I locked my WHOIS as soon as I registered a domain. How do they know my phone number?

[domainsnape]

Just got a call from "are you the owner of ******.com? Do you need web designer?" phone call from a lady with a strong Indian accent.

WHOIS was locked upon registration. What's going on?

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

Where was it registered would help.
I get so many calls mind blowing.
10 an hour. Glad i used an app in old days
Those numbers may be spoofed and it may be long distance if you used regular numbero

 

[BRANDERX]

Not sure how, but I'm sure they run a very large & organized operation.

I say that because I haven't handreged domains in a couple of years, & I still get that spam everyday for domains I registered years ago & I do not currently own.

My spam filter is quite effective, but I still see them in the spam folder.

 

[DrJacoby]

I'd guess the registrar sold your personal info. Did you register the domain at Network Solutions?

 

[damance]

we need to block all these indian spamers

 

[bmugford]

Just got a call from "are you the owner of ******.com? Do you need web designer?" phone call from a lady with a strong Indian accent.

WHOIS was locked upon registration. What's going on?

I am not sure, but I would suggest everyone gets some type of secondary number like Skype, Goggle, etc. and don't use an actual important phone number on WHOIS information.

Brad

 

[Daniel Owens]

I would suggest to be careful which number you have on file for the whois info. It's best to have a legit # on file but maybe a secondary number.

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

You came online at 6pm and couldnt answer simple question of where the domain was registered. Whats going on?

 

[AEProgram]

You came online at 6pm and couldnt answer simple question of where the domain was registered. Whats going on?

he's scared you'll trap him down and spam him with app development and google listing phone calls

If you get calls from someone with an Indian accent it doesn't mean an Indian is behind it. People outsource to Indian call centers.

 

[Fayaz Ahmed]

Which registrar are you using?
I have 150+ domain names with Dynadot, WHOIS privacy is on - never had this problem yet.

Sometimes people may find phone numbers from hacked data leaks as well.
So using a secondary phone number for business purpose (by @danielowens) is a sound advice.

 

[Sjpals]

I never get calls. I do get some email spam, and it looks like they got the address from whois (eg whois directed it to my address). I did have a catch all on some addresses for a while, but got way too much spam.

 

[karmaco]

“Locking“ has nothing to do with domain contact info privacy.

 

[theshadowapk]

Just got a call from "are you the owner of ******.com? Do you need web designer?" phone call from a lady with a strong Indian accent.

WHOIS was locked upon registration. What's going on?

Receiving unsolicited phone calls related to your domain shortly after registration can be concerning. While it's difficult to determine the exact source or intentions of such calls without further information, it's worth considering a few possibilities:

1. Domain Privacy: Locking your WHOIS information helps protect your personal contact details from being publicly accessible. However, it doesn't necessarily prevent all forms of contact attempts, especially if the caller obtained your phone number through alternative means or sources.
2. Third-party Services: Some companies or individuals may use various methods to obtain domain registration data or generate leads. They may use publicly available information or acquire data from other sources, such as data breaches or leaks. This can result in unsolicited calls or emails offering web design services or other related services.
3. Coincidence: It's possible that the timing of the call was coincidental, and the caller's contact was unrelated to your domain registration. Telemarketing or cold calling campaigns are common, and they often target a wide range of individuals without specific knowledge of their recent activities.

If you are concerned about the call or suspect any fraudulent activity, it's recommended to exercise caution and not share any sensitive information. You can also consider reporting the incident to your domain registrar and providing them with any relevant details about the call.
Remember to remain vigilant and consider using additional privacy measures, such as call screening or using a secondary phone number for business purposes, as you mentioned earlier.

 

[theshadowapk]

When you register a domain, certain information, including contact details such as your phone number, may be collected as part of the domain registration process. This information is typically required by domain registrars to comply with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) regulations and to ensure the accuracy and transparency of domain ownership.

Even if you choose to lock your WHOIS information, which helps protect your personal details from being publicly accessible, the registrar may still require you to provide your contact information for administrative purposes and legal requirements.

It's important to review the privacy policies and terms of service of your domain registrar to understand how they handle and protect your personal information. Some registrars offer additional privacy services or domain privacy protection features that help shield your contact information from public view by substituting it with generic proxy information.

If you have concerns about the use or visibility of your personal information, it's advisable to contact your domain registrar directly and inquire about their privacy measures and options available to protect your contact details.

 

[Grego85]

I always wondered how the spammers find all the new domain regs so easily..

Reminds me of when I heard about that Cicada 3301 scavenger hunt thing from like 10 years ago. Everyone was trying to solve this crazy math problem, when all they had to do was figure out the mile long numerical domain. Some spammer probably could have easily found it just by knowing about domain names.

 

[dna]

I complained to my phone company, which is Xfinity.
They said that they would stop the calls, and they seem
to have stopped, but it's only been a few days.
I have gotten about a hundred calls from India.
As soon as you complain about the calls they hang up.
I've told several of the callers that their mother f**ks dogs.
But, It isn't just one call center calling you.
When I've talked with them I find that different callers
have different web sites offering design services.

 

[HotKey]

Have privacy on by default before registering. Otherwise, there is a bit of an interlude between the change if after the fact, giving a small window.

What MAD said too about who you used as the registrar could be a problem too. Also yeh I have so many spam voicemails I just gave up checking them. Now all they get is: "mailbox is full".

It is mind-boggling that people still spend their time day in day out doing this, nonstop unsolicited calling, like what kind of way is that to use your life.

 

[Jenksy]

When you register a domain, certain information, including contact details such as your phone number, may be collected as part of the domain registration process. This information is typically required by domain registrars to comply with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) regulations and to ensure the accuracy and transparency of domain ownership.

Even if you choose to lock your WHOIS information, which helps protect your personal details from being publicly accessible, the registrar may still require you to provide your contact information for administrative purposes and legal requirements.

It's important to review the privacy policies and terms of service of your domain registrar to understand how they handle and protect your personal information. Some registrars offer additional privacy services or domain privacy protection features that help shield your contact information from public view by substituting it with generic proxy information.

If you have concerns about the use or visibility of your personal information, it's advisable to contact your domain registrar directly and inquire about their privacy measures and options available to protect your contact details.

What's the point? ChatGPT? Really.

 

[HotKey]

I've told several of the callers that their mother f**ks dogs.

Haha.. when I used to take these I would either say, wait hold, and run to the toilet stick the phone in the bowl and flush it. Another guaranteed hangup by the caller is to tell them the call can't proceed until they provide their credit card number.

My kids have now taken over that side of things, and they thoroughly enjoy it.