An online business that uses a free domain name to generate revenue has been inundated with angry messages after it was revealed they were registering new domain names.

Key points:Auckland businesses and organisations have been inundate with angry emails about the ‘illegal’ practiceKey pointsAuckland-based web domain names have become a hot topic after the ‘unlawful’ registration processAuckland Business Association chairwoman Anne Murray said the new names were becoming an issueThe issue was “absolutely” a big problem for the ABA, she said.

Auckland’s businesses and other organisations were inundated in recent weeks with “widespread and overwhelming” angry messages, including a threat to sue them.

The issue of registering new names online was raised when the ABIA found that many people were registering their new websites using a “free” domain name.

The ABA was notified that the new domain name registration was illegal and it had been inundating its members with calls to its office and email list to complain.

“It’s been a massive problem,” Ms Murray said.

“We’re seeing people getting calls from overseas and we’re getting emails saying ‘how dare you do that, you’re making a massive mistake’.”

“I’ve got hundreds of emails on the phone right now.”

A lot of people have had to change their email addresses, change their passwords, change the email addresses of people they’ve spoken to.

“A new domain registration website, which allows businesses to register their websites without a business name, has become an issue for the Auckland Business Association (ABA).

The website lets businesses register their names online without a company name, but with the domain name as a parameter.”

Our member’s have been contacted by people saying that they’re not going to register, they’re going to change the domain and then they’re getting a very large amount of complaints,” Ms MacLaren said.

An Auckland business is now using a domain registration site to set itself up without a registered business name.

What are domain names?

Domain names are short, generic and descriptive names used to identify websites and services.

The name is usually short enough to be easily recognised and easy to remember.”

There are a lot of different types of domain names,” Ms McLaren explained.”

For example, there are short-hand domain names which have a number and a dot in it, and there are longer-hand names which can be longer.

“And then there are more complicated domain names.”

Ms Murray said that when she was asked about the issue last year, she was told that the AGB was “not a registered domain name registry”.

“There’s no registration and they don’t know how to do it,” she said, adding that the organisation was “very disappointed” to learn of the “unlawfulness” of the practice.

“This is the most common domain name that we’re seeing.”

When we started, it was for us, and now we’re being inundated.

“Ms MacLarens group is a “member’s only” organisation, which means that members have to pay $5 a year for the service.”

I’m pretty upset,” Ms McGarvey said.

The organization’s business has not been affected by the new registration.”

The AGB has a member’s only membership policy and we don’t have to do anything, so we’re not really in a position where we have to make any changes to our website,” she explained.

Ms Murray, who has been chair of the AAB since 2007, said she was surprised to learn that people were using the new name.”

That was our domain name, so obviously it’s not our domain, so what’s the point of going to our members to change our domain?” she said