WHNT a television station in Huntsville Alabama doesn’t seem to know much about domain names, at least when it comes to domain names that expire.

In a story entitled Domain Name Hijacking Is Yours Vulnerable?

“”If you own a domain name for your business or hobby, take heed. Domain name squatters are hijacking expired domain names. “

“Failing to register your domain name again before it expires puts you at risk. Another entity can purchase it and hold the domain name for ransom, demanding payment of thousands of dollars in order to return it.”

“For companies that have refused to pay the ransom, the threats have escalated to placing a porn site on the domain in retaliation. Costs add up quickly in this situation, not only in terms of repurchasing the domain name, but also loss of business and potential litigation.”

The story goes on to say:

“”What should you do to protect your domain name? Here are some precautions:

Keep domain name registration records accurate and current.
Keep registrant account information, passwords or other credentials private and secure.
Only grant registration account access and change control to parties in registrant’s organization that involve domain name registration.
Know critical restoration of domain name procedures listed by your service provider.
Request domain names be placed on Registrar-Lock.
Routinely check domain name information to insure no unauthorized changes have been made to the contact information.
Choose a registrar who issues a transfer pending notification as its standard practice.””

Obviously the station has confused the expiration of domain names for non-payment of renewal fees with a lot of other issues including hacking into registrar accounts;  theft of domain names; unauthorized transfers of non-expired domain names.

Matter of fact of out of the 7 precautions listed on two have anything to do with the subject of the article which is don’t let your domain name expire.

On the other hand some “precautions” not listed by the television station are:

Put your domain name on auto-renew with your registrar; just make sure your change the card on file if your CC number, expiration date, or CID number changes

Renew your domain name out for 10 years. You don’t only have to renew domains

You can consider filing a federally registered trademark on your domain which may give you extra protection if you allow the domain name to expire.

If you do let your domain expire because you failed to renew your domain,  its not due to any malicious action like hacking as the TV station would have you believe.

If you let your domain expire, its your fault.

Don’t lay your failure at the feet of the new owner.

Also once someone else registers a domain you used to own, realize that the new owner may have no interest in selling the domain, regardless of how much “randsom” the former owner is willing to pay