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Website skimming eBay ads/pics


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Several months ago, a member pointed out that my eBay pics (55 Chevy), and verbiage were on an unauthorized website. I don’t remember who it was? 

 

I contacted an attorney friend of mine who specializes in website copyright/intellectual property rights, with the goal to get the pics taken down. It’s a scam site, scraping eBay listings. You email them about info on a car they have listed, they don’t respond, but you get a lot of ligitimate looking emails after trying to scam you out of $. I know this because I tested it. Knowing I couldn’t do a lot about it, I was at least willing to pay my friend to get my pics taken down so no one was scammed from my photos. 

 

Long story short, my friend found out the website owner was in Russia, pursued it and filed a suit. He got $7500, of which I received $2500. (I didn’t expect anything). 

 

I wasn’t able to get his sites taken down, which would have been preferable. I didn’t expect, and neither did my attorney, to receive any $. He was really just happy to harass the guy, (because he’s trying to scam people), and wasn’t going to charge me. He paid the court filing fees and was willing to spend his $ to do it as a community service. He called it “entertainment”. He and I both were shocked when the guy answered and then again when the funds appeared. 

 

It’s realy great to know there are people willing to try and call a bad person on the carpet. I wish we could do more. Most attorneys wouldn’t have done this much. 

 

I guess you could argue it’s no big deal, but at least it’s something. If lots of people did something, things would change. This might equate to a lot of things in life. 

Edited by victorialynn2 (see edit history)
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I think Pinterest is just a site full of photos,  like google images.  I found a lot of stuff I was interested in knowing more about on Pinterest when I was looking for a Hudson truck,  but there was no further information other than just the photos.  Not even any links,  if I remember correctly. 

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10 minutes ago, victorialynn2 said:

That’s probably his site also. He probably will find this post too. (Because you linked to his page.  May want to delete it.)

Not sure It looks like it is in Denver co:

 

http://www.urlrate.com/www/topclassiccarsforsale.com

 

But it does have this in the link :

 

Target: ns2.x5x.ru

 

Edited by nick8086 (see edit history)
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9 minutes ago, mike6024 said:

How come that Russian dude didn't "skim" Jake's Audi as well? Jake, aka Nick has had this beauty up for sale for awhile. And no-one has skimmed it? What an insult!

 

1978-audi-5000-barn-find.jpg

Not sure for 980.00 why no one wants it..

 

I found out you post things.. and the day you get rid of it.. Every one wanted it..

IMG_6134.JPG

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Here is one more

 

http://greenlitemotors.com/otherars/151526-1953-kaiser-dragon.html

 

It links to your ebay ad..

 

or

 

https://www.vehicles-classifieds.com/detail/other-makes/1953-Other-Makes-1953-Kaiser-Dragon_273088524664.html

 

I did not post any of these ad's - just pulled from ebay..

 

How do you know if it is sold or not for sale any more..??

 

Not sure. about this, I would  be more worry about Facebook or your new computer.. They track you location and other stuff.

I was looking at my outlook account it told me my location..  It tracks the location that I plug in with my lab top..

 

It also tell me with a pop up when my wife get a new text..?? What is up with that..

How does my new laptop know what texts are sent to my wife phone at work..

 

We have to much data mining.

Edited by nick8086 (see edit history)
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Congratulations, congratulations, Victoria Lynn!

We feel good when we can expose a scammer

and keep him from cheating our forum friends.

You've gone further:  You have actually punished

a criminal for his fraud.

 

The old-car hobby owes you and your principled lawyer

many thanks for your efforts.

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29 minutes ago, Graham Man said:

Go to your facebook account settings and delete the apps, that should break the link. 

 

This is one instruction on how, lots of them available...

https://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-delete-unwanted-facebook-apps/

 

His hardware is also linked if he’s getting text notifications from her cell. Lots of us link laptops and cells so we can go back and forth during the day and have them both updated. 

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In the vein of technology gone wild, I just got back from the Toyota dealer from having the "maintenance required" light attended to on my daily driver. As I drove into the building toward the service desk, an electronic billboard overhead lit up with "Welcome" and my name. I asked how it works and the service writer told me that there is a module on the inside RV mirror that radios out my VIN. I don't if there was an interrogation/response like the old IFF or if I'm driving down the road broadcasting my VIN for all the world to read.

One more reason to keep the old cars operational.

