OK, this one’s wild. You can’t make this up.
A guy comes to me and
@DNAccess
asking for help recovering his stolen domain.
Here’s what happened:
He registered the domain—but didn’t trust WHOIS privacy (even though it’s free now). So instead of using his real name, he put a fake name on the WHOIS and registrar account.
Fast forward:
The domain gets hacked and stolen.
He contacts the registrar—
@Hostinger
.
But
@Hostinger
won’t speak to him. Because he’s not the person listed on the account. That person? A made-up name he invented to “stay private.”
Now he has no paperwork—no ID, no receipts—connecting him to that alias. Nothing that says “John Doe” (not the real fake name).
And without that, this domain is going to be nearly impossible to recover.
Moral of the story:
-- Only use WHOIS privacy if you absolutely need to protect yourself because of the content on the site. Otherwise:
-- Use your real name
-- Or create an LLC
-- Use a UPS Store address if you need a layer of privacy
-- Get a Google Voice number
But always make sure the registrar account is in your real name or your company’s name.
ICANN requires verification for a reason. Invalid WHOIS isn’t just a technicality—it can cost you your domain. You're not protecting yourself by using fake info. You're locking yourself out.
