Pirated photos?

While reviewing Craigslist postings of furniture I discovered that someone else was selling furniture using MY photos from my postings to describe their furniture.

Question #1. How did they do that?
Question #2. How do I stop it?
Question #3. Is this a major computer security concern?

P.S. I know they are my photos because not only do I recognize the furniture in the foreground as mine, but also the furniture in the background is mine aswell.

Weird, but doable.

To answer your questions:

1) They see your photo; they right-click on the pic; they save the pic (usually under a different name) on their
     storage area for photos; they use it in their ad.

2) You can protect your photo from being copied; don't know how exactly, but have seen it done; do google research
     for actual procedure.

3)  Not a big security issue...it's basically a cut-and-paste but with photos not text.

Now for my question:
What piece of furniture (or pieces) would be that common that they would copy your picture and use it as their own?

And a further observation:

You could probably flag their listing, but I don't know if there is a spot where you could describe WHY you are flagging it.

Will be interested in hearing more about this situation.

OK, I googled it and this is one of the results ( I think it was the first non-sponsored link that came up).

http://gallery.menalto.com/node/37588

One of the first things the forum there talks about is the "right-click" approach used for copying photos.

I know "I" have right-clicked on a photo or a piece of cartoon art and have gotten a "protected" message.

@ Movieman,

Thanks for the quick response! The furniture I sold was an oak oval dining/breakfast type table with six wooden chairs. They say they are selling a similar table but with a tile top and only four chairs. I first thought it was someone re-selling the furniture I had sold to them, but it's not. I guess I don't mind folks using photos from furniture I have already sold, but I would have a problem if they are using my photos to compete with me on similar items. Then again, kinda lazy using my photos, and I am not in the business to help my competitors. Friends in the business and people on forums like this I will help; random sellers or hostile competitors:can't let them use my time and labor to compete against me. If it becomes a habit I guess I will photo protect.

actually there is no 100% way to protect your photos, even if you have the no right click java script enabled on your page that has the photos. You can always view source, php can hide that exact source code, but certain programs can get pass that, especially if that person is using FF. You can make it more difficult, but never truly protect them. Sorry

I really wouldn't be too conerned about it. As others have said its not like they have hackd your account they just copy and reuse your pic from the posting. Plus there's not much you cna do about it. Even protected pictures can be saved with a pretty easy step.

One thing thats easy to do is put a watermark with your email address or website name over the pic. Not going to stop someone from using it buy buyers may wonder why that persons email doesn't match the pic

I really wouldn't be too conerned about it. As others have said its not like they have hackd your account they just copy and reuse your pic from the posting. Plus there's not much you cna do about it. Even protected pictures can be saved with a pretty easy step.

One thing thats easy to do is put a watermark with your email address or website name over the pic. Not going to stop someone from using it buy buyers may wonder why that persons email doesn't match the pic

Now that is a good idea, at the least you might even be able to get them for copyright fraud

Eh I wouldn't sue them for copyright fraud. Especially on pictures of items I've already sold. However like a modeling picture or something of that sort then I can definitely understand grounds for lawsuit. But I do think that it is polite if you are going to rip a photo is to at least credit your source of where you got the photo from. It highlights them and you both, and both parties are then satisfied.

  My only concern with someone using Your picture is if it NOT a Real auction , but a Scammer selling something they do not have ?
  This scam is really big on Craigs List , using someones  picture to sell stuff they don't have . Everything from apartment's for rent to You name it .
My neighbor got scammed out of $ 2600. over a snow mobile . ( I warned Him    )

Have you cosidered a water mark that would or could be your trademark?  That generaly makes folks think twice before stealing and useing a pic publicly. also it builds a reputation for you when folks see the pic they know its you. Just an Idea there is free software online that adds watermarks to pic's etc.

watermark-image.com/

hope that helps enjoy...

I messed the spelling up in that post sorry. at the verry least you could put your e-mail or phone number on the pic. for craigs list. this way if someone stole it they might get scarred you would definatly be contacted. it's not more info than you are allready exposing folks to just make a new email with a catchy name just for craigslist with a good spam filter, That should stop the thiefs.

And I dont use one so cant say wich is best just posted that one as an example of what I'm talking about.

Good Luck!

personally i would recommend putting an email address over your pic instead of a trademark type logo like a symbol.

a symbold doesn't really mean anything if i sent you a pic that doesnt mean its my pic or my item however if your selling me a car and you send me a pic with watermarked [email protected] and your email address is [email protected] I'm going to wonder about that.

watermarks are super easy to do in picassa. just click the text option and write your email adress in the middle of the pic then chang the font color or style to clear so it doesn't obstruct the pic and you got a watermark.

personally i would recommend putting an email address over your pic instead of a trademark type logo like a symbol.

Like this:

And see note below pic:



This corner approach would be easy to get rid of; a better solution would be a watermark at a diagonal
across the entire main body of the pic.

Like this:


This corner approach would be easy to get rid of; a better solution would be a watermark at a diagonal
across the entire main body of the pic.

And I agree, diagnol across the teh center or even several watermarks through out the photo would be good. The way that is displayed here, with only the corner I could DL the pic, crop out the corner, then it be mine,

I usually plaster my URL over my important photos.

If you ever see your photos being pirated on Ebay....you have a problem. Or at least whoever buys the item does.