Domain Masking - .co.uk

[JackHorny]

I'm in the process of setting up a .co.uk site... however, It is registered in my own personal name and although I am able to omit some details from the Whois, I cannot hide my name. For discretionary reasons (only), it is my name that I'd really like witheld. I've tried doing it htrough nominet and this has resulted in personal emails from a member of Nominet investigating the change and demanding all sorts of proof etc... I started of by simply trying to change the name to just my initials, this invoked the first email saying it had to be a legal name. If I wanted to list as a sole trader I would have to STILL publish my full legal name but I could add "t/a.. xxxxx" (trading as)... oh, and if i did that I'd have to include ALL my personal details on the database...

Anybody any ideas..?

I am aware of services that provide masking for .com's, but it appears that .co.uk's are watertight... So I guess the lesson is don't use .co.uk's.

As it transpires, it looks like I will have to ditch this project - which has entailed a hell of a lot of work. As it is highly unlikely to become a revenue site (it's more a community site), I just don't have the enthusiasm to set up a new .com (it would have to be a different name - the dot com of the .co.uk is taken), whcih would entail new artwork, global links and properties being changed, messagboards re-configured etc., etc...

Anybody able to suggest a way round this?

[Rosie]

I'd be interested in that for the same reason, although these days I never bother with .co.uk's because nominet is an overpriced pain in the arse

[JackHorny]

You're not wrong, Rosie! I wont bother with .co.uk again - other than to take it off the market if I have a valuable dot com I want to maintain the integrity of.

Only reason I used the .co.uk this time was because I had no massively commercial ambitions for the site - it's value is in the messageboard as a community resource as opposed to a commercial interest... Big mistake!

[JP]

Who did you register the name with?

Cant you change to owner to something like...

Joey Jo Jo Junior Shabadoo
Your Po Box Number
Etc

?

[JackHorny]

Doesn't actually matter who you registered with, they have an "online registrants" section - you login with your domain name and a PIN sent to you in the post... you then do all the alterations yourself - however, they dont update until they have "investigated" - which in my experience involved an email from a member of the team wanting all sorts of information and such like. So, in essence, no... you cant.

[JP]

Doesn't actually matter who you registered with, they have an "online registrants" section - you login with your domain name and a PIN sent to you in the post... you then do all the alterations yourself - however, they dont update until they have "investigated" - which in my experience involved an email from a member of the team wanting all sorts of information and such like. So, in essence, no... you cant.
Hrmmmm .... Im 95% certain I've updated the whois info on a few of my uk domains via my registrars interface without snags.

[JackHorny]

Hmmm? Thank you - I'll investigate that... I assumed that once you'd got the registration letter frm Nominet you did everything through the Nominet Registrants section. I'll let you know what I discover, thank you!

[TommyMac]

On 123reg i can do a whois opt out on my .co.uk domains.

It doesn't show your address then.

[JT]

Hrmmmm .... Im 95% certain I've updated the whois info on a few of my uk domains via my registrars interface without snags.

I dont think you can any more

[JackHorny]

JP - no... my host's interface doesn't allow me to change registrants name.

TommyMac - Yes, I have my address ommitted, but it's not particularly the address I want ommitted - more the name, and it is the name that you cannot hide.

[Manowar]

I vaguely remember knowing how to do that

[JackHorny]

I vaguely remember knowing how to do that

?

[Shandy McAndy]

silly question. Why dont you just fill in the nominet form?

[JackHorny]

Why you no read properly!!!!? I am trying to remove my NAME from the register - I've trie dinputting my initials - all sorts of stuff but Nominet are NOT having it... I have a "real person" from nominet "investigating" every request I make and asking for documnetation and proofs etc. etc... It's ok - I've given up on it, no need to bother Shandy... but just for information - I wouldn't advise anyone to use a .co.uk...

[Shandy McAndy]

Why you no read properly!!!!? I am trying to remove my NAME from the register - I've trie dinputting my initials - all sorts of stuff but Nominet are NOT having it... I have a "real person" from nominet "investigating" every request I make and asking for documnetation and proofs etc. etc... It's ok - I've given up on it, no need to bother Shandy... but just for information - I wouldn't advise anyone to use a .co.uk...


ah, so they need id proof ect now, wow, I thought you could just use a trading as name like you can for any business. Otherwise a dodgy name if you was that concerened, I guess now they want to crack down on that.

[SGS]

Even with masking its simple enough to get an owners information and using false info will get your domain name snatched in a heartbeat now.

[Scotty.T]

I got 4 'Confirmation of Registration' notices through this morning for domains I registered back in November. I'll do them today and let you know how I got on.

[JP]

wowza, just logged into 123-reg to have a butchers and when trying to change whois info for a uk domain I see:

"If you wish to change the actual registrant name for this domain, you will need to fill in, sign and return the form that Nominet UK should have sent with the registration certificate."

What a load of old bunkum - How long has it been like that? Could swear I've changed stuff manually before without hassle :sick:

[SGS]

wowza, just logged into 123-reg to have a butchers and when trying to change whois info for a uk domain I see:

"If you wish to change the actual registrant name for this domain, you will need to fill in, sign and return the form that Nominet UK should have sent with the registration certificate."

What a load of old bunkum - How long has it been like that? Could swear I've changed stuff manually before without hassle :sick:

New ICANN rules started end of last year?

[JP]

New ICANN rules started end of last year?
Obviously .com's etc are a doddle to change whois info - perhaps even too easy for securitys sake ..

But having to do stuff like - get dressed & walk to the post box? In this day and age? Whats the world coming to ... :ninja:

[Scotty.T]

I got 4 'Confirmation of Registration' notices through this morning for domains I registered back in November. I'll do them today and let you know how I got on.

OK so I just wento to Nominet to confirm the domains.

Before I did anything with these 4 I checked to see how I confirmed 2 previous ones in the middle of January. Back then I used the first 2 words of my trading name as the contact and the full company name as the registrant. These went through OK and is reflected on the whois.

I was going to do the same with these 4, and the option to do so was still there, but after reading what you went through I have entered my name. On a couple I put full name and on the other 2 just initials.

The form said that the changes will be checked by nominet staff so I will have to see how it goes I guess.

It's not ideal for me but I have a PO Box in a different town, which kind of separates the Scotty on the whois from the Scotty that lives at my home address. This is also purely for discretion because of the fucking huge stigma that still lies over PORN!!!!

Maybe that is an option for you??

[Shandy McAndy]

Obviously .com's etc are a doddle to change whois info - perhaps even too easy for securitys sake ..

But having to do stuff like - get dressed & walk to the post box? In this day and age? Whats the world coming to ... :ninja:



southern softy :onguard: