Digital squatting scams surge 68%, WIPO reports record domain disputes

Digital squatting scams have seen a significant 68% rise over the past five years, impacting businesses and their reputations at an unprecedented pace, as reported by Tech Radar.

Scammers employ techniques such as typosquatting, combosquatting, TLD squatting, and homograph attacks to trick users. These fraudulent domains mimic legitimate brands, leading victims to phishing sites where credentials or payment information can be stolen. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) logged a record 6,200 domain disputes in 2025, a 68% increase since 2020. Decodo, which reported these findings, highlights that these scams not only result in financial loss but also damage brand trust due to the delivery of low-quality or non-existent services.

Decodo advises organizations to proactively register domains across various extensions beyond just .com to safeguard against impersonation and maintain customer trust in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Source: Tech Radar