Ebay sellers using images of my Z

[tomscott]

RANT

This is about the 10th time this has happened. Ebay sellers using images of my car to sell their products. What he's selling isn't even whats on the car… mine were matt black sprayed by me to gloss.

Pisses me off no end

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4-E85-E86-Coupe-Roadster-Cabrio-M-Black-Kidney-Sport-Front-Grill-02-08-/331402717681?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&fits=Model%3AZ4&hash=item4d292429f1

Don't buy from these resellers please… If they are happy stealing images then what will their service be like?

 

[Taz]

flipping it around, this clearly shows what a great car it is and what a great photgrapher you are

 

[NeilP]

flipping it around, this clearly shows what a great car it is and what a great photographer you are

Not a valid justification in my opinion. Still stealing someone else's work.

Tom, have you tried to contact ebay?

 

[Taz]

flipping it around, this clearly shows what a great car it is and what a great photographer you are

Not a valid justification in my opinion. Still stealing someone else's work.

Tom, have you tried to contact ebay?

i'm not for 1 second saying its justified, Tom as every right to feel the way he does

 

[mwadZ4]

Report it to Ebay

 

[Jaw]

can imagine it's annoying, the other seller who posts your photos to sell non-genuine CSL wheels pops up every now and then too - based in australia!

 

[Disca]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/How-Can-I-Stop-People-Stealing-My-Photos-/10000000000747312/g.html

Form on there to fill in.

Edit - followed all their links through, just ends up on a Item Report, copyright or trademarks.

 

[PerryGunn]

This is about the 10th time this has happened. Ebay sellers using images of my car to sell their products.

Careful Tom, you're in danger of turning into PVR...

They're your photos so you're right to be annoyed if they're using them without permission...

...but it isn't your car any more... :wink:

 

[mr wilks]

Don't be annoyed Tom , better to be flattered & proud

 

[tomscott]

Thanks for the links and comments, I have reported them to Ebay.

It is annoying because although those shots are of my old car and not for commercial value I am a commercial photographer so I don't really feel flattered its copy write infringement. Its also difficult because it probably is the most photographed Z and a quick google will bring up numerous pics. Its also not my car anymore so thats worse.

All my images have copy write notices embedded into the metadata so just cropping off my name shouldn't really change anything. It should also set a warning when uploading to sites like ebay but obviously they have removed the metadata so this would not happen, which means they know what they are doing.

Its not just that… the product they are selling isn't whats in the image so its false advertising. Just get a bit annoying… Its hard enough making a living as a photographer as it is… generally for this reason its so easy to steal images instead of paying for their use.

 

[obewan]

There's a contact e-mail address at the bottom of the page - we could bombard him with e-mails :evil:
Just saying

 

[DNK]

If you are a commercial photographer you should know that when you put your photos out there they should have your name written across them in a light ink
And it should say ownership on it

 

[tomscott]

It does. Doesn't stop people cropping or photoshopping it out.

Has to be a balance between the image having the copy write on it and being able to see the image to its full potential.

Basically whats happened is they have opened the image in flickr and taken a screen shot of it and then uploaded that file. No way of getting it otherwise. My flickr files are all locked for downloads.

BMW Z4M Coupe by Tom Scott, on Flickr

 

[NeilP]

Unfortunately you can still circumvent that feature Tom.

Going to view the picture full size and then viewing the source of the file will allow one to download it.

Granted that you've disabled allowing people to even view the original of the image is the best that you can do aside from setting all images to private.

 

[Jbtco]

Send them an invoice.

 

[DumfriesDik]

Send them an invoice.

That would be funny.

I have had a couple of mine used on websites but when I contacted them, they were removed immediately. I really hope Ebay pay attention and take you seriously.

Here's hoping.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Send them an invoice.

Yes, do it and claim 10% of the sale price

 

[Stark]

It's fraud in that these people pretend to sell your car, they want money in advance and deliver the car etc, usual scam

 

[DNK]

Tom, it being in the corner won't stop them.
One word "Crop"
It needs to go across the pic horizontally.
I have a lot of friends in the "pic" biz.
That's what works for them

 

[mmm-five]

It's fraud in that these people pretend to sell your car, they want money in advance and deliver the car etc, usual scam

Not in this case.

The ebayer is selling a grille and using someone else's picture to illustrate the item instead of taking their own picture.