posted on October 18, 2000 07:06:33 PM new
I have an auction open with a picture in it. I always impose my email address on the pictures with the copyright mark and the year 2000.
Well lo and behold, while checking out other auctions of the same item, what do I find but my picture, with the copyright mark and My email address still on it.
I checked and at least the lowlife saved it to their own server, or I would have really had a ball with it.
Would you email them and tell them to take it down or report it to safeharbor?
posted on October 18, 2000 07:09:53 PM new
Hi bn...yes, I would email them and tell them to take it down NOW. Happened to me before and man, did it tick me off! Sheesh. I worked on those pics...sizing, making sure they are clear and nice...NOT for someone else too dam lazy to do themselves. Humph!
posted on October 18, 2000 07:09:59 PM new
I forgot to mention, this doesn't look like a new seller by the amout of feedback they have. I assume they know it is against the rules not to mention the law to steal pictures.
posted on October 18, 2000 07:23:12 PM newkellyb1 If I email them and tell them to take it down, then the evidence is gone for safeharbor to check out.
posted on October 18, 2000 09:24:50 PM new
Actually I think this falls into VERO jurisdiction. That's what safeharbor has 'made' me do when I've caught people using my images and descriptions.
posted on October 18, 2000 10:37:30 PM new
I had a similar thing happen. The other seller had a set of these items that I only had one of. She went and stole my picture, along with 4 other sellers pictures.
When I contacted the seller by email she contacted me, by phone, and said she'd take them down. Instead she edited it. She took out my seller's text and fixed the pictures to look as if all five items were in one picture. I lost my proof.
posted on October 18, 2000 11:32:27 PM new
Oh boy, the fun is about to begin. I miss read the address on the picture in their auction. It's linked to mine
I checked out a buch of their auctions and the pictures all have different addresses. Not to mention there are two sellers with the exact same descriptions. :humm
posted on October 19, 2000 12:33:05 AM new
Yes, by all means contact Safeharbor.
Then, when they send you boilerplate in a few days saying that they reviewed the listing, and found that the product he is selling is not forbidden by the eBay TOS, you can raise your blood pressure a few notches, and then reply again, reminding them that you were talking about the seller stealing your photo.
Next, when the new boilerplate arrives, telling you that the auction in question has ended, and thus there is no problem, you can jack your BP up another notch or two and *again* remind them that the seller stole your work, and that it *is* a problem, and that he continues to steal *other* sellers work..
And when the next boilerplate arrives -- with the full trail to date quoted in the body -- and tells you something to the tune of "I have no idea what you're talking about, can you try to explain what sort of problem you think you're having", well, *please* try not to put your fist through your monitor.
Yeah, on second thought, sounds like it's time to start having fun with YOUR picture files on YOUR server.
Just brace yourself in case some boilerplate-pumping drone at Safeharbor sends *you* a warning for "auction interference with another seller's listings" becase of what you did with YOUR photos.
posted on October 19, 2000 01:23:57 AM new
well, if you're really PO'ed, scan some pics out of hustler magazine, replace the scans the seller "stole" with your hustler pics, and THEN email SafeHarbor. That should do the trick.
posted on October 19, 2000 01:53:58 AM new
I don't know if SafeHarbor will do anything. If they do, it will probably take a while. If you join VeRO, you can instruct eBay to end the auction and they will end it within a few hours.
The last time this happened to me I sent an email to the seller first, notifying him not to use my pictures, but I allowed him to let the auction run out. This kind of thing is particularly annoying when the seller who is stealing your pics (and description) is in direct competition.
Anyway, the seller got pretty PO'ed but he stopped using my pictures and description. He told me I was being childish. I should have just dropped the hammer on his auction. Loser!
posted on October 19, 2000 08:17:32 AM new
I just add my web site address to my pics so if some lazy seller wants to use them, they can either try to remove my name or use them as is and I'll get some free advertising!
brnwilk already said in his opening post that the person has saved the picture to his own server, so replacing the picture w/something else won't work in this case.
Waving HI to Bill (and using ALL my fingers, this time).
posted on October 19, 2000 09:52:30 AM new
eventer:
The thread originator corrected him/herself later- the pic resides on the originator's server.
I had this happen to me a couple weeks ago (lengthy text description stolen word-for-word). I registered with VeRO, faxed in the form eBay requires certifying that I was the intellectual property owner and identifying the infringing auction number. eBay closed the auction about 10 hours later.
After the first VeRO submission, eBay gives you an email address you can use to submit future auctions that have ripped of your IP.
I wouldn't contact the other seller directly- no point, really.
posted on October 19, 2000 10:13:28 AM new
I did, but not quite as drastic as suggested. Don't want to get myself in trouble for putting adult pictures in a place when kids frequent.
