The Domain Name Scams Guide: What To Look Out For And How To Protect Your SME

Domain name scams have become a growing global concern. That’s because cybercriminals realise how important a domain name is to any company’s branding strategy and are trying to exploit it as much as possible.

According to a Bluevoyant Report, the number of lookalike domain name registrations has increased from around 150 per month in 2024 to around 450 per month in 2025. It’s a sign that SMEs, in particular, need to be more vigilant than ever.

In this article, we look at the seven most common types and share ways to protect your business.

RELATED: 7 Top Cyber Threats In South Africa and How To Defend Your SME

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Domain name scams are on the rise because cybercriminals realise how central a domain name is to a company’s brand.
• Lookalike domains are a major threat because scammers impersonate brands by sending phishing mails and creating fake websites.
• Publicly available domain registration information is commonly used in domain attacks. This is called Domain Scraping.
• All domain name scams put businesses at risk of losing money and productivity and can damage a brand’s reputation.
• Learning to identify suspicious emails, links, and renewal requests can protect your business.
• Registering with a reputable registrar or host that offers additional domain protection services is a smart move.

What is a Domain Name Scam?

A domain name scam is a form of cybercrime that targets domain name owners as well as the general public, with the goal to tricking people into paying for a fake product or service, sharing sensitive information or unlawfully transferring domain ownership.

Some cybercriminals impersonate legitimate companies. Others create fake domain services or set up lookalike websites to steal customer data. All aim to exploit the trust people place in recognised domain names.

7 Types of Domain Name Scams to Look Out For

Seven of the most common domain name scams currently circulating:

1. The Lookalike Domain Scam (Domain Spoofing)

Domain Name Spoofing is when a bad actor registers a domain name similar to the original in order to trick people into signing up for fake products or services or divulge sensitive information.

An example:
A cybercriminal registers NikeSA.co.za and creates a convincing website that is selling fake products and then sends marketing emails from this domain directing people to the fraudulent store.

Because the domain name appears legitimate at first glance, many users fall for it.

This type of scam is especially dangerous for SMEs who rely on customer trust and reputation.

2. The Fake Domain Renewal Scam

Did you know that cybercriminals can obtain the contact information of all registered domain names by accessing the publicly available WHOIS database? As a result, criminals harvest this information (Domain Scraping) and use it to create convincing phishing mails warning that:

• Your domain is about to expire;
• Your payment failed; or
• Your domain will be suspended unless you pay immediately.

The goal of these emails is to either obtain login information or credit card details or gain financially from the payment of these fake renewals.

3. The “Authorised” Domain Transfer Scam (Domain Slamming)

Did you know that a domain transfer request is actually quite simple to do, and if domain owners don’t have proper security measures in place, a scammer can initiate and complete a transfer in just a few clicks?

How it works:

You receive an official-looking email from your registrar or hosting provider letting you know your domain name is up for renewal with a link. However, hidden in the small print is a line saying that by clicking on the link you approve a domain name transfer to another hosting provider.

A scam like this can cost your business money, disrupt productivity and even make you lose face with your customers.

RELATED: Transfer Domain Names: The What, Why, How and Where

4. The “Unauthorised” Domain Transfer Scam (Domain Hijacking)

Domain Hijacking happens when a criminal gains access to the logins for your domain control panel as a result of a phishing scam you may have fallen victim to, or a weak password, and then transfers your domain without your permission.

Once hacked, criminals can:

• Redirect your website
• Lock you out of your email accounts
• Replace your content with malicious pages
• Sell the domain

Recovering a hijacked domain can be long, complicated, and expensive.

5. The Search Engine or Directory Domain Scam

Who doesn’t want to improve their website’s ranking? Cybercriminals exploit this desire by sending fake emails offering to help new domain name customers submit their domain to all major search engines and hundreds of directories.

Here’s the truth:

• Search engines index websites automatically.
• No urgent paid submission service is required.
• Many directory-submission packages are outdated, unnecessary, or potentially fake.

The scammer will charge you a fee and provide nothing of value, or worse, use your data in a future scam.

6. The Alternative Domain Name Scam

This scam targets domain owners by claiming someone else is trying to register a domain name very similar to theirs (e.g., yourbusiness.africa or yourbusiness.net).

