Whenever you register for a domain name, you have to provide your key contact details like- name, physical address, and email address. ICANN or Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers collects your information and displays it in a public directory.
The main purpose of this directory is to provide accountability in events of technical or legal issues. It can even act as a vast repository of convenient contacts for spammers and scammers. This practice seems uncool. Owing credits to proxy registration and domain privacy, you can trust the contact info provided by you to a service that can keep it private.
You can consider private domain registration for protection against the potential threats of the WHOIS database. When you select private domain registration, you keep your contacts away from strangers. Private domain registration is an add-on service and you’ll have to pay some extra bucks besides the registration of your domain.
Before we head into the reasons for private domain registration, let’s understand what a WHOIS database is-
WHOIS Database
The WHOIS database is a central repository that lists all the registered domains and can be used for various legal purposes. Network admins use the WHOIS data for identifying and fixing problems. WHOIS information could be used for determining the availability of domain names, identifying violations of trademarks, and also making the registrants of domain name accountable.
WHOIS verification can be done for utilizing and combatting spam and fraud as the admins of WHOIS can track the registrants who are involved in posting illegal content or even have forged participation.
Difference Between Private and Public Domain Registration
- Private Domain Registration However, if you select a private domain registration, your shared information is shielded and there are no chances of getting spammed. Private domain registration can also tackle your concerns regarding cross-examining the domains for different purposes. The scammers and spammers don’t have your information and your shared information remains well intact in the WHOIS database.
- Public Domain Registration When you go for public domain registration, all the information that you’ve shared on the WHOIS database becomes public and everyone can view these. As all your vital information is available, the chances of getting spammed are high as spammers and scammers can easily reach out to you on your email and phone.
Reasons to Use Private Domain Registration
As the number of threats is constantly on the rise, there are several reasons why you need to go for private domain registration. Some of these reasons include-
- Protects Your Privacy When your personal information is made available in the WHOIS database, then the levels of risk also increase. Private domain registrations can help you minimize your concerns by ensuring that anyone who decides to check domain names for mal-purposes is fetched with the name of your proxy service.
- Preventing Unwanted Access If you can’t have control of the information that is spread through the WHOIS database, then you’re always at risk of being a target for the ill-practitioners. Spammers can enter your mail system and can cause damage to you and your customers equally.
- Stay in Control With private domain registrations, your personal information is kept away from the WHOIS database and you have the credibility of deciding what information you wish to keep public by the means of your website. You have to provide the “safe” contact information that you and your customers are comfortable to use.
- Masking Your Email When you go for private domain registration, the registrar of your domain name needs to provide a dynamic and ever-changing mail address in the WHOIS database. This mail address can be changed on a period of certain days to keep the spammers away. Email sent to this changing mail address needs to be filtered out for spam and then re-directed to the private email IDs that you choose.
Concluding Remarks
You, as a website owner, need to hide your vital information so that you don’t become the hit-targets for web scammers and spammers. Besides this, the other benefits of private domain registration have been shared above. So, it’s finally up to you now to decide what form of domain registration you need.
As a domain name provider, bodHOST recommends you opt for private domain registration and you can use our domain name services to securely register your domain on the Internet.