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I think Pinterest works a little bit like this site,  but it's only a photo site using photos from the web.  You create an account,  then post pictures of your favorite things.  Many are just photos people reposted from the internet.  Kind of like here.  As mentioned,  as far as I know it's only a photo site.  I looked up cars on there and I have looked up, barns, garages, etc.  There is very little information about the item and nothing appears to be for sale,  or any way to contact someone even if you see a for sale sign in the picture,  unless there is contact info in the photo.  

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2 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

I think Pinterest works a little bit like this site,  but it's only a photo site using photos from the web.  You create an account,  then post pictures of your favorite things.  Many are just photos people reposted from the internet.  Kind of like here.  As mentioned,  as far as I know it's only a photo site.  I looked up cars on there and I have looked up, barns, garages, etc.  There is very little information about the item and nothing appears to be for sale,  or any way to contact someone even if you see a for sale sign in the picture,  unless there is contact info in the photo.  

The idea of Pinterest is to click on photos and they link to websites. There’s a lot of spam there also. 

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That would make sense.  The few I clicked on were expired for sale ads,  some from Craigslist,  so I didn't spend a lot of time there except looking at garage photos which I didn't need much more information about,  just drooling over stuff.  I might have ended up there looking at garage door ideas as well.  Usually I just use google images for that. 

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A few months ago I found quite a few of the photos that turned up on a typical google image search were from pinterest. When you clicked on them the site would not let me enlarge them beyond thumbnail unless I signed up as a member.  I finally gave in and signed up, so far no unpleasant side effects. Every now and then I get a notification of new postings with the same tag I have previously viewed. Generally a useful feature, you get content you are probably interested in without looking at thousands of unrelated new photo posts.

 

Greg in Canada

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1 hour ago, auburnseeker said:

That would make sense.  The few I clicked on were expired for sale ads,  some from Craigslist,  so I didn't spend a lot of time there except looking at garage photos which I didn't need much more information about,  just drooling over stuff.  I might have ended up there looking at garage door ideas as well.  Usually I just use google images for that. 

Have you posted any update on how the garage is coming along? 

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26 minutes ago, 1912Staver said:

A few months ago I found quite a few of the photos that turned up on a typical google image search were from pinterest. When you clicked on them the site would not let me enlarge them beyond thumbnail unless I signed up as a member.  I finally gave in and signed up, so far no unpleasant side effects. Every now and then I get a notification of new postings with the same tag I have previously viewed. Generally a useful feature, you get content you are probably interested in without looking at thousands of unrelated new photo posts.

 

Greg in Canada

You can save photos to “boards” also. Great for say a recipe that you want to save. Sadly lots of advertisers and spammers are using it, so when the links are expired, the photos are not taken down. 

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34 minutes ago, victorialynn2 said:

Have you posted any update on how the garage is coming along? 

I actually haven't gotten a lot done on the new shop since winter set in (and still persisting here in the East) Though I did get my order of windows in,  stacked in the garage for now.  Though I have been finishing off the old garage on the property which is 28 by 50. 

I'm going to start a step by step thread shortly,  with costs of all aspects as I completed them including materials and sizes,  so someone in the future looking to build something similar could get a good handle on what it will take to build something similar and how much space it actually gives you once done.  Something like I was looking for before I started and couldn't find. 

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2 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

I actually haven't gotten a lot done on the new shop since winter set in (and still persisting here in the East) Though I did get my order of windows in,  stacked in the garage for now.  Though I have been finishing off the old garage on the property which is 28 by 50. 

I'm going to start a step by step thread shortly,  with costs of all aspects as I completed them including materials and sizes,  so someone in the future looking to build something similar could get a good handle on what it will take to build something similar and how much space it actually gives you once done.  Something like I was looking for before I started and couldn't find. 

That would be very helpful for others. I remember winters in NH, and still have family there. The NE has had a cold spring!

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You aren't kidding.  70 one day in February and the arctic Tundra since.  It's been mud season for 2 months now except when it's frozen, though the snow cover kept the ground from really refreezing.  3 Back to back North Easters didn't help either.  Atleast the other garage is heated.  

The winds did a number on my tarp garage door last night,  I resecured it several times yesterday and again at 1AM.   Fortunately the worst of them have subsided.  65 MPH gusts and sustained of 40,  doesn't do well with plastic over windows and doors.  Time to get the glass in and some better sort of Temp Garage door until I can build something nice.  Watching the kids now so I can't be out there working. 

