It started simply enough - and that should have made me suspicious. It was a small job - a friend of my business partner wanted to redo their website. It was a small business website, and a quick search on Google showed ma a great SERP. All the site needed was some updating to improve the design. They were also looking for an easier way to update the site. So, a content management system was to be added. And, the site needed to be added to Google Local search. Easiest things first - Local Search, and the first indication there was a problem.

Part way through setting up Local Search, Google asks me if I want to claim another business in the city with the same name but a different street address. A little research and I find a few sites using the the business name - but different addresses and contact numbers. The client says the contacts are for his ex-wife's new partner and it will referred to his lawyer. A little voice in the back of my head is saying there is something wrong. But, I ignore it -- time to setup the database for the CMS. The client had given me FTP access to the site - but I need to log in to client's account manager to setup the database. However, the client doesn't seem to know how to do that.

The voice is getting louder - I still ignore it. Instead, I contact the hosting service and have them email the client the instructions on accessing his account manager. After four days I still hadn't heard from the client. There is now a chorus of voices - they are too loud to ignore. I finally do what I should have done in the first place - check 'whois'. Bingo - the site is registered in the ex-wife's name. If I had tried to make any changes I could have been breaking the law.

I usually check 'whois' to get the hosting service, what type of server the site is on and even registration. This time, because it was a friend of a friend, I neglected to check the registration.I don't know what the legal implications would have been if I had changed anything on the site. I do know I don't want the expense of having to hire a lawyer to find out.

The moral of the story always check who actually owns a site. I am sure the client believes he owns the site. But, as a professional, I should have known who owned it. It's a mistake I am not likely to repeat.