I asked my lawyers advice he said 2 important points. 1: the man fidato50 uploaded some images using XXXX by valouchufy but there is nothing wrong there. But yes, for some pictures he erased the name and that is a copyright violation. For some photos he put on his own page I have a big problem, because one photo is not my property anymore. I sold this photos to a group of publicity and they own the copyright.

Bruce or admin, it's important you say what you are going to do now, because there are now 15 more victims of this person whos stole the images. I know it's so dificult to control this wrong act form Xwall....Or perhaps I need to make my own way for this problem? 

@erlandpil...the address is .....http://xwall.metropoliglobal.com/galerias/

But you need to register to enter the gallery....

@Valou.....even to put your picture with your name credit is against the law if done without your permission.  Yes, you might now have big problems with the image that you sold to someone else....a very good point.

@erlandpil...mermaid has posted the direct links to your images on page 5 of this thread.

I have tried to get my image removed, to no avail. I have contacted the host company in new york and again no answer. please if anyone can give a hand or point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it.

Please contact the following:

The folks who host the site

DomainDiscover
PO BOX 502010
San Diego, CA 92150-2010
(858) 560-8120
(858) 560-9417 (fax)
support@domaindiscover.com

the person who run the site

jlluesma@msn.com

You could also go to the offending site and contact the members directly...
You can no longer contact them thru Renderosity...

I'll be at work today and will try to check in when I can..

You can also go to the copyright forum and contact ClintH

Kort should be online shortly to assist you..

You can also send an e-mail to admin@renderosity.com

or contact me

pushinfaders@renderosity.com

Short of retaining legal council, I think that the steps of action outlined above and in the rest of this thread are a good first step. I wil be in contact with Stacey and see what steps the Renderosity Admin is taking. When I hear something, I will let you know. Contact me via email or site mail if you like. This is a difficult problem with no quick and easy answer. I personally think the whole XWall site should come down. But as others have pointed out, this is always going to be a problem, even if you watermark your work. It it is online, the chances are it will be taken at some point, no matter where you post it. I am off to write both support@domaindiscover.com and jlluesma@msn.com.

It looks like what we are doing has spurred some action. I just went to see if my image was still there and got this page: http://xwall.metropoliglobal.com/galerias/datos/media/153/wanderer_by_TwoPynts.jpg Saying: 404 - La web que buscas no se encuentra en metropoliglobal Si tienes una web y est buscando donde alojarla, Metropoliglobal es el lugar perfecto. El hosting y todos los servicios asociados a (FTP, email exclusivo, foros, soporte, etc) son COMPLETAMENTE GRATUOS. Entre otras cosas te ofrecemos: Espacio web ultrarido gratis ILIMITADO (50 Mb iniciales ampliables gratis previa revisi de contenidos) Transferencia de datos ILIMITADA FTP con transferencia sin lites para que subas tus archivos o los modifiques. WebFTP. Si lo prefieres puedes subir tus pinas directamente desde tu navegador. Cuenta de email con espacio ilimitado. Soporte PHP y MySQL Compatibilidad con phpNuke, phpBB y practicamente todas las aplicaciones php/mySQL Dominio corto gratis tipo tusitio.metropoliglobal.com Posibilidad de usar tu propio dominio Foros de soporte Formar parte de una de las comunidades de webmasters m activa del mundo. ----- Rough translation through Google: 404 - The Web that you look for not it finds in metropoliglobal If you have a Web and you are looking for where to lodge it, Metropoliglobal is the perfect place. Hosting and all the services associated to him (FTP, exclusive email, forums, support, etc) are COMPLETELY GRATUITOUS. Between other things we offer to you: Space free LIMITLESS ultrafast Web (50 Mb initial expandable free previous revision of contents) LIMITLESS data transfer FTP with transference without limits so that you raise your archives or you modify them. WebFTP. If you prefer it you can raise your pages directly from your navigator. Account of email with limitless space. Support PHP and MySQL Compatibility with phpNuke, phpBB and practically all the applications php/mySQL Short dominion free tusitio.metropoliglobal.com type Possibility of using your own dominion Forums of support To comprise of one of the communities of webmasters more active of the world. One has to laugh that their hosting message given the circumstances. Anyway, mine has been removed and I am willing to be that some of yours have been as well, especially if you wrote the concerned parties. It is far from fixing things, but it is a start. And let me just applaud the RR admin for taking swift action and banning the 3 member who had been taking other's work and posting on XWall. Let us hope it sends a loud and clear message.

