Hello,
Somebody advise me to post my problem here.

So, on the 20th of October I received e-mail from iStockphoto:

Reports from our system show that a large number of accounts have been opened in your geographical location that are redeeming free exclusive Moo card credits, downloading your files exclusively and then not logging in again. We would of course appreciate your comments on this matter, but it does appear that you have breached section 9B of the Artist Supply Agreement where you have agreed not to collude with other members to download your files exclusively.

Take note “in your geographical location”

I explained to IS that many peoples have my cards and I don not how they used theirs. I gave many cards participants of international conferences, students of our Institute, camera shop assistance, travel agents, hotel managers, staff of consulate of my country in Japan, etc.

Next message I received one week later:

Although this may not have been your intent, this is considered to be a breach of your agreement with us. As well, this breach is part of an agreement that you have agreed to, therefore you are responsible for these actions. In addition to this, the breach that you have participated in has resulted in earnings in your account which additional reports show to be $593.70…
Your account will remain suspended for this period of time and the earnings in your account ($75.85) will be held to offset the amount owing to us. As per the membership agreement (again which you have agreed to) this termination does not alleviate you from the amount owing to us. The total of this is $517.85.

I asked to send me stats and got:

There were a total of 808 downloads through members soley downloading your files, all through credits obtained through MOO cards…
199  Moo cards were used to download these files. All credits from all moo cards were used to solely download your files.  The total credits issued with 199 Moo cards is 1990 with credits valued at $1 each…
Geographical location does vary, however the entirety of the credits issued through all cards were used to solely download your files.

Take note: Geographical location does vary

I paid the damages ($517.85) via PayPal and in the evening at home recount all my Moo cards. Unbelievable, but I have 279 unused cards of 400 (Moo cards were ordered 2 times by 200, total 400). 3 cards gave away last week after locking my account, 1 cards used myself and I can not download own images, in 1 cards used by my wife and my friend, they also did not download my images. Any students said that they did not use my cards for registration on IS. Probably, 115 cards gave away (not 199 as mentioned above), but I am not sure did anybody registered on iStockphoto and used my Moo cards and those who registered, not everyone, on IS might buy my images. I want to pay attention, I don’t know did somebody register on IS and got 10 free credits to buy images or no, and I never collude with other members to download only my files.

So, I paid the damages for using not my Moo cards and also my Moo cards. My account still locked.

Finnaly:
1)   Somebody used my Moo-cards to by my images – I am an accomplice and I have to return damage;
2)   Somebody used not my Moo-cards to by my images – I am also the accomplice and I also to return damage.
3)   Something, I don’t know, because I am under stress.

P.S. Sorry for my English.

It seems fairly obvious to me they caught you trying to game the system and have taken the appropriate action. Didn't you just visit lots of internet cafes (or other's computers), created new accounts and then downloaded your own stuff? Are you really trying to claim that it's all an extraordinary coincidence?

? These are the same '10 free credits' codes which people give away on their websites if you sign up via their referral link ?

Exclusives get free business cards from MOO with a code for 10 free credits.  You hand to drum up new business.  The code is not linked to your account though, so they must use a referral link for you to get the $10 bonus for signing up a new buyer.

It is extremely unlikely that 199 people would join and use their free credits to only buy images from one person.

It is extremely unlikely that 199 people would join and use their free credits to only buy images from one person.

That's an understatement! If he had 1000 images in his portfolio then the odds of a single image from his port being downloaded randomly are about 1/6000. For that to happen 808 times consecutively would require odds of about 1/5M. If he only had 100 images on-line then the odds extend to about 1/50M.

doh

I always thought you had too much good reviews on your ordinary snapshots. Now, I know why..

I am not sure how the moo card works. Now let’s say if I am a regionally recognizable micro stock geek and giving out my cards at workshops to the attendants. I will of course to tell them to sign up under my referral, and use the card to download my images. Now is this a violation?

If you ask them to download your images, then potentially yes. It's collusion.

Quote from: gostwyck on October 30, 2009, 06:31

Didn't you just visit lots of internet cafes (or other's computers), created new accounts and then downloaded your own stuff?

Why would anyone do this (unless they have lost their original images and are trying to get them back for free)?

To improve the position of his photos in the Best Match results. In the past, that was done for some contributors, self-downloading his own files, o creating false accounts to download them. Even paying, it was a good scheme. Once one photo is in the firts positions sales grow exponetially, no matter if the file it's no the best.

And that, of course, is unfair an dirty.

Quote from: ShadySue on October 30, 2009, 19:30

Quote from: gostwyck on October 30, 2009, 06:31

Didn't you just visit lots of internet cafes (or other's computers), created new accounts and then downloaded your own stuff?

Why would anyone do this (unless they have lost their original images and are trying to get them back for free)?

To improve the position of his photos in the Best Match results. In the past, that was done for some contributors, self-downloading his own files, o creating false accounts to download them. Even paying, it was a good scheme. Once one photo is in the firts positions sales grow exponetially, no matter if the file it's no the best.

And that, of course, is unfair an dirty.

H**k - it would never have occurred t me that a free download would count for anything!

Was your misfortune getting caught, then?

...Anyway, I paid damages. Some works probably will be deactivated.
I'll have to brace up to my misfortune and get on with my work.

P.S. This topic can be locked

So let me get this straight. Some people somehow got a hold of your cards, used them to sign up and get free credits, then used those credits to only buy your images (the odds of which are, as mentioned above, astronomical). So istock called you out on this, and you responded by sending a couple of emails and then simply paying out over $500 in damages, without much of a fight (not exactly what an innocent person would do). Now you're just ready to move on, chalk it up to "misfortune", and have this thread detailing the whole incredible story locked up so that no one else can read about it.

Why not just change the title of this thread to "I tried to scam istock and got caught - here's how..."

I can't find japonchik's portfolio on Istock.