Pirated ebook, etc.- so annoying

Fruitbat · Aug 14, 2015

I found one of my "how-to" e-books up for free on one site, for sale in several different languages on another.

Also, somewhat related, a whole separate entry for the used paperback on Amazon for $35. It is not under the Amazon entry I put up, but has its own complete page. All of the other used copies go from links under MY page for the book. I doubt anyone would buy it at that price when I'm selling it much cheaper (and another site is giving the ebook away for free!) but it still makes me look like a conceited idiot!

So, it looks like Amazon has resolved the separate $35 listing, after I complained half a dozen times in various ways this week.

And I've filled out the form for the take down notice to be sent, on the free version, through Google.

With the other site, the one that is selling the ebook in different languages, I can't figure out who to tell because no one seems to claim the site. And the place I did find to report it to seems to be saying they need my full contact information, which they will then disclose to the thief!

This book is under a second pen name that I don't want anyone to know. Why on earth would they hand my private information out to a thief anyway?!

Also, I do not understand half the damn words at the places I track down to report this to. Why don't they use plain English? Am I really supposed to sit here all day looking up each technical term and trying to figure out what boxes to check?

My book may be pirated elsewhere, too. I am too disgusted at the moment to look anymore.

Anyone have this happen?

Also, it is my worst selling book. What a bunch of idiots to steal it. Oh. Unless that's because the sales are going to them. I just thought of that! LOL.

Twick · Aug 14, 2015

They want to scare you off, because the site is making money from (or is) the thief. This is not a legitimate operation.

If it's worth the money, I'd suggest having a lawyer contact them, instead of doing it directly. That may have an impact on them.

WriterBN · Aug 14, 2015

Relax. Most of these "pirate" sites are just scams to obtain credit card (or other identifying) information. Others deliver malware in the form of an e-book download. These sites come and go every day. I ignore them, because life is too short to spend time chasing after them.

The "real" piracy happens on torrents, and you probably won't see those in Google search results.

Fruitbat · Aug 14, 2015

Thanks, Twick. It might be worth the cost of a couple lawyerly letters just to be rid of the aggravation.

veinglory · Aug 14, 2015

Used book sellers deliberately create second listings on Amazon (by doing something like putting a period after the title or square brackets around it) so people won't see they can get it cheaper new. I am reporting those things all the time and it sometimes takes multiple attempts.

brainstorm77 · Aug 14, 2015

Yup, those sellers are improperly listing on Amazon on purpose and they should be reported. I have encountered this multiple times. Amazon will correct it when you bring it to their attention.

jjdebenedictis · Aug 14, 2015

WriterBN said:
Relax. Most of these "pirate" sites are just scams to obtain credit card (or other identifying) information.

A good reason not to send them any personal information. Have a lawyer contact them, preferably, or just threaten them with contact from a lawyer.

cvolante · Aug 10, 2016

I've had 25,000 + illegal torrent downloads from one website in the past 24 hours. I just discovered that it was there today, so I contacted them and also KDP/Amazon (since I signed an exclusive 90 day Amazon-only eBook contract with them.) Frustrating as hell. The other web site took down my book immediately - within 2 hours, but this big one? Nope. They've stolen $68,000 + in illegal downloading in 24 hours. I was making a point not to offer the book for free on Amazon until book 2 in the series was ready. Argh.

ElaineA · Aug 10, 2016

This number is mind-boggling! It really seems like something Amazon could put their muscle behind and help their contracted authors. Are they responsive?

Justin K · Aug 10, 2016

I remember having an article I wrote stolen and used elsewhere, it was rather interesting what they did. They used find-and-replace to change pretty much every noun and adjective to a synonymous noun/adjective in order to mask the article from search. Of course they were just using it to earn ad revenue. So where I had a sentence like "Drive your car to the bank to deposit your check," it would read, "Operate your vehicle to the institution to deposit your money." I think being ripped off is unavoidably part of the game.

AW Admin · Aug 10, 2016

cvolante said:
I've had 25,000 + illegal torrent downloads from one website in the past 24 hours. I just discovered that it was there today, so I contacted them and also KDP/Amazon (since I signed an exclusive 90 day Amazon-only eBook contract with them.) Frustrating as hell. The other web site took down my book immediately - within 2 hours, but this big one? Nope. They've stolen $68,000 + in illegal downloading in 24 hours. I was making a point not to offer the book for free on Amazon until book 2 in the series was ready. Argh.

Send them a DMCA takedown notice.

CC Amazon and the other sites ISP and Domain Register.

Make sure you follow the DMCA format to the letter. Just the facts; not opinion, not invective.

cvolante · Aug 14, 2016

Thanks. They refuse any email from yahoo, gmail, hotmail. They only accept "company" emails. I re-sent with my new website's email. Hopefully that won't bounce back. Amazon said to contact National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, so I've sent the DCMA and that. Looks like they took it down for a day or two and then put it right back up. Amazon also said it could be a phishing site, so to be careful about giving personal info.

James D. Macdonald · Aug 14, 2016

cvolante said:
I've had 25,000 + illegal torrent downloads from one website in the past 24 hours.

How likely is this, really? How many legitimate copies do you generally sell in a 24 hour period?

Scam sites, phishing sites, get the titles and authors of ebooks and put up random (but large) numbers of downloads, knowing that a certain number of authors will be Googling on their names, will find the place, then be convinced to send personally identifying information to the site (which they can then use or re-sell).

They aren't trying to sell your book -- they're trying to sell you.

Pirated ebook, etc.- so annoying

Fruitbat

.

Twick

WriterBN

Fruitbat

.

veinglory

volitare nequeo

brainstorm77

practical experience, FTW

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

cvolante

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.

Justin K

AW Admin

cvolante

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle