It just gets worse

Clicking on another image from the second contributor above, i get a similar hit from yet another contributor.

This:

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/grilled-meat-on-dinner-1138138988?src=uC-RhHYOgDgT8MvkiO2dVg-1-0

is taken from here:

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/food-nd-drinks-fruits-1049190053?src=Si8QRV_HkHQdTTGVCs1rNA-1-3

The third contributor has one of those odd mix portfolios, from crap to stunning! One really caught my eye as the Mac os Sierra image!

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nature-mountains-real-1049191538?src=Si8QRV_HkHQdTTGVCs1rNA-1-13

And that brings up similars, so he's not alone in trying to sell the Mac photo!

Go figure.....

......if this wasn't so sad I'd have a good laugh

Thanks for posting these. Small ports with great variety of subjects, styles and locations certainly has all the hallmarks of stolen work.

I didn't see anything of mine, but it'd be good if someone who is an owner can complain to SS so these scumbags can have their portfolios removed. I wish they'd let third party reports be considered (it'd be easy enough for them to check it out if they actually gave a toss...)

Agreed Jo Ann,

They have the technology, as these were all spotted by just clicking around the 'similars'. I have seen them removing some portfolios recently, so they obviously are investigating reports behind the scenes. I guess all we can do is publicise our finds and hope that they take action quickly.

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on December 29, 2018, 19:23

Thanks for posting these. Small ports with great variety of subjects, styles and locations certainly has all the hallmarks of stolen work.

I didn't see anything of mine, but it'd be good if someone who is an owner can complain to SS so these scumbags can have their portfolios removed. I wish they'd let third party reports be considered (it'd be easy enough for them to check it out if they actually gave a toss...)

I think we can.

''If you believe that your copyright to an image on Shutterstock has been infringed upon, or that an image is being misused, please collect all pertinent information (including image ID's, relevant links, etc.) and contact us by email at [email protected]. We take the protection of copyright very seriously and we will investigate all complaints we receive.''

Source: https://www.shutterstock.com/contributorsupport/articles/kbat02/000006577?l=en_US&c=ContributorKB%3APortfolio_account&fs=RelatedArticle

Our watch begins 

Just thought I'd mention , I wrote to "compliance" and got the really disappointing reply that others have reported.

Thank you for your email. Our requirements for submitting Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") notices of infringement are below. You may send a proper notice in reply to this email. and a bunch more that indicates, only the owner can file a complaint. In other words, they don't want to know and don't want to investigate.

Hopefully [email protected] is more artist friendly.

I just contacted the original photographer of the grilled meat images - the other two have stolen it. The original is this one: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/succulent-thick-juicy-portions-grilled-fillet-138421859

Hope he can have shutterstock take the fake ports down

It just gets worse

Clicking on another image from the second contributor above, i get a similar hit from yet another contributor.

This:

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/grilled-meat-on-dinner-1138138988?src=uC-RhHYOgDgT8MvkiO2dVg-1-0

is taken from here:

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/food-nd-drinks-fruits-1049190053?src=Si8QRV_HkHQdTTGVCs1rNA-1-3

The third contributor has one of those odd mix portfolios, from crap to stunning! One really caught my eye as the Mac os Sierra image!

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nature-mountains-real-1049191538?src=Si8QRV_HkHQdTTGVCs1rNA-1-13

And that brings up similars, so he's not alone in trying to sell the Mac photo!

Go figure.....

......if this wasn't so sad I'd have a good laugh

Very funny, the one ID: 1049190053 "food nd drinks fruits" is taken from StockCreations 138421859 which has real English words. Uploaded 32 million images before the one from BOUDANE, who has a total of102 images, then I look at the new member, by fresh, and there are about 30 really top quality images, followed by total crap flower shots. He started with dandelions, probably didn't get any sales, so moved on to image theft.

The other Alexiy Molochnik has 178 images. That same steak again? This is the state of how terrible Microstock has become.

The original from stockcreations is part of a series of shots of the same setting and he has over 13,000 very nice food shots. Not hard to guess who made the original.

Isn't there anything we can do about it? Who knows who took from whom?

Wouldn't it help if all of us who read this here on the microstock group write to Shutterstock and report this Alexiy Molochnik and others?

That is a super lazy excuse. They should investigate that no matter who reports it. They obviously don't value their contributors. What kind of a message do they send us? That thieves and criminals are also welcome. That they don't care as long as they make money.  I am going to report that guy. No matter what the reply. We have to.

Quote from: HappyBunny on January 03, 2019, 08:20

Isn't there anything we can do about it? Who knows who took from whom?

I think all we can do is post here when we see this happening, in the hopes that one of us will find our own image being stolen so that we can make the report to Shutterstock.

I've made assumptions about who took from who based upon the image ID numbers. It isn't a foolproof method but a pretty good indication, particularly when viewing the age, style and portfolios as a whole.

Another thing is that the internet is the land of fake identities. All those contributors could be the same person, just using different phony names.

Since SS won't take action, sometimes you have to hit them where it hurts...which is their main business activity.

We feel their hurt.

I see there are also FB and Twitter links, so maybe a multi-pronged attack is needed!

Hi. Here s stockcreations. After I filed a complaint with shutterstock my picture was removed. Only ... all other pictures and the contributor are still there ...

Isn't there anything we can do about it? Who knows who took from whom?

Just send an email to Shutterstock exactly as it's being done here. link of the thief and the creator. I already did this with some of my pictures that were stolen. In few days Shutterstock will notify the thief and if he continues, they will delete his account.

