What Typosquatting means
Criminals register domains like examp1e.com to phish your customers or staff. Registering the most obvious misspellings of your key domain and enforcing DMARC limits the damage. Training staff to check sender domains helps too.
Why it matters for your website
Look-alike domains can be used to send fake invoices to your clients or capture logins from customers who mistype your address. This damages trust in your brand even though you did nothing wrong.
Example
Scammers register a domain that swaps one letter in a hypothetical contractor's name and email customers fake invoices that look like the real thing.
Tips
- Register common misspellings of your main domain and redirect them.
- Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC so fake email from your domain is harder to send.
- Teach staff and clients to check sender domains carefully.
Common mistakes
- Assuming no one would bother targeting a small business.
- Ignoring client reports of strange emails that seem to come from you.
Questions about Typosquatting
What is Typosquatting?
Registering misspelled or look-alike versions of a domain to fool people into visiting a fake site or trusting fake email.
What can I do if someone registered a typo of my domain?
You can report abuse to the registrar or host, especially if it is used for fraud. If you hold a trademark, a UDRP complaint is another option.
Should I buy misspellings of my domain?
Buying a few of the most likely typos is a common, low-cost defense. You do not need every variation, just the ones people are most likely to type.
