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starlite Oct 26, 2005

Well I know I read in one of the strings recently that someone had had their bear advertised by another seller in a different country but I was totally taken aback today when one of the girls in my work said that she had seen one of my bears being sold by somone else - she thought maybe someone was offering a bear they had adopted through ebay and only mentioned it when we were talking about my ebay bear on just now.
Well after some searching worldwide through completed items - I found it
AN EXACT COPY of my last bears listing - I was horrified - its kind of like someone stealing something that is dear to you
So off I went to Ebay to check out what could be done to complian - this users has ) feedback and has only been an ebay member since the beginning of October however there is a route to complain and that is through their VERo policy - basically this is intellectual property theft
A) my trading name was used
B) my pictures were used
C) My text created by me through innovative thought was used
Never mind the fact that they do not have my bear - unless of course someone has quickly run an identical bear up in their back room
SO I have printed out a pdf form that should be faxed to ebay concerning this sort of area and hopefully they will be able to at least remove this user -
however I am more concerned that someone might just have bid on the auction and been done out of money
- this user has many auctions appearing - and I have to say do they have any of the items at all - and come to that how on earth are they funding all the listing fees??
This user has listed 284 items since the 23rd October only one has had a bid - but just that one person will not I assume ever get the item- I am not sure how ebay could keep an eye on this sort of thing - but since they seem to have watchdogs who remove listings for what appear to be very subjective interpretation of  infringements of their rules - surely there must be something they can do
Oh well sorry everyone have got tthat off my chest now - have just to write similar ravings to ebay to see if they will do anything about it
Hope I haven't ruined your day -
Tip from ebay - list a favourite search and be notified by email of items world wide which match the criterion then you can watch to see if anyone copies your listing - so that is their current advice - I will post here if they give me better advice after reporting the problem
Take Care
:hug: :hug: :hug:
Anne

Helena Oct 26, 2005

Good grief! That's dreadful. I've been reading the recent threads about this sort of things, and it really is a huge worry. How dare they!!!

Anne, they used your name and wording too???! Where did they list it? I mean, how would we know if someone pinched our photos and used them in a Country whose auctions were not listed in the UK or US, or were no available there (I think the worldwide search only lists those auctions that are 'available' to you? Is that correct?

Ebay has a big, big problem on it's hands.

clare14 Oct 26, 2005

Oh Anne this is awful for you, and very scary, haven't these idiots got anything better to do?

Thanks for sharing.

Helena Oct 26, 2005

Anne, I found it. It came out in the completed listings like you said. I really hope you can get this sorted out quickly and can understand how angry you must be....

I suggest we all keep a close eye on our own and each other's auctions....

kbonsall Oct 26, 2005

WOW! this is scary! I double checked ebay and I didnt see any of mine... I searched "Kim-Bee" and "Kim-Bee Bears"......

kbonsall Oct 26, 2005

I didnt see it...

Deb Oct 26, 2005

Didn't even know you could search completed items.  What did you search on Anne?

Roxanne Oct 26, 2005

Well, that goes to show us ebay has evolved so, that they really do not know how to handle problems like this. We have to be our own "watch dog" to see if we are being ripped off! I know that I have seen a bear of mine being sold by the person that had purchased it. They had almost the same description written word for word as when I listed, and pictures from my original auction. My answer would be for us to remove the pictures from our "host" so that it will not be available on the ebay auction. But anyone can lift a picture from our auction to use later. Also, I have listed using ebays format when I was in a hurry to get it on. I have not been able to figure out how to remove the pictures once they have been uploaded to ebay. I know that we had talked about ways of using different formats that can not have the pictures copied, But it just seems so crazy to me that we have to go so much further that we have to and spend more and more money to sell a bear. Yes we do it because we love making bears, but we have to be honest with ourselves here.... we would not be doing this with auctions and websites if we we did not want to make a profit, or be able to purchase something without having to wait till the next pay period.  I have been on a rant today, which is not like me, I appologize. But dont we all get to the point where we want to say enough is enough with the cheating and the lies and the stealing.

gotobedbears Oct 26, 2005

HI Anne,

I really feel for you sweetie - don't get too het up about this. I know it will take a while for this to get sorted out cos eBay are sooo slow sometimes, but remember that you have'nt done anything wrong.

Keep an eye on the listing and if anyone bids, contact them yourself and tell them what is going on, maybe that way you can help protect the bidders and yourself.

