Inaccurate WHOIS Info & Obligations

[emmanuelle]

Does anyone know what the legal obligations are in relation to accurate WHOIS information?

My information is intentionally out of date. I have an overzealous fan/customer who has aggressively been trying to contact me in person. He showed up at the WHOIS address and discovered that it is not my current address. He then complained to my domain registrar (Dotster) who has given me 5 days to correct the information or they will suspend my domain.

What gives any random stranger the right to complain about inaccurate WHOIS info? Am I legally obligated to keep it current?

Obviously, I could pay the $9 for privacy on each of my 100+ domains, but why should I have to do that? Even that does not guarantee anything when an individual is motivated to locate someone's physical presence.

[sandman!]

yes you need real whois info its been this way for years.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by emmanuelle

Does anyone know what the legal obligations are in relation to accurate WHOIS information?

My information is intentionally out of date. I have an overzealous fan/customer who has aggressively been trying to contact me in person. He showed up at the WHOIS address and discovered that it is not my current address. He then complained to my domain registrar (Dotster) who has given me 5 days to correct the information or they will suspend my domain.

What gives any random stranger the right to complain about inaccurate WHOIS info? Am I legally obligated to keep it current?

Obviously, I could pay the $9 for privacy on each of my 100+ domains, but why should I have to do that? Even that does not guarantee anything when an individual is motivated to locate someone's physical presence.

dotster is crap. move to a registrar that offers free privacy like namesilo.com. problem solved. much cheaper renewals too.

[emmanuelle]

Has anyone ever had the validity of their WHOIS information challenged?

ie- Who the fuck shows up at someone's address and then complains that it is inaccurate?

[Adraco]

You should move your domains to a registrar that offers free domain privacy. Namecheap has a low priced option and internet.bs offer free privacy. I keep my domains at Fabulous.com which is also giving out free privacy.

ICANN needs to know who you are or they can/will take your domain.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by emmanuelle

Has anyone ever had the validity of their WHOIS information challenged?

ie- Who the fuck shows up at someone's address and then complains that it is inaccurate?

not in that way but i've had people try and claim the info was invalid. the registrar mailed a letter to my address to prove it was accurate.

[Denny]

Name.com has free privacy too.

[RummyBoy]

He probably knows he's a freak. Why don't you just invite him over to your real address and then screw him - he won't be expecting that. Anyone else think this is a good idea? While your screwing him you should tell him, if he thinks she needs real whois data then "screw him"

Seriously though, you should NEVER use inaccurate whois data - it can result in suspension. Just use whois privacy, it performs EXACTLY the same function for you in terms of hiding your data from anyone (except the registrar or law enforcement).

I think whois privacy is free at Namecheap but its cheap enough anywhere else. These days its becoming more important for keeping weirdos away, terrorists, fraudsters, malicious actors etc

[Colmike9]

I would call the cops then change registrars..

[rayadp05]

Wow, that's fucked up. I do know that DomainsNext offers a privacy feature, among some other registrars.
Hope it all works out for you.

[O MARINA]

Originally Posted by emmanuelle

ie- Who the fuck shows up at someone's address and then complains that it is inaccurate?

Woah, is it a personal issue or business competition or what?

[JimmyStephans]

Get an box at The UPS store for about $125.00 a year.

Change all your information to that address.

#1, complies with ICANN rules and #2, prevents your home address from being given out, and #3, by Postal Service rules The UPS store can't give out your info without a Subpeona.

[JimmyStephans]

Forgot to mention - Validity of WHOIS gets challenged often, and you can lose your domain if its incorrect for a long period of time. Thats why companies are allowed to offer privacy services (so accurate data is always at ICANN, but hidden from public).

Multiple case out there where people have lost domains for BS data - usually in some piracy lawsuit, etc. But it does happen.

[anexsia]

Your whois information should always be correct and if you're worried about what's contained in it then use whois privacy - places like Namesilo offer it free for life.

[emmanuelle]

Originally Posted by O MARINA

Woah, is it a personal issue or business competition or what?

Creepy site customer

thanks everyone

[TCLGirls]

Originally Posted by JimmyStephans

Get an box at The UPS store for about $125.00 a year.

Change all your information to that address.

#1, complies with ICANN rules and #2, prevents your home address from being given out, and #3, by Postal Service rules The UPS store can't give out your info without a Subpeona.

Don't you mean USPS? Because I don't think US Postal Service regulates UPS. And she's probably in Canada anyhow.

