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Reporting a Listing for Counterfeit Items
Summary: grann-4629 tried to report a seller on eBay for listing 'fan made' DVDs of a copyrighted TV series but faced difficulties navigating the reporting process and suspected eBay's reluctance to handle such complaints. mudshark61369 explained that multiple reports might be required for action and mentioned the complexity of copyright laws. Several participants debated the ethics and legality of buying counterfeit items, with some defending the purchase of bootlegs for personal collections. tobaccocardyahoo suggested contacting the rights holder directly as an alternative approach. The discussion also included personal experiences and different viewpoints on the implications of selling and buying such items.
Found a seller listing a bunch of 'fan made' dvd's of copyrighted tv series stating that there is no artwork on the disks and they are shipped in plain white envelopes. I tried to report this to eBay trying to 'make the site safer' and I could not get past the AI runaround. It told me to click on the question mark on one of the offending listings to make the report. When I told it there is no question mark or three dots on the listing, it gave me the same thing it said before. When I asked to chat with an agent I was told I could be called. I wanted nothing to with that as I am entertaining friends right now.
So, I couldn't make a report and some buyer(s) are going to get burned thinking these are real factory made dvds. I am assuming eBay doesn't want reports on illegal items ... maybe it cuts into their profit enough to make them ignore complaints about bootleggers. I tried ...
mam98031
·2 weeks ago@grann-4629 I noticed the same issue. IDK why. I also could not reply to your post. Very odd.
And yes, you are correct, all sellers that sell counterfeits, bootleg anything or pirated anything are doing it illegally. A federal crime to be sure. Not to mention that if they use USPS to ship these items, that is yet another Federal Crime.
grann-4629
OP2 weeks agoReply is back!
I never thought about the distribution of boots ... you are absolutely correct that any carrier moving these things could be charged with aiding and abetting a Federal criminal.
mam98031
·2 weeks agoOh I didn't say that. A person that innocently purchases one of these items with no intent to resale it, is OK and not illegal. But innocently buying it or not, the resale or attempt to resale these items is illegal.
grann-4629
OP2 weeks agoContrary to the AI summary, grannio was able to have 2 out of 3 illegal listings removed and the 3rd one is pending.
kensgiftshop
·2 weeks agoIf you're on a PC, you might have to scroll down a little to get the ? to pop up.
On the app, I have no idea.
You report it under the counterfeit option.
grann-4629
OP2 weeks agoThanks again ken. Seems like no one here thinks it's a problem so I am not going to persue it any more ... let the buyer beware.
grann-4629
OP2 weeks agoUPDATE: I actually got an offer for the series in question! The average eBay price for one season of the real series goes for around $120 + shipping. Note the shipping cost 😎
kensgiftshop
·2 weeks agoI've reported listings and later receive an offer after the listing has been removed.
powell-collectibles
·2 weeks agoWell, you are ruining the fun for us that buy bootlegs. Sometimes that’s the only good way to get an item. Well, at least in a physical media form. I can get pretty much anything that I want digitally – but I do like to have the physical media for my collection.
grann-4629
OP3 weeks agotobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoIf you are intent on making this marketplace inhospitable to fan-made, copyright infringing DVDs it would help to report these to the rightsholder.
Copyright enforcement in the US is the responsibility of the rightsholder, and many will act to defend their rights. Some might even be VeRo members and can act quickly.
grann-4629
OP3 weeks agoThe series in question is copyrighted by Warner Bros. They used to be a very active VeRO member and pulled many listings back in the old days ... not sure if they are still a member. At any rate, I have done my best to make the venue 'safer' by trying to report an illegal item ... que sera sera 😎
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoIt could be an interesting issue determining whether the current owner of Warner Bros. owns the rights to this series. And whether they care about the infringement.
grann-4629
OP3 weeks agoThe series aired in the late 90's and is still fully copyrighted. It is a rare series probably out of print now and legit copies are very expensive.
msha3839
·2 weeks ago · EditedSome people have nothing better to do with their lives and trying to change the world…I have a copyright to certain things and make sure that no one copying them…for mass media it’s extremely difficult to supervise any illegal activities, especially when involved some Asian countries…
burky79
·3 weeks agoHere's a trick I've used to get counterfeit video games removed. If there's an obvious (to those in the know) counterfeit game, if you just report it nothing will happen. So I've sometimes straight up asked the seller "Is this authentic?" they'll respond with something like "No, it's a reproduction", probably to avoid a return. So then I'll attach a screenshot of that interaction when reporting it with a message stating that the seller said it was fake. Then they get removed by eBay every time.
grann-4629
OP3 weeks ago · EditedGood plan. In my case, the seller actually outed himself by stating 'fan made' in his listing ... not sure if AI is able to read or understand what this means.
mudshark61369
·3 weeks ago@grann-4629 ,
Reporting counterfeit or bootleg items using the automated system will not get an item pulled because chances are eBay's A.I. is not programmed to determine what makes the listing illegal. It generally takes more than one report to get ebay to take action.
Since you are located in Canada if you bought the items from a U.S. based seller you cannot get a call back from U.S. based customer service reps. If the set was listed on the Canadian site you would have to request a call back from their customer service reps.
As for copyright durations, it could depend on when the TV series was created and if the rights owner renewed the copyright so that it would not fall into the public domain. What you received may have been a legally reproduced and licensed copy.
Many years ago I delved into the copyright duration for some hokey `50s sci-fi movies and found that some of their copyrights had expired and not been renewed. However, the artwork was still under copyright So I was able to have a company make DVDs for them but without the artwork. I also found that if a company/persn who owned a copyright wished to license the making of a limited release of a movie they could do that, for a fee of course, without a copyright logo, but the artwork could not be used without the creator's consent.
Then I found out how much more it would cost per unit to have any artwork printed on or attached too a DVD, its slip cover, Jewel or Amaray case. So the movies I bought licenses for did not have art work on the DVDs. They were shipped to me in plain white paper slip covers. The slim plastic DVD cases I bought for them and they were shipped in had a card stock insert, with a printed title on the outside and cast notes on the inner side, all printed by me. To keep costs down I did not have any special features added to the DVDs either. There are still companies selling licensed reproduction DVDs/Blue ray discs today that do not have everything the originals came with.
grann-4629
OP3 weeks agoThanks for info. The series I am talking about is not in the public domain like those cheezy old sci-fi movies. It's a rare tv series that others are selling real ones of for big money ... seller states he bought it from someone else. I didn't buy it, can't seem to report it, and don't want a call back from eBay. If someone buys it, I hope they are happy with the dubs.
powell-collectibles
·2 weeks agoSure – maybe they are fine with dubs or subs. I don’t see why it’s an issue. You are actively trying to deprive people of being able to enjoy something. If it’s not available through normal channels, shouldn’t we spread happiness by allowing people to buy things that they will enjoy?
grann-4629
OP2 weeks agoWhat I am really doing is trying to keep the community safer like all good eBayers should 😎
I don't care if this seller breaks any laws or eBay Policies, which they are obviously doing - just trying to warn others.
The series in question is available at a high cost due to it's rarity ... if someone wants to enjoy it it's there.
