advice Do You Leave Your WHOIS Info Public?

[gericsb]

I just recently regged about 8 new domains using promos and coupons between Thanksgiving and today.

I left my WHOIS info set to Public, assuming this would make it easier for potential buyers to find me.

Today I am getting unsolicited marketing calls, texts and some outright spammers and scammers.

What do you all do with your WHOIS settings on your domains?

Thanks!

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

From my experience, almost zero inquiries via WHOIS.
Only spam and lawyers there.

 

[Bertrell]

Private for me too, when possible. Parties interested in contacting me about my domains can do so via the landers I provide, as well as the marketplaces where my domains are listed.

Leaving it public opens you up to a world of spam.

 

[pb]

Both ways have their pros and cons but even if you want to keep whois data public, never do that from day one. Turn the privacy on when registering and turn it off after two weeks or so, you will avoid the initial stampede of spammers and scammers who harvest the data from new registrations.

 

[Gube]

Completely hidden as I'm a European citizen.

(BTW, if your registrar doesn't offer you free whois privacy, note there are other options available, and even free ones to hide your info in whois)

 

[karmaco]

I leave privacy on and still get spam albeit less spam.

 

[Bertrell]

It looks like I would have to pay $9.99 per domain for Private Reg.

Just depends on where you register or transfer, and what deals are available at the time. A number of registrars have .com registrations with privacy included for less than that (Namesilo, Dynadot, Epik, Porkbun and others). Some will also give discounts based upon the number of domains you plan on registering/transferring to their platform.

 

[KTC]

I've had exactly 10 calls today only from having a domain dropped to me and didn't have Whois set on. And this happens every single day.

Set it on private. Your sanity will thank you.

 

[winst]

I left it open, but with business address (PO box), generic email (info@), and Google Voice number.

I did make a few sales because the buyer found my info via WHOIS

 

[Ostrados]

Totally on, otherwise your inbox will be bombarded with spam. I have an email address that I stopped using because of this, although it was my business email address!

Serious buyers can contact you via landing page so no need for public whois, just make sure your landing page has a method for sending offers/inquires, I use landers with both BIN & make offer to keep the door open for sending messages, because BIN only lander means no way for the buyer to contact you.

 

[Mister Funsky]

Private...always. Put the domains on your own landers or use a marketplace with REASONABLE commission rates.

 

[dido90]

Turn it off baby!
Spam is a thing that simply you can't avoid in any case. As domainer, I want all my doors to be open.
So....privacy off.

Totally agree

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I keep privacy on whenever I can and generally use registrars that include that option free. Still for phone I use a separate electronic line that normally I don’t answer live and it takes messages. I think most who might have interest in purchase will find me through landers or marketplace listings, so don’t worry that my Whois is not public.
Bob

 

[gericsb]

Yes, I am starting to see that. We have similar experiences with NetSol.

I was happy to Reg a few names there from between 2.95 to 4.95 over the holiday weekend, but my goodness!!

I Reg a name. 5 mins later call, call, call, spam...lol

 

[Gube]

Thanks, All.

I would set to Private, but the Network Solutions wants to charge me $9.99 per domain to set Private to On.

I'll just deal with it and transfer the names I want to keep elsewhere when I can.

Oh, I'll mention it then
Here is one that can get the job done and for free, anonymize.com (Linked to your epik account)
They offer it for free to inviduals, all you need to do is login there, create your anonymize whois profile and then use these contacts information at the registrars that don't offer privacy for free.

There are other services doing it too, but not sure it's free at all of these, definitely worth checking out though

 

[AbdulBasit.com]

I always keep public. No sense of keeping private if the sole purpose is to sell the domain(s).

 

[gericsb]

Thanks for the Reply Gube.

I am in the US and Privacy is available. I just seem to remember reading that in some cases buyers have contacted the domain holder via WHOIS info being public.

Would love to hear some more advice!

 

[King]

Nope, only when the registrar or extension forces you to show info.

 

[kite26]

Turn it off baby!
Spam is a thing that simply you can't avoid in any case. As domainer, I want all my doors to be open.
So....privacy off.

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

NetSol omg. I must have gotten 5 million spams due to their $1 deals
Still spammed silly with 20 last night when i slept. i have no names there anymore
You will get spammed indefinitely now. Always create a dummy, active email if u get desperate enough to use them for only them


they will be phoning. I often would search random made up shit to see about discounts codes. I bet they phoned 10 times asking me about the domain i had been searching
Sad people think their saving few $ with these shit registrars. Amount of time manoeuvring around their clunky cp, deleting spam due to NS, couple $ more, save you 100’s in time.
Always privacy, places like epik have great whois privacy and anyone who views it have no problem getting a message to you

 

[cornell]

To public if you are a domainer, not bad
Not to public if you are in a project,

 

[DuDD]

The whoIS information for great domain names can be properly hidden, the general domain name depends on personal preference.However, be careful to protect your privacy.
I hope you can get a good price

 

[lock]

I do i just don't answer the phone. I am not going to make it difficult to find me you just won't talk to me without an appointment. whoisdatatool.com

 

[Bertrell]

If someone contacted you through your whois info and want to buy domain from your lander page, how does the transaction take place? Is it just a trust or they have to use some third party services like Escrow and Paypal, because they are not using any marketplace, so how it works?

If you have a secure ecommerce site or means to accept payment (with some kind of escrow component), then that would be the way to go. Otherwise, you should direct them to a marketplace where your domain is listed (Afternic, DAN, Epik, ToughDomains, Namesilo, Sedo, BrandBucket, Squadhelp, etc). You might end up with slightly less than the full amount (as you have to factor in whatever commission you'll be giving up to the marketplace) but that's usually the safest bet.

As much as we'd like to make it as easy as possible for serious buyers to purchase/rent our domains, care has to be taken if there's resistance to the recommended/preferred sales venue/method. Serious buyers will generally make an effort to utilize the existing payment methods, while most scammers will not.

 

[gericsb]

Interesting...

Thanks to those who have responded so far. I would still like a few more opinions, but am leaning towards setting my WHOIS to Private!!