Someone uses your work as their own

[AJF]

How would you feel if you see a picture of your work posted on another website as something they had done. Several years ago I did project for a couple and I posted some pictures of the project on this forum. The people at Vectric also did an article on this project http://www.vectric.com/cool-stuff/case- ... irway.html which I was quite happy about. Today a friend informed me that he had seen a picture from this project posted on a website which I have no connection with http://dbmcnccutting.com/services/. To say the least I was pissed off. If you would feel the same way I do if your work was used in such a manner, then maybe send them a e-mail expressing that info@dbmcnccutting.com

[mezalick]

Sorry to hear this..
My suggestion...Call them and explain your position.
I had our entire website copied, including some of the work we did.
The owner claimed it was his young son who did that...
They never changed their site so I redid ours..

I've also had churches use my designs for their Sunday posters...

All in all, the best we can do is take a stand and try our best to stop thins.

Michael

[mezalick]

Well , this is not good.....
I looked over the site in question and found my work...

They will be hearing from my attorney...

Thanks for the tip.
Michael

[4DThinker]

Lots of typos on that site. Clearly a business with no talent or morals and I'm doubtful they could actually produce much of what they show of other people's work. JMHO.

4D

[PaulRowntree]

Looks like David Mills is the guy in charge there. http://dbmcnccutting.com/staff/

Since they know they are scoundrels, quiet shame is probably not going to work. What about the

Asheville NC Better Business Bureau ( https://www.bbb.org/charlotte/business- ... complaints )

the Chamber of Commerce ( http://www.ashevillechamber.org/ )

[martin54]

This is not uncommon & goes on in a lot of industries. Working as a signmaker (cad cut vinyl & printed graphics) I have seen this quite a lot over the years.
It is a breach of copyright & as the owner of the original work you do have rights. I would start by emailing them & asking them to remove any of your images from their website.
On another forum I use one of the members has recently taken someone to court for using images of work they had produced & obtained a favourable result

I can't link to it as it's in a members only section of the forum but I will ask David if I can copy & paste the post he made about the procedure he followed to resolve this.

[AJF]

I have asked them to remove my work from their website. But no response yet. On another issue with another company I had gone to their states Better Business Bureau and had filed a compliant against the company but had no luck getting a response from the BBB or that company as well. It almost seems that this practice is becoming an acceptable way of doing business.

[garylmast]

Years ago when I was building my business and money was always tight, I was constantly approached by the Better Business Bureau for membership. When I declined, they threatened to give me a bad rating. In turn, I called the local newspaper and television station and showed them the extortion. My belief in the BBB is they're nothing but a scam. I would be surprised if anybody reading this post first calls the BBB to get a rating on a company before they do business with them. I think exposing, or threatening to expose bad business practices in the media would get the company's attention more than reporting them to the BBB.

[DLWOODWORKS]

Years ago when I was building my business and money was always tight, I was constantly approached by the Better Business Bureau for membership. When I declined, they threatened to give me a bad rating. In turn, I called the local newspaper and television station and showed them the extortion. My belief in the BBB is they're nothing but a scam. I would be surprised if anybody reading this post first calls the BBB to get a rating on a company before they do business with them. I think exposing, or threatening to expose bad business practices in the media would get the company's attention more than reporting them to the BBB.

I've had the same thing happen with the Spokane, WA "Better Business Bureau". They kept calling and telling me that people were calling with complaints about my business and my rating was in jeopardy of being dropped way down. I asked them who the customers were so I could contact them and find out what was wrong. They wouldn't give me the names of my "customers" who were "calling" them with complaints. I'm pretty sure it was just a scam to get me to sign on. I don't have much trust in BBB's, locally or across the country. It think it's an organization that has done its time and it is now time for the organization to go away as they've appeared to become quite corrupt and unethical during their membership drives.

[dwilli9013]

The company in question actually list the most popular methods around right in the title page. No better way can be found to get the word out better than social media. Between Facebook Twitter Instagram and Google plus it can be made pretty tough on a business trying grow when they are being bashed in social media.
This is why I am trying to grow my portfolio before I even think about giving this a go as a small business. It is unfortunate indeed that this thing still happens. Many times I believe this is the sort of thing that scares many Artisans and keeps them from trying to start a business. These days it is so easy to jack an image of the internet it isn't even funny. But jacking an image and then claiming it as your own takes it to a whole new level.

[Oldmanofgf]

I wish you luck in getting this site to do anything they just close that site and open another. As far Lawers about all you get is to spend lots of $$$$$
Been there done that
Glenn

[SteveNelson46]

First of all let me express my condolences and sympathy for all of those who have had their work copied or stolen. In my opinion, anyone who steals someone else’s property, physical or intellectual, should be punished to the maximum extent of the law. This brings me to the topic I really wanted to express my opinion about. The law.

We all have opinions. Whether based on actual laws or just a moral feeling of what is right or wrong, the intent to express this opinion about copyright laws is genuine. However, very few really understand the system and how it works. Even attorneys that are well trained in the field will avoid discussing the subject because of it’s complexity.

If one feels that they have been wronged the first step is to contact the perpetrator and request them to cease their activity. That usually doesn’t lead to any acceptable results and is almost always ignored.

The next step would be to retain an attorney. Attorney retainer fees can range from $500.00 to several thousand dollars. Then, several thousand dollars later in a court of law, if it gets that far, one would have to prove that it is indeed their property that was stolen. For example, when was it released, was it released to a public website, was the original design unique enough to be classified as their own, etc. Then they would also have to prove how much of the “parts” is actually theirs and how much was actually plagiarized.

This doesn’t even begin to outline the topics that could be discussed in court. Copyright lawsuits are extremely difficult to win and are usually so expensive that one could not possibly recover the cost. Even large businesses avoid these kinds of lawsuits.

So, I really want to laugh when I hear or read “you will hear from my attorney”. It’s not a laughing matter but emotional responses are.

[mezalick]

Well I have some good news to report.
After contacting the company with the pictures of my work, and with several Facebook postings, I received an email with an apology and a statement that the site has been turn off until all images could be verified.
The web designer was instructed to only use "non-licensed images that illustrate capacity"...obviously he did not follow the contract.

It does speak well for the company to address this issue so quickly...

Michael

[Oldmanofgf]

Great news I glad he was up front with you.
Glenn

[martin54]

Steve, I don't disagree with what you have said at all & until fairly recently thought exactly the same way but someone on another forum I use has taken a Company to court for using images of their work & actually won the case.
This was done through the small claims court so didn't cost a fortune to take out an action against the offender. The images have now been removed from the website so progress was made, will he ever get paid the money he was awarded ?? Well time will tell
Being small claims court it wasn't a lot of money, David said he went through with it more as a point of principle than anything else as it wasn't going to cost him to much money.

So there may be a way for some of us small fish to actually do something about others using our work without our knowledge