Domain name monitoring: Does your company need it?

The answer is yes, as every business with a website, a trademark and/or trade name, and employees with email addresses benefits from domain name monitoring. You don’t need to have a large domain name portfolio for this to be useful.

One of the main reasons is fraud prevention. Internet criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and domain name fraud is a growing problem. While most entrepreneurs are aware that their domain name or trademark can be misused, the threat and risks are often underestimated.

Risks associated with domain name fraud include:

1. Fake websites: This is common for organizations like the RDW (Dutch Vehicle Authority). Thousands of people have been defrauded when trying to purchase new vehicle registration documents online through malicious sites that mimic the official RDW website.
   
2. Phishing emails: These are emails sent from addresses that appear to be from legitimate sources like banks, asking recipients to click on links to update information or verify accounts.
   
3. CEO fraud: This involves sending false emails in the name of a company director, usually requesting urgent fund transfers. Pathé cinemas fell victim to this, with their financial administrator transferring 19 million euros to criminals.

Domain name monitoring can help reduce these risks by:

1. Identifying registrations of domain names similar to your company’s or containing your trademark.
   
2. Highlighting risks associated with your own domain names, such as forgotten domains or those registered by former employees in their name.
   
3. Detecting domain names of affiliated companies that may be using your brand without authorization.

Domain name monitoring allows you to take appropriate measures against these potential threats, protecting your brand and reducing the risk of fraud targeting your company or customers.

Ms. Leonie Kroon
Lawyer

kroon@dillingerlaw.nl