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  1. #1
    Join Date
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    DooptNet Design + Ben?

    Hello Forum,

    Recently we bough a design from DooptNet here @ WHT - See Original Thread

    However, After several weeks of having this new design and numerous amounts of time and editing & making our site look a little more respectable, We got this weird live chat conversation with a gentleman named BEN.

    This was around 7am AEST & his first sentence to start off this conversation was:
    Hi Sean, my name is Ben, and I am giving you 24 hours to remove your web site template that you have stolen otherwise I will public display that you have ripped another members template for personal use without permission of the original owner
    Wow that was a bit significant to me as we bought this template from DooptNet here at WHT and the thread is located above. We paid $100 AUD/USD for this and we never stole it as it was said in the starting sentence from Ben.

    Ben went on to say that:
    This topics will be displayed in the largest on-line communities on the internet, these include Web Hosting Talk, Warez-BB, wjunction and so forth.
    For real right?

    Ben also went on further to say that many other people have fallen for this and this is all part of a Con. I am not sure if Ben is telling the truth, But I would like some word from Sean @ DooptNet and this Ben Person.

    No E-mail Address was left but - Admin@webhostingtalk.com in the Live Chat.

    I asked Ben where we have ripped this site from as I would like to see it, After this Ben left the chat but before hand demanded that I remove the Stolen Content within 24hrs.

    Not sure what to do from here, I have contacted Sean here at WHT and are still awaiting a response.

    Sean

  2. #2
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    Wow. Its hard to say who's in the right here. One one hand you paid for it, but on the other, it might be ripped.

    If it is, then its not useable. But its hard to say since you don't know where it might be ripped from.

    I would think about reverting to an old design until it all gets sorted out, and definately trying to get your money back if it is in fact ripped.
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  3. #3
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    Yeah, Well I have an old template, Though it needs a huge make over and it is not ready for all the changes that I have made since this new template was moved onto the site.

    If I had to remove the content then I would have nothing at present to replace the site with, So this is why I am sort of a bit frustrated because if it is a rip then I would be in a sticky situation

    As you say, Hard to say
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  4. #4
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    First of all, his way of doing it is a jerk response... if you're dealing with a corporation it's usually a waste of time to do anything but go ahead with the formal DMCA-style complaint, but if it's a personal website or a small-ish company I've found a personal, polite request to be far more effective than immediately threatening legal action. His response is neither, he went for the jugular immediately and it's not a formal DMCA-style takedown request.

    However, unfortunately, it might be that he's right. Just because you paid for something doesn't mean it's yours, if the seller didn't have the right to sell it in the first place. Because there's no mention of contacting your host for copyright infringement, and no "previous art" example, I'm inclined to guess this is just someone trying to mess with you, but you need to do everything in your power to look like you're trying to get to the bottom of this.

    I'd contact DooptNet and find out from them if they might know anything about it, and I'd also preemptively contact your host's abuse department, let them know what's going on and ask them to forward any takedown notices to you.

    Failing that, you can't really do much except wait for him to contact you again and ask him for the address of the site he's alleging it was ripped from. If you provide the URL to your site, someone might recognize the design, but that's a bit of a stretch. It's up to you whether you press on with integrating the design or start on your contingency plan, if you're not super-busy I'd probably go ahead with the design you bought because it sounds like the guy is just blowing smoke.
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  5. #5
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    Have a read of this thread

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...ighlight=doopt

    and my last post

    Both called Ben..I go hmm
    Russ Foster - Industry Curmudgeon
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  6. #6
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    http://74.125.77.132/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a

    Bottom of the thread

    "its alright,

    I said give me my money back or im comming to your house to teach you a lesson... an hour later the payments have been reversed! LOL

    and yeah, but it puts be through to some online banking crap..."

    So yeah I would say hes a total idiot at least
    Russ Foster - Industry Curmudgeon
    Freelance Sysadmin for Hire - email vaserv@gmail.com

  7. #7
    huh, that is bad situation. You must contact DooptNet, and Ben (if you dont have his email, wait him to contact you again.)
    Ask Ben questions like: who are you , where did he bought design etc. Find out who is Ben actually.

  8. #8
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    To be honest, it sounds like the same guy, but still, should wait for Doopt or 'Ben' to contact you again.

    @a2b2
    The guy sounds like an extortionist. Give me money back, or I'm going to come teach you a lesson?

    I would of at least contacts proper authorities. All in all, good luck with this, Jet.
    Last edited by KnownHost-JonathanKW; 05-13-2009 at 01:27 PM.

