Blatent Copyright Theft - Absolutely LIVID!

[GuerrillaIM]

I just found one of my ex-employees has copied my old entire site, word for word, and started advertising it on PPC.

That site took me a lot of time to get the copy converting well. Fair enough, the company is in process of liquidation, but this just takes the cake!

What can I do to stop this guy making money off my hard work? Breaking his fingers seems like a satisfying option but I am looking for a more legal approach.

Many thanks in advance.

[Louise Green]

You could send a cease and desist notice to the hosting company.. that should remove your copyrighted work, but in the long term you should seek proper legal advice.

I feel for you.

[lenlatimer]

I agree with Louise. Bu he may just go somewhere else. You should have your attorney send the ex-employee a cease and desist and also do a little saber-rattling about sueing his butt.

[lenlatimer]

Oh- one more thing. Add some google Alerts to help you track any other illegal postings.

[mmurtha]

That bites! Sorry to hear that.

I'd send a cease and desist notice to him as well as his hosting company. You should also contact Google PPC department to let them know who that person is, and what he's done. I've seen them close people's accounts and banned them from returning under these circumstances.

Hope this helps ...

[GuerrillaIM]

Hey Guys,

You are the best! I think I will send cease and desist first to google, then to his hosting company and then him.

Second thought, maybe I'll just put in a polite call to my ex google account manager instead of trying to lawyer the un-lawyerable.

[KristiDaniels]

Focus on the positive.

Dishonest people are everywhere. I just finished trying to help a customer get back into the customer area of a site just to find out that they weren't a customer at all. They lied to get free access.

From torrents to Clickbank thieves to buy it and refund it two minutes later to copyright thieves, there will always be those stealing from you or attempting to steal from you.

But there are also real customers who will rave about you and tell their friends and do nice things and promote you without an affiliate link. There are people who will help you in other ways just because it is a nice thing to do.

Focus on the positive. Ignore the thieves. They make their own misery because they have to focus on the dishonesty in their lives. You don't have to though. You can choose to focus on the positive and let this thief make their own bed to lie in.

[GuerrillaIM]

Originally Posted by KristiDaniels

Focus on the positive.

Dishonest people are everywhere. I just finished trying to help a customer get back into the customer area of a site just to find out that they weren't a customer at all. They lied to get free access.

From torrents to Clickbank thieves to buy it and refund it two minutes later to copyright thieves, there will always be those stealing from you or attempting to steal from you.

But there are also real customers who will rave about you and tell their friends and do nice things and promote you without an affiliate link. There are people who will help you in other ways just because it is a nice thing to do.

Focus on the positive. Ignore the thieves. They make their own misery because they have to focus on the dishonesty in their lives. You don't have to though. You can choose to focus on the positive and let this thief make their own bed to lie in.

Sorry, but if you take my work, put it on another domain that is exactly the same, just with the domain extension different, and start advertising it as your own, you are about to enter a world of pain. There is no way I can ignore that.

Focusing on the positive is a good thing to do, and I let most petty stuff pass by and just focus on my own business and marketing, but every now and again you have to stop and make an example of someone who tries to cross you. If you don't, you become a doormat.

[Heuristic]

One advantage you have is that you know a fair amount about this person. It is not some random individual from halfway across the globe, hiding in a country that is, for the most part, immune from the law.

I am making the assumption that your employee is local, however.

In any case, it is going to be easier for you to proceed because you will have contact information and everything else you need to make sure a C&D is effective. He is also going to be aware that he is completely exposed and this is going to help your efforts.

If he cares about what happens to his life, he will think twice about ignoring any legal tap on the shoulder.

Steve

[GuerrillaIM]

Yeah, I will start with google and his web host and see how it plays out. I'll come back and let you guys know the outcome.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

[FaJeeb]

Originally Posted by KristiDaniels

Focus on the positive.

Dishonest people are everywhere. I just finished trying to help a customer get back into the customer area of a site just to find out that they weren't a customer at all. They lied to get free access.

From torrents to Clickbank thieves to buy it and refund it two minutes later to copyright thieves, there will always be those stealing from you or attempting to steal from you.

But there are also real customers who will rave about you and tell their friends and do nice things and promote you without an affiliate link. There are people who will help you in other ways just because it is a nice thing to do.

Focus on the positive. Ignore the thieves. They make their own misery because they have to focus on the dishonesty in their lives. You don't have to though. You can choose to focus on the positive and let this thief make their own bed to lie in.

What?

A good analogy would be if you opened up a retail store, you should turn a blind eye to continuing theft, because there are always good customers out there that actually pay for the items they walk out with... as if that is some type of service to you.

Theft is not only unethical, it's also against the law. To allow it is to give up his own financial well being.

For the OP, don't come here asking for legal advice. I love the Warrior Forum, but the real answers you are looking for won't be found on this forum by users who are not actual professionals in the field of law.

[GuerrillaIM]

Originally Posted by FaJeeb

For the OP, don't come here asking for legal advice. I love the Warrior Forum, but the real answers you are looking for won't be found on this forum by users who are not actual professionals in the field of law.

I'm quite happy with the advice I got to approach Google and the hosting company, seems like a good idea to me.

[Maria Gudelis]

Originally Posted by GuerrillaIM

I'm quite happy with the advice I got to approach Google and the hosting company, seems like a good idea to me.

I agree you need to take action - also sends a message out to future dishonest folks as well in regards to how you protect your work...well worth the investment of your time.

Cheers, Maria

[webtrix]

Originally Posted by GuerrillaIM

I'm quite happy with the advice I got to approach Google and the hosting company, seems like a good idea to me.

I would want a Profit Share. Very High.

[GuerrillaIM]

I contacted Google, they just said it wasnothing to do with them and I would have to sue the company.

Does anyone know where I can get a template for a letter to send to the webhost?

[DogScout]

Just break his fingers and be done with it.

[raskal]

Stock Letters | PlagiarismToday

Might give that a try.

[CliveG]

Originally Posted by GuerrillaIM

I just found one of my ex-employees has copied my old entire site, word for word, and started advertising it on PPC.

That site took me a lot of time to get the copy converting well. Fair enough, the company is in process of liquidation, but this just takes the cake!

What can I do to stop this guy making money off my hard work? Breaking his fingers seems like a satisfying option but I am looking for a more legal approach.

Many thanks in advance.

Who owns the copyright to the website: you or the company that is in liquidation? Be careful who you threaten in this situation before you take legal advice.

[sbucciarel]

It can be over within a couple of days. Just go to domainingdiva.com and read the Paypal Ripoff Artist post about 3 posts down. There's a sample DMCA notice and it works very well to remove copyrighted material from a host. You send it to his host. Just edit the sample for your site and give as much detail as possible. They will take it down.

You don't send a C&D ... you send a DMCA notice.

[Ken Leatherman]

Yes a DMCA is the ticket. I just went through filing one against a person who was in violation of my copyright. It took only a few days and bam my copyrighted material was down and the poster found himself with his account shut down.

Ken Leatherman

The Old Geezer