It finally happened

1. 78

   wildernessposted 14 years ago

   I've seen many posts about thieves stealing the work of various hubbers; it finally happened to me. 
   
   Someone operating a site on air compressors visited my hub on compressors and left the following comment 3 hours ago:
   
   i am trying my best to put a great updates on best air compressors out there, took some help from this and thanks for putting upo great info out here
   
   Lo and behold, one entire capsule was copied and pasted into his web site!  Unfortunately it appears to be in Shangai with no google ads, so we'll see if my return comment and email does anything.
   
   The thief even left a link to the site in his signature.

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      Sunnyglitterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I've had this happen with some of my EHow articles (one of which has over 75,000 views...so I can only imagine how many more I would have had without the thief), so I know how frustrated you are.  I emailed the culprit, and he took my article down...or so I thought.  I went back to his site after reading your post here, and my article is posted again (in his name)!  UGH.
      
      I'm sorry you had to go through this.  I know how frustrating it is.  I hope you get it all worked out.

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         christoss1959posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Where did the thief post your content? Most sites have reporting for stealing of content.. Even if he operates under his own domain you could potentially report him to his domain provider and that could shut his site down..

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            wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            This is the bookmark I made of the site page:
            
            ht tp://www.air-compressor-china.com/article/2010/1111/427.html
            
            It seems to return some kind of error code in chinese, with a link to MS that explains what the error is.
            
            The site itself is still there, but the page of my work is just an error code (I think - I don't read Chinese!).  Everything I looked at in the rest of the site is still copied and pasted though, and probably stolen as well.  At least mine is gone, but the whole thing needs shut down.

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               christoss1959posted 14 years agoin reply to this

               He probably took it down after you emailed him, so at this point no harm done. I think this is a generic message from this persons provider saying that the page does not exist anymore.
               That is lucky for you since the person registered his domain from a china domain service so you might had some problems of convincing them to take the site down.

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   2. 0

      ssaulposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      that would have made fire and smoke out my ears, damn the hard work we put in only to get thieves hijack it! smh

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         wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         It does about make that fire and smoke.  I actually doubt it will hurt me at all; their site wasn't impressive and mostly stolen material so someone will get them in the end.  It's just the idea that thieves had struck me.  I hate common thieves.

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2. 87

   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   don't you feel violated? I can't believe what people will do. I once had someone change my 'he' to a 'she' and used my hub word for word. we got his entire account removed from that site.
   sometimes you may find luck with an email. hope it works for you.

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3. 60

   KristenGraceposted 14 years ago

   So sorry to hear that happened to you!!!! That would make me feel so frustrated ... I'm angry FOR you!!

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4. 78

   wildernessposted 14 years ago

   I can't figure it out.  Is he stupid?  Leaving a link in the signature!  Does he just not know about copyrights?  His own site says it is copyrighted!  Does he not care?  I don't get it.
   
   And yes, I'm just a little irritated.  Say about enough to chew nails.

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      Julie2posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thats like robbing a bank and leaving them a thank you note with your name and forwarding address, what an ass! I'm glad it worked out because now you know who do it...
      
      Sorry for the way that persons actions made you feel!

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         wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Oh, I'll get over it.  Maybe. 
         
         On the other hand, it's another learning experience - I get to learn about DMCA complaints and what it will look like to have a copied hub. 
         
         Or maybe I'll write a hub about internet thieves.  With links and names.

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            Julie2posted 14 years agoin reply to this

            wilderness that is not a bad idea. That would actually be good to do, name names when it comes to those people that have done that. There have been a few hubbers that have posted the thieves names on forum discussions as well as the site they have posted the stolen materials.

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               wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               I would have posted a link to the site here, but the nature of the site (they sell air compressors) would seem too limited for them to be stealing from other hubbers.  Plus, of course, I don't want to give them another backlink.  In due course I will delete the comment from my hub as it contains a link to them and somehow I'm not feeling very generous with my links today!

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5. 76

   Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

   Oh no, wilderness! If you must chew nails, I hope they are only fingernails!
   Given that the idiot who stole your work led you right to where he posted it, you can file a DMCA complaint.
   Or you can contact him directly and tell him you want citation credit on his reference to your work!
   Arrgh. It is frustrating and definitely feels like a violation.
   Like being robbed - because it IT being robbed.

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      wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Actually I found him by googling a chunk of the hub - just a feeling that something wasn't right. 
      
      So far I've contacted the site and left a comment on the article, but I don't really expect any response from either.  A DMCA complaint will be next in a couple of days.
      
      And I don't want citation credit - I want it %^*& removed! 
      
      You're right - it's like being robbed because that's exactly what it is.  I spent the time working out that hub - not that jerk and he is using it for his own purposes.

