whois
What to Know About WHOIS
When you register a domain, the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (ICANN) requires publication of your name,
company name, address, phone and other information in what’s called
the WHOIS database. This large directory, which contains all of this
information for every domain and its registrant, is free and open to the
public. Enter any domain in the search box to find out who owns it.
The WHOIS database can tell you if a domain you’re interested in is
available. If it already belongs to someone, you can use the
information provided in the database to contact them to discuss a
purchase. If you own a domain yourself, be sure to let your registrar
know of any changes in your contact information. Not only is this
important in case someone wants to make an offer on your domain
name, it’s also required by ICANN.
And while it’s true that scammers search WHOIS for information to use
in spamming, website hacking and identity theft, ICANN has policies to
help reduce spam. Plus, we have individual domain protection
options that would hide your information.