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11 hours ago, victorialynn2 said:

Nick, you have your laptop synced with her phone. There are settings for Facebook and other apps, as well as phones and laptops that you can set. This isn’t the place to go into it and I’m retired from computer support anyway. ;)

I worked with Burroughs  computers back in the days..

 

 

 

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From Wiki - Control Data Corporation (CDC) was a mainframe and supercomputer firm. CDC was one of the nine major United States computer companies through most of the 1960s; the others were IBM, Burroughs Corporation, DEC, NCR, General Electric, Honeywell, RCA, and UNIVAC. CDC was well-known and highly regarded ...

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8 minutes ago, mike6024 said:

From Wiki - Control Data Corporation (CDC) was a mainframe and supercomputer firm. CDC was one of the nine major United States computer companies through most of the 1960s; the others were IBM, Burroughs Corporation, DEC, NCR, General Electric, Honeywell, RCA, and UNIVAC. CDC was well-known and highly regarded ...

I am lost as to where you and Nick are going with this conversation?

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Nick I sold Burroughs L-series then main frames in the early 70’s. I have owned IBB 360’s and 370’s Univac 9000 and 1100’s. I could code in assembler language and I’m still lost where you guys are going. 

But it is interesting to try to figure it out. 

Have fun

Dave S 

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11 hours ago, victorialynn2 said:

I am lost as to where you and Nick are going with this conversation?

 

VL, I think some here took the off ramp in this thread and are currently on a back road. ;) :D

 

Somewhat related to your original post... I have had a web site on line since the mid 1990s based on one of my vehicles with 1000s of pages and many more photos.

One day I received an email from another enthusiast for the vehicle on my web site telling me someone had stolen my web site. I came to find out that an individual in another country had basically copied large parts of my web site and was passing it off as his own. I did not have the $$$$ to hire a lawyer. Even if I had a lawyer back then there were virtually no laws at all governing the internet so it would have done no good. Anyway, between myself and the company where my web site was hosted from we got the fake site shutdown. I am guessing that the web site provider for the fake site did not want to deal with situation. Glad your situation was resolved in your favor. Thanks for letting everyone here know what happened.

 

Charlie

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12 hours ago, charlier said:

 

VL, I think some here took the off ramp in this thread and are currently on a back road. ;) :D

 

Somewhat related to your original post... I have had a web site on line since the mid 1990s based on one of my vehicles with 1000s of pages and many more photos.

One day I received an email from another enthusiast for the vehicle on my web site telling me someone had stolen my web site. I came to find out that an individual in another country had basically copied large parts of my web site and was passing it off as his own. I did not have the $$$$ to hire a lawyer. Even if I had a lawyer back then there were virtually no laws at all governing the internet so it would have done no good. Anyway, between myself and the company where my web site was hosted from we got the fake site shutdown. I am guessing that the web site provider for the fake site did not want to deal with situation. Glad your situation was resolved in your favor. Thanks for letting everyone here know what happened.

 

Charlie

No worries, I just wasn’t sure if I was missing something. Y’all know I don’t mind side conversations. 

 

Your example is exactly what my attorney does. I met him as he was a guest speaking in my blogging support group that I started for Realtors. They were having issues with other Realtors stealing photos and content. He put a stop to it for our Realtors.  

 

Learned a a lot about copyrights and intellectual property rights. I ran this car thing by him and he was nice enough to follow up with it. 

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9 hours ago, victorialynn2 said:

No worries, I just wasn’t sure if I was missing something. Y’all know I don’t mind side conversations. 

 

Your example is exactly what my attorney does. I met him as he was a guest speaking in my blogging support group that I started for Realtors. They were having issues with other Realtors stealing photos and content. He put a stop to it for our Realtors.  

 

Learned a a lot about copyrights and intellectual property rights. I ran this car thing by him and he was nice enough to follow up with it. 

 

I would be curious to know how long he has been practicing this type of law specifically related to the internet?  Maybe there were lawyers back then that could have helped me. Then  again I have to wonder since both the person who "copied" my web site and their internet hosting company were both located in a foreign country which made dealing with both a challenge. 

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3 hours ago, charlier said:

 

I would be curious to know how long he has been practicing this type of law specifically related to the internet?  Maybe there were lawyers back then that could have helped me. Then  again I have to wonder since both the person who "copied" my web site and their internet hosting company were both located in a foreign country which made dealing with both a challenge. 

I met him around 2008 or 2009. I think you are correct that it was harder back then to even track people in a foreign company. 

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