And this don't need be only with stolen images. Very similar images, ideas, design, etc are also valid. I banish a guy with a portifolio bigger than mine, but because he copied the ideas from my most selling pictures. He was eliminated from Shutterstock.

One mole has been wacked!

SS knows when I upload similar content but don't know when somebody uploads exactly the same image stolen from another contributor. That's strange!
When they catch a thief why they don't distribute the remaining royalties in his account to the actual creators of the images?! I know it's easier to keep the money for themselves but is it legal?!
Another question comes to my mind. What about the customers who bought the images from the thieves, do they have a legal license to use the images when the creators doesn't get paid?!

Quote from: Ides on January 04, 2019, 14:09

Quote from: HappyBunny on January 03, 2019, 08:20

Isn't there anything we can do about it? Who knows who took from whom?

Just send an email to Shutterstock exactly as it's being done here. link of the thief and the creator. I already did this with some of my pictures that were stolen. In few days Shutterstock will notify the thief and if he continues, they will delete his account.

And this don't need be only with stolen images. Very similar images, ideas, design, etc are also valid. I banish a guy with a portifolio bigger than mine, but because he copied the ideas from my most selling pictures. He was eliminated from Shutterstock.

Who did you write to? I wrote to compliance and got a very stock answer, like they didn't even read my question which was "doesn't anyone care about stolen works?"

Hello,

Thank you for your email. Our requirements for submitting Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") notices of infringement are below. You may send a proper notice in reply to this email.

If you misrepresent that material is infringing, Shutterstock may terminate your Shutterstock account, or you may face other legal consequences.

Infringement Notice Requirements:

1) A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

2) Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site.

3) Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit the Shutterstock to locate the material.

4) Information reasonably sufficient to permit the Shutterstock to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted.

5) A statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.

6) A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Only the copyright owner or their authorized representative may file a report of copyright infringement. If you believe content on Shutterstock infringes someone else�s copyright, you may want to let the rights owner know.

Please note that we may provide the rights owner�s name, your email and the details of your report to the person who receives the complaint.

For more information, please review Shutterstock's DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice at: www.shutterstock.com/terms/dmca-notice.

Regards,

Shutterstock Compliance Team

I give up writing and begging. Maybe that's what they wanted. 

I found this guy (India) who not only copies but modifies parts or all of original files. One of his files (modified) I recognised as being copied from anothe SS contributor I know (we've had conversations by email in the past). I asked the the original contributor to report the thief and the email that came back from 'compliance' was the same as you posted above. I outlined the portions of their mail which persuaded the genuine contributor NOT to file. They give the guy your email address and if he disputes your claim, SS make take down your account until the claim is proven (or otherwise). Everyone on SS who has a reasonable monthly income from licensing there knows only too * well what (even temporary) suspension of their account means. You never retrieve the positions you had in search and sales will seriously plummet even after only a week of suspension before re-instatement.

The same guy stole part of another contributor's photo who was not at SS but at Adobe so I contacted Adobe to ask whether they would contact their contributor to inform them. First they sent me the same advice as SS.....send a DMCA form but then I told them that I wasn't the one being infringed but another of their contributors. They (Adobe) said they'd inform their contributor but whether they did and whether she decided not to proceed, I have no idea because this guy's SS thievery account is still up and being added to regularly. Have a peek to see if you recognise any elements of your images in his?

https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Krishbraden

Stolen and modied (try painting kids' hands in an identical manner...can't be done):

https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kids-hands-painted-smile-symbol-450w-1218008479.jpg

Original:

https://as1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/34/65/06/500_F_34650614_F3sIKjXY6ao0aQSKJNOPYqMDnQ5PFlaK.jpg

Stolen and modified:
https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rear-view-young-female-legs-450w-1165318264.jpg

Original (position of shoes and specks of dirt and sand are the giveaway in the copy):

https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/runner-feet-running-on-road-450w-103383050.jpg

Gotta give the thief his due, he's not just a copyist and actually does possess some Photoshop skills but he is a thief and SS appears to be not only unwilling to put an end to this, they actually threaten the original contributor with a fate worse than death unless you're prepared to fight your case to the bitter end (and yet your victory may still be Pyrrhic if they close down your account for a week or two during investigation). BTW, in the meantime, the abovementioned thief has exceeded his 3-month waiting period from 'dubious' countries and is now presumably enjoying the fruits of his theft (as does SS whether they shut him down or not...and even if they shut him down, they confiscate the 'earnings' but don't re-distribute to the offended parties who have lost those sales.) Let's face it it'a real win-win klepto-corporate deal for all (except the actual copyright holder). 

That's why I thought I might have found the answer with a contributor to Abobe (but not to SS). At least when you're not on SS, they can't suspend your port!
Still no way of contacting the contributor directly though and just have to hope that Adobe passed on my message. 

I've just published a detailed summary of matter, from info on different threads, and included an up-to-date list of currently active thieving contributors. If anybody has any that they wish to add, I'd put them up (only the clear cut cases please):

https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2019/01/07/why-shutterstocks-copyright-infringement-problems-should-concern-you/

Hello lovely people..

Sadly i have just found another thief :/ he has a big portfolio, please check to make sure he hasn't stolen any of your images and/or images of people you might know.

newbielink:https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Henderbeth [nonactive]

Example 1:
ORIGINAL image - newbielink:https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/night-sky-stars-nebula-112793377 [nonactive]

"HIS" image - newbielink:https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/red-nebulous-galaxy-stars-universe-617990702 [nonactive]
(he just flipped it and made it red)

I took a look, eye full. Does SS take marginal porn? I mean a few of these are not "Glamour" or just sexy or suggestive poses.

Wow that portfolio