Why did Donald Trump buy 3,000 domain names?

US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has quietly bought more than 3,000 domain names over the years to prevent "predatory people" from damaging his image.

Business Insider generated a report on domain database Whoisology last week, which show 3,153 web addresses registered to the Trump Organization's general counsel.

The businessman owns thousands of domains which include his presidential campaign site DonaldJTrump.com and his company site Trump.com, along with obscure Trump-related domain names that could have been used to exploiting him and his company.

One address refers to his failed liquor line purchased is IHateTrumpVodka.com.

While TrumplsFired.com references the catchphrase on his US TV show The Apprentice.

Other domains that have been bought which shed negative light to this company include TrumpNetworkSucks.com, TrumpNetworkFraud.com and DonaldTrumpPonziScheme.com.

ImBeingSuedByTheDonald.com is also owned by Trump, who is currently suing Univision after dropping its coverage of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, which he co-owns.

Other intriguing domains which hint at potential tattoo parlour ventures – TrumpTat.com – and coffee bean sales TrumpCoffeeBeans.com, as well as TrumpIceCreamParlor.com, and TrumpDoll.com

Some sites that include the names of several of Trump's children and grandchildren are also registered to the company as recently as March and April of this year.

While most of these sites are not actually online, they provide glimpses into Trump's business plans and company's anxieties about their brands.

'Protecting yourself'

According to Trump's son, Eric, the company acquired these addresses to guard against "predatory people." He told Business Insider that the company acquires "thousands" of domains each year. "It's just a smart thing to do, and it's a great way to protect yourself."

Eric Trump, who is executive vice president of development and acquisitions at the Trump Organization, revealed that the 3,000 domains registered through the general counsel's email address are only a fraction of the "tens of thousands" of URLs owned by the company.

It's a relatively common practice for businesses to buy web addresses that could be used to host attacks on them.

Former New York City mayor and entrepreneur Mike Bloomberg purchased hundreds of domains, including ones that branded him a "weiner" and a "moron".

View the full list of domains owned by Donald Trump.