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You ARE STEALING When You Take MY Content! It's Called PLAGIARISM!

Real Estate Agent with Liberty Homes RS-#62825

March 08, 2011 03:57 PM

I thought I'd do a little Copyscape (Plagiarism Checker - Duplicate Content Detection Software) to check if anyone was STEALING my posts, website content and so forth.

SURPRISE!

Oh goodness! Word for word except substituting San Antonio for Hawaii! I felt ill to my stomach (for real) and felt like someone just broke into my home and invaded my privacy! That's what it feels like when you take something from me without my permission.

This post I wrote Top Ten Concerns for the Hawaii Home Seller I originally wrote 08/17/2010 here on ACTIVERAIN and also decided to use it on my website as 'fresh content' for my Home Seller page.

It didn't take but less than a month later for this 'burglar' ... yes, he came into my home blog/website and STOLE my personal belongings article so he's a burglar. I spent hours to perfect and get up on the internet and in a matter of seconds it's copied and pasted into his blog like it's his!

YES, I did call him and he said he wasn't trying to take credit for it and just starting his blog. WHAT?????

I told him it was STEALING and I told him to create his own articles for his own blog and that he needed to put effort into his own content for his own blog.

He said he would take it down.....I again repeated it was stealing.

I believe he got the message.

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Jim Lee, REALTOR, CRS, ABR

RE/MAX Shoreline - Portsmouth, NH

Buying or Selling? Ann & Jim are the local experts

Copyscape is a huge 'burglar' catcher.

I have been victimized many times over the years. The last instance was when one of my fellow Realtors lifted the text from some of my testimonials as well as a few others, and passed it off as his own.

He was busted by a prospective seller reviewing Realtors websites. She noticed his copy look familiar, compared them to others, and busted him. She wrote an email to all of us and his broker.

Goes without saying he did not get a chance to list her house.

Mar 09, 2011 04:59 AM

Bill Rozek

Embrace Home Loans, Inc. - Potomac, MD

NMLS #214260

As Cindy mentions in comment #32 another weapon in your arsenal is to contact the company hosting the blog, website, etc. and let them know that the material is plagiarized. They may well take the disputed material down, because violation of copyright will probably be a violation of their terms of service.

Mar 09, 2011 05:12 AM

Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Good sleuthing on your part. A lot of effort, but well worth it. I wish I had your energy. Bill #74 makes an excellent point.

Mar 09, 2011 05:17 AM

Ruthmarie Hicks

Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

I'm having a real problem with photos... Mine are turning up in videos and everywhere you can think of... so I feel your pain. I don't know what to do to track that down expcept watch peoples websites.

Mar 09, 2011 05:18 AM

George Souto

George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT

Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Sally this has been an on going problem since I can remember. Hopefully he did take down the blog, and will in the future write his own content.

Mar 09, 2011 06:11 AM

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ

602-380-4886

Well I'd better look into copysape. Didn't know about it till I saw this post on facebook. I've got ebooks out there that I have a feeling a few agents signed up for - and I sure hope they didn't take it without giving me full credit - that is a lot of work making those.

Mar 09, 2011 06:13 AM

Jim Poole

Tampa, FL

Zero Down, USDA Purchase Loans, FHA 203(K) Rehab & VA Streamline Loans

Way to go Sally!

Mar 09, 2011 06:45 AM

Peter Pfann @ eXp Realty Pfanntastic Properties in Victoria, Since 1986.

eXp Realty, Victoria BC www.pfanntastic.com - Victoria, BC

Talk To or Text Peter 250-213-9490

Hi Sally, thank you for sharing a great and very important post, we will start checking out copyscape, seems like the way to protect our work and efforts, thanks for the tips, and have a pfanntastic week.

Mar 09, 2011 07:07 AM

Gay E. Rosen

Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY

As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Hi Sally:Ii haven't thought to check.. I think a part of me would be very flattered but cannot imagine doing it! I am glad you spoke up though and glad you did it... best, Gay

Mar 09, 2011 08:30 AM

Ron Camacho

REO Leasing Solutions - Sugar Land, TX

Realtor

Un-freaking-believable. I guess he took the "don't re-create the wheel" practice literally.

Mar 09, 2011 09:09 AM

Michael Eisenberg

eXp Realty - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham Real Estate Guy

I once had someone copy my website (before I was a real estate broker) including all of the p;ictures I had on on. (I was doing Thai Massage at that time,) It was a struggle getting himto take it down, It is very frustrating.

Mar 09, 2011 12:50 PM

Gail Robinson

William Raveis Real Estate - Southport, CT

CRS, GRI, e-PRO Fairfield County, CT

Sally - I've had agents in my area copy my brochure on Black Rock, but actually I planned it that way, because my website URL is all over the brochure, so they are actually marketing me. I can't imagine doing that and not being embarrassed at getting caught, but I can tell you not one has apologized or thanked me for using my brochure. As I say, I don't stop them because it benefits me, but in your case I can understand your feelings of shock and violation. Once you write something, it's automatically copyrighted. No one has the right to use your writing without your permission.

Mar 09, 2011 01:31 PM

Kimberly M Addelman

Realty USA - Williamsville, NY

Kim Addelman-Williamsville,New York- Realty USA

great work catching the blog burglar!

Mar 09, 2011 01:55 PM

Lydia Lucas

Prudential CT Realty - Milford, CT

Sally, good job on catching the thief! Also, the karma police should get this freeloader anyway.

Mar 09, 2011 01:59 PM

Susan Neal

RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA

Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

Oh my goodness! What a coincidence! lol Seriously, I have found people copying my stuff too, putting their name on a post I wrote here on AR, and even using my photos, and it is really a pain. We spend a lot of time putting a thoughtful piece together and some folks are too lazy to do it for themselves. So far I haven't resorted to litigation, but Lenn Harley collects money every now and then from people who steal her work.

Mar 09, 2011 02:43 PM

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman

Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI

(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Michael: Thai massage...sounds wonderful! I go to acupuncture and massage therapy (deep tissue massage) every couple three weeks....ah...this Saturday ..here I come!

You know... I'm still feeling like some people will make all the excuses in the world that it's okay if they use just a bit or that they can use it because we put it on the internet.

What part of 'get off your lazy tush and do your own articles' do they not understand?

What part of 'we hold ourselves to a higher standard' did they miss?

Mar 09, 2011 03:43 PM

Doug Bullwinkel

E Mortgage Capital, Inc. NMLS 1416824 - Roseville, CA

Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS #281609

Good for you. You can't let anyone get away with stealing from you. He sure got a lot of great press here on Active Rain.

Mar 09, 2011 07:27 PM

Tricia DeSouza

HomeSmart - Scottsdale, AZ

Selling Scottsdale Luxury

You go girl! Love that you actually called the theif up and called him out on stealing your hard work.

Mar 10, 2011 09:27 AM

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman

Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI

(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

It's a beautiful day today...knowing I will not let anyone abuse me in that manner.

Mar 10, 2011 12:25 PM

Caroline DeVore, Stowe Vermont Lodging, VT Bed and Breakfast Inn, Vacation Homes

Stowe Meadows Lodge, Stowe VT Romantic and Luxurious Inn - Stowe, VT

Caroline DeVore | Stowe Meadows Lodge, Stowe VT

Having just started my blog and working very hard to research my topics, I just HATE to see this. It makes me sick to think that there are folks out there (and in here) who grab blogs just to get points, or try to have an edge. Really? I hope folks will see that there really aren't any short-cuts to making it in real estate or any other profession. Do the work, earn the reward. My high-school and middle schoolers have learned this...can't adults? Thanks for posting and I'm happy so many have commented.

Mar 10, 2011 02:34 PM