Many businesses work with marketing and SEO companies to improve their online presence. While this can be helpful, handing over full access to your online assets can be a costly mistake if things go wrong.

In fact, many companies only realise the danger after an agency has taken control of their domain or hosting.

Why Giving Full Access Is a Major Red Flag

Some marketing companies ask for full control over:

  • Your domain account
  • Your hosting
  • Your website admin
  • DNS settings
  • Email services

This is unnecessary in most cases.

When an agency has full control, you become completely dependent on them. If the relationship turns sour, they can lock you out or even hold your domain hostage. This unfortunately happens more than people think.

Granting this level of access can open you up to:

  • Security breaches
  • Data theft
  • Unauthorized changes
  • Losing ownership of your domain
  • Long delays getting your online assets back

If something goes wrong, getting control again can be slow and stressful.

Provide Only What Is Needed

Instead of handing over everything, the safer approach is to give limited access.

Examples:

  • Point the nameservers to their servers
  • Give access only to specific DNS records
  • Create a separate user account with limited privileges
  • Use temporary credentials when possible

This lets the marketing company do their job while you stay in control.

Set Clear Boundaries From the Start

When working with any marketing company, make sure you define:

  • What they need access to
  • What they don’t need
  • Who owns what (the domain, the website, the content)
  • How access will be removed if the partnership ends
  • How passwords and credentials will be shared

A good agency will never demand ownership of your domain. If they insist, that’s a serious warning sign.

The Legal Side (Important)

A marketing company has no legal right to take ownership of your domain unless you clearly transferred ownership to them.

If they move your domain into their own account without permission, it may be considered:

  • Unauthorized access
  • Theft of a digital asset
  • Breach of contract or misuse of credentials

In many countries, domains are treated similarly to property, so controlling someone else’s domain without consent can have legal consequences.

If a company refuses to give it back, you do have options.

What To Do If Someone Holds Your Domain Hostage

If an agency takes over your domain or won’t return access, follow these steps:

1. Contact the Registrar

Reach out to the registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) and explain that:

  • You are the rightful owner
  • The domain was transferred without consent

They will ask for proof such as invoices, emails, or business documents.

2. File an ICANN Complaint

For .com, .net, .org, etc., you can file a complaint with ICANN for domain hijacking or abuse.

3. Send a Formal Legal Notice

This can be written by you or a lawyer. Often, a simple notice demanding the return of the domain is enough to make the company act.

4. Report the Company

Depending on your country you can report them to:

  • ICANN Abuse
  • Registrar Abuse Team
  • Cybercrime agencies
    • US example: IC3.gov
  • BBB (US)
  • Trading standards / consumer protection

5. Lawyer as Last Resort

Most companies back down after receiving a lawyer’s letter. They usually don’t want legal trouble, especially for something as clear-cut as domain ownership.

Keep Control of Your Digital Assets

Your domain name is one of the most important assets your business owns. Losing control of it can shut down your website, emails, marketing, and brand identity.

Always:

  • Keep domain ownership under your account
  • Use strong passwords and 2FA
  • Store proof of ownership
  • Limit access as much as possible
  • Ask questions before signing any contract

A professional marketing company should work with you, not take over your entire online presence.

Useful Resources

These trusted sources offer additional guidance on digital security:

These can help you stay safe when working with external partners.

Final Thoughts

Always be cautious before handing over domain hosting access or other sensitive credentials. By giving only what is necessary, setting clear rules, and understanding your rights, you protect your business and avoid situations where someone else controls your online identity.