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6. 61

   Ellarose92posted 14 years ago

   wow people are crazy these days why would you steal someones work, its just not right espcially when you put in the hard work to write your hub. I'm truly sorry and hopes his site gets shut down

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   Docmoposted 14 years ago

   Kinda gets me worried as I've published poems and some of my original stories... wonder how many ideas get stolen?

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      wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      More than a few.  I've seen many threads on theft - some thieves go at it wholesale, stealing dozens.
      
      The outfit that took mine has stolen several others as well, though none I saw from HP.

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      1. 59

         Julie2posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         After I read this I went on hub defender and started checking my hubs and found one of my stories that I actually published on Christmas day copied and pasted to a site called Webgossipblog on January 13th. I clicked on it and a screen came up that said the user had been suspended. I just checked to see if it was still on the internet and it is gone. Thanks to whoever caught this before me and shut the person down. I felt violated when I saw that. Now I know how it feels. It sure as hell is not a good feeling at all.
         
         I wish there was a way for the work to be date and time stamped after it is published. This information could show next to our name in the article that is written. This would help when we have to report these ass&^%$#. It would make it easier to prove that it was stolen. I dont know just a thought.

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            wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            It is dated and stamped, just not visible to readers.  You can see the date of publication, and google knows it as well.  If that date was visible to all readers it would simply be removed by the thieves, so we'll have to content with what we have. 
            
            I think it's something we all have to get used to - if we continue to write some will be stolen.  Vigorous reaction will control, but not eliminate, such thefts and it is important we take such action because if we don't it will grow to the point where it isn't worth anything to publish.
            
            I'm sorry it happened to you, but not sorry you caught it even if it was already corrected.

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               Julie2posted 14 years agoin reply to this

               You are right! I have to educate myself on DMCA so that I can know what to do next time.

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8. 69

   travelespressoposted 14 years ago

   Its a horrid feeling Wilderness.  I felt violated when it happened.  Someone stole one of my recipes and story attached to it.  Its personal and my mum took the photos.  Its ALL been copied and passed off as his/her own.  I've left two messages on the site saying they've stolen it and I filed a complaint.  So far no action.
    
   Hope you are able to get this removed and removed quickly!

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      wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That's REALLY over the edge, and we can only hope that the thief is completely shut down.  Perhaps google's new upcoming policy will help us all here (hope, hope).
      
      I'm mostly just mad about mine, but it isn't a personal story either.  Should someone steal of of those few I've written and post it as their own I'm sure I would feel as you do.  Keep fighting it, travelespresso - it's all we can do.
      
      I absolutely hate thieves - I work in the building trades and it is a constant battle on our job sites, ranging from someone else on the job stealing small hand tools to major thefts of high dollar equipment and materials at night when no one is there.  This is no different - it's still personal property we've worked hard to produce that someone steals for their own use.

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9. 0

   Stevennix2001posted 14 years ago

   that really stinks.  can't say i know how you feel. (knock on wood) however, I'm sorry to hear that.  hopefully, you'll be able to take legal action against the bastard.

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10. 78

    wildernessposted 14 years ago

    Well, I got a return email this morning:
    
    dear (Wilderness)
        Thank you for reminding, we just want more people to understand the air compressor, inadvertently violated your copyright, we will as soon as possible, to bring you a worry, we apologize!
    
    richard zhu
    
    What a joke!  Nearly half of the pages on his site are clearly stolen from all over the web!  It really galls me that every page on the site clearly states the work is copyrighted, but apparently other peoples copyrights don't mean anything.

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       prettydarkhorseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I still have two hubs copied in two Chinese sites, I am frustrated with it wilderness and I am glad that the site who copied your content will take action.

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          wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I feel for you - it's frustrating enough without it being a chinese site.
          
          As to the action - we'll see.  I really doubt they will do anything - anyone with that much stolen content that they then claim a copyright to knows better.

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             prettydarkhorseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Right, tell us what will happen.

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       china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Theft of stuff is a big issue and I am surpirsed that the big players have not done more to protect the small users like us.
       
       I would be a little patient and see what comes back from your Mr Zhu, China has quite strict regs about using copied material internally -  I know this from re-editing translated works that contain these references to Chinese law.  Some over-zealous sales person may be responsible and the company may yet remove it or offer you something, their leaving you the trace back to them might indicate that they are not acting maliciously on purpose. But a bit of time might tell.
       
       Given a bit of time I will try to find out the actual situation regarding this and what can be done in China about it.

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          Randy Godwinposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Glad we have a "China" connection!    Now if anyone is stealing grits articles......

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             wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             You gotta be kidding, right?  No one actually eats that stuff do they?

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                Randy Godwinposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                Sacrilege to a southerner, Wilderness! Trying to start another Civil War? 