  9. #9
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    I wouldn't remove the template on your site just yet. He didn't make any formal complaint and he left your chat without any closing statements, right? He didn't even leave any proper contact information. Don't take him seriously until he decides to make a formal complaint/contact with you regarding this situation. Just my thoughts on this.

  10. #10
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    Just trying to understand everything - is it the case that it *seems* that this guy:

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/member.php?u=302095

    Is Ben?

    And JetWash bought the design off DooptNet or sean14592 at:

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=854594

    Either way, don't remove the template yet - the guy who contacted you (if indeed it is 'Cesto') seems to just be a bully; giving into him doesn't help. Even if it *is* a copyrighted design that DootNet sold you, this Ben guy didn't give any evidence nor go through formal channels.

  11. #11
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    E.Yorkshire, UK
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    I'm sorry JetWash but I'm going to have to say, you get what you pay for.

    Half the web development sales on here are well below normal fee's. This leads me to believe that most if not all are children who are hoping to make a little bit of pocket money.

    If you are asking for a job to be done, hire a professional otherwise, don't waste your own time.

    Kind regards,

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerran View Post
    I'm sorry JetWash but I'm going to have to say, you get what you pay for.

    Half the web development sales on here are well below normal fee's. This leads me to believe that most if not all are children who are hoping to make a little bit of pocket money.

    If you are asking for a job to be done, hire a professional otherwise, don't waste your own time.

    Kind regards,
    I would generally agree - the general trend is that hiring people offering website designs for (sometimes even) below $50 isn't the best idea.

    However we don't know the facts - there's been no real complaints against DooptNet (other than from a bully who probably is Ben), and so he may be a genuine designer. Plus $100 isn't too low.

    As I say, I see plently of people offering 'high quality' designs for below $50. I've seen people (admittely over at the infamous DigitalPoint) selling "brand new, only to be sold once" designs for $25. Clearly that sort of thing is dodgy or, as you say, people looking for pocket money.

    But we cannot know the facts here, and there's no evidence that DooptNet has acted wrongly here - I guess only time will tell.

  13. #13
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    Hey Guys,

    Thanks for all the responses and yes @ Jerran I would agree with you I did make that mistake and it does seem at this stage that I am paying for it

    As far as a Contact is concerned, I have received a PM from Sean and are just reading it as this point

    - The message I will not re-route to the forum as it was a private message but it did inform that I would not have anything to worry about because Ben does not have the legal right of the design.

    I do hope this is correct and will contact Sean accordingly.

    First of all, his way of doing it is a jerk response... if you're dealing with a corporation it's usually a waste of time to do anything but go ahead with the formal DMCA-style complaint, but if it's a personal website or a small-ish company I've found a personal, polite request to be far more effective than immediately threatening legal action. His response is neither, he went for the jugular immediately and it's not a formal DMCA-style takedown request.

    However, unfortunately, it might be that he's right. Just because you paid for something doesn't mean it's yours, if the seller didn't have the right to sell it in the first place. Because there's no mention of contacting your host for copyright infringement, and no "previous art" example, I'm inclined to guess this is just someone trying to mess with you, but you need to do everything in your power to look like you're trying to get to the bottom of this.

    I'd contact DooptNet and find out from them if they might know anything about it, and I'd also preemptively contact your host's abuse department, let them know what's going on and ask them to forward any takedown notices to you.

    Failing that, you can't really do much except wait for him to contact you again and ask him for the address of the site he's alleging it was ripped from. If you provide the URL to your site, someone might recognize the design, but that's a bit of a stretch. It's up to you whether you press on with integrating the design or start on your contingency plan, if you're not super-busy I'd probably go ahead with the design you bought because it sounds like the guy is just blowing smoke.
    Thanks for this information, I have not removed the content till I was updated on the situation, Ben left chat after i did ask him from WHERE I ripped his site and or content, But he seemed to of refused that and continued on with 'Take it Down within 24hrs', No other real words he said but those.

    I thank everyone for their support, Was really nice. For all of those who did what I did and bought a Template without the proper research then I feel sorry for you as I kept saying to myself It would never happen again from the last Template Order 'Custom" $400 that was a waste.

    @A2B2 - Yeah, I saw this thread aswell, Seems like the same issues aswell. I do hope though that this is resolved & no DMCA has been issued as of yet to what I have been aware of & this Character Ben who claims to own this is supposedly a Wannabe.

    Anywhos, I will update on this a little later wen I have some confirmation.

    Sean
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