I feel bad for digital artist Ryan Bliss (digitalblasphemy.com). A long time fan of his work I recognize it fairly easily. It is all over that site, and usually not with his name on it. IE: http://xwall.metropoliglobal.com/galerias/datos/media/24/3d190.jpg edit: they took it down already. Here is another: http://xwall.metropoliglobal.com/galerias/datos/media/619/Space_06.jpg I've let him know...

ooops Kort, just tried your link and it said:
404 - La web que buscas no se encuentra en metropoliglobal
and tried the main side of them too
they are gone! at least from my side here I can't reach them anymore!

ah my proximitron wouldn't allow me on...guess it doesn't like the site too...lol... deactivated it and got it again...

Yes you bet. But the actions taken seem not to have effected the 3D area - most of what you see is artwork by Renderosity members..

My image by the way is still visible.

they are really a nuisance...grrr.

Did either of you write the site admin or hosting company? I have also found leaving a comment below an image will get it yanked rather quickly as well. Calling it a day, see you all tomorrow.

I wanted to leave a comment under my image an hour ago, but I can't find it anymore ;o(( or should I say ;o)) Edited: actually I wanted to leave my image there as a referring example for the readers of this thread (because it was the page that started all this in the first place). Now the link in my first post has become useless... hence the initial ";o((", ;o)) (hope my smilies aren't getting too confusing)

Hi All,
Tanks to gradient to post this thread on terragen forum,
i found also my render "goodbye italia see you on tgd"
I tried to register without success  until now with the same RR name,
i cant find the webmaster email on that site... i would like to post him some words...

very sad to see this....

I WISH mine would be removed. I have written to the host to the addresses provided here..and I am getting NOTHING back. no email, the work hasnt been removed ..nothing

http://xwall.metropoliglobal.com/galerias/datos/media/366/areamous.jpg

I am at wits end. I do not know what to do.

I agree with inshaala:
"...you could take it as a compliment, they thought you were good enough to "steal" ;)... " even if what they did it's terrible IMHO.
I would be curious how many images have been stolen, but I don't want to register in a web site where stolen pics are posted with other names authors...so I'll keep my curiousity...but
I found "gdmora" account here, but as often happens he/she has not a gallery, not an e-mail adress or the chance to send him/her an IM...
So like a "fake" account done just to see and "stel" it seems....
It happened also that people create account like this one to leave bad comments or speak badly about people here...I think that there should be the chance to get in touch with these people...it's not right they have the chance to write and do what they want and artists has no right to reply...
Perhaps there should be a limit: if you want an account you have to post something (time limit 1 week for example for new user) if you won't post anything in this time your account will be cancelled...and of course obliged to leave an e-mail adress or being reacheble by IM...
I think it's too comfortable to be a ghost and do what you want...IMHO.

Anyway  I'm sure Renderosity stuff will do it's best to do something!
Lara

Kort made a good move by letting Ryan know about this mess..

I'm off to send another e-mail to both the site owner, and the hosting company...

I will also see if I can get someone higher up on the Renderosity Food chain to bug these people..

Still some strange things happening on this site....

1. My image that I found yesterday does not seem to be there today...at least the search does not pick it up....although I had not yet asked for removal because I wanted to see what else was up there.
2. Some pages do not load....they loop you into the ads, then time out....although I did see the names of the thumbnails coming upbefore timing out...saw some more TG stuff from Buzzzzz BTW
3. Really  interesting is the very first TG uploads appear to be rips from Ashundar...although I have not yet confirmed this....One is called Ashunder contest final.  These very first images were uploaded by a member named XWall....sound familiar?

It will take me ages to wade through all the pages....

Just ran across "Mysterious Allure" by Watapki66

"Double Reflection" by FBI101 is there too....

"Emerald Tube", "Happy Fathers Day", "Mothers Power"...all by Punaguy are up.....

Thanks for the update John, been looking on that site at all the ripped off images.....so sad a site would allow this type of blatant infringement.  I saw emerald tube there, but am suprised at the other two.....Lets keep up the fight here, it affects us all....especially if we no longer own the copyrights as in Valou case.  This site and others need to be silenced before other copy cat sites join in on ripping us all off.  Not kewl, not kewl at all......