The email warns that this could:

• Damage your brand
• Confuse your customers
• Undermine your reputation

The scammer then offers to “secure” these domains for you at inflated prices.

7. Domain Purchase and Appraisal Scam

This attack targets anyone who owns a domain name that could be seen as valuable or brandable.

It oftens starts with a flattering message:
“I represent a buyer who wants to purchase your domain for a high price.”

Before proceeding, they insist you obtain a “certified appraisal” from a specific service, which they conveniently own or earn commission from.

The appraisal fee is expensive, and once paid, the “buyer” disappears. There is no real interest, no real investor, and no legitimate appraisal.

How To Protect Yourself from a Domain Name Scam

1. Register with a trusted registrar or hosting company

Your first line of defence is choosing a reputable, accredited registrar or hosting provider. Trusted companies follow strict security standards, offer transparent processes, and provide reliable customer support when you need it most. They also notify you of suspicious activity and give you access to essential security tools that smaller or questionable providers may not offer. By partnering with a recognised registrar like Domains.co.za, you significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to scams that rely on impersonation or weak platform security.

2. Activate Domain Transfer Lock

Domain Transfer Lock prevents the unauthorised transfer of your domain name. When it’s enabled, no one can move your domain to another registrar without your explicit approval. This is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from Domain Slamming. Keeping your domains locked ensures that you remain in full control at all times.

At Domains.co.za this is a free and an automatically installed service that we offer to all .za domains (.co.za, .org.za, .net.za, and .web.za).

3. Use Two Factor Authentication on registrar account

Two-Factor Authentication adds an extra layer of security to your registrar account by requiring both your password and a secondary verification step – such as a one-time PIN or an authenticator app code. Even if a scammer manages to obtain your login details through phishing, they still won’t be able to access your account without that second form of identification. This is one of the simplest yet most effective security measures you can activate, and it drastically reduces the chances of your domain being compromised.

4. Set up Auto Renewal for all your domain names

Many domain scams prey on the fear of losing a domain because it is about to expire. By enabling Auto Renewal, you eliminate this vulnerability entirely. Auto Renewal ensures your domain stays active – even if you may miss an email reminder, change banking details, or are too busy to renew it manually. Not only does this protect you from fake renewal emails, but it also safeguards your business from downtime, loss of email services, and brand damage that can occur when a domain unintentionally lapses.

TIP: Opt for multi-year renewal to alleviate the associated admin.

5. Always check and verify email addresses and hyperlinks

Before responding to or taking any domain-related notification seriously, take a moment to verify the email address of the sender, the domain it’s coming from, and any links included. Scammers often use subtle misspellings or lookalike domains (like replacing an “o” with a “0”) to trick recipients into clicking malicious links. Hover over URLs to see where they are really leading to. When in doubt, log into your domain account directly instead of using the email link.

6. Sign up for WHOIS Privacy

WHOIS Privacy (also called Domain Protection) hides your personal contact information from the public WHOIS database. Because cybercriminals frequently scrape WHOIS to gather contact details for scams, enabling the Privacy function helps keep your identity and inbox safe. Instead of your personal details, the database displays proxy or anonymised information. This reduces spam, lowers your risk of phishing attacks, and makes it harder for scammers to impersonate your registrar when contacting you.

7.Learn to identify domain scams

Awareness is one of the most powerful cybersecurity tools. By familiarising yourself with identifying common domain scams like the seven mentioned in this article, you become much quicker at spotting red flags. The more informed you are, the less likely you are to fall for urgent-sounding emails, fake warnings, or offers that seem too good to be true.

At Domains.co.za domain safety is important to us. We offer security features like Domain Transfer Lock, WHOIS Privacy, Two-Factor Authentication, Auto-renewal and Multi-year Renewals, to help keep your domain safe.

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Other Blogs of Interest

• 14 Questions about Domain Names and Website Hosting Answered
• Four Cybercrime Trends that every South African must be aware of
• Cybercrimes – The Latest Trends In South Africa
• How To Choose The Best Domain Name: 10 Myths and Tips
• Domain Transfer Lock Explained For all .za Domains