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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: StockStudio on October 16, 2017, 04:31

Title: Moral dilemma
Post by: StockStudio on October 16, 2017, 04:31
In the past few days, someone is buying my clips like crazy in Fotolia. I've had sales spike before, but this Something really unusual. All purchases are 4K, all kids of subjects...
Now the question is whether to report this to Fotolia and let them know, and ask them to look into it. It is not my fault if someone is hacking their agency... But someone else might ask for a refund eventually....
I might lose thousands of dollars on the other hand 🙄
Has anyone had something like this before???

Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: ShadySue on October 16, 2017, 04:38
I haven't had those happen, but you should consider contacting them quickly - it could be a scam or a stolen credit card and your files could end up being misused elsewhere. I'd be worried because of the wide range of subjects and styles.

 Or you could find out it's real and you could relax, happy that someone loves your work, in which case huge congratulations.
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: PinHead on October 16, 2017, 04:57
...Or u can convert those credits and in a few days all u're money r safe in Paypal  ;D
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: Catakitkat on October 16, 2017, 06:23
In the past few days, someone is buying my clips like crazy in Fotolia. I've had sales spike before, but this Something really unusual. All purchases are 4K, all kids of subjects...

If it's a card fraud, you will probably get some refunds. However, let's hope that the guy who bought your videos won't upload them as his own on other stock agencies.
Otherwise, clients who are buying massively do exist. They are rare, but they exist. :)

 
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on October 16, 2017, 07:30
I'm not convinced that being afraid you might lose thousands of dollars counts as a "moral dilemma"  ;D
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: SpaceStockFootage on October 16, 2017, 07:38
There's not really anything to report that they don't know already. As for investigating, it might turn into a refund/reversal... but there's not really any way to check. They would have needed a valid payment source before they could buy the content and they could register the sales to your account, and that's all that really matters at this stage.
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: odesigns on October 16, 2017, 07:40
Video people I talk with are also experiencing insane sales at FOT/AS these past few days.  Myself included.  In the past 3 days alone I had 12 4K sales.

After the VB/SB refund party some went through last week, I'm fearful of massive returns soon.

Maybe @MatHayward can look into this?
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: StockStudio on October 16, 2017, 08:18
Video people I talk with are also experiencing insane sales at FOT/AS these past few days.  Myself included.  In the past 3 days alone I had 12 4K sales.

After the VB/SB refund party some went through last week, I'm fearful of massive returns soon.

Maybe @MatHayward can look into this?

*, that would suck big time!!! It's halfway through the month and it's BME already 😎
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: StockStudio on October 16, 2017, 08:51
It won't stop....!
Every half hour or so another $63...
How doesn't the people at FT/AS  notice anything??
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: odesigns on October 16, 2017, 09:02
I'm in the same boat.

So far today, as of 10am, I had 5 sales on FOT/AS. Four of which were 4K. Yesterday, a Sunday, I had 5 sales. All were 4K. Just waiting for that "returns" email...
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: increasingdifficulty on October 16, 2017, 09:06
I think the one possible explanation is that aliens are doing research on human life, and they of course need 4k.
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: Cider Apple on October 16, 2017, 09:14
I think the one possible explanation is that aliens are doing research on human life, and they of course need 4k.

Ha ha ha... imagine learning what human life was like if only stock video's existed after our demise.
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: StockStudio on October 18, 2017, 04:29
Well... Just updating that a few thousends of $$ and days later - the crazy purchases has stopped, and no official response or mail from Fotolia.
One concern remains - that whoever did it might upload these clips as his own and start making money from my footage.
But on the other had - all that was bought was far from being my best-sellers...

Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: increasingdifficulty on October 18, 2017, 04:42
Too many sales = conspiracy.
Bad sales = conspiracy.
Even sales = conspiracy.
Uneven sales = conspiracy.
Slightly increasing sales each month = conspiracy.
Sales dropping each month = conspiracy.

 ;D

Jokes aside, I hope your sales won't get refunded. These rare things do happen. A single commercial might need 50 stock clips, and maybe they liked your style. Buying 100 4k clips is peanuts compared to an advertising budget.
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: StockStudio on October 18, 2017, 04:45
Too many sales = conspiracy.
Bad sales = conspiracy.
Even sales = conspiracy.

 ;D

Jokes aside, I hope your sales won't get refunded. These rare things do happen. A single commercial might need 50 stock clips, and maybe they liked your style. Buying 100 4k clips is peanuts compared to an advertising budget.

Well, it's always an option.
But what are the chances of a commercial needing footage of Israeli military Jets :)
 
Title: Re: Moral dilemma
Post by: increasingdifficulty on October 18, 2017, 04:53
Too many sales = conspiracy.
Bad sales = conspiracy.
Even sales = conspiracy.

 ;D

Jokes aside, I hope your sales won't get refunded. These rare things do happen. A single commercial might need 50 stock clips, and maybe they liked your style. Buying 100 4k clips is peanuts compared to an advertising budget.

Well, it's always an option.
But what are the chances of a commercial needing footage of Israeli military Jets :)

The chances of a documentary needing them are quite big. Not only commercials need footage.  ;)