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Comment by wcfields | Hacker News Reader

Can't just signup right away, they require:

Proof of ID:

    ID card
    Driving Licence
    Passport

Proof of address:

    Utility bill (Gas, electricity, phone)
    Bank statement
    Official correspondence

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Because OVH is so cheap they {used to,currently have} massive abuse problems, depending on your current opinion of them.

Real identity verification is a solid step towards cleaning up the network, so if you do buy a server from them it can actually reach other parts of the internet.

A very large number of spam servers and botnet C&Cs come still most definitely from OVH rented servers. Script kiddies and cybercriminals alike pretty much always flock to Voxility, Ecatel, or OVH.

In OVH's case, I suspect that has more to do with their cheap pricing. With regards to abuse I consider them to be a responsible provider: they run uRPF (don't allow spoofed traffic to exit their network), respond to abuse complaints and are also now implementing their so-called "VAC," which not only provides DDoS mitigation for their inbound flows but also DDoS filtering and anti-spam of their outbound flows. (They can determine when a server is spamming this way and either terminate it or put it in rescue mode and alert the owner that it has been compromised... assuming the owner isn't the one doing it, of course.)

In Ecatel's case, that has to do with them both openly allowing (via their sales team) DDoS attacks, as well as _not_ implementing uRPF at their edge. They allow spoofed traffic. I have no clue why _any_ carrier deals with them; all of their upstreams should have terminated them ages ago.

Does Voxility not run uRPF?

Thats bad. Means I can't sign up at all. a)I dislike giving so much information up b)I don't have proof of address (Outside us, nothing is on my name because it's cheaper that way)

>a) I dislike giving so much information up...

How do you ever make a credit card transaction online without giving up your name and address? That's pretty much standard every time fiat currency changes hands on the internet.

I don't like giving up my address. I know they do still need my name. I am not trying to be untraceable, I am just against everyone collecting information about me.

I don't think they usually confirm my billing address(haven't bought anything in a while where I don't need shipping address anyway)

Also, I am using virtual credit card + debit with credit card possibilities.

EDIT: My bank does not require confirmation on my home address. I have random numbers and address there.

Interesting. The know-your-customer rules in the PATRIOT Act pretty much require that banks verify home addressees now. Were you grandfathered or something?

Mentioned before, living outside US. In a small country in EU.

I can't also sign up to mt gox because they don't accept my proofs.

> How do you ever make a credit card transaction online without giving up your name and address?

And this is one of the many things wrong with credit card transactions. A seller shouldn't need my address; it needs my money. In the Netherlands we have a system called iDEAL, where, when you want to pay for a product online, you get redirected to a page of your bank and confirm the transaction. All the seller gets is a confirmation you paid (and of course a wad of cash in his account) - no private information shared.

Unless you're having a product delivered. But even those can be delivered to a pickup station nearby nowadays.

As a seller I'm willing to give up information about you if you're willing to give up the ability to charge back your money.

One reason they might require this information is they need proof you live in the USA, otherwise they will charge you VAT.

That's not a good reason, Hetzner doesn't require that to not charge you VAT.

Yes, I agree it seems excessive.

Hetzner is in Germany. They might have different tax rules & audits.

Hetzner does in fact require the exact same verification for new customers.

Hetzner DOES ask for the same kind of documentation. I am in India and they asked me to send id and address proof when I signed up with them, which I did. And they don't charge me VAT.

No they do activation, or used to, by mail. IMO this is for legal purposes.

I would never provide such information to a general supplier. There's absolutely no KYC requirement for a web host!

do they restrict their offer to certain countries? my ID card is all in Japanese so I'm not sure how they'd verify that as they could most likely not even read it.

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