[Adraco]

Originally Posted by emmanuelle

Creepy site customer

thanks everyone

The creepier they are, the better they spend!

[imabro]

how long have you been doing this that this is real question? if this 1999 I believe it not 2015

[AmeliaG]

Originally Posted by Colmike7

I would call the cops then change registrars..

Yeah. This.

[JimmyStephans]

Originally Posted by TCLGirls

Don't you mean USPS? Because I don't think US Postal Service regulates UPS. And she's probably in Canada anyhow.

I didn't realize she was in Canada. The do have UPS stores there. But not sure how they work

The UPS Store Canada | Small Business Experts

In the USA the stores called "The UPS Store" also accept mail delivered by USPS. To get a box the customer must complete a USPS form and show ID. The form is held at the local USPS location, just as if the box had been rented within that local USPS location. This lets the store accept mail in the customer's name.

But, the agreement between USPS and contract mail receiving centers (such a The UPS Store) also has other regulations - including not given out personal information on box holders without their permission or legal process (Subpeona).

Years ago a buddy and I had a store like that. Not part of the big franchise, just our own locally owned deal at one location. Thats how I learned the regs.

[armysmoke]

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

dotster is crap. move to a registrar that offers free privacy like namesilo.com. problem solved. much cheaper renewals too.

Namesilo has free whois privacy.

[shake]

I make my own privacy: PO Box, voip phone number for $1 a month etc

[TCLGirls]

Originally Posted by JimmyStephans

I didn't realize she was in Canada. The do have UPS stores there. But not sure how they work

The UPS Store Canada | Small Business Experts

In the USA the stores called "The UPS Store" also accept mail delivered by USPS. To get a box the customer must complete a USPS form and show ID. The form is held at the local USPS location, just as if the box had been rented within that local USPS location. This lets the store accept mail in the customer's name.

But, the agreement between USPS and contract mail receiving centers (such a The UPS Store) also has other regulations - including not given out personal information on box holders without their permission or legal process (Subpeona).

Years ago a buddy and I had a store like that. Not part of the big franchise, just our own locally owned deal at one location. Thats how I learned the regs.

Ah, was not aware of that, thanks.

[Paul&John]

Originally Posted by armysmoke

Namesilo has free whois privacy.

Yap namesilo rocks

[RummyBoy]

Originally Posted by emmanuelle

Creepy site customer

Try to see it from a mans point of view..... there are more creepy men in the world than creepy women. However, if you actually screw this customer, he won't be creepy any more to you and at the same time, he'll lose some of his creepiness. Good experiment... try it out and let us know the results.

[aka123]

I would get private whois information- service, for example with Namecheap it is something like 2.5 USD per year.

Alternatively, if that private service gets seriously challenged in the future, you could also get some business address. Get some 3 feet x 3 feet cubic office and mailbox in front of it.

[bns666]

privacy is your friend

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by JimmyStephans

I didn't realize she was in Canada. The do have UPS stores there. But not sure how they work

The UPS Store Canada | Small Business Experts

In the USA the stores called "The UPS Store" also accept mail delivered by USPS. To get a box the customer must complete a USPS form and show ID. The form is held at the local USPS location, just as if the box had been rented within that local USPS location. This lets the store accept mail in the customer's name.

But, the agreement between USPS and contract mail receiving centers (such a The UPS Store) also has other regulations - including not given out personal information on box holders without their permission or legal process (Subpeona).

Years ago a buddy and I had a store like that. Not part of the big franchise, just our own locally owned deal at one location. Thats how I learned the regs.

You can rent po boxes from canada post. its the same idea. i'm not sure if ups rents boxes here in canada or not. price is about 240/year. they have them in a lot of shoppers drug marts and other places so you can get one close to where you live.

[emmanuelle]

I put privacy on that particular domain just to deal with it in the short term, since Dotster gave me 5 days.
Will move things to a PO box here in Canada. I am loathe to pay for privacy on 200 domains every year.
For the record, Canada has exceptional privacy laws, which I suspect is the reason for .ca domains coming with built in privacy. Unfortunately, this is a .net and Dotster is not a Canadian company.
The address in WHOIS was accurate at the time of registration, back in 2000, but never updated to reflect my current address.

For the record, I am fine with ICANN demanding accurate information. What I am not okay with is random creeps being able to force the issue by complaining to the registrar that they cannot reach me when they show up in person at that address.

[DBS.US]

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