Aloha~
Dave~

@punaguy....Dave, those are just the ones I happened to run across....there may be more of yours....the site is extremely slow and timed out on me on several occasions.  Perhaps those of you with high speed connections will have better luck....Saw some more rendo Terragen and fractal images as well.
Like I said before...you pretty well need to go through every single page to find everything....so here we go again...doing the work of the web site host.....

This is terrible :mad: I registered incognito and am having a devil of a time finding my way around there, but I will continue....

@jumpstartme2..."incognito"...that's Spanish isn't it?...well then you shouldn't have any difficulty navigating through the site...LOL!

BTW., the silence from Renderosity staff on this issue is "deafening" isn't it?

@ John...Mahalo's John...I know it's a crappy little site....I have DSL and still have trouble navigating smoothly on the site.  How to believe how many Borrowed images there are here....very few originals.....
One thing for sure, this has really wakened a sleeping giant....nice to see RR members pitching in here to fight the good fight. We are really obligated to protect what is ours in this situation, letting this slide will only encourage these butt heads, and future rip off artists.

Thanks for all your hard work in tracking down what is rightfully ours, and to all our members here who are just as pissed as I am. Hang in there everyone, we are on the right track.

Dave~

Never fear Gradient, it's def in the discussion phase..hopefully it will get further *crosses toes, fingers, legs, arms, and eyes..

I just started hopping thru there again after getting back home...and it looks like even artists from ZBC are getting hit as well...found one of Jack Sparrow that I swear I saw over there...

Anyone know who did this one?

http://xwall.metropoliglobal.com/galerias/details.php?image_id=71319

Ok, found the original

ZBrush Central

Membername : jprart001

Cant find him on Rosity tho....and its been awhile since he logged in at ZBC :(

Found one of Lululee

Grief by BBarbs

Good grief, the more I go thru there, the madder I get....haven't come across any of my feeble crappy pics, but what gets me is that all of the images there have been ripped it seems! Im going to look around for my cease and desist letters...

This whole site needs to come down

Not to detract from our members here, but I just discovered the site has 301 of Boris Vallejo :ohmy:

think Im going to search each posting member there..each of their galleries instead of looking at each individual image..

@jumpstartme2...as I said in my earlier post on this...the search will only give you a hit IF the uploader put the name in the text comments.  If no name, the image could still be up there but the only way to find it is to go to EVERY page!
I have found images from 4 other rendo members and have IM'd them to inform ....

Guh....the site is huge...I looked at each members gallery....but somehow all the images on that site didnt show up....how weird is that? Guess you're right...will have to look at every page

I'll go right back to it, gotta get me a snack as Im going to be there awhile LOL

this is who I have been focusing my attention on 
DomainDiscover
PO BOX 502010
San Diego, CA 92150-2010
(858) 560-8120
(858) 560-9417 (fax)
support@domaindiscover.com

but NOTHING back. not one thing and my images are still up. This is just rediculous now.

DE, did ya call them or just email? I'd call them if I were you and give them a piece of your mind, send them a C&D letter, and ask them where to send that gigantic bill

Here is a C&D I have had for awhile if anyone wants to use it.

                               DIGITAL COPYRIGHT CEASE AND DESIST LETTER

 Date:      /      /          

DEAR SIR OR MADAM,
 
This letter serves as notification under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 512, or equivalent notice provisions of your local law, that content currently residing within your computer system infringes on the copyrights of _________________. In addition, the material in question contains proprietary trade secret information belonging to _____.
 
The infringing material residing on your system is . This material is on your system at the following location:
 
Posting of _______'s copyrighted material as described above is not authorized by , any of its agents, or by law. Pursuant to this notification, you should immediately take steps to locate and remove and/or disable access to the copyrighted material that is on your system at the web address(es) detailed above.
 
As a service provider, you may otherwise be liable for copyright infringement if, upon obtaining knowledge or awareness of infringing material being stored upon your network, you do not act expeditiously to remove, or disable access to, the material. 17 U.S.C. § 512(c).
 
The information in this notification is accurate. I swear under penalty of perjury that I am authorized to act on behalf of _________________ in regard to its exclusive rights in the work(s) identified above that I believe has been and continues to be infringed as described above.
 
We hereby give notice of these activities to you and request that you take expeditious action to remove or disable access to the material described above, and thereby prevent the illegal reproduction and distribution of this material via your network.
 
