup so they can easily match up sites in use to licensees. They told me i could get a PO box and use that for licensing and registration. What is a PO box and how does that work and how do i get one?

Maybe im just being cautious for nothing but i don't need any hate mail

[Nam]

That's fine, I think. Although I prefer not to. Some websites or companies (i.e interland) use our informations to send unsolicited mails and emails. I use weblaunching.net, which let me change all the information to None, 000... etc except my email to contact. I think that's the best way. Additionally, if you have enemies online, they can't find your address .

For PO box question, is a post office mail box, the one that you can use as your personal mail box, but you have to go to the post office or place that designs for PO box. It's like forwading email, you don't have to change you real address everytime you move. Depends on size, it costs about $10/month. Go to your local post office and ask.

[Dexter]

Well just my views but long as you're an adult (18+) and you're website isn't one that would offend or make people what to track you down or start harrasing you (like a hate site or one with kiddie porn) then you're fine... otherwise get a PO box and pray people are too lazy to look it up!

[JTY]

I don't think there is much to worry about.

[JustinK]

While there isn't that much to worry about, I'd still rather not have it posted on the web. I think it should be optional, like a phone book. Why exactly is our info shown in the whois? They could always hide our info and if someone needed to reach a domain's contact then they'd use a form or specify an e-mail address. And interland does seem to vacuum up info... I got ANOTHER thing from them a few weeks ago. E-mailed them about it, telling them to remove me from their database before I made a fuss about them grabbing my info from a whois. Now I know they could have gotten it from an outside source, but they had my domain at the top of the letter thing. Bleh... this is going to turn into "one of those" threads if I keep going. I really don't think our opinions matter to much with ICANN though... they arn't able to get their acts together.

[Rock]

I wish they did have it optional like a phone book that's a good idea. I never have received any spam from the email address i have listed in the whois. Have any of you guys ever received mail from the info listed in the whois by snail mail just curious

Im always getting email from people asking if i will email them new pics and if i have one of the girls phone number lol

[Jaiem]

Rock - How would you know if the spam or snail-mail junk mail came from your whois listing?

[Deb Suran]

Originally posted by Jaiem
Rock - How would you know if the spam or snail-mail junk mail came from your whois listing?

Because in my case it includes a business name which is specific to the NetSol database. I get a TON of junk mail to my PO Box from folks who got my information from the NetSol database. Including mail to my PO Box, but addressed to past technical contacts at hosts I haven't been with for years, and who never used that address. So I don't just get ONE piece of junk mail from the slimeballs, but multiple copies. AIT also used the database to get my phone number and pester me with phone calls to sign up with them. I don't do adult hosting, BTW, but I would still NEVER use my home address, just a PO Box.

[Duster]

Like Deb, I've received spam from Whois listings and know it to be from there because of the name used, which differed from the name I used in Usenet postings a few years ago, another big harvesting source for spammers. In fact, last month I received a spam from a 4 year old whois harvesting run.

ICANN regulations are why the information is asked for and displayed.

I don't use a valid e-mail address as that is a sure source of spam and it serves no purpose other than possibly notice of renewals. I just make sure I keep my domains current and renew before they expire, so the e-mail address has no value or purpose.

[BC]

I highly recommend doing the following :

1. Set up a 'spam box' on your domain (e.g. domainwhois@yourdomain.com) and send all InterNIC/registrar-related mails to that box. And check it every month or so.

2. I use my work address on my domains, and will be switching to a PO Box address when I get around to it.

[Jaiem]

Unfortunately once you're on a list it gets around.

Try this: Call a company (catalog, mutual fund, whatever) and ask to receive thier material. Use a fake name. Then sit back and watch all the other junk mail come under the same fake name. You can literally "map" the progress of your info as it travels from one marketing DB to another!

Something to do over the winter.

[Duster]

Rock,

I agree with your decision to use false information since you are involved with adult sites. All it takes is one crusader to single you out (perhaps along with others) to make your life miserable. I would get a post office box (or use a private box) and not disclose my real name, phone numbers, and certainly not a valid e-mail address. As it is, I've gotten one or two pieces of e-mail from idiots who objected to my participation in the rec.nude newsgroup (about the naturist lifestyle) or that i have some information about nude scuba diving on my web site about diving.

Not being involved with adult sites, all the information in my domain registrations is valid except my e-mail address, and I have had no problems because of it.

I would recommend to anyone to use a free e-mail service address or just not use a real one. Otherwise, you're sure to get spam at some point.

about

[KDAWebServices]

That's why I like .co.uk domains because they don't show any info about you personally when you do a whois on them.

[Rock]

Duster all my info is false except the e-mail address which is only a hotmail account that i never use. I refuse to put my real home address in the whois like you said duster all it takes is one crusader to single you out and i think that's more likely to happen if you run a adult site.

Is having a PO Box the only way you can keep your real info hidden then? Im still not sure how one works does it get the address of your local post office or what and when i go to buy content the address in the whois has to be the same as my billing address for my CC so i don't see how one would work, i can't use use the PO boxs address for my CC billing address can i? Can someone please explain more how this would work........im only 18 so please forgive my ignorance on this subject.

[Chicken]

Local post office, yep. I have one and I think it costs somewhere arounf $12/6 months. Maybe a bit more, I can't quite remember. Your CC card mailing address can be the POBOX (cal cc company to change where to the bill gets sent to).