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Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 12:53 am
by Farleigh2016
It has been brought to our attention that once again there are at least a couple of people we aware of who are copying images of cards listed on various websites and then using them themselves to sell as photographic images.
The annoying thing is, is that they then watermark them to stop anyone else copying them !!!.
We are monitoring the situation and will do all we can to prevent this, however, at the current time the only obvious answer is to watermark all cards we put on the internet to make this lucrative money making, image stealing more difficult.
I am able to offer a simple cheap way to do this if you are using a flat scanner. I use a flat piece of firm plastic, you can use pages cut from a postcard album or use a normal plastic postcard sleeve, then stick the text onto it. Place this under the card you are scanning and away you go. This watermark can be used thousands of times with no need to log into watermarking websites.
These can be supplied with ANY text you wish, up to 14 letters, I simply use the text DO NOT COPY as this can then be used on any internet website.
I am currently unable to upload an image onto here at present, but if you look on EBay, User - Wayne6453 - you will be able to see the image I am talking about. Cost for the text is £1 per watermark + £1 postage for any amount ordered. Text will come with full user instructions.
Feel free to contact me through this website with any questions you may have or any other ideas as to how we can combat these image stealing pirates.
Thanks for reading, Stay Safe, Wayne.

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 7:43 am
by Moonraker
Yes, it is annoying, especially when more than half the eBay listings for a locality are copies. Very occasionally I do see a repro of a rare card of which I was unaware - this is informative, but irritating in that I'm unlikely ever to spot an original.

There's one vendor in Australia who lists "historic old photographs" and when buyers complain in Feedback that they are modern reproductions he points to his description saying "yes it is a reproduction, as listed as new on the listing page", with a reminder of his 40,000 positive Feedback comments (that are only 97.3% of all his Feedback, the lowest proportion that I've seen).

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 8:56 am
by oldpostcarder
Moonraker wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 7:43 am Yes, it is annoying, especially when more than half the eBay listings for a locality are copies. Very occasionally I do see a repro of a rare card of which I was unaware - this is informative, but irritating in that I'm unlikely ever to spot an original.

There's one vendor in Australia who lists "historic old photographs" and when buyers complain in Feedback that they are modern reproductions he points to his description saying "yes it is a reproduction, as listed as new on the listing page", with a reminder of his 40,000 positive Feedback comments (that are only 97.3% of all his Feedback, the lowest proportion that I've seen).
It is very annoying indeed and eBay do not care so long as they are making a buck too... hence the term 'greedbay' - anywhere else it would be classed as fraud, and something for Trading Standards to investigate... :shock:

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 11:03 am
by oldpostcarder
... and it still goes on! ... to the detriment of real collectors!

:D Happy New Year everyone :D

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:14 pm
by samtom
Ebay and others could do something about it if they chose to.....but they won't because all they are interested in at the end of the day is the £ from sales - regardless of the type of sale.

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 8:59 pm
by Serious Collector
I have collected postcards since the 1980's in the days when we could go and spend a day at the lovely postcard fairs, searching through endless boxes and having a good chat to other collectors. Those days are more or less gone now so I purchase most of my postcards from Ebay.
As stated by others, I have also noticed two sellers who steal some of the best images and sell copies. I have paid £20+ for rare topographical postcards of my own town and have been so pleased to have something so rare and unique, only to then see a cheap copy of my own postcard for sale.
This has happened to me about ten times now and I have sent the seller messages stating that his practice is unethical and unfair. Needless to say, he doesn't answer.
It's so upsetting.

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:28 am
by Moonraker
It's getting worse. I make regular eBay searches for specific localities and in some cases the photographic copies exceed the real cards; sometimes there are twice as many copies, especially if the locality included a railway station. The only benefit is that occasionally it makes me aware of a card that I haven't got.

Another recent feature of eBay listings are modern colour photos of often mundane subjects, such as bridleways. At least the photographer has got out and about and taken his/her own pictures. And there are some that feature sites of those old railway stations or disused trackbeds that can be of interest.

But these copies and modern photos can swamp genuine "collectables".

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2023 2:44 am
by cormiercamilla
Farleigh2016 wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 12:53 am It has been brought to our attention that once again there are at least a couple of people we aware of who are copying images of cards listed on various websites and then using them themselves to sell as photographic images.
The annoying thing is, is that they then watermark them to stop anyone else copying them !!!.
We are monitoring the situation and will do all we can to prevent this, however, at the current time the only obvious answer is to watermark all cards we put on the internet to make this lucrative money making, image stealing more difficult.
I am able to offer a simple cheap way to do this if you are using a flat scanner. I use a flat piece of firm plastic, you can use pages cut from a postcard album or use a normal plastic postcard sleeve, then stick the text onto it. Place this under the card you are scanning and away you go. This watermark can be used thousands of times with no need to log into watermarking websites.basketball stars
These can be supplied with ANY text you wish, up to 14 letters, I simply use the text DO NOT COPY as this can then be used on any internet website.
I am currently unable to upload an image onto here at present, but if you look on EBay, User - Wayne6453 - you will be able to see the image I am talking about. Cost for the text is £1 per watermark + £1 postage for any amount ordered. Text will come with full user instructions.
Feel free to contact me through this website with any questions you may have or any other ideas as to how we can combat these image stealing pirates.
Thanks for reading, Stay Safe, Wayne.
When over 50% of an area's eBay listings are duplicates, it becomes very bothersome. Even though I'll never see an original, it's fascinating whenever I come across a reproduction of a rare card that I was unaware existed. When customers in Australia point out that the "historic old photographs" he sells are actually modern reproductions, the vendor responds with "yes it is a reproduction, as listed as new on the listing page" and points out that out of his 40,000 positive comments, 97.3% of his feedback is positive, which is the lowest he's ever seen.

Re: Postcard Image Theft.

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2023 5:53 pm
by Moonraker
Some years ago I was caught out by the Australian vendor. There are others, who at least make it clear that they're offering copies. Nowadays my regular eBay search terms end with "postcard" which eliminates the copies. And when I don't, eBay somehow gives precedence to the real postcards, with the copies appearing at the end.