Private domain name registration

Abstract

A service for protecting the privacy of domain name registrants while preserving the registrant's ability to directly change the registration information or transfer the registration. A whois record is created that reflects the registrant's actual identity but contains contact information that is entirely associated with a privacy service.

1 . A method for protecting the privacy of a registrant of a domain name, comprising configuring a whois record such that the registrant name displayed in the whois record is the actual registrant name and the contact information displayed in the whois record is entirely alternate contact information.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein correspondence received at an alternate contact is forwarded to a registrant contact in accordance with a predetermined rule.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein postal correspondence received at an alternate contact is scanned and forwarded to a registrant e-mail address.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an e-mail message received at an alternate e-mail address is scanned and forwarded to a registrant e-mail address if it is determined not to be SPAM and if it is determined not to contain malicious code.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus for protecting the privacy of a registrant of a domain name, comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing a whois record for a domain name registration wherein the registrant name of the whois record is the actual registrant name and the contact information of the whois record is entirely alternate contact information.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said instructions are further adapted to be executed by said processor to perform steps including: 
 receiving an e-mail message addressed to an alternate e-mail address listed in a whois record;    scanning the e-mail message for SPAM; and    forwarding the e-mail message to an e-mail address specified by the registrant if the message is determined not to be SPAM.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said instructions are further adapted to be executed by said processor to perform steps including: 
 receiving an e-mail message addressed to an alternate e-mail address listed in a whois record;    scanning the e-mail message to determine if the message contains malicious code; and    forwarding the e-mail message to an e-mail address specified by the registrant if the message is determined not to contain malicious code.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said instructions are further adapted to be executed by said processor to perform steps including: 
 answering a telephone call to an alternate telephone number; and    providing a prerecorded message to the calling party.    
     
     
         9 . A method for managing a domain name registration, comprising: 
 receiving from an applicant a request to register a domain name;    storing the name of the applicant and applicant contact information correlated with alternate contact information for the domain name registration; and    causing the domain name to be registered with the applicant name as the registrant name and with contact information that is entirely alternate contact information.    
     
     
         10 . A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform steps including configuring a whois record such that the registrant name displayed in the whois record is the actual registrant name and the contact information displayed in the whois record is entirely alternate contact information.  
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 10 , wherein said instructions are further adapted to be executed by said processor to forward correspondence received at an alternate contact to a registrant contact in accordance with a predetermined rule.  
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 10 , wherein said instructions are further adapted to be executed by said processor to scan and forward to a registrant e-mail address postal correspondence received at an alternate contact.  
     
     
         13 . A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform steps including: 
 receiving from an applicant a request to register a domain name;    storing the name of the applicant and applicant contact information correlated with alternate contact information for the domain name registration; and    causing the domain name to be registered with the applicant name as the registrant name and with contact information that is entirely alternate contact information.    
     
     
         14 . A system for protecting the privacy of a registrant of a domain name, comprising: 
 means for receiving from an applicant a request to register a domain name;    means for storing the name of the applicant and applicant contact information correlated with alternate contact information for the domain name registration; and    means for causing the domain name to be registered with the applicant name as the registrant name and with contact information that is entirely alternate contact information.    
     
     
         15 . A method for protecting the privacy of a registrant of a domain name, including: 
 sending from an applicant a request to a register a domain name; and    causing the domain name to be registered with the applicant name as the registrant name and with contact information that is entirely alternate contact information.    
     
     
         16 . A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform steps including: 
 sending from an applicant a request to a register a domain name; and    causing the domain name to be registered with the applicant name as the registrant name and with contact information that is entirely alternate contact information.