All domainers want to know how to make a profit from their domains, but a question they should be asking just as frequently is, “How do I make sure my domains stay secure?” Due diligence is the first step to maintaing ownership of yours domains. Make sure that you are familiar with your registrar’s practices and procedures. All contacts for your domains should be listed with YOUR information and NOT someone else’s.
Lets start with the basics. First, the email listed in the domain’s contact information needs to be valid, AND one that you frequently check; this will make sure that you receive all emails about the domain’s status, including expiration or transfer notices.
Second, make sure that your domain doesn’t move out of your registrar without your knowledge. Keep your domain locked, and make sure that no one else has access to your registrar account except for those who need it. Changing the password once every few months to the registrar account isn’t a bad idea either, as long as you make sure to remember what you changed it to.
Third, make sure that you are aware of the most common scams related to domains. This is the best way of preventing fraud before it can even begin. Beware of phishing scams, in which a domain owner may receive an email with a link in it telling the person to follow the link to their registrar and login. The problem is, the link doesn’t go to the registrar but instead to a cloned web page which will then record the login info. When this happens the scammer can login to the owner’s registrar account and change the password. This gives the scammer the opportunity to do whatever they wish with your domain, often without your knowledge.
Domainers are constantly buying and selling names. When getting into a transaction it’s always best to use a trusted third party to make sure the transfer goes smoothly. Sedo, for example, takes important steps to ensure secure domain transfers. Not only does our transfer team provide a secure escrow service for payment, Sedo’s marketplace provides a secure communication platform between the buyer and seller. Procedures like these help prevent scammers from getting a foot in the door to your domain and provide a safe harbor for honest domain buyers and sellers.