Thread: AFFUTD not closing copycats affiliate account

This is a very alarming attitude from this operator : not closing an affiliate account for stealing content. They basically say solve it yourself.

Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with 'Lara'
Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK144025108964X
Lara: Hello! This is Lara from Affiliates United team. May I have your affiliate username, please?
you: hi lara i have a copcat
you: This copycat copied my content and published it on : xxhttp://www.kasino.gr/roulette_english.html Mine is : Roulette strategy Please contact this affiliate of yours that content theft is not allowed!! Rick Roulette-exposed
you: copycats aff id = http://serve.affutd.com/promoLoadDis...zone=156063504
Lara: What is your username, sorry?
you: i report a content theft
you: i do not have a username
Lara: I am sorry, but we are in no way responsible for the content of our affiliates' websites.
you: come again ??
Lara: If an affiliate of ours copied the information on your website, I am afraid that we cannot do anything concerning this.
you: do you want me to post your comment on AGD/CAP/GPWA that you even said this ?
Lara: Sir, affiliates only take banners and other marketing materials from our program.
Lara: The content of their websites is not designed by us.
you: and get their account closed when they spam and copy other sites content
Lara: I am not sure that I can understand the issue exactly - this affiliate copied the information from your website?
you: yes i am telling you this for 5 min
Lara: We can block their accounts if they violate any of our terms and conditions.
you: this webmaster is
you: Learn to play roulette
you: is the url where you can see the text copied
Lara: Is this text copyright protected?
you: yes
you: if i publish content it is not for others to use freely
Lara: I understand that, however if the content is right-protected you should consult a legal advisor and talk to the affiliate directly.

IMO, If affUtd close someones account due to allegations of content theft (which I don't doubt actually happened..), they can get sued / lose face / lose an affiliate unjustly. you have no proof that the content is yours originally, and they cannot be judge and jury. Imo contact the thiefs ISP and get the site taken down.. The ISP is probably liable for hosting copywritten material.

Therefore I agree with them telling you to seek legal advice or try to deal with it yourself (much as it sucks)

good luck

Content theft is easy to prove - just go to the wayback machine and see who had it first.

Then go and complain to google, including the evidence. Google will lead you through the legal steps to file.

Then go back to your am, and if up to then s/he was not cooperative, they will be when presented with this.

Also go to the host of the copycat and submit your evidence and the copycat's account will usually be closed.

I have had 100% sucess handling it that way. The copycat gets removed from google, from the aff program and loses their hosting/server.

It doesn't pay to copy!

Originally Posted by Dominique

Content theft is easy to prove - just go to the wayback machine and see who had it first. !

well not everything is cached by the internet archive, but yes that is one of the most obvious options

I agree this is frustrating. what other measures are you using to stop this copycat

it's probably possible to get some DMCA slap on the site in question depending where it is hosted, and the extent of the theft etc.. These sites get slapped with a SERP ban (see http://chillingeffects.org for info on this kind of stuff if it's of interest.)

Thank you all for your help. Thank goodness the webmaster contacted me himself and seems to be a nice fellow (I have seen bigger AHs) and removed the duplicate content instantly.

Thank you Ladbrokes for not condoning content theft and offer full investigation.

For whatever reason that affiliate had the duplicate text online I am sure he has learnt his lesson but we can all find in a similar situation as copyscape is not bulletproof to be sure it is unique content. Being patient and notifying the affiliate programs works for me in 99% of all cases

Solved I hope.