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Author Topic: istockreseller.com - Scam site?  (Read 18907 times)

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« on: November 12, 2012, 11:04 »
0
So apparently they're aware of this, but I'm wondering how it was done. Looks like the entire iStock library for sale at a discount:

http://www.istockreseller.com/

Kelvin has a post telling people not to link to it:

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=348941&page=1

admin edit: updated thread subject
« Last Edit: May 29, 2013, 03:45 by leaf »


« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2012, 11:09 »
0
That's pretty brazen! And I wouldn't dream of downloading my own images from them (and the thumbs are there, albeit with rather old fashioned looking rounded corners) but what would happen if I did? Do they have the XXXL image to sell me for $8 or is it some upsized thumb? And if they have the full size files, how did they get them, I wonder?

« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2012, 11:16 »
0
I thought it could be some sort of elaborate phishing scheme, but that seems a lot of work to get the credit card numbers of a few gullible people. If they indeed have the full-size photos and vectors, that brings up the big question of iStock's security (or lack thereof).

« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2012, 11:48 »
0
Hi

I didn't know istockreseller and I'm quite worried about how they can have our files on sale.
I've found many my istock files on that site.

where is the istockphoto security?

Also istockphoto doesn't work, again, since this morning GMT, and I can't contact them.

Dark times for istockphoto on the horizon...

« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2012, 12:00 »
+2
There's no way they have the files.  They just taking your keyword search, passing it to IS, scraping the results and re-formating for display.  If you could actually "sign-up", it would end up being either a referral link scam or somehow they would be using a subscription plan or something to buy the image and pass it on.

I'm sure it won't be around long.

« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2012, 12:14 »
0
There's no way they have the files.  They just taking your keyword search, passing it to IS, scraping the results and re-formating for display.  If you could actually "sign-up", it would end up being either a referral link scam or somehow they would be using a subscription plan or something to buy the image and pass it on.
The voice of reason. Thank you. My lack of knowledge in this area made me paranoid.

w7lwi

  • Those that don't stand up to evil enable evil.
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2012, 13:23 »
0
There's no way they have the files.  They just taking your keyword search, passing it to IS, scraping the results and re-formating for display.  If you could actually "sign-up", it would end up being either a referral link scam or somehow they would be using a subscription plan or something to buy the image and pass it on.
The voice of reason. Thank you. My lack of knowledge in this area made me paranoid.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't someone out there trying to get you.  Always better to be safe than sorry.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2012, 13:24 »
0
I see the note from Kelvin says, "...There are some scam sites that purport to offer iStock content. Please don't even think of posting a link to them on the forums. Yes, the lovely people in compliance and enforcement know about them. No, they're obviously not legit ..."
The thing is, how can we tell which are 'obviously not legit' and which are 'associates', or 'partners', which was the snippy reply I got when I reported a similar site a while back (spider... something,  ...pics maybe).
« Last Edit: November 12, 2012, 14:56 by ShadySue »

RacePhoto

« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2012, 14:31 »
0
Seems that the site is gone? That would be good news.

And just adding, hey maybe this is where people get the fake CCs they use to steal images, those sales which are later reversed by IS?


Oops, now it's back. I was getting that same blank page with no data. I guess it's hit and miss. Miss would be best.

Oh and up to date too. An image that I uploaded last week, and just got approved, is showing in the search. They must be linking from the IS servers which is another infringement, stealing bandwidth.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2012, 03:52 by RacePhoto »

« Reply #9 on: November 12, 2012, 14:37 »
0
Not gone - at least for me, here.

« Reply #10 on: November 12, 2012, 16:36 »
0
Not gone - at least for me, here.

I can still see it too

« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2012, 18:38 »
0
I'm getting this:

Quote
Unable to connect
     
Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at this site.
       
The site could be temporarily unavailable or too busy. Try again in a few
    moments.
  If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network
    connection.
  If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure
    that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

Either they are REALLY busy from people buying or they have been taken down.

