Amazon's customer service backdoor • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#141

Post by uptown » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:15 AM UTC

lpsz wrote: post #86

scoot wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Worse, they'll happily sell you Whoisguard for domains that don't support it. When you discover it's not usable, they'll give you a refund, then include it again in the next billing cycle. I switched to Namecheap based on recommendations here, and their previous stance on certain privacy issues, but I'm running out of alternatives.

A happy NameCheap user for years, I have started switching away. Their horrid "modern" 40px padding everywhere bubbly redesign makes GoDaddy look good in comparison. A major pain to manage more than a couple of domains, and numerous user feedback seems to fall on deaf ears, e.g. [1][2][3][4] Example weird feature: all domains are shown, even ones that you've let expire/sold years ago, and there is no way to hide them…

Another Namecheap "gotcha" is they auto-renew any domains you have setup for auto-renewal a full month before you're due for expiration. So if you're thinking of moving away, and trying to decide as the expiration date approaches, make sure to disable auto-renew on those domains while you decide.

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#142

Post by RainManDetroit » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:15 AM UTC

Simply create an LLC and have it manager-managed, as opposed to member-managed, As long as you either do no business or legitimate business, the owner (member) into is protected, and it will list your registered agent and their office address as the site owner.

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#143

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:16 AM UTC

scoot wrote: post #72

TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A related word of warning: Namecheap updated their registration page last year. Now, when you register a domain it tells you free Whoisguard is included, but it doesn't make it clear that it's disabled by default." Previously it just worked. Now you have to check another box to turn it on. This change makes no sense to me. (If you want free Whoisguard, why would you not want it turned on?) I was white-hot furious* wh…

Worse, they'll happily sell you Whoisguard for domains that don't support it. When you discover it's not usable, they'll give you a refund, then include it again in the next billing cycle. I switched to Namecheap based on recommendations here, and their previous stance on certain privacy issues, but I'm running out of alternatives.

[deleted]

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#144

Post by dannysu » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:17 AM UTC

Reading through this thread, I've now taken action to use a unique email for important accounts. I was already using [name of service]@[some other domain I only use for email].com. However, I just changed now to [random # and chars]@domain.com.

An additional thing I'm doing is reviewing what accounts have my credit card. One of the things I like about my Bank of America credit card is that I can use their ShopSafe feature to generate a card number for specific accounts.

So if I'm buying transit pass on a website probably made by incompetent people, I generate a new credit card number and use it one time. Same thing with doctors that want me to write my credit card info on a piece of paper and mail it back to them.

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#145

Post by rhblake » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:21 AM UTC

turar wrote: post #37

If you own a home in the U.S., anybody already can get your address legally and easily from your county or district property appraiser's/assessor's website. Along with how much you paid for it, and when you bought it. So calling Amazon CS rep is a hard way to go about it. :)

Ah... if you're a resident of Sweden, anybody can get your full name, address, date of birth, civil status, list of company engagements (e.g., board member, owner of a firm, etc.) and the make and year of any cars registered by going to one of several websites - http://www.ratsit.se/ being one of the most popular ones. No login needed. This information is public data straight from the government. (Exceptions: people Call or visit the Swedish Tax Agency if you want further info, such as personal identity number ("personnummer" - think Social Security Number but used for absolutely everything), taxed income, identity and full info of parents (including mother's maiden name - so much for that), etc. You don't have to tell them who you are or why you want this information.

Enter a street address on a site like ratsit.se and you'll find all the people registered on that particular address. I could go on. When I talk about this with friends in countries like Germany and France they're often flabbergasted; in Sweden we're so used to it that we think it's natural. We're basically doxxed by our own government by default. A stalker or identity thief's paradise. It's messed up.

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#146

Post by odonnellryan » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:22 AM UTC

scoot wrote: post #72

TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A related word of warning: Namecheap updated their registration page last year. Now, when you register a domain it tells you free Whoisguard is included, but it doesn't make it clear that it's disabled by default." Previously it just worked. Now you have to check another box to turn it on. This change makes no sense to me. (If you want free Whoisguard, why would you not want it turned on?) I was white-hot furious* wh…

Worse, they'll happily sell you Whoisguard for domains that don't support it. When you discover it's not usable, they'll give you a refund, then include it again in the next billing cycle. I switched to Namecheap based on recommendations here, and their previous stance on certain privacy issues, but I'm running out of alternatives.

What's wrong with name.com?

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#147

Post by lpsz » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:22 AM UTC

chrisper wrote: post #134

lpsz wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A happy NameCheap user for years, I have started switching away. Their horrid "modern" 40px padding everywhere bubbly redesign makes GoDaddy look good in comparison. A major pain to manage more than a couple of domains, and numerous user feedback seems to fall on deaf ears, e.g. [1][2][3][4] Example weird feature: all domains are shown, even ones that you've let expire/sold years ago, and there is no way to hide them…

Do you mind sharing where you switched to?

Ah, just Amazon (which uses Gandi under the hood.)

Many pluses: predictable, can be administered using the AWS CLI, consolidated billing with other AWS services. Heck, can even register domains from the CLI.

Only downside as others have pointed out is that Gandi doesn't make it at all easy to hide your name or company contact information.

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#148

Post by an_account » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:23 AM UTC

wereHamster wrote: post #136

BinaryIdiot wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I would love to do that it just isn't feasible for me and probably most others. ICANN really needs to provide better controls to avoid resorting to such workarounds.

> ICANN really needs to provide better controls to avoid resorting to such workarounds. Not only ICANN but the whole financial world. Shell corporations provide no real use other than hiding money and ownership.

That's not true at all. Corporations have tons of legitimate uses, including reducing liability.

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#149

Post by nicksuperb » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:23 AM UTC

I've been using my local USPS PO box for domain registration for the past few years. It pays for itself when you figure in the cost of add-on services from registrars. I also use it as an address for similar in-person sign up forms also. Aliasing services like Fastmail are also a solid part of the equation. Use it as much and in as many places as possible. You could also try an IRL alias-type hack by giving out a slightly different name (middle name, title, etc.) when filling out your address.

Re: Amazon's customer service backdoor

#150

Post by rpgmaker » Mon, Jan 25, 2016, 2:25 AM UTC

dates wrote: post #127

lpsz wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A happy NameCheap user for years, I have started switching away. Their horrid "modern" 40px padding everywhere bubbly redesign makes GoDaddy look good in comparison. A major pain to manage more than a couple of domains, and numerous user feedback seems to fall on deaf ears, e.g. [1][2][3][4] Example weird feature: all domains are shown, even ones that you've let expire/sold years ago, and there is no way to hide them…

css stylebot or a smiliar extension that allows you to create persistent stylesheets could help you! i think your grievance is legitamate

That sounds like an awesome extension. I will have to look it up.