This THIEF, I guess, collect images and upload after minimal retouches like flipping and removing some parts (like mine) to build his/her portfolio.
Check your images...
www.shutterstock.com/g/Pincarel

I just clicked this link from the op, and the page is gone (it's in French, but I think that's what it says...didn't translate). Good work people! I checked when this was first posted, but didnt see any of mine, nor did I recognize anyone else's.

Good work everyone.

I feel that some of the folks on MSG should get 'Bounty Hunter Badges'! Job well done! 

I wonder how it can be so easy (apparently) to steal images�
Microstock sites ask you your ID to register
Paypal and similar ask you your ID too, and some other personal information. They ask you a valid bank account��
So, how it can be?

I wonder how it can be so easy (apparently) to steal images�
Microstock sites ask you your ID to register
Paypal and similar ask you your ID too, and some other personal information. They ask you a valid bank account��
So, how it can be?

Unfortunately, it isn't that difficult.  A lot of microstock images are on illegal sites and there's many being used at full size by people who have purchased them and don't know how to downsize them.  What shouldn't be easy is for someone to then sell these images on the same sites as the copyright holders.  There must be a way to identify when someone uploads lots of images that are already on a site from different contributors?  I have no idea why the sites have been unable to stop that happening.

Quote from: sharpshot on July 26, 2017, 15:14

Quote from: Chichikov on July 26, 2017, 14:29

I wonder how it can be so easy (apparently) to steal images�
Microstock sites ask you your ID to register
Paypal and similar ask you your ID too, and some other personal information. They ask you a valid bank account��
So, how it can be?

Unfortunately, it isn't that difficult.  A lot of microstock images are on illegal sites and there's many being used at full size by people who have purchased them and don't know how to downsize them.  What shouldn't be easy is for someone to then sell these images on the same sites as the copyright holders.  There must be a way to identify when someone uploads lots of images that are already on a site from different contributors?  I have no idea why the sites have been unable to stop that happening.

I don't think they are unable to stop it, I just think they don't care. A sale is a sale, whether it's legit or stolen.

The company should care since the buyers are the ones that are going to be pissed off!

Quote from: cathyslife on July 26, 2017, 17:14

Quote from: sharpshot on July 26, 2017, 15:14

Quote from: Chichikov on July 26, 2017, 14:29

I wonder how it can be so easy (apparently) to steal images�
Microstock sites ask you your ID to register
Paypal and similar ask you your ID too, and some other personal information. They ask you a valid bank account��
So, how it can be?

Unfortunately, it isn't that difficult.  A lot of microstock images are on illegal sites and there's many being used at full size by people who have purchased them and don't know how to downsize them.  What shouldn't be easy is for someone to then sell these images on the same sites as the copyright holders.  There must be a way to identify when someone uploads lots of images that are already on a site from different contributors?  I have no idea why the sites have been unable to stop that happening.

I don't think they are unable to stop it, I just think they don't care. A sale is a sale, whether it's legit or stolen.

The company should care since the buyers are the ones that are going to be pissed off!

How often would a buyer know?
As has been said, thieves would probably target popular images.
Therefore if you found your image in use, which had sold even ten times far less 100 or 1000 times, how would you know which buyer had legitimately purchased yours and not the thief's version?

The agencies should do the decent thing and pay the original artist, whether on their agency or not, at least the same amount as the thief got. That would incentivise them to be more careful with what they accept.

If someone who isn't with agency A found their image, sold by them on agency B, being sold by agency A, they should put in a fairly large financial claim for image theft and negligence. Even a smaller Small Claims Court Claim, by enough people, would make them think.
However, the problem is that quite likely, the stolen-from contributor is also selling on agency A and doesn't as yet want to use that "interesting way to hand in their notice".

Quote from: max headroom on July 26, 2017, 17:37

Quote from: Minsc on July 26, 2017, 15:03

Good job taking this thief down. I ran into a few over the years and it's never a good experience. It's a good thing SS is quick to respond with portfolio take downs.

We used to send DMCAs to pirate sites. But recently we are talking about 8 major microstock sites and half of them not even respond to the takedown notices (including Getty/istock). Things getting worse. Agencies are not as responsive as they used to be.

Many microstock sites would only take down portfolios if they're hosted on the same site as your original images. You can easily prove that it's your work by having an lower Image ID, but they're hesitant if your work is not hosted on their microstock website. It's hard to prove what work belongs to who and who is the original owner. If they take down portfolios on a whim, you'd get a lot of legit portfolios taken down if thieves start requesting portfolio take downs.

I once wrote EyeEm about a stolen image and included links to several sites where the image existed for years.  I do not contribute to EyeEm but they were fast about removing the stolen image and the account.  I appreciate them doing the right thing quickly.