Whois Guard and Other Privacy Options When Buying Domain Names
On FaceBook I was asked whether domain privacy is worth it? As I answered the question I realized, maybe not everyone knows this is worthwhile to do – and may not be for the reason you think!
This is one of those occasions you don’t want to save a penny because it will cost you time and worse, money. What happens when you don’t opt for privacy protection? Your email address, name, and mailing address are published on the WHOIS directory.
Here are the risks if you don’t opt for privacy protection for your domain name.
- Spambots get your email address to send you spam. Your filter is only so good – some of it may leak through.
- "But I have a spam filter," you say. Yes but spam is like pollution, it "clogs up the pipes" of the internet adding to the cost of services that have to deal with it from your internet provider to your email provider. Most spam is criminally based.
- Your mailing address will be picked up and you will get those fake "renew your domain" letters. Your domain provider is unlikely to send you a letter, but scams fool you away from your existing provider so you pay quadruple the cost or more with a misleading domain vendor.
- Your contact information is being added to mailing and phone lists of unethical marketers and con artists. WHOIS Directory is a gold mine for them. Yikes!
- Those annoying unsolicited Google Ads you get on your business number – yup you can start by blaming the WHOIS directory for publishing your info.
- Less protection against domain hijacking. A dummy email address is listed with your privacy protection and a transfer will fail using that email address. Transfers can only occur with privacy protection turned off (unlocked).
The one drawback I have seen is that some advocate it makes you LOOK like a spammer if you are hiding your identity behind privacy protection. Well I’m not sure why business owners have to subject themselves to an unwanted flood of solicitation because some are abusing the service.
All domain name information is publicly displayed unless you buy privacy protection service/option from your domain name vendor. All domain owners are published on the WHOIS directory unless you are using a privacy service from your domain vendor.
Recommendation
Opt for privacy protection. Until the WHOIS Directory can protect against spambot scripts and reasonably protect a business from unwanted solicitations and scams, spend the $10+ yearly. Your time is valuable.
Question
How much does your domain vendor charge you for domain privacy protection? Have you always opted for that?