Stolen Image - Buyer Beware!

[buyorsell]

Truth be told: Vulnerability lies in the trust the buyer has in the seller. I really don’t think there is a way around this.



Here’s my most recent story of how my image was hijacked by a seller without my permission.



I requested a gig. My request was for someone to create a banner of a Mardi Gras theme for a website. This image had to be unique and not infringe on an image that is copy-right. People responded. I approached one who seemed to have it together as far as what they can do and offer. So, before actually placing the order, I disclosed everything the job entailed with the seller - even the image I wanted to use - in messages on Fiverr’s platform. The image was a picture of me and a family member, dressed in costume, in the first parade we rode in together. I remember the date, the time, even the weather - everything about the event. The seller chose to ignore the specifications of the job as well as my question even answer if he was up to the task. Instead, this seller currently and blatantly is misusing my image as their own in their profile picture. I also sent this seller a “Cease & Desist”.



I am pretty flabbergasted and upset over this and am in the process of reporting this via Fiverr’s ticket system. Being that this is my second bad experience with Fiverr in the same week, I am quickly losing faith in Fiverr altogether. It seems that there are no self-governance of ethics that are considered. I’m going to give Fiverr a chance to review the validity of the details in my ticket and hope they rectify the situation.

[buyorsell]

Seller just replied, apologized, and complied. Case closed.

[solow13]

Sometimes few messages can solve issues!

[bijanstudio]

I just had my gig image stolen this morning. I contacted customer service and it turnede out all of his gigs were stolen. So they banned and removed his account.



Few hours later he opened a new account with same gigs and used my gig image again, which is still up. So annoying and rude they are,



Waiting for customer service to reply.

[buyorsell]

Hope you get the situation rectified - soon. Its such a disappointing experience when this happens.



I though long and hard about this and may have a solution. Fiverr could police and investigate these by, first, making it subscription-based. All sellers and buyers have a certain fee to pay each month/year. Secondly, if a user violates certain terms, stealing from other users - for example, Fiverr could institute a monitory penalty fee. Of course, making it subscription based will keep out most of the riffraff out anyways.

[aerobics1965]

I get bugged as any job is never $5.00 from my experience. This is a deterrent and misleading representation in Fiverrs advertising.

[aerobics1965]

I get bugged as any job is never $5.00 from my experience. This is a deterrent and misleading representation in Fiverrs advertising.

[catwriter]

Reply to @aerobics1965: What do you mean? A seller must offer a basic service for $5.

[thepromogirl]

buyorsell said: Seller just replied, apologized, and complied. Case closed.

 

Yikes! I'm very sorry to hear about your terrible and unprofessional experience with a Seller. This is not how top Sellers behave here in the community, I assure you!

 

To be sure that this doesn't happen again to other users in the community, I would recommend contacting Customer Service and sending them screenshots of the conversation and the details of what happen. This way the Trust and Safety department and review the Seller and monitor their behavior so this doesn't happen to another potential Buyers or Seller in the Fiverr community.

 

Glad you caught this thought and giving others in the community a heads up of these bad practices!