News archive

Helen Aaremäe-Saar: Why We Must Stand Up for Our Digital Identity

When we hear stories like this, many of us think, “That would never happen to me,” or even, “How could anyone fall for something like that?” But the truth is, fraud doesn’t care about your age, gender, or where you live. These scams work by playing with human emotions like trust, fear, or pressure.

Some scams are done through phone calls or harmful software that gets installed on your computer. But there’s another, sneakier method that’s often overlooked - domain names. You might wonder what kind of harm could one domain name really do? The answer: a lot more than you’d expect.

What Is a Domain Name and Why Does It Matter?

Think of a domain name like a house number on the internet. It’s how people find your digital home, whether you're a business or an individual. Without a domain name, your website, email, or online presence simply doesn’t exist.

But what happens if someone else registers your domain name and uses it for something bad? What if they direct your visitors to a fake page to steal their information?

That kind of attack can cause serious damage. It can ruin your reputation and open the door for scammers to collect personal data from your website’s visitors. And it doesn’t just affect businesses or big brands, but anyone, including regular people, can become a target.

Real-Life Examples: Who Owns Your Name Online?

Anyone can register a domain name, as long as the name is available. The main rule is that the person registering the domain must make sure they’re not breaking someone else’s rights, like using a protected trademark. But in the domain world, there’s a saying: “First come, first served.” That means whoever gets there first can usually keep the name.

People are often warned to check the sender's email address if something looks suspicious, for example, if you get a message from info@maksuametkond.ee instead of the real Estonian Tax and Customs Board. But what if the domain name itself looks correct?

Imagine getting an email from kerstikaljulaid.ee - the name of a former president of Estonia. The message invites you to a special event and asks for a small donation. Everything looks proper. The name seems trustworthy. But here's the problem: just because a domain name looks real doesn’t mean it belongs to the real person.

Scammers can register almost any domain name that isn’t already taken. Even names that look official or well-known. If you trust a message just because of the domain name, you might end up sending money or personal info to a fraudster.

That’s exactly what happened with kerstikaljulaid.ee. Someone else registered the domain and wanted to sell it for profit. While nothing illegal had happened yet, the risk was very real. A fake website could have been set up to spread false news or damage the former president’s reputation.

Another case was erikorgu.ee, where the name of a well-known public figure was used to display ads, basically turning his name into an online billboard. In both cases, the Domain Disputes Committee (DDC) decided that these names should belong to the actual people, not strangers trying to profit off someone else’s identity.

The DDC follows the same rule for personal names, trademarks, companies, state agencies, local governments, and even international organizations. If a domain name is identical or confusingly similar to someone else’s name or right — and the registrant has no real reason to use it — the complaint is usually approved.

Owning Just One Domain Extension Isn’t Enough

Some people think they’re safe just because they own one version of their domain like .com. But what about .ee or other extensions?

A well-known Estonian blogger, Mallukas, uses mallukas.com. But she didn’t register the domain mallukas.ee. So someone else did. That person used the site to collect information from confused visitors and later tried to sell the domain back for profit.

This shows why protecting your name online means registering it under multiple extensions. If you don’t, someone else might grab it and that can lead to financial loss or damage to your reputation. Whether you’re a business or a private person, protecting your domain name is a key part of cybersecurity.

Everyone from business owners to public figures to everyday people, should think about how to protect their name and identity online. Domain name scams don’t happen every day, but when they do, the damage can be huge. The easiest way to stop it is to register your domain before someone else does. Yes, the DDC is there to help resolve conflicts, but prevention is always the best protection.

Making .ee Domain Protection More Accessible

Protecting your online identity should be something everyone can afford. The examples above were civil cases, since domain name registration itself is not a crime. That means the police don’t investigate these cases — they’re handled by the Domain Disputes Committee.

Still, they show just how easily anyone can become a victim. More and more often, private individuals are affected, especially those whose work depends on personal branding, like entrepreneurs, influencers, or politicians.

At the Estonian Internet Foundation, we’ve seen that one major barrier to filing a domain dispute was the high fee, especially for private individuals or non-profit groups. That’s why we have made a major change: the dispute fee was lowered by 44% for individuals and non-profit organizations.

Now, thousands of .ee owners have better access to justice. This new pricing model helps build a safer and cleaner internet for everyone.

A domain name might seem harmless, but in the wrong hands, it can be as powerful a tool for fraud as a phone call. Protect yourself wisely and stay alert!