Have you ever experienced searching for a specific website only to land on a completely different one after misspelling a letter or two in the URL?  This deceptive tactic is commonly known as cybersquatting.  This practice not only puts the online presence of businesses and individuals at risk but also poses a significant challenge in the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity.  The scariest part is that you can unknowingly become a victim of a cybersquatted domain.

Here’s what you need to know about this type of cybercrime:

What Is Cybersquatting?

Cybersquatting, alternatively referred to as domain squatting, involves the malevolent act of registering a domain name that is confusingly similar to that of a legitimate entity, whether it be a business, organization or individual.  Cybersquatters frequently engage in this maneuver for financial gain, aiming to exploit the recognition and success of known brands.  However, the repercussions extend beyond financial loss, as cybersquatting can tarnish the reputation of its victims.

Types Of Cybersquatting

There are many types of cybersquatting scams.  Listed below are the most common ones that you need to be aware of.

1. Top-Level Domain (TLD) Exploitation:

A TLD is the final element of a domain name, such as “.com,” “.co.uk” and “.org.”  Due to the abundance of variations, it poses a challenge for small to medium-sized businesses to register all of them for their brand.  This becomes even more difficult for celebrities or famous individuals.

Cybercriminals will register corresponding domains using different TLDs.  They may then proceed to create offensive or inappropriate websites, requesting the original domain owner to pay for their removal.  Alternatively, these websites are used to gain customers’ trust and make them susceptible to phishing attacks.

2. Typosquatting: This type of cybersquatting involves deliberately registering misspelled domain names to capitalize on common typos, leading unsuspecting users to malicious websites.

If you take Facebook.com, for example, here’s how a cybersquatter might buy their domains:

  • Faecbook.com
  • Facebokk.com
  • Faceboook.com

Typos are easy to make, therefore misspelled domains can generate a lot of traffic.

3. Look-Alike Cybersquatting: This form of cybersquatting entails the creation of domains with common words added to mislead customers, even if they don’t appear confusingly similar at first glance.

Here are a few examples:

  1. Original: Google.com
    Lookalike: G00gle.com
  2. Original: Amazon.com
    Lookalike: amaz0n.com or amazon1.com
  3. Original: Microsoft.com
    Lookalike: Microsofty.com

Despite their appearance, these may not seem to easily trick users, but they still do!

How To Avoid Being A Cybersquatting Victim

Here are a few steps to take that will help in avoiding becoming a victim of cybersquatting.

  1. Register Your Trademark: To benefit from the full protection of the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) and Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), it is advisable to promptly register your trademark.  If a cybercriminal registers a cybersquatting domain name and you have an unregistered trademark, these regulations will still apply; you’ll need to prove you were using it for business before the domain was registered, however.  Trademarks aren’t required, but they can simplify the process.
  2. Invest In Multiple Prominent TLDs: When you register your domain, also register it with the most popular TLDs, like .co and .org.
  3. Be Cautious Of What Websites You Visit:  Double-check to make sure you’re going to the correct website by verifying the URLs typed into the address bar. This also applies to links that you click on!  Make sure you hover over links with your mouse to confirm that it is the right one.  For extra security, avoid clicking links and type them into the search bar yourself.

Cybersquatting is only one method hackers use to wreak havoc.  Cybercriminals are constantly coming up with fresh methods to scam both businesses and individuals.  If you are seeking to enhance your security measures and safeguard yourself and your company from sneaky attackers, we can help.

We’ll conduct a FREE, no-obligation Security Risk Assessment where we’ll examine your network security solutions to identify if and where you’re vulnerable to an attack and help you create a plan of action to ensure you’re protected. Click here to book a 15-minute Discovery Call with our team to get started.