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 ...