Wild West Domains masks the owners

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 18 Dec 2002 at 13:06

ICANN-accredited Wild West Domains is to offer private domain names to resellers in an exclusive deal under its new Domains By Proxy scheme.

Domains By Proxy hides personal information such as address and email contacts on the Whois database of domain registrants. Private domain owners can manage how they are contacted and by whom, both by email and post, through Domains By Proxy's systems.

The service allows domain resellers the opportunity to protect their customers from being spammed or tracked down by stalkers - particularly given the recent case where a spoof eBay site was registered to con eBay users into giving out credit card numbers and other information.

Obviously the service could be used by people who do not want to be tracked down for more spurious reasons. A spokesperson for Domains By Proxy told us: 'Domains By Proxy will not knowingly allow its private registration service to be used as a shield by those who would seek to violate or circumvent the law, and accordingly, will (and has) readily co-operated with law enforcement authorities to reveal personal information pursuant to properly issued subpoenas and other legal process.'

More information is available at www.DomainsByProxy.com.