When you register a domain name, your personal details are saved in a publicly available database called the WHOIS database. Domain privacy protection is an ‘add on’ service you buy to protect your personal data and keep it hidden from the rest of the world for an additional cost.
If you opt not to buy domain privacy protection, you are exposing your personal information on the WHOIS public database, so anyone can see your contact details. This includes the domain registrant’s email address, phone number, mailing address, name, and any other information required to legally register a domain name.
What is the Whois Database?
The WHOIS database is a public directory which maintains a record of all domain registrations online. This includes domain registrant details, verifications, their expiry, renewal dates, and more. You can also trace the ownership of any domain on the internet using the WHOIS lookup feature.
Why Do You Need Domain Privacy Protection?
There’s a lot of things that can possibly go wrong if you don’t mask your personal data with domain privacy protection. Here are some examples of things that can happen if you do not have privacy protection for your domain
Your personal data can be accessed by anyone.
If your private information is available on the WHOIS public directory, just about ANYONE can access it. This includes people you don’t want to expose yourself to, like hackers, competitors, jealous acquaintances, and anyone else with bad intentions. It creates a massive risk, especially if you’re in the middle of inventing a new concept, or building a website for a project you’d like to keep in stealth mode, or if you just don’t want people to know who you are!
You also might get bombarded with unwanted sales calls, and even get scammed.
Since your personal information is out there for the world to see, there’s nothing stopping marketers out there from getting hold of your details and trying to reach you. You could get a ton of calls from anyone who wants to sell something. That increases your risk of getting scammed.
You also may get a ton of spam emails.
It’s not just sales calls you can get. It’s also a ton of spam emails you open yourself up to by leaving your personal data exposed. Every spammer out there knows how to find personal data on public WHOIS directories, and email is the easiest channel to target small business owners.
With all this said, purchasing the low cost privacy protection offered is the easiest solution to ensure that your privacy is protected. Privacy protection can be added to any domain at any time. If you have any questions, please contact our sales department @ 877-220-5686