As a domain owner, you should be aware of and protect yourself against the following domain hijackers. Keep the following in mind :-

1. Keep track of your domain names' expiration dates and keep your contact information up to date:- Most inadvertent domain expirations and many fraudulent transfers are due to out of date contact information.
2. Be careful who is listed in your contact information :- You or your organization should always be listed as the organization and administrative contact.
3. Be careful when using free e-mail addresses from services like Hotmail :- Many free e-mail services will automatically suspend or delete your e-mail account if you do not log in frequently enough. Once your e-mail account is deleted, a domain hijacker can sign up for your same e-mail address and use it to give permission to transfer your domains away from you.
4. Place a registrar lock on your domain :- This will lock your domain record at the registry level and prevent it from being transferred, modified or deleted by a third party. This feature is very helpful in protecting your name against unauthorized transfers and hijacking.
5. Do not reply (or click on any links) in any domain related e-mail correspondence you do not recognize :- Also be careful not to reply to any 'official looking' renewal notices you receive in the mail from companies you do not recognize. Domain hijackers and unscrupulous registrars have been known to submit mass amounts of transfers hoping that a small percentage of confused registrants will accidentally confirm the transfers. When in doubt, contact your original registrar to verify any suspicious messages.
6. Add your registrar's domain name to your spam filter's approved sender list :- If you (or your ISP) are using a spam blocking service, you run the risk of not receiving domain renewal notices from your registrar if they are incorrectly categorized. You can prevent this from occuring by adding your registrar to your list of 'approved senders'. This will automatically bypass any filtering and ensure that all renewal notices make it straight to your inbox.
7. Consider renewing your domain name early and for a longer amount of time :- If your domain name is critical to your business and is one you will want for years to come, consider renewing your domain registration in five year increments. This will avoid yearly registration hassles and prevent your domain from accidentally expiring.

There are a number of common mistakes which cause domains to expire, be hijacked or deleted. However, being aware of these mistakes and taking the proper precautions can greatly increase the security of your domain names. Most importantly, keep your domain information up to date and consider consolidating your names with a registrar that provides the tools you need to securely manage and protect your domain names.

www.todayisp.com

Todaynic.com International Limited

ICANN CNNIC HKDNR Accredited Registrar