I have seen this happen all too often. All sorts of problems can occur when a business owner trusts their web developer too much and doesn't ask the right questions when arranging their domain and website. Sometimes I can't fix these issues purely because the law is on the side of whoever is registered as the domain owner. Hiring a web designer is an important decision. You should ensure prior to allowing someone to handle your online presence that they are honest and actually care about your business. Often once a developer has your money they aren't really concerned whether your business succeeds or not.