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My Writings Have Been Stolen!

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Realty South WA State: 75600

copyscape black blockInspired by a blog post recently written by Richie Alan Naggar, about posts being duplicated without permission, I decided to run CopyScape on my outside WordPress-based site just to see what popped up.

And, yikes!, my stuff IS out there on someone else’s site without comment about where the post originated. No link back … nothing!

So … what to do, what to do?

Do I:

  • Write a nasty letter and put it in the mail?
  • Call their office and hope to talk with someone in charge?
  • Ask my attorney to write a letter?
  • Send them a polite email message?

Hmmmmmmmm

I work hard to make my site a resource for folks looking for particular subjects .. and, of course, I'd really like them to pick up the phone and give me a call.

That said, I’m actually okay with having my stuff on other sitesso long as there’s attribution. I’d prefer a link back and thank you for allowing us to copy, etc. One school of thought is that imitation is the best form of flattery, etc. Maybe I should be flattered that someone decided to grab my stuff and post it as their own -- NOT!!

The egregious nature of having someone just out there on the Web blithely highlighting, copying, and then pasting my post into their own blog site under their own name just torques me off!

(By the way .. this brokerage site has tons of posts about short sales … what do you want to bet that the majority of them aren’t original to the author? You might want to check for your own content, too,)

Posted by

Your Dedicated Realtor(r), ActiveRain Blogger, Seller, Buyer, and Short Sale agent working the Auburn, Kent, Renton, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Covington, Puyallup, Sumner, Bonney Lake, Lake Tapps, and north/northeast Tacoma areas. Visit my Web site too!

 

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Ralph Gorgoglione
Metro Life Homes - Palm Springs, CA
California and Hawaii Real Estate (310) 497-9407

What a bummer. I don't think I would like it either. Good Luck!

Jan 16, 2012 04:55 AM
Betina Foreman
WJK Realty - Austin, TX
Realtor, C.N.E., with WJK REALTY

Wow! Thanks for the tip. Now I have to check out copyscape. I've only found one instance of being copied, but that was a couple years ago. Thanks for giving me a few more spring cleaning ideas! Wishing you a happy and prosperous 2012!!

Jan 16, 2012 04:58 AM
Ken Brandon
Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage (Jacksonville, NC) - Jacksonville, NC
Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, NC

I am going to have to take a look at copyscape. Purely by accident, I found one of my posts that someone else had copied almost word for word. I just sent them an email to let them know I was aware of it and would have appreciated being asked first. The other agent went in and significantly changed her post.

Jan 16, 2012 05:20 AM
Gabrielle Nemes
RE/MAX Realty South - Tumwater, WA
206.300.8421, S King & Pierce County RE Advocate

I've decided that I'm going to write a friendly email message first to see what happens. Then a letter in the mail. Then we'll see.

The audacity just amazes me, though ...

Jan 16, 2012 02:39 PM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

That's really low down and dirty, especially if they are competing with you for business.  I would not put up with it, and you should let them know.

Jan 27, 2012 11:42 AM