I am involved in the business of selling domain names on various websites. Despite fierce competition, I occasionally make a profit. However, the most frustrating thing about this business is that for every domain name I successfully sell, there are about five instances of theft.

Under the guise of being customers, thieves register for competitions and end up "winning" domain names that they had actually stolen from someone else's account. This results in my own domain names being registered under different names within a few days. In December 2021, I had five domain names stolen from me in this manner. As a result, I have decided to register one of my domain names for myself and am now contemplating how to go about selling it.
If anyone has any advice, I would be grateful to hear it.

What do you think about creating a name and submitting it to a competition without registering it yourself?

The only way is to register the domain for yourself and then resell it. If the name is truly valuable, someone will purchase it (not necessarily a customer, but someone else). If it doesn't sell, then you may have overestimated its worth.

I know that most often the theft of domains occurs in the .com zone, since it is a simple registration and transfer of rights to domains here. To exclude the possibility of domain theft, you can immediately make settings with your registrar so that the domain cannot be transferred automatically. Also, you should not open access to your personal data with the registrar, it is better to hide information from public viewing. Having all the documents on hand that you are the owner of the domain, you can sue the scammers and get yours back.

These are some of the most expensive domain names ever sold:

1. Lasvegas.com was sold for $90 million in 2019 to Vegas.com by Stephens Media.

2. Carinsurance.com was sold for $49.7 million in 2010 to QuinStreet.

3. Insurance.com was also sold to QuinStreet for $35.6 million.

4. Privatejet.com was purchased by Nations Luxury Transportation from Don't Look Media.com for $30.2 million in 2012.

5. Voice.com was sold to Block.one in 2019 for $30 million by MicroStrategy Incorporated.

6. Internet.com was acquired by QuinStreet in 2009 along with other domains from the WebMediaBrands news agency.

7. 360.com was sold for $17 million in 2015 to Qihoo 360 Technology by Vodafone.

Other notable domain sales include NFTS.com, which was bought for $15 million in 2022, and Tesla.com, which Elon Musk purchased for over $11 million in 2016 after more than 10 years of effort.

Kudos to you for taking proactive measures to protect your domain name by registering it under your own name. That's a great first step in safeguarding your digital property. Now, when it comes to selling your domain name, you'll want to ensure you're taking the necessary precautions to avoid falling prey to those scoundrels again.

Here's a piece of advice: consider using an escrow service to facilitate the transaction. This way, the buyer's payment is held by a trusted third-party until the domain name has been successfully transferred to their account. This adds an extra layer of security and helps prevent fraudulent activities.

Another strategy is to use a domain name marketplace that has built-in protections against domain name theft. Some popular marketplaces, like Sedo or GoDaddy Auctions, have robust security measures in place to prevent hijacking. They often require buyers to verify their identities and may even offer additional services like domain name locking to prevent unauthorized transfers.

When negotiating with potential buyers, be cautious of those who are overly aggressive or pushy. Legitimate buyers will understand the need for due diligence and will be willing to work with you to ensure a smooth transaction. Be wary of buyers who insist on using unconventional payment methods or try to rush the process.
Consider implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) on your domain name registrar account. This adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to your account.