« Reply #12 on: November 13, 2012, 08:44 »
0
It was gone for awhile yesterday, but it's back up again, and still searchable (from a new machine, so it's not a caching issue)

« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2012, 11:49 »
0
Yeah, I've just seen one I uploaded last week on there too, and it's being sold at half the price  :o

« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2012, 12:14 »
0
Yeah, I've just seen one I uploaded last week on there too, and it's being sold at half the price  :o

It isn't "on there".  The site is just taking search results from IS, scraping the data and reformatting and displaying it.  Whatever is on IS will show up there.

« Reply #15 on: November 15, 2012, 12:24 »
0
Yeah, I've just seen one I uploaded last week on there too, and it's being sold at half the price  :o

It isn't "on there".  The site is just taking search results from IS, scraping the data and reformatting and displaying it.  Whatever is on IS will show up there.

Ooops, yeah I see where I went wrong on the pricing now. On IS the price shows up in euros on my screen, but on the scam site it shows up in dollars. Silly me  :-[

« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2012, 12:34 »
0
Yeah, I've just seen one I uploaded last week on there too, and it's being sold at half the price  :o

It isn't "on there".  The site is just taking search results from IS, scraping the data and reformatting and displaying it.  Whatever is on IS will show up there.

Ooops, yeah I see where I went wrong on the pricing now. On IS the price shows up in euros on my screen, but on the scam site it shows up in dollars. Silly me  :-[

Well, I'm not saying the price correlates to IS in any way.  They could be making up their own "prices".  But the other data (the sort, the title, the image) is just from IS.

« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2012, 11:26 »
+1
I'm getting concerned about this.  The forum threads about it have been locked, as they should.  But I'm wondering if TPTB are doing anything about it.  It is back online, the add-money link to Paypal was broken (and reported as such by iStock) and is now working again.   One can sign up, and get sent $2 in promotional money, and use it to download images.  If these are truly being paid for with stolen credit card numbers, we'll undoubtedly be seeing refunds -- and in the meantime, it is possible to "buy" and download our images.  I haven't received any reply to the emails I sent CE about this.  It ticks me off -- they've known about this for more than a week.  If this happened to an on-line retailer or bank or whatever, they'd have it shut off by now.  (venting because thinking of refunds).

Poncke

« Reply #18 on: December 18, 2012, 15:48 »
0
Whats the deal here. I see its still live?

If iStockphoto cant shut them down, why dont they call PayPal and report the site. PayPal will crap their account down. Thats at least something.

Is istockreseller positively a scam site or is it legal? I dont believe for one second if that site was illegal GY/IS could not shut it down in a day. Makes you think.

photografix

  • Wage peace, not war
« Reply #19 on: December 18, 2012, 18:49 »
0
Please break the link to the scam site. That will make it harder for them to track our traffic to them. Just put a word like BREAK or some symbol in the link.  ;)

So apparently they're aware of this, but I'm wondering how it was done. Looks like the entire iStock library for sale at a discount:

http://www.istockreseller.com/

Kelvin has a post telling people not to link to it:

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=348941&page=1

Microbius

« Reply #20 on: December 19, 2012, 03:45 »
0
If you click "buy with extended License" on one of the images you actually get forwarded to the real IStock page, weird

« Reply #21 on: December 20, 2012, 00:07 »
0
There is already a long thread about this. This subject has been well covered already here:

http://www.microstockgroup.com/istockphoto-com/istock-is-hacked/

Poncke

« Reply #22 on: December 20, 2012, 02:13 »
0
There is already a long thread about this. This subject has been well covered already here:

http://www.microstockgroup.com/istockphoto-com/istock-is-hacked/
I dont see an explanation why istock hasnt taken it down yet.

« Reply #23 on: December 20, 2012, 03:26 »
+1
Why does the search load faster than when I search on istock ?

fujiko

« Reply #24 on: December 20, 2012, 04:38 »
+1
The site is using images from istockimg.com and also you can put the ID of an image with no sales or views and it loads from the site.
If it's not legit and istock wanted to do something about it, they just need to add a simple configuration in the server to prevent hotlinking of images.


 

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