# Domain name registration: Is there anyway to keep them "private" without paying extra? Thx. :)



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi, I was wondering, when we register the domain names, like at Godaddy.com, is there anyway to keep that registration "private" without paying extra for that? Thanks.


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## Austin300 (May 24, 2009)

Nothing is truly private. A supoena will get any domain owners information in a day. You will have to pay most providers for private registration. Its really inexpensive and often the same price as the domain. The rules are that the information must be available even if its "private" but Go Daddy charges a fee to be the middle man.


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## dptk (Aug 14, 2009)

there are plenty of domain name companies that provide that service for free


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## GHEENEE1 (Jan 8, 2007)

Who? How about some examples. Thanks, Mike


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

dptk said:


> there are plenty of domain name companies that provide that service for free


Yes, please say who... that's the question.


And a side note: 
And I am just talking the kind of "private" registration in which a simple search at Godaddy will not reveal the address of the registrant.

I already registered and took the pay for private service, but would like to reduce my costs.

The private registration literally doubles my costs. It's ridiculous.


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## dptk (Aug 14, 2009)

I didn't think we were allowed to post "self promotion links"


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## Austin300 (May 24, 2009)

Before you buy anything from Go Daddy be sure
to Google "Go Daddy Promo Codes" and 
"Go Daddy Coupon Codes"

They aren't all current but 
Do some searching and save some $$

Also, If you have an account with Go Daddy
and just go to their site and look into things
like shopping carts etc.. You will magically
receive an email with a discount code for
Shopping Carts ! They do keep track of
what your interests are while you visit the site.


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## Chap Ambrose (Oct 21, 2008)

Dreamhost automatically makes your registrations private with no extra fee.


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## jemmyell (Jan 26, 2010)

Be careful of 'private' domain registrations. There is really no such thing. The whois record entries are avoided by having the registrar (example: GoDaddy) register the domain in their own name. That means you do NOT own the domain name, but are at the mercy of the goodwill of the registrar should you wish to move to another company.

-James Leonard


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## Leesfer (Feb 23, 2010)

Since no one is giving a real answer, do a google search for Whois Proxies or Server Proxies. That will hide your domain registration information

Edit: Also I'd like to add that you can't really make your information private, it is public information, similar to registering a business. Using the proxy services like GoDaddy uses simply puts their information in place of yours. There are easy ways to find domain registrant information via Whois services.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks everyone for the input so far. 

Since it came up, then can someone tell me how I can also see domain info that us registered "private"? 

Thanks alot! 

And true, self promotion is not allowed, but saying "google xyz keywords and that will return registrars that offer free private registrations" or something like that, is allowed.... And much appreciated.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Sorry for typos. I am using the tsf iPhone app and my phone fixes my posts by adding typos Lol!


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## Leesfer (Feb 23, 2010)

Girlzndollz said:


> Thanks everyone for the input so far.
> 
> Since it came up, then can someone tell me how I can also see domain info that us registered "private"?


Whois.net - Domain Names


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## Austin300 (May 24, 2009)

"Who is" directories won't show you a private domain
in most cases. 

That is why they call it Private !

Search a Go Daddy site name that is private
and tell me what you come up with..


""US(UNITED STATES)-ARIZONA-SCOTTSDALE""




Lets review.. A multi million dollar corporation advertises
and sells to the public a product that they say will protect
your privacy.. but a simple who is search will give everyone
your PRIVATE information?





/


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Thx, Chap... 

I'm just going to drop a link directly to the page on their site that explains what you get with the hosting. That seems like exactly what I was looking for. Do you have any feedback on this company? I am also going to google them for reviews/feedback. Thanks again. 
Web Hosting by DreamHost Web Hosting: Web Sites, Domain Registration, WordPress, Ruby on Rails, all on Debian Linux!


Thanks, everyone for the discussion. I am hearing that private registration does not really mean private, but also not really hearing how it is "not" private after all (outside of court ordered, which isn't what I mean.. I mean simple searches via whois type of stuff.)

So do you guys feel you are getting some form of privacy from private registrations, from roaming prying eyes, or do you not feel it is worth it since it can be cracked via web searches? 

If you can "see" private info, then how? Thanks... I'm a little confused after hearing some of the feedback here.


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## Austin300 (May 24, 2009)

A private registration is good for keeping
those pesky sales emails from coming to
your main email address that are computer
generated and nobody has given any real
proof that they can find your personal information
when you are using a privately registered domain.

A good way to protect yourself cheaply is to
simply use a P.O. box for your address when
you purchase a domain and using a basic
"catch all" email address for them like 
Yahoo etc so it isn't taking up your 
business email box and your time.

I'm still waiting for someone to show how
they are doing this if at all possible.

If someone could dig up your private info by 
doing a Who is search then Go Daddy would
be giving out some serious refunds and be in 
court themselves.


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## Chap Ambrose (Oct 21, 2008)

I use and recommend DreamHost as great general-purpose, shared hosting.

All hosts will have downtime and issues but I've found DreamHost to be the most transparent and honest when things go wrong. I've also found that their team of developers is continually improving their service not simply repackage other software (which most hosts do).


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> If someone could dig up your private info by
> doing a Who is search


The only way to get private registration info from a privately registered domain is with a court subpoena. You can't get it from a normal whois search.

From what I understand, if you buy 5 domains or more at Godaddy, you can get free private domain name registration.

When you get private registration, you still own the domain name. Not the registrar.

NetFirms and NameGuard also advertise free whois privacy:


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## jemmyell (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi Rodney,

When GoDaddy makes a 'private' registration the WHOIS entry shows them as the owner. Why do you think that ICANN is aware of anybody else as the owner?

-James


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## jemmyell (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi again,

An interesting ICANN document:

[media]http://www.icann.org/en/compliance/reports/privacy-proxy-registration-services-study-28sep09-en.pdf[/media]

And a quote:

To ensure that the community can identify who is responsible for a domain name, a registered name holder is required to provide and update, as needed, their contact information with their registrar of record. Registrars are required by ICANN to collect and provide free public access to the name of the registered domain name and its name servers and registrar, the date the domain was created and when its registration expires, and the contact information for the Registered Name Holder, the technical contact, and the administrative contact. 

I believe that since (for example) GoDaddy is is the Registered Name Holder that they indeed own the domain name.

Other wording in the document makes this less clear however.

BUT, I have heard some horror stories about less-than-ethical registars offering to sell domains to the 'owner' upon a transfer request.

-James


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## kapucino (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi,.. *sorry a newbie here.

You can use a registar from DirectI or known as Resellerclub.com. They have some domain registar registered in their service that support free privacy protection.

My self have the account from resellerclub as Registar. But, not open it to market. Just use for my domains, clients, and some friends. 

The privacy protect give the answer like this in whois : Imapuspita.com - Imap Us Pita

Hope this is what you looking for


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

jemmyell said:


> Hi Rodney,
> 
> When GoDaddy makes a 'private' registration the WHOIS entry shows them as the owner. Why do you think that ICANN is aware of anybody else as the owner?
> 
> -James


It's in the Terms of Service that you agree to when using the private registration service.



GoDaddy.com said:


> *You retain full benefits of domain registration.* You can cancel, sell, renew, or transfer your domain; set-up name servers for your domain; and resolve disputes involving your domain.


What is the difference between a "public" and "private" registration? - GoDaddy Help Center, Search the GoDaddy Knowledge Base

I don't recommend private registrations for businesses looking to gain customer confidence on the web, but if people are registering a domain for personal reasons, private registration could come in handy.

As you also suggest, it's important that you use a trustworthy registrar when doing a private registration to make sure that you do *indeed* own the domain you register privately (and not the registrar).

ICANN allows third party registrations, as long as it's done responsibly.


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