Need help reporting pony scam on Taobao!

[xeevee]

I have reported the sale too.  It's really hard to do when you don't actually speak any Chinese. There did seem to be a link to pirated images, so I clicked that too, so fingers crossed.

However, Woosie, I want to warn you that there may not be a lot of hope here.  China is actually exempt from copyright law, so they are technically not doing anything wrong by posting that picture.  From what I gather from the sale, they are selling copies of your custom.  Which is also not illegal or even frowned upon in China.  In fact, they have art schools who only train people to copy other people's art.  The better you are at copying, the better your grade.  Knock offs are just their culture.  You can buy pirated DVDs in stores in Beijing. They also have a fake Disney land in the middle of Beijing that Disney has been trying to have closed for years now. 

The phone number in the sale is a Chinese number, so I don't know why it say's they're in the US.  But I would not recommend calling that number unless you speak fluent Mandarin.  Most Chinese people can not speak English at all.  If you have a friend who is Chinese who can talk to the seller for you, then do that for sure, it may be the only way to get them to stop.

ETA:  they shop owner has a blog: http://weibo.com/77Punk you will need to join, but it will probably be easier to get in contact with them there, but unlike Taobao, you may not actually have to live in China to join

[Galactica]

Aw Woosie- I saw that pony and just KNEW it was too good to be true!  Taobao sellers steal DA pics all the time-  I think like Alibaba.com they are posting the pony as a representation of what they will try and make for the purchaser.

Unfortunately- China has really really different copyright laws so it may be difficult to get them to remove the image.  (That's why they can get away with so many bootlegged things). 


Your pony is fantastic btw-  maybe you should watermark your images so that if they do get stolen, at least it will be easier for someone to do a search and find your DA page?  Free advertising ?


Oh just read Xeevee's post-  great info and great job Xeevee!  I hope that works!

[StoryDreamer]

Here's a guide on Taobao on how to submit an IPR infringement. It even has images that have been translated to English.

http://qinquan.taobao.com/report/iprOperation.htm

Maybe you could fill out the basics and see what happens.

[rosierjay]

i don't know if i'd want to give them my passport or id picture.. that seems like handing a canary to a cat.

i'd almost be curious enough to buy one to see what they are actually sending. but 1. its super expensive, and 2. i wouldn't want to support their theft and lies.

[Shiromisa]

i don't know if i'd want to give them my passport or id picture.. that seems like handing a canary to a cat.

i'd almost be curious enough to buy one to see what they are actually sending. but 1. its super expensive, and 2. i wouldn't want to support their theft and lies.

Same here. I'm burningly curious what they're actually sending out.

[AquariousMoon]

So I was browsing around on Taobao looking at the gorgeous black tie pinkie pies the other night and saw Woosie's custom and thought... that's strange why would her custom be in China and figured it was a scam/knock off. But little to my surprise when I opened up the auction I'd see my custom commissioned pony there too! I was going to make a post here but wanted to run it by Woosie first, as an artist I can't stand to see other's talents being ripped off and unfortunately china is notorious for it as others have said. 

Xeevee is definitely right on that, I have heard popular artists say Chinese manufactures will buy their books and steal the designs for there knock off products.... beyond horrible!! 

I too am wondering what they were trying to sell or if its just a total scam. But I thought I'd share a pic of the real custom pony in hand with the fake auction. Thank you so much to everyone who reported it! Hope it gets removed!

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[michelle53]

You know I saw these on Taobao a few days ago and wondered who they belonged to.  This is just insane that they would make copies of Woosie's customs. 

[xeevee]

I just want to pipe in again, and try and get a little understanding happening, as some of the language being used is a little harsh in my opinion.  I was also attacked by a mod from here on facebook for not supporting the artists for saying that laws are different in China.

Anyways... what I feel people need to understand here, this isn't just about someone doing something that is considered illegal here that is legal there because they're horrible people and have no morals.  We a big culturally diverse board where everyone has different beliefs.  We seem to be pretty tolerant until it comes to art theft. 

Here's the thing, in China, this is how people are raised.  They copy things.  Being a free thinker is not tolerated.  Free thinking can lead to you being gunned down or run over by tanks, which is what happened in Tienanmen Square in the 80s and still happens today in Tibet.  It is an extremely common problem in Western Universities that Chinese students will plagiarise their homework because that is what they've been taught to do. This person isn't a horrible person for seeing woosie's custom and wanting to make money from it, they are a person who has been taught that this is a perfectly fine thing to do, and likes woosie's custom and doesn't realise they're upsetting anyone. Which is why I said calling them or contacting them through their blog would help, because if they found out that people are upset and mad they will most likely stop.

[michelle53]

I'm not criticizing Chinese culture, I just thought it was strange to see someone selling a copy of another artist's custom. 

[xeevee]

I don't have a problem with critisising a culture.  It is bad that free thinking is considered terrible there.  Lots of things about lots of cultures are bad and need to be criticised.  I just think people need to be tolerant and understanding of the individuals that come out of that culture and not call them horrible or insane for doing what they've been told is the right thing to do.

[michelle53]

I don't have a problem with critisising a culture.  It is bad that free thinking is considered terrible there.  Lots of things about lots of cultures are bad and need to be criticised.  I just think people need to be tolerant and understanding of the individuals that come out of that culture and not call them horrible or insane for doing what they've been told is the right thing to do.

Totally understand!!  I'm sorry I upset you hunny. 

[xeevee]

I don't have a problem with critisising a culture.  It is bad that free thinking is considered terrible there.  Lots of things about lots of cultures are bad and need to be criticised.  I just think people need to be tolerant and understanding of the individuals that come out of that culture and not call them horrible or insane for doing what they've been told is the right thing to do.

Totally understand!!  I'm sorry I upset you hunny.