Let us all know what happens,

Chill baby - obviously you make really good bears or they would'nt have bothered picking your auction to copy -  a strange sort of flattery i know but hey! you're a star

Lots of love and kisses

Penny 

kbonsall Oct 26, 2005

Helena has just emailed me an auction of MY bear by someone who is an unregisted user who was selling Jaiden!  WHAT THE HELL!!!

gotobedbears Oct 26, 2005

How can we check if our bears are being hijacked please - i'm nosy and wanna see if someone is doing the dirty with my bears

Penny 

shantell Oct 26, 2005

I would be interested in knowing how you check this out too.  I know how to look at completed items but what do you search for or do you just look through them all in hopes you see one you recognize as your own.

Thanks for any info you can share.  Perhaps just being deligent and keeping each other informed would help too.  Obviously we must be our own police.

Helena Oct 26, 2005

The way I'm searching is....

- go to 'advanced search' (top right of page)
- enter keyword, such as 'bear'
- tick 'completed listings' or leave unticked for current auctions
- scroll down to 'location' & choose 'items located in...china'
- hit 'return'

So far I've found Kim's and two by Michelle Lamb...

bearsbybeesley Oct 26, 2005

here here! Anne I am so sorry my Dear. Would you mind telling us how you searched for your listing? I think this may be something we all need to investigate for our own protection.

Thank you

Many Hugs Louise

kbonsall Oct 26, 2005

I notified ebay but the person who was TRYING TO selling Jaiden had "not a registered user" next to their name....

Helena Oct 26, 2005

I think they keep re-registering under new names, Kim.

Daphne Oct 26, 2005

And how, exactly, can an UNREGISTERED user sell anything on eBay? Kim?

Let's face it guys... if you put it on the internet... your website, eBay, Teddy Talk.... it becomes public domain. I don't care if you have a copyright to it, block it from right clicking, whatever.... if someone wants it they can find a way to take it, copy it, make it theirs, etc.

I know, these sorts of things should be protected some how and there are measures that protect things to a certain point but computer geeks with nothing else to do can hack through anything.

And the world is full of low life, scum of the earth creeps who don't have an ounce of respect in their blood. You can't trust anyone nowadays.

So, remember that the next time you post anything on eBay, Teddy Talk, your website. In the end there is little to nothing you can do to stop someone from copying it. It's no one's fault, really. So, as bad as eBay is getting to be, it's not all "EBAY" but those who USE eBay that are to blame.

I'm so sorry that you all are having these experiences. It really stinks.

:hug: Daphne

kbonsall Oct 26, 2005

Oh, I know it isnt ebay. I just never realized how many low life people there are in the world, thats all  :(

I would like to know how an unregistered user can sell too... they are verified though, maybe ebay can get them on that....

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 26, 2005

AAAAAARRRRGGGHH . . . Anne, this is NOT a good thing to happen on any day, but on your BIRTHDAY???  How awful for you and the rest of you guys who've had your auctions stolen!!  Boy, some people are just ruthless!  So sorry!!  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Helena Oct 26, 2005

I'm guessing the seller wasn't unregistered when the bear was listed. They must have been reported since then and removed by eBay. Then they probably re-registered under a different name....

I think the best thing to do is just keep reporting them. It is theft. And if enough people complain enough times it should lead to a proper investigation, if that isn't happening already. People have been arrested for this kind of thing!

kbonsall Oct 26, 2005

i think to become verified you need to give bank info, address info, name info... am I right?

Helena Oct 26, 2005

Yes, I'm pretty sure you're right Kim. Hmm. Have you reported them?

kbonsall Oct 26, 2005

YES I DID   I gave the auction number, location, user name, everything they could need !  TAKE THAT EVILDOER!  LMAO

Helena Oct 26, 2005

Revenge is sweet!!!

gotobedbears Oct 26, 2005

Gosh - i did the advanced search and the list came up with 160,000 plus bears worldwide current auctions and ended listings.

Sorry girls but life's too short to trawl through all that lot - if a little feller in China is flogging one of my bears in a copycat auction he's welcome to it, i'm off to watch the telly

I know i'm not being particularly publicly minded here - i truly hope that no one is being ripped off in my name - but i don't care enough to spend HOURS traipsing through all the listings to find out.

Please don't think i'm awful - i'm just a bit of a plank  :doh:

Penny - aka lazy cow