Ok, I wasn't quite sure where to post this but I really need some help. See, about 5 minutes ago I was just checking google to see where my page came up on different searches, when I found this site with EXACTLY the same info as mine... I mean, not just copying some of my info, but everything was copies word for word. I used other phrases from different pages of mine, and they all came up exactly the same as mine. I'm so mad!:angry:

How can someone just do that? I mean, can't they just get their own info? I've been working on my site forever and now someone's taking everything of mine, and I don't know what to do about it. Is there a way to get that site taken down or something? :confused:

My site isn't huge, I'm not working for some company, I'm just someone that has a website for a game. My pages aren't legally copyrighted either. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before and I just wanted to get some help from you guys. Is there anything I can do? Thanks for your help!

Hey there,

Under US laws if i'm correct, if you make it, it's your the moment of the creation- no need to get it legally appended. It's safer and more professional if you do get it done legally (not too much paper work). Contact the host that the website is contained on and ask the webmaster/admin to deal with the problem. Most of the time, they will ask for proof and all that nonsense and than tell their client to get into shape;)

What are the links?

Thx for the reply! But how do I find out who their host is? The site that's copying from mine is http://www.notwututhinkitis.com, although their homepage isn't what's bring copied... basically everything about runescape. Thanks for any help you can give, you've been a lot of help already!

edit:

My Pages:
http://runescape.salmoneus.net/fishing.html
http://runescape.salmoneus.net/thieving.html
http://runescape.salmoneus.net/cooking.html

Their pages:
http://www.notwututhinkitis.com/fishing.htm
http://www.notwututhinkitis.com/thieving.htm
http://www.notwututhinkitis.com/cooking.htm

those are just some of my pages that are being copied, I'm sure if you search for any pages on my site with content, and put their site addressi n the serach too you'll find that they have all of my guides copied exactly.:angry:

java_dude, can we get a link to your's as well?

Well their host is: http://www.lowesthosting.com/

Contact them and point them to the sections of their site where they are copying your content.

http://www.notwututhinkitis.com/runescape.htm

Looks like it's already been deleted.


Registrant:
Daniel D Kitay (NOTWUTUTHINKITIS-COM-DOM)
P.O. Box 1731
Camarillo, CA 93011
US
danweb@adelphia.net

Domain Name: NOTWUTUTHINKITIS.COM

Administrative Contact:
Daniel D Kitay danweb@adelphia.net
144 La Patera Dr.
Camarillo, CA 93010
US
805-484-0691

Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Technical Support LowestHosting.com support-p@Lowesthosting.com
2373 NW 185th Avenue #199
Hillsboro, OR 97124
US
support-p@LowestHosting.com
Fax- 503-210-0379

Record last updated on 15-Nov-2004.
Record expires on 17-Oct-2005.
Record created on 17-Oct-2003.

Domain servers in listed order:

Name Server: NS1.LowestHosting.com
Name Server: NS2.LowestHosting.com

If you don't post your link, we cannot determine which content has been duplicated. An important thing for all members of WHT is that search engines will penalise your site if they find duplicated content.

While on all search engines you may see the same content from various domains and subdomains on the top 10 results, owned by the same person/company, if this gets noticed you might get an instant ban from their index. (Hope the previous sentence has been clarified enough).

Check and doublecheck this and if you see your content been nicked by other websites, take action! If your ranking falls or you loose your place in the search results because of this, contact the search engine and report this.

Originally posted by artzweb
If you don't post your link, we cannot determine which content has been duplicated.
He did. Check 4 posts above yours. ;)

Yeah, I posted a few of the links to the pages he copied. If you go to his main page and click the RuneScape link to the side, then on the links on the left side, all those guides are mine. He took all of my pictures, even of MY character! The only thing missing is my stylesheet, which I'm surprised that he didn't take!:angry:

I just have a question, what should I say to his webhost provider? I just want this content taken down, I've been working on it for quite some time now. :( Thanks for all your help again!

well.. this type of thing always happen. What you can do is you can always make a javascript in order that people cannot select your text in your window, and you could also block the source and put header to your file. But there is no real way to make sure there are no copies.

Yes CGU - he could do that, he could encrypt all of his code, but the person who stole it shouldn't have to start with.

I strongly suggest contacting his/her host directly and asking about it, try to resolve it that way.

I know there isn't much proof you can give, but how about registration dates of your domains... surely this isn;t a very strong way of proof - if any at all, but it's worth a try.

I agree. You will definately have the burdon of proving you had your's up first.

Originally posted by ANMMark
I agree. You will definately have the burdon of proving you had your's up first.

That's what the wayback machine (http://www.internetarchive.org) is for.

ahhh yes, this has come in handy for us as well....good call.

I only have a single entry in the Wayback Machine, from February earlier this year... but I have an entire news archive from the past 3 years of working on my site. Does that count for anything? Also, if you look at the source you can tell it's just copy and pasted, or horribly edited from the original. They're even using my CSS classes, without having a stylesheet set! Heh, wouldn't you at least expect them to try and make it look good? :rolleyes:

I've contacted the person that runs the site, to see if they will just remove the content before I contact their webhost. It's just awful... I've been running my site for more than 3 years, paying for it for all this time, and now someone just comes along and takes it, claiming that it's theirs. Would the source alone make a case against them, should they choose not to listen to me?

Originally posted by java_dude
I only have a single entry in the Wayback Machine, from February earlier this year... but I have an entire news archive from the past 3 years of working on my site. Does that count for anything? Also, if you look at the source you can tell it's just copy and pasted, or horribly edited from the original. They're even using my CSS classes, without having a stylesheet set! Heh, wouldn't you at least expect them to try and make it look good? :rolleyes:

I've contacted the person that runs the site, to see if they will just remove the content before I contact their webhost. It's just awful... I've been running my site for more than 3 years, paying for it for all this time, and now someone just comes along and takes it, claiming that it's theirs. Would the source alone make a case against them, should they choose not to listen to me?
Another possiblity is the google cache, assuming they've indexed your site.

stealing created work is illegal - try to contact their hosts and get them shut down :D

Shutting them down is a bit cruel and heartless. People make mistakes. The topic creator sent an email to the webmaster asking to remove the copied material. That is the mature and kind thing to do.

Most likely it's some kid who just wants a site.

java_dude, I hope they are civil and remove the stuff they copied from you. Good luck.

Good news, I just got an e-mail from the site owner earlier, saying that he apologizes and that he will remove my content from his pages. In fact, he said that he will remove the pages as well, and link to my site for the inconvenience that he's caused. I'm just happy that he was honest about it, didn't give me any trouble, and didn't force me to contact his host. :)

Thanks for all the advice guys, you were all a big help!

That's good news man. Hope that doesn't happen again

Maybe some moderator could make this sticky' for other people with the same problem to benefit.

For the future, if a site that copies your content refuses to remove the content from their site, send them a "cease and desist" letter, demanding it be removed or further action be taken. After 5-7 days, send the letter to their host. Wait a few days, and if the host doesn't reply, try to find out where the host's datacenter is, and send them the letter. If that doesn't work, send it to their domain registrar.

Keep going up the ladder until you reach someone that will deal with it.

8*and remember to keep notes of every contact you've tried making, and copies of all communications you've sent. Also, make note of when your content was created and uploaded (you can usually tell with your ftp program) as you can most likely tell from the uploaded date, who the thief is.

...And as you go up the ladder, remind them that web world is watching ...and give them this url, they may have a different story.