Slartybartfast Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 I came across an Amazon self published Book that was using one of my images on its cover for which I gave no permission or licence. Alamy have said they did not licence it and they could pursue it if I wish. However I am somewhat angry that this dick chose to steal my image probably from a newspaper article. I therefore would like to go after him myself but I cannot find any way of contacting him as the only info on him is his name. A search on linked in gave over 80 results but I don't have an account to see them anyway. Can anyone please give me any tips on how I can contact this thief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Morgan Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 if the person is selling on Amazon, you should be able to contact them through Amazon through their seller's page. Jill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartybartfast Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 Thanks for fast reply but this is sold directly by Amazon via kindle or a physical book, there is, as far as I can see no seller page cause its not sold by the author/publisher directly. All there is is a feedback page where I could raise a copyright issue with Amazon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoDogue Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 40 minutes ago, Slartybartfast said: Thanks for fast reply but this is sold directly by Amazon via kindle or a physical book, there is, as far as I can see no seller page cause its not sold by the author/publisher directly. All there is is a feedback page where I could raise a copyright issue with Amazon. Maybe it's a self-published book. Either way, I'd imagine the publisher would be responsible rather than the seller. EDIT: Sorry I misread your post. Have you searched Amazon for his name? Many self-published books are listed by author rather than seller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vpics Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 Is he on Faceboook? You could try and befriend him/her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartybartfast Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 Yes fotodoge they are a self publisher. Vpics, nice idea but he has a very common name it seems, 5 pages of people with same name. Not looking good so far, for a DIY solution! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Morgan Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 You would have to get the info from Amazon. Tell them you would like the name and address of the publisher. Jill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhu Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 If you google the book title and the author's name does that bring up any more info ? I'm just wondering if, for example, he might also be trying to sell the book via his own website. In which case you could contact him via that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vpics Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 He might have set up a FB site for the book ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Morgan Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 3 minutes ago, vpics said: He might have set up a FB site for the book ... I just went to Amazon and looked at some self published books. Amazon usually lets you look at the first few pages of the book. The books I looked at the authors and facebook pages or a website listed on the contents pages. Jill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartybartfast Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Thanks guys. I tried all your suggestions without much luck. It seems the only way I can possibly get anywhere would be to to submit a copyright infringement claim to Amazon so I have now done that. So I will wait and see what happens next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Lewis Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Definitely work through Amazon first. They should cooperate knowing there is a copyright infringement action coming and they are involved. Put them on notice. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoDogue Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Some time back I read about Amazon pulling books because of Copyright Infringement. Apparently they even have the ability to delete them from buyer's tablets. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Limb Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Does the book have an ISBN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Baker Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Try http://www.writersdigest.com In any case, if they're serious about publicity the work will be plugged to death out there somewhere - exposure is what any self-publisher craves. If you want to share the title by DM, I wouldn't mind searching for 20mins and see if I can locate it as I've often wondered if some of mine were ever used in this way. It'd be an interesting exercise. Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 35 minutes ago, Richard Baker said: Try http://www.writersdigest.com In any case, if they're serious about publicity the work will be plugged to death out there somewhere - exposure is what any self-publisher craves. If you want to share the title by DM, I wouldn't mind searching for 20mins and see if I can locate it as I've often wondered if some of mine were ever used in this way. It'd be an interesting exercise. Richard. We don't have PMs here any more alas. Maybe the FB group? I'm also willing to have a go. I'm findable via the above. Or OP could just post the details here- it's unlikely to be found by the perpetrator. You could delete it after a few hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Baker Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 No DMs? How did I miss that? I really must pay more attention at the back. Yes, if the OP wishes, I'm sure they'd be no consequences of posting the title here. Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeCee Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Good luck with this, but note there are other issues than just tracking this person down… apologies in advance for a lengthy tale. Back in 2003, a guy in Northern Ireland used four photos of mine on his business website. (I do not know whether the real perpetrator was the web designer or the site owner BTW). A little while later he also included the same photos on a downloadable pdf brochure for his business. I was first alerted to this by the Alamy infringements team about two years ago. They took a look at it, but decided they couldn’t get any further, and handed it back to me. A quick calculation using Alamy rates for website use and small scale advertising since 2003 produced a value of £3,569.91, which adding in the vat gave him a bill of some £4,283.89. It’s worth noting here that I invoiced this at current rates - had these pictures been licensed at the relevant values starting back in 2003, the invoice would have been far, far greater than this, prices having fallen considerably in recent years. Easy enough to trace the site owner and find all the relevant detail via Companies House - the registered address is his accountant’s, the contact address is his home. Contact via e-mail or phone proved fruitless, so I started writing, all via special delivery to both addresses - utterly no response. As per the practise required of the small claims courts, I ensured each letter had all the necessary stuff and was signed for on delivery to ensure I had a strong case if and when this ever went to court. Still, no reply. His business is still active, logging financial results annually and is producing a small but healthy profit. Sounds good eh? No question that he is liable for the amounts and he has the wherewithal to pay it. However, the reality is that to move this on I need instigate proceedings in either the Small Claims Court, or more likely in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Court fees would be £205.00 which I could reclaim and add to the final fees, and there’s little doubt I’d win. Trouble is, neither the small claims court or IPEC have any teeth to actually reclaim the amounts. Once the case is proven, it’s possible (though difficult) to get an order that this be paid directly from his wages, however, it appears that like so many, my miscreant pays himself very little indeed, and presumably takes funds via company dividends, so if any order were awarded at all, it would be a tiny amount per month. Which leaves the only remaining option to recover this being to send in bailiffs, which in Northern Ireland is handled by the Enforcement of Judgements Office (EJO). Adding in a few costs to my original amount, I would have to pay a further £539.00 to initiate this, with no guarantee of successfully recovering any money. After due consideration I just walked away – with no guarantee of success I would simply have been throwing good money after bad. On a more positive note, I’ve successfully recovered several other small-ish amounts used when people have “borrowed” photos from other sources on the web, but this, as the OP has already realised, only happens if you can track them down in the first place... Again, good luck with this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartybartfast Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 Thanks for the nice offers guys, I searched on that site but could not find anything myself. I was already thinking he was not a serious writer anyway, it was a very short book, and only had one reviewer that gave a single star. If you guys want to have a go at finding him for me your very welcome. I will not post the books name, but by chance the author almost shares his name with the current Manager of Celtic football club. Change the A in the first name to an O and Search for that in Amazon and the first result should be the book in question. As I said earlier I asked Amazon to remove it via an online form. I had a reply saying it was removed but it is clearly still there. TeeCee Unfortunately its that kind of experience that can put some off attempting to go after infringers but it would be nice to at least be in a position to try. Hope you find a way to get that thief to pay up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 I think 14 minutes ago, Slartybartfast said: As I said earlier I asked Amazon to remove it via an online form. I had a reply saying it was removed but it is clearly still there. I think it's gone now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokie Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 3 minutes ago, Russell said: I think I think it's gone now. If it's to do with the B word, it's still there. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 There's a listing for it on ebay.au so he might be outside the jurisdiction. Edit: it's not the author just a reseller. Never seen it treated as a swear word before. About time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDM Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 You could always add a comment asking why he stole your image. It gets a single one star rating and a terrible review. The reviewer seems to think the guy is American so good luck with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDM Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 7 minutes ago, spacecadet said: Never seen it treated as a swear word before. About time. It's not a swear word in itself but is frequently accompanied by one in my house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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