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                   wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   Hah!  I spent 22 years in Virginia, just a few miles north of the capital of the south - had grits just once.  That was enough.
                   
                   Finally got back to God's country in the northwest where the natives don't eat such strange stuff.  Pemmican, maybe, but not (shudder) grits.

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                      Ellarose92posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                      Ahh I live in Virginia! Anyway how do you find these Chinese websites when your checking? How do you check?  I think this is awful for people to do.

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                         wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                         I did a google search for a chunk of the material I had written - it showed up twice exactly the same.  Once for the hub and once for the stolen content.

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          wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I hope you're right, although I'm not really interested in something like a backlink from an unrated site that consists mostly of stolen material.

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    accofrancoposted 14 years ago

    dumbfounded....hmmm....who knows if i am a victim or a potential victim...who's next???...somethings needs to be done to protect us all....

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       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       If you are not a victim already, your 53 hubs guarantees that you are a potential victim.  We all are.

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    IzzyMposted 14 years ago

    Wilderness, a Chinese site stole my work last year and didn't remove it despite my writing to them. I couldn't complain to google because the site was neither indexed nor carried ads. But then I found their host was in the US so I filed a DMCA. I never got a reply - I assumed it was held up because of the new year Holidays, and was about to write again when I happened to notice that the site had been removed!
    Maybe you will find that too - have you checked where their host is?

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       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       No, not yet.  I thought a couple of days to see if they removed it, then begin other action.  I did notice that they carried no ads, but not if it was indexed.  Although it must have been - I found it by searching for a piece of my hub.
       
       Still, the idea of finding the host has merit; if the offending piece isn't down in a day or so I'll start looking at further action.
       
       Thanks, Izzy.

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13. 75

    IzzyMposted 14 years ago

    Now that you know what it feels like to have your work stolen, you will understand why I feel so strongly about Hubpages allowing duplicate content on here. We, as a group, should stand together and not permit those who plagiarise to chat in the forums, nor act as if what they are doing is normal. It isn't. It's theft and it's horrible.

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       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I hadn't noticed this post before.  I would certainly agree, with the only concern being that not all copied content is stolen - some belongs to the writer in question.  How do we tell the difference?
       
       I know there have been a few hubbers that have posted stolen content, but it has always seemed that they were snubbed pretty badly (or worse) on the forums when it became clear that they were thieves.  Which I thought most appropriate.

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          IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Occasionally they get what's coming to them, but not always. We have a hubber right now who has had stolen content removed but who still posts.
          That asides, where we have a situation of a hubber repeating his own words that he previously wrote on another site, that soon becomes clear and is not a problem for me. His work, he can do what he likes with it.
          I'm glad Google is at long last clamping down on it with their latest blog post.

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             wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             That's what I meant as well - their own work they can copy if they wish.
             
             And yes, I'm glad to see google at least trying to do something about it.  Time will tell if it actually helps much.

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14. 78

    wildernessposted 14 years ago

    Interestingly enough if I now visit the page that was stolen it is in all Chinese and quite short.  The only link on the page goes to Microsoft which explains about why there is an error in the site.
    
    Maybe the site is removed completely.  That would really break my heart.

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    saltposted 14 years ago

    You know when youve worked on something for ages and are building a set of hubs, then you see someone else has gained from your writing and worked on the same topics that you were. Yet I always find that each person has a different style of writing and presentation and your own work will see you through!!!
    
    Sometimes, a link can be good too, bringing traffic from another source. (ie re the compressors, maybe you could ask them for a backlink and they may in a back to front way be complimenting you for your good work and they could send traffic1)

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       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I actually thought about that...for about 3 seconds.  They stole the entire section of my hub that would be pertinent to visitors to their site - no reason to come to mine.
       
       Plus, I'm not sure I want compliments from thieves; they already complimented me once by stealing from me.

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    onreaposted 14 years ago

    Wow I didnt know stuff like that happened on here.  Gotta be careful I suppose.  Thanks for sharing.

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       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Yes.  It is necessary to keep a watch for copied material and jump on it hard at the first indication.  Only with constant vigilance can we keep the thieves in check, although we will eliminate them completely.

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    kirstenblogposted 14 years ago

    Wilderness, thanks for fighting the good fight! It has been ages since I have had something stolen (I was very surprised to have something of mine stolen and in the end it was just my highest rated hub at the time, and was along side hundreds of other hubs that had been nicked) and it was actually the forums here that got me to realize something of mine had been stolen. Each time this happens and we are vigilant about getting it taken down hopefully means one more person will think twice about stealing content.

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       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I think you are absolutely right - it is very important that we do not ignore such theft or just let it go as that will merely encourage more of the same.
       
       Rather we all need to fight to the bitter end to get it removed.  I was very fortunate in that it was so easy - many are not and require much more effort on our part but it is still something that must be done.

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