We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Please advise us regarding what actions you take.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
 
 
Signature:
 

I have emailed now multiple times(and the owner of the site) and I am going to start the phone calls today. I have sent them in the last few emails the notice that if I have to go through legal then I -will- charge per hit to the work. 
yet...no response....~.~
how long did it take for others to get a response?

I checked out xwall after gradient (John) let me know that he saw 1 of my fractals there and sure enough there it was! Someone mentioned that the illegal poster (gdmora) is a member here at Rendo and there is a comment in this thread that mentioned an illegal poster by the name of:  fidato50, had someone elses work posted by him on xwall too. He is also a member here at Rendo and when I checked out his home page he has no info or art listed but has dozens of favorite artist listed. It might be a good idea to check his home page and see if he has listed you as a favorite artist and then check his postings at xwall to see if you see any of your works. I have always wondered about being on someone's favorite list and the only thing I see on their home page is nothing but a long list of favorite artists. Anyway I thought that everyone (especially 3D artists) should check to see if they are listed on his homepage. This may turn out to be an artist's worst night mare!!!

I haven't got time to read the whole thread - so I'll just give the details of my stolen image.
This is the one image of mine I know about  - thanks to Gradient for pointing this out to me!! - 'Fairy Flowers' posted on Xwall by gdmora:

Original image: Cymbidium
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1332844

Stolen image - gdmora

http://xwall.metropoliglobal.com/galerias/datos/media/361/fairy_flowers_by_cymbidium.jpg

I've mailed gdmora here at Renderosity - not had a reply yet!

My sympathies to the other artists who've been ripped off!
Cymbidium

The three members that were here and there are now banned from Rendo, so writing to them here is moot, they will never see it {and we're keeping our eyes peeled in case they try and sneak back in }

When I find 1 of my images illegally posted and there's a place to post a comment, I have a comment written up that I copy and paste in their comment section. It basically says that this image is being used by (name of poster) and he or she DOES NOT have my permission to use MY images in any shape form or fashion and is violating the International Copyright Law and is subject to legal actions for each and ever image illegally posted on this site and any other sites. I am requesting the removal of my work and the site admins. will be notified of this violation and will also be liable if image is not removed. And if the poster has the ability to erase comments, I go back and copy and paste the message again and again, meanwhile I send site admin. an email siting such violations. This usually does the job!!! I also provide info to them about having the original paraments, date of rendering & posting on my own personal site. Plus I furnish links to where the original image is posted and a link to where it is illegally posted, so they don't have a difficult time locating the images. Like I said when faced with the proof, they usually comply with my request.

Many thanks to you for banning them and in such a timely fashion!!! You're actions in this matter is very much appreciated!!!

Hope you have a wonderful and safe Holiday season!

Sorry to hear that can't contact gdmora here, jumpstartme2 - there's no contact details on the xwall site for him ;(  - though of course I'm glad that he has been so promptly banned!!

Good idea, CoolBreezeLady!!  Will leave a comment right now!

Thanks
Cymbidium

If anyone reads it before he can erase it, they will know that he can't be trusted and you know how fast something like that can spread through a site. Hopefully he will be soooo embarrassed, especially if people are persistant in posting that comment over and over, not to mention having several others posting the fact that he's doing this to many other artists illegally. Maybe he will learn a good lesson from this.

Quote - If anyone reads it before he can erase it, they will know that he can't be trusted and you know how fast something like that can spread through a site. Hopefully he will be soooo embarrassed, especially if people are persistant in posting that comment over and over, not to mention having several others posting the fact that he's doing this to many other artists illegally. Maybe he will learn a good lesson from this.

Well - I just visited the Front page of the xwall site and its there for all to see at the moment - plus another similar comment from an aggrieved artist - hope this does the trick!!

Well, according to the site stats on gdmora, he has almost 1800 images under his belt..we dont want or need that kind of person here. {dont know if they are all stolen or not, but 1 is too many imo}

Im so sorry to see members going thru this....I could just bite nails :mad:

Leaving a comment like that has already worked several times. Let's just hope he doesn't post it somewhere else the same minute... By the way, there are some amazingly beautiful images out there. No wonder, if they come from here ;o)))

The other sites that these images are posted on, really don't appreciate having someone like that on their sites either. That's why it's important to send them an email too, so they will know what's going on right under their noses.