.png)
With recent news highlighting widespread security vulnerabilities, more scrutiny is being placed on domain hosting providers. Domain hosts help companies establish, grow, and protect their presence on the web. Of course, a web domain is valuable: OpenAI purchased the domain “chat.com” for $15.5 million in 2023. In fact, an entire industry revolves around flipping web domains for profit––and another industry revolves around stealing other peoples’ domains.
Domain takeover fraud is a pernicious threat that can seriously impact companies and the people they employ. Protecting domains is critical, which is why hosting providers like Newfold Digital enlist Nametag to verify users requesting a domain ownership transfer. Read our press release with Newfold and then read on to learn more about domain takeover fraud and how to prevent it with Nametag.
“Our collaboration with Nametag sets a strong precedent for proactive cybersecurity measures within the industry, while also having a tangible impact on our customer experience.” – Sharon Rowlands, CEO of Newfold Digital
Web Domains: A Top Target For Fraudsters
Your company’s website is your front-door to the internet. It’s often the primary—sometimes the only—way that people find and learn about you. Websites attract attention; they answer questions; they inform and educate; and they generate leads that turn into customers. So just imagine what would happen if someone took over your website. The impacts would be nothing short of catastrophic.
Domain takeover fraud (also known as domain hijacking) is when a fraudster assumes control over a website domain, taking it away from the legitimate owner. Once they have control, the fraudster can do many things, such as redirecting people to phishing websites that steal their information, or papering the site with malicious advertisements that install malware when people click on them.
Domain takeovers can occur through numerous means. A domain that’s protected only by a username and password, for example, is easily stealable thanks to the billions of account credentials that are for sale on the dark web. Even domain accounts that are protected by multi-factor authentication (MFA) are at risk, because fraudsters have commoditized a variety of MFA bypass kits. Or, fraudsters can simply bypass account security measures by calling your support line and impersonating the real owner.
Learn more about helpdesk social engineering attacks →
How to Prevent Domain Takeovers with Nametag
The impact of domain takeovers can’t be overstated. On top of the financial impacts, the loss of customer trust can be devastating to a business. Verifying someone requesting domain transfer is a fast, effective way to remediate this threat. But not all methods of user verification are equally secure against modern threats like deepfakes. Enter Nametag.
Nametag provides an out-of-the-box solution to easily surface and stop imposters trying to take over someone’s domain. Any fraudster that tries to hijack a Nametag-protected domain is blocked, while legitimate domain holders enjoy a better, faster experience at a Nametag-protected support desk.
Watch a demo of helpdesk verification with Nametag →
Instead of going through along, frustrating process to prove their identity, legitimate domain owners can quickly verify themselves to you in under 30 seconds through Nametag’s mobile-native flow. The support agent on the other end of the line immediately sees in the Nametag console that the customer has successfully verified, and can move on to resolving their issue.
“With half of helpdesk requests related to password issues and account lockouts, Nametag's fast and secure ID verification means our agents can be more efficient with verifying customers therefore spending more time helping them. Our team at Newfold Digital recognized Nametag as fellow innovators. Together with our brands, we are leading the fight against domain takeover fraud.” – Sharon Rowlands, CEO of Newfold Digital
Protect Your Domain Holders with Nametag
Nametag’s account protection platform is uniquely accessible and easy to set up. You can get started in 10 minutes or less, immediately protecting your customers and support team against sophisticated social engineering attacks. Using Nametag to verify people at your helpdesk is as easy as 1-2-3:
- Open the Nametag console.
- Create and send a verification link in just two clicks.
- See the results update live in your console.
It really is that easy. Watch a demo here, explore our customer verification solutions, or contact us to learn more and discuss your particular needs.
“Newfold has distinguished themselves as a forward-thinking security leader. We're thrilled to be helping Newfold take this next proactive step to protect their customers, their employees, and their brand against fraudsters who are increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes to exploit outdated user verification methods. Nametag shuts down the threat of deepfakes and social engineering, so Newfold's team can focus on delivering superior customer-centric services.” – Aaron Painter, CEO of Nametag
