Hey all,

If any of you would be willing, I'd love a little help on a little project that's irritating me.

Seems some ebay Schmuck seems to like to steal pictures for his own gain. In particular, my product pictures.

I'm usually pretty lax on this, but I've asked this guy 3 times to either pull my images from his auctions or deal directly with me.

Well, the moron obviously doesn't think I'm serious.

Sooo....since you all did such a wonderful job of helping us kill an auction a while ago that was ripping off images from the CBT, I'd love your help again...

Here's the auction...
http://cgi.ebay.com/BIODIESEL-THERMOMETER-DIAL-TYPE-BIO...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

You all have my permission to report this guy to Ebay as using copyrighted images from Utah Biodiesel Supply. He's been told to pull them before, but doesn't seem to know how to listen.

The first 3 images of the thermometer came right from my site.

HIS pictures are the one's that are all blurry. Seems he doesn't know how to use a camera.

So.....
Knock yourself out & have fun!
-Graydon

Graydon,

E-Bay states:

"Note: You must own the rights to the text or images you are reporting for unauthorized use."

I reported the images prior to seeing this notice, however.

True....
Well, I've just reported him as well so we'll see what happens.

I'm normally really nice about this. I even tried to strike a deal w/ the guy once (ie. buy em from me & I don't have a problem), but after 3 tries I've given up that he's going to be reasonable.

It's part of the reason I don't care for biodiesel on Ebay. Bunch of crappy guy's involved in it. Not all of them are bad, but boy there's a bunch of bad ones on there.

-Graydon

I used to have lots of problems with people hotlinking images from my site (linking to the image directly via a URL), so I then decided that since they wanted my bandwidth to promote their site I would select the image they got to display.I switched the image name on my own site and replaced the one they were using with one of my choosing but with the same name they had, so instead of displaying say a thermometer
they would get MY choice for them.
One such example is attached.

thermometer.jpeg (12 KB, 115 downloads) Hotlinked Thermometer

clever

quote:

Originally posted by Legal Eagle:

<CUT>

I switched the image name on my own site and replaced the one they were using with one of my choosing but with the same name they had, so instead of displaying say a thermometer
they would get MY choice for them.

Yes, Legal, I was reading Graydon's post and thinking of something.....a bit different though. Having been raised on a farm during my younger years, I had thought of several alternative images.

LOL
*GRIN*

Hey Graydon.....You could easily do something like Legal has suggested.

I wonder though how hard it would be to add additional functionality ("program"??) to your website..... if someone came directly to an image, they would be redirected; versus if someone was clicking thru from a previous page, then they would see the real image.

I think it should be doable.

Does the thief live in the US ??? Get an inexpensive lawyer to write him a letter seeking $10,000 in settlement plus $500 a day for each day he keeps the photos up after he signs for the registered letter.

Another idea is to watermark your images with your website's name. If someone else uses them, consider it free advertisement. It'll draw more traffic to your site.

I do have to admit though, Legal's idea is very satisfying.

I also did the watermark idea after a rather dynamic photo was being hotlinked a little too often for my liking.From my "other" website:
The Question Mark is not trick photography. We put a bit of a groaner story with it, although the story is verbatim true. A vivid reminder that we are not alone ... I also have the pic on my wall in front of the PC, and yes I do still have the negatives. Mine all mine, yahahaha ! Have a nice day.

Change the image for something completely inappropriate on your web server. Then report his ad and watch it get pulled asap

cheers

Pom

The problem is he did a "Right-click, save as" and saved them locally & then reuploaded them.

The moron the first two times around just kept using my same image. However the third time around he got creative. If you look closely, he's photoshop'd out some of the back-ground. One image he just rotated 180 deg. The last one though he didn't even bother to change.

If he had hot-linked them, I'd most definitely pull the hot-link thing on him. Problem is he lifted them & reposted them on his server.

Yeah, I need to go watermark everything one of these days.

Luckily, this is the only one that I'm aware of. I normally wouldn't have a problem either, but damn, the guy's selling these things left & right using my images, even after I've asked him to stop so I tend to get a bit peeved at that.

His first time around the moron just lifted my whole thermometer page too. Verbatim. And posted it in his ebay auction.
Lazy A$$hole...

-Graydon

Graydon.

He is in the US; hire a cheap lawyer and have the lawyer write the legal "infringing on your copyright material" letter.

PLEASE DO IT......

Anybody else notice that his opinion rating is 666?

quote:

Originally posted by daw:
Graydon.

He is in the US; hire a cheap lawyer and have the lawyer write the legal "infringing on your copyright material" letter.

PLEASE DO IT......

That's a good idea. I'll have to talk to my lawyer.
-Gradon

quote:

Originally posted by Graydon Blair:

quote:

Originally posted by daw:
Graydon.

He is in the US; hire a cheap lawyer and have the lawyer write the legal "infringing on your copyright material" letter.

PLEASE DO IT......

That's a good idea. I'll have to talk to my lawyer.
-Gradon

$250

Lawyers are a waste of time and money..

Lawyers are the reason our society in the USA is so screwed up..

Freaking ambulance chasers and divorce catalysts..

Did anyone read the feedback for the high bidder? I read one of his auctions and he is selling biodiesel processor plans for 99 dollars!!! And more than one of them has sold.OMG,we are definitely not doing something right if this guy can sell plans for a hundred dollar bill when all the info you need is on the net for free.

Yeah, Graydon, under eBay's copyright basics he can't do that.

Report him. As for the lawyer thing, if it doesn't clear up with eBay, then get the lawyer, but wait until eBay gives you a response.

And if you want me to and I have some time, I can help watermark your pictures.

Murphy,
I couldn't agree with you more about lawyers. One could make a VERY good argument that lawyers are the single biggest reason for the degredation of society.
(Off topic,i know, but lawyers suck)

Every so often I "steal" a photo of some part to post an ad. I ask first tho.

quote:

Originally posted by Flyingpig:
Every so often I "steal" a photo of some part to post an ad. I ask first tho.

Yeah, I don't have a problem with ones like that. Especially if they ask. This guy is blatantly doing it though even though I've asked him to stop repeatedly.

I've reported him so we'll see what happens & then I'll go from there.

Thanks for all the advice.
-Graydon

Those must be Great thermometers..

Did you see the high bid on that baby?

*snicker*