Terry Smythe wrote, in 050325 MMDigest:


>> Is there a way to bring this to the attention of the eBay cops?
>> And if so, will anything be done?


Regarding item photos or descriptions lifted from other auctions,
eBay has a very simple rule regarding this practice: it is prohibited.
See http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidence/vero-image-text-theft.html
where it is stated, in part: "eBay members are not allowed to use
another eBay user's pictures or descriptions in their listings or About
Me page without the owner's permission. Listings that violate eBay's
Picture and Description Theft policy may be removed early. Multiple
violations of this policy can result in suspension."  The page contains
a link to report violations.

Naturally, the apparent fraudulent use of the content here by a seller
who is presumably attempting to scam is strictly prohibited.  I would
contact the Safe Harbor folks and alert the original seller as well.
This sort of practice has been encountered and reported many times by
folks on the phonograph lists I subscribe to and the listings are
practically always terminated, and action taken against the purported
sellers, presumably after the first such attempt.  eBay is not a
perfect system, but it appears that the safe harbor folks are genuinely
trying to find and eliminate fraud.

The squiggly mark observed in the lower right-hand corner of the photo
in the second "seller's" listing is an icon watermark of a camera which
is found on many eBay item photos; I believe it is applied when the
image is hosted by a certain service.  The original photo lacks the
watermark and presumably was hosted elsewhere.

Best regards,
Mark S. Chester
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
www.whalompark.com, www.wurlitzer165.com

 [ Terry Smythe writes, "I've often seen this.  The UK scam vendor
 [ is using Andale's image hosting service.  They overprint all
 [ their images with a transparent 'sticker'."  -- Robbie