Starting an anonymous business - domain registration & PO boxes

[Xanadu]

Hey all, I'm trying to start up a little business, but I want to retain as much anonymity as possible, thus I want to rent a PO box for registering my company (if I decide to) and for (www) domain registration.

Does anyone have any experience of such services? Any recommendations?

 

[Pingu]

expect the revenue to jump up and down all over you if you try to decieve them.

though if you do find a way i might be interested in knowing how

 

[chio]

If you register a .co.uk domain, you can put a false name and "opt out" of the WHOIS record. But why would you run a business anonymously?

 

[Pingu]

i am guessing the big snag in being truely anonymous would be when it comes to taking any payment

 

[A Dashing Blade]

Use a Panamanian ISP (it's illegal in Panama for an isp to divulge any info).
PM for more, (a mate uses them), they'll also do a Panamanian company for you. All-in cost iirc is about $100.

 

[chio]

i am guessing the big snag in being truely anonymous would be when it comes to taking any payment

I suppose you could use PayPal. But I wouldn't give money to an anonymous company, I always check contact details and stuff on their website before I buy.

 

[Xanadu]

expect the revenue to jump up and down all over you if you try to decieve them.

though if you do find a way i might be interested in knowing how

Sorry, deceive who? I don't expect to deceive anyone - just not have the business linked to my home address, and have as little link to my own name as possible.

To be honest I'm only interested in retaining a certain amount of anonymity. If I was to do anything illegal I'd expect to be caught fairly easily. Just want to keep things at arms length IYSWIM.

 

[Xanadu]

Use a Panamanian ISP (it's illegal in Panama for an isp to divulge any info).
PM for more, (a mate uses them), they'll also do a Panamanian company for you. All-in cost iirc is about $100.

Cheers, will PM you tonight.

 

[hiccup]

You could try someone like this:

http://www.companiesmadesimple.com

for an off the shelf company, with domain name, address etc

 

[GoneCoastal]

And remember you'd have to have the details as per item 5 in this link

http://www.westbury.co.uk/company_formation/companiesmadesimple/faq.html

This rule also (as of earlier this year (1/7 I think it was)) applies to email and websites

 

[mrs quoad]

Yarrr. That's four of your smuggled Thai brides, fifteen illegal workers and sevenTEEN kilos of crack, please, Mr Xan

And I'll have some of those intamaresting crowd control devices tooo, pleeeeze

 

[Xanadu]

Shit - number 6 is a bitch. I'm going to have to give this some more thought.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Use a Panamanian ISP (it's illegal in Panama for an isp to divulge any info).
PM for more, (a mate uses them), they'll also do a Panamanian company for you. All-in cost iirc is about $100.

Really?

 

[EastEnder]

If it's any kind of business registered with Companies House (plc, ltd, charity, etc), the details of the directors must be publicly available - by law. Not just names, but registered company address too (although that can be a legal representative, such as a solicitors). Anyone can find out such info from Companies House (for a fee).

Be wary of registering domain names under an alias, you might find you don't legally own it! You can, however, register a domain name in the name of the owning company. The other details, technical & admin contacts, could be hidden or obfuscated.

And bear in mind that the rules are relatively strict when it comes to online trading - if you've got site representing a UK business you need to follow guidelines about the info you have to display or make available - company number, registered address, etc.

 

[A Dashing Blade]

Really?

Yup
(ok, may be $150 with the company registration included, can't remember if a bank a/c came with it). Will phone said mate later & get a link.

 

[A Dashing Blade]

http://www.hostingpanama.com/

Speak to Eduardo (international sales director) if he's still there.

They'll set you up with a Panamanian company which registers the web domain.

$200 per year in round numbers.

Job done.

 

[Xanadu]

It's worth signing up just to be able to speak to someone called Eduardo

 

[lights.out.london]

Hey all, I'm trying to start up a little business, but I want to retain as much anonymity as possible, thus I want to rent a PO box for registering my company (if I decide to) and for (www) domain registration.

Does anyone have any experience of such services? Any recommendations?

Most 'decent' mailservices will ask you for references and i.d. They usually state that they will only release your details [or mail] if required to do so by the police.

You can register a domain name to a Ltd Co or Plc shell, UK or offshore. It isn't difficult to get a paper trail which makes identifying the site/domain owner impossible without a court order.

btw - if you register 'your' company, it is most likely your name will show-up on the register of directors at Companies House. You need something a bit different for 100% anonymity.

[/ cloaks and daggers mode]