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What is domain privacy? Every domain name - like a business has contact details associated to that name. These details include your name, email, phone number and a physical address. These details are available to everyone through the internet via what is called a WHOIS domain search. You can try this now from somewhere like http://network-tools.com/ and putting your domain name in while selecting WHOIS from their menu. Your details will show up - these details can be used by anyone online to get in touch with you. Why should I care? Unfortunately the details can also be used by spammers, scammers, hackers, stalkers or people who have a different opinion to the content on your site. In the past these records have even been used by unethical domain registration companies attempting to extract money out of you, scammers offering riches and spammers offering all sorts of pills, medications and other offers. On top of this it is easier for a domain to be stolen and for a scammer to generally get more info about you when your details are published directly. So how do I protect my privacy? Enter domain privacy services. Essentially you engage a third party to act a filter for your details. Instead of your details showing on the WHOIS database the third party details are shown. Any emails are still forwarded to you but your direct contact details are never shown. This service is also sometimes called a domain proxy, whois privacy and private domain registration. Are there any problems with domain privacy protection? Generally no - however be aware that since most domain privacy services are offered with domain registration it may be a little more complicated to transfer your domain from one registrar to another. There may also be an issue with a company wanting to buy your domain not being able to get in touch with you as easily but by following the steps below this will not be a problem. How do I choose a domain privacy service? There are a number of steps to take when choosing a domain privacy service. 1 Look for a company that has a focus on domain privacy - rather than a business selling or giving you domain privacy as an add-on for their primary service. This shows a company that does not really have a concern for privacy. 2 Look for a fair price. Domain privacy can be expensive, especially when you have multiple domains - be sure to shop around. 3 Look for a company that makes it easy to transfer your domain to another registrar. 4 Once you have decided on a company - make sure you test your email forwarding from their service. That is - are emails actually getting through to you? 5 Make sure you pick a company that gives you a c/o address rather than just their address. Legally speaking if the company doesn't show a c/o address it means that the domain belongs to them! 6 What legal jurisdiction is the service provider located in? Make sure that they are located in a country with a strong legal system that values due process. Generally speaking it is also better if they are not located in the same country as you. How do I add domain privacy protection for my domains? The process will depend on your registrar but you will find instructions online which will generally require you to update your WHOIS details with new ones provided. If you are looking for a company that is registrar independent, solely focused on domain privacy and offers great deals on private domain services be sure to check out www.registerprivatedomain.com.
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