I use a VPN to try to preserve what little privacy I have left 
I have been quite happy with the one I had chosen until a few days ago.
I found that it seemed to be ignoring 1 entry on my whitelist and nothing I did could change that.
So I asked my VPN provider for help.
In following their requests to try to solve the problem, I found what I think is an even greater problem.
Below is the text of my emails with them.
Nothing has been altered except to remove my name and location.
Everything else is direct copy and paste.
I have received no answers to my last questions as of 4pm 7/22.
I'm just looking for answers, opinions or am I mistaken about how a VPN should work.
***********************************************************************************************
ME
Jul 19, 22:42 EEST
I'm using 2.3.8 and whitelisting is not working correctly for - https://www.papajohns.com
I have to turn off the kill switch, turn off the application and VPN.
Only then will the website allow access.
please see screenshots.
Thank You,
Attachment(s)
Screenshot (1).png (Note: this showed a rudimentary website for Papa Johns that said they could not take my order due to technical difficulties - this is what I was seeing with the VPN turned on)
Screenshot (2).png (Note: this showed the standard, slick, glossary website and would take my order - this is what I was seing with the VPN turned off)
-----------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 20, 01:42 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for your message.
We would like to help you solve the issue that you are having as fast as possible, however you did not provide us with enough information to effectively troubleshoot your issue.
Could you please send us a screenshot of Whitelister section of your application, where we would be able to see the links?
Also, maybe you could Whitelist this website ->http://ipleak.net? Then try checking which location it shows, your current location or VPN selected location. This website shows the location of your IP address. If it's connected to a VPN, it will show your location as a hidden one.
Looking forward to your response!
All the best,
Jim Rich
Customer Success Shark
-----------------------------------------------
ME
Jul 20, 09:14 EEST
Hello,
Attached is the screenshot of my whitelist.
I would remind you that www.papajohns.com the only address on the whitelist that does not work properly.
This has been an issue for me since 2.3.5, which was the first time I visited that site, so it may have been an issue on earlier builds also.
Does it work properly for you?
http://ipleak.net shows my correct ip address and correct location when put on the whitelist.
When not on the whitelist, http://ipleak.net shows 66.71.240.136 and Chicago and the US Central time zone, but I am connected to Atlanta in the US Eastern time zone.
I don't know if that matters.
Thank you,
Attachment(s)
Screenshot (3).png (Note: this was a screenshot of my whitelist)
-----------------------------------------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 21, 05:29 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for your letter!
And thank you for testing out with ipleak.net. According to your results, Whitelister feature is working in general, but there is an issue only with http://www.papajohns.com/ website.
May we as what is your original location?
Also, could you please try to do these steps:
Remove http://www.papajohns.com/ from Whitelister;
Connect to some US servers.
Clear your browser cache.
Try to access the website then.
After that, could you please try to connect to Canada, Australia, France and check are you able to access that website with different servers in general?
Looking forward to your reply!
All the best,
Mila Bishop
Customer Success Shark
----------------------------------------------
ME
Jul 21, 14:38 EEST
Hello,
My location is ******, FL US
1. removed papajohns.com from the whitelist
2. cleared browser cache and cookies
3. tried other US servers and Canada, Australia, France servers
Semi-success.
The Tampa, FL server is the one and only server that allows me to connect properly to papajohns.com.
Tampa, FL is the closest server to me physically and the server SurfShark selects/connects to automatically as the "fastest" server.
I normally use the Atlanta, GA server as it is actually faster for me 95% of the time.
So I guess I can switch to the Tampa server when I need to order pizza, but hopefully you can also find out why this anomaly exist?
Thank you,
---------------------------------------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 22, 01:46 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for keeping in touch with us.
We are happy to know your issue has been resolved!
It might be that http://www.papajohns.com/ force to use your GPS location in the background.
Since it is a delivery website and closest location works for you.
Unfortunately, there is no way for us to change this setting.
If you would have any further questions - let us know!
All the best,
Mila Bishop
Customer Success Shark
--------------------------------------
ME
Jul 22, 05:29 EEST
Hello,
Firstly, my issue has not been resolved.
I would urge you to not close this case!
I use a desktop PC, it has no GPS chip.
I use Windows 10 and it is setup not to give a location and no default location has been set in it.
The only way to discern my location is by my local IP.
So is the Tampa server set up wrong and leaking my local IP??
The Tampa server should be giving out it's own IP and it's own location, but since Tampa is physically 100+ miles (as the crow flies) from me.
I can safely assure you Papa Johns does not deliver pizza that far, so they would not be accepting Tampa as within their delivery area.
Beyond that, when I turn off SurfShark, if I try to order from an out of town Papa Johns, it tells me I am outside their delivery area, so obviously then it sees my location based on my local IP.
So you see why I am concerned, if your explanation is correct (and I hope it isn't), then my local IP must be being leaked by the Tampa server.
Either that or your explanation doesn't hold water.
What do you think?
Do you need more information from me to truly resolve this?
Or if you really believe your theory, can you explain the above /\ to me?
Thank you,
-----------------------------------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 22, 10:50 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for getting back to us.
You can check whether you are successfully connected on ipleak.net, you can actually send us screenshots from there so we would let you know whether the connection is secure.
Also, make sure you would have your browsers cache clear as you connect and visit websites that might check your current location.
Looking forward to your response!
Sincerely,
Customer Success Shark
Miles Blanchard
----------------------------------------------------
ME
I feel as though I am getting the run around!
Please explain how this is possible when I am using your VPN - "
It might be that http://www.papajohns.com/ force to use your GPS location in the background. - Mila Bishop
Customer Success Shark"
I use a desktop PC, it has no GPS chip.
I use Windows 10 and it is setup not to give a location and no default location has been set in it.
The only way to discern my location is by my local IP.
Tampa is physically 100+ miles (as the crow flies) from me.
I can safely assure you Papa Johns does not deliver pizza that far, so they would not be accepting Tampa as within their delivery area.
Beyond that, when I turn off SurfShark, if I try to order from an out of town Papa Johns, it tells me I am outside their delivery area, so obviously then it sees my location based on my local IP.
Please explain how this is possible !
Are you reading from a script or are you actually investigating this?
I have been quite happy with the one I had chosen until a few days ago.
I found that it seemed to be ignoring 1 entry on my whitelist and nothing I did could change that.
So I asked my VPN provider for help.
In following their requests to try to solve the problem, I found what I think is an even greater problem.
Below is the text of my emails with them.
Nothing has been altered except to remove my name and location.
Everything else is direct copy and paste.
I have received no answers to my last questions as of 4pm 7/22.
I'm just looking for answers, opinions or am I mistaken about how a VPN should work.
***********************************************************************************************
ME
Jul 19, 22:42 EEST
I'm using 2.3.8 and whitelisting is not working correctly for - https://www.papajohns.com
I have to turn off the kill switch, turn off the application and VPN.
Only then will the website allow access.
please see screenshots.
Thank You,
Attachment(s)
Screenshot (1).png (Note: this showed a rudimentary website for Papa Johns that said they could not take my order due to technical difficulties - this is what I was seeing with the VPN turned on)
Screenshot (2).png (Note: this showed the standard, slick, glossary website and would take my order - this is what I was seing with the VPN turned off)
-----------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 20, 01:42 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for your message.
We would like to help you solve the issue that you are having as fast as possible, however you did not provide us with enough information to effectively troubleshoot your issue.
Could you please send us a screenshot of Whitelister section of your application, where we would be able to see the links?
Also, maybe you could Whitelist this website ->http://ipleak.net? Then try checking which location it shows, your current location or VPN selected location. This website shows the location of your IP address. If it's connected to a VPN, it will show your location as a hidden one.
Looking forward to your response!
All the best,
Jim Rich
Customer Success Shark
-----------------------------------------------
ME
Jul 20, 09:14 EEST
Hello,
Attached is the screenshot of my whitelist.
I would remind you that www.papajohns.com the only address on the whitelist that does not work properly.
This has been an issue for me since 2.3.5, which was the first time I visited that site, so it may have been an issue on earlier builds also.
Does it work properly for you?
http://ipleak.net shows my correct ip address and correct location when put on the whitelist.
When not on the whitelist, http://ipleak.net shows 66.71.240.136 and Chicago and the US Central time zone, but I am connected to Atlanta in the US Eastern time zone.
I don't know if that matters.
Thank you,
Attachment(s)
Screenshot (3).png (Note: this was a screenshot of my whitelist)
-----------------------------------------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 21, 05:29 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for your letter!
And thank you for testing out with ipleak.net. According to your results, Whitelister feature is working in general, but there is an issue only with http://www.papajohns.com/ website.
May we as what is your original location?
Also, could you please try to do these steps:
Remove http://www.papajohns.com/ from Whitelister;
Connect to some US servers.
Clear your browser cache.
Try to access the website then.
After that, could you please try to connect to Canada, Australia, France and check are you able to access that website with different servers in general?
Looking forward to your reply!
All the best,
Mila Bishop
Customer Success Shark
----------------------------------------------
ME
Jul 21, 14:38 EEST
Hello,
My location is ******, FL US
1. removed papajohns.com from the whitelist
2. cleared browser cache and cookies
3. tried other US servers and Canada, Australia, France servers
Semi-success.
The Tampa, FL server is the one and only server that allows me to connect properly to papajohns.com.
Tampa, FL is the closest server to me physically and the server SurfShark selects/connects to automatically as the "fastest" server.
I normally use the Atlanta, GA server as it is actually faster for me 95% of the time.
So I guess I can switch to the Tampa server when I need to order pizza, but hopefully you can also find out why this anomaly exist?
Thank you,
---------------------------------------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 22, 01:46 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for keeping in touch with us.
We are happy to know your issue has been resolved!
It might be that http://www.papajohns.com/ force to use your GPS location in the background.
Since it is a delivery website and closest location works for you.
Unfortunately, there is no way for us to change this setting.
If you would have any further questions - let us know!
All the best,
Mila Bishop
Customer Success Shark
--------------------------------------
ME
Jul 22, 05:29 EEST
Hello,
Firstly, my issue has not been resolved.
I would urge you to not close this case!
I use a desktop PC, it has no GPS chip.
I use Windows 10 and it is setup not to give a location and no default location has been set in it.
The only way to discern my location is by my local IP.
So is the Tampa server set up wrong and leaking my local IP??
The Tampa server should be giving out it's own IP and it's own location, but since Tampa is physically 100+ miles (as the crow flies) from me.
I can safely assure you Papa Johns does not deliver pizza that far, so they would not be accepting Tampa as within their delivery area.
Beyond that, when I turn off SurfShark, if I try to order from an out of town Papa Johns, it tells me I am outside their delivery area, so obviously then it sees my location based on my local IP.
So you see why I am concerned, if your explanation is correct (and I hope it isn't), then my local IP must be being leaked by the Tampa server.
Either that or your explanation doesn't hold water.
What do you think?
Do you need more information from me to truly resolve this?
Or if you really believe your theory, can you explain the above /\ to me?
Thank you,
-----------------------------------------------
Surfshark (Surfshark)
Jul 22, 10:50 EEST
Hello,
Thank you for getting back to us.
You can check whether you are successfully connected on ipleak.net, you can actually send us screenshots from there so we would let you know whether the connection is secure.
Also, make sure you would have your browsers cache clear as you connect and visit websites that might check your current location.
Looking forward to your response!
Sincerely,
Customer Success Shark
Miles Blanchard
----------------------------------------------------
ME
I feel as though I am getting the run around!
Please explain how this is possible when I am using your VPN - "
It might be that http://www.papajohns.com/ force to use your GPS location in the background. - Mila Bishop
Customer Success Shark"
I use a desktop PC, it has no GPS chip.
I use Windows 10 and it is setup not to give a location and no default location has been set in it.
The only way to discern my location is by my local IP.
Tampa is physically 100+ miles (as the crow flies) from me.
I can safely assure you Papa Johns does not deliver pizza that far, so they would not be accepting Tampa as within their delivery area.
Beyond that, when I turn off SurfShark, if I try to order from an out of town Papa Johns, it tells me I am outside their delivery area, so obviously then it sees my location based on my local IP.
Please explain how this is possible !
Are you reading from a script or are you actually investigating this?
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