Namezero.com, a domain registrar that provides a host of free and pay-for registration services, wants to remind users that "free" does not mean, "free to do whatever you want with our services."

The Los Gatos, Calif.-based registrar issued an advanced warning to some 44,000 members earlier this month who reportedly violated the company's service terms. Violations included registering for multiple domain names, tampering with the navigation bar that resides at the bottom of all free Namezero sites (including ads that support the free service) or providing false registration information.

Officials at Namezero say all of these sites will be disabled, effective Friday, unless users upgrade to the company's pay-for service.

Although the reported violators are a relatively small fraction of Namezero's estimated two million registered users, CEO Bruce Keiser says the company has a zero tolerance policy for users that attempt to circumvent its terms of service.

Many users, he says, apparently inserted encrypted "anti-framing" code to keep banner ads off their sites.

"Namezero spends millions of dollars providing a valuable service to its members and it is not fair that violators who have not complied with the terms continue to receive the service for free," he says.

On a forgiving note, however, the company has offered violators the option of signing up for its annual paid "Personal Plus" service at a reduced charge of $24.95, normally priced at $29.95.

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