Many businesses and individuals create emails on their own domains (e.g. [email protected]). This looks good from a professional standpoint. It adds credibility and trust to your business.
But there are technical and security aspects that are often overlooked.
What Happens When You Let the Domain Expire?
If you decide you no longer need the domain, close your website, or accidentally let it expire — trouble can follow. Expired domains are often bought immediately by spammers, marketers, SEOs, and other opportunists. Especially if your domain had good backlinks, traffic history, or was part of a respected brand.
And what happens to your email?
Even if the new owner doesn’t need your email specifically, it’s very easy for them to recreate it. Once the domain is hosted again, any email sent to your old address (e.g. [email protected]) can start landing in a system mailbox automatically.
The Risks
- Account Takeovers
Any accounts where your old branded email was used as a login or for password recovery are now vulnerable. If an attacker controls the domain, they can intercept reset links or verification emails. - Email Spoofing & Phishing
The new domain owner can send emails using the same addresses you used before. They can impersonate your brand, scam your contacts, or damage your reputation. - Loss of Trust
Imagine an old client wants to reconnect and emails your previous address. Instead of reaching you, their message lands in the inbox of someone who may be using your domain for shady promotions—or worse, a competitor. The new owner can reply as if they were you, using your exact former email address. That’s not just unprofessional — it’s dangerous.
What You Can Do
- Renew Your Domain
If you’re serious about your privacy and communication, make sure you renew your domain on time. A good practice is to register it for the next 10 years. This reduces the risk of forgetting and can save you money in the long run. - Use Domain Auto-Renew
Enable auto-renewal with your domain registrar to avoid accidental expiration. - Use a Long-Term Backup Email
For critical logins, consider using an email address on a major provider you personally control (e.g. Gmail, Outlook) as a fallback. Avoid using only custom domains for everything important.
Final Note:
Once your domain expires and is no longer under your control, you lose all ability to stop others from using or spoofing addresses like [email protected]. If your domain was tied to business, legal, or sensitive communication, this can lead to serious issues.
Be smart. Own your domain, or someone else will.