Some jerk tried stealing my 52 Mantle guide off eBay... need advice

A761506

Many of you know, I author a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle guide that I sell on eBay for $10 to people to help them avoid buying fakes. It has helped dozens of people. I've been doing it since May, I even spent nearly $100 getting a copyright for it, and I've not made more than a couple bucks from doing it, but it's been helpful to many ignorant buyers on eBay. Today, I saw a listing from some jerk whole copied my listing nearly word for word, the guy's eBay name is beat_me_if_you_can_survive_if_i_let_you!!!!!!!!! Last week, he ran a scam for a 1952 Topps Mantle card which sold for $585. Anyways, the guy was simply selling access to my guide, and 3 people had bought it already. I contacted the guy and told him that he was violating my copyright and that he needed to remove the auction. I also contacted the 3 people who had bought it and told them they had no permission accessing my guide, they needed to request a refund if they had paid, and I also told them to report the jerk to eBay for ripping my auction off. Anyways, this afternoon, I get into an e-mail war with the stubborn guy, he's challenging my copyright, he's challenging everything, he's basically upset over something that he has no right to be involved with to begin with. He finally agreed to remove the listing after threatening to sue him for copyright infringement, which I would have had he not delisted.

Now the guy is saying that he's going to have me kicked off eBay for contacting his buyers and telling them that he's a fraud. He's swearing at me in jibberish text. I've got a dozen e-mails from him, and copies of a dozen e-mails I've sent him. Meanwhile, I have had to move my guide, the whole thing has been a pain in the butt for seemingly some smartass kid from Columbus, OH.

Can this guy cause me problems with eBay? What should I do?

chicago111

so far it sounds like your dealing with it well. Bottom line if you have a copyright and he is profiting off of your work he is in the wrong. EBAY could and might suspend his account. I would purse to the highest level to defend your property.


Good Luck

Chuck

EDIT: EBAY will side with you

Do a search on ebay HELP for VeRO

ydsotter

While I didn't write something as important as a mantle guide, one seller ripped my ad copy off word for word for a watch I was selling.
I reported him to safe harbor and within 36 hours...
Ebay ended all of his auctions and threatened to kick him off if he did it again.
-Geoff

easttexascardsandgames

I hope you did not contact him using your selling ID?? If so he has that now and could start messing with your auctions, even though he most likely had it from the guide. If he did not he does now.

Mac53

Wouldn't it help to put his name on the "blocked bidder" list? Perhaps everyone should put him on their blocked bidder list.

A761506

He had my user name from the get go. There's not much I can do against that. I think that eBay will likely remove him when all is said and done, especially if he starts up with me.

Allen

That is pretty messed up. I really like your guide and I am sure it was a lot of work. I am glad he pulled the auctions. The sad part though, I highly doubt eBay will take action against him.

easttexascardsandgames

What is going to keep him from just creating other user IDs and messing with your auctions. You ought to look into becoming a VERO member since you own the copyright you are entitled to join it. Not sure how you could do it, but by joining you would be able to nearly instantly shut down listings that violate your copyright.

rvc

your guide sounds interesting, how do i get one?

WinPitcher

Has he sold more copies then you?

Southsider

I just wanted to say that it was a great idea to register your copyright. Your rights are much stronger with registration than relying on unregistered copyright protection. You sound like you already have a good handle on things.

IJustLoveCards

first off, what a jerk.

secondly,


I would like to purchase one...
and provide the proper author his money.
please pm me.

MajorDanby

if you have the copyright, youre safe. He has no legal basis to challenge you. In fact, i would challenge him and drag HIM through the dirt. Instead of merely complying with you and running away with his tail between his legs, he has the gall to actually say HE'S in the right. You got your copyright, he's got nothing.



<< <i>What is going to keep him from just creating other user IDs and messing with your auctions. >>



Someone here, i believe ranger, had this problem. He got some guy booted off ebay. The guy created another ID, bought a bunch of cheap stuff from ranger, then gave 11 negatives to him. After some anxiety, ranger got the buy booted off again and the 11 negs were eliminated.

kingraider75

ebay is just a newer forum for the scam artists. The longer ebay allows these types of things to happen, the worse it is for all of us.

envoy98

That wouldn't be schrist ebay id would it? He seems a lot nicer than that, but I know that was his tagline under his name on the beckett boards "Sean C - beat me if you can, survive if I let you". I can't imagine it's him, just an observation. I know he posts here under the ID schrist, or at least he did.

Anyway, in regards to your problem, I would definitely let ebay know that you hold the copyright, they will take the liberty of ending his auctions for you, no questions asked.

Good luck.

schr1st

Not me guys. That is my tag line over on the Beckett boards, but I can assure you that it's not me.

1). I'd never do something that low.
2). I live in Boston, MA, and my eBay ID is the same as my CU ID (schr1st).

The line was the catch-phrase of former ECW wrestler "Taz" ("Tazz" in WWE). It's not something that would be all to known to younger kids, so the guy you are dealing with is probably in his early 20's (just a guess). If you own the copyright for the guide, he has no leg to stand on. Good luck, and please keep us updated.