Are You Your Domain Name's Administrative Contact? Check!

If you had someone else register the domain name for your business, have you ever stopped to check who is named your Administrative Contact? If not, you should do it NOW!

When you sign up for a domain name yourself, you are asked to name a technical contact as well as the all-important administrative contact. Usually, you would put your own name down for both. But even just a couple of years ago, it was common for a web designer, registrar, host, or employee to be listed as the administrative contact, and not the business owner.

But what some domain registrars and unscrupulous web designers are doing is putting their own company or personal name as the administrative contact. What does this mean? This means that THEY own the domain name in question, and not you!

First, how can you check to see who is listed as your domain's administrative contact? Go to your registrar of choice, such as www.GoDaddy.com, type in your domain name, then click on View WHOIS. Is your own name or your business name listed as the administrative contact? If so, you have nothing to worry about.

But what if you find that you are not the administrative contact?

If the administrative contact is your registrar, check the terms on their site. Some will actually state they own the domain name, even if you have paid for it! Regardless, you should contact the registrar and request that the domain name lists you as the administrative contact.

If the contact is your web designer, ask that the name be put into your own name. If the designer is currently working for you, it should not be a problem. Same with an employee.

If the contact is a person not in your employ, you should contact your registrar to find the steps you need to take to get the domain into your own name. Depending on the type of domain name, there are different things you must do to prove you are the owner. Possible things you could be asked for include proof of credit card ownership that was used with the original domain name purchase, as well as any correspondence between you and the person listed as the contact.

Whenever you purchase a domain name, you should always ensure that you are the one listed as the administrative contact. Always register the name yourself, rather than allowing a designer or host to do it. It is always better to be safe than sorry, as many people have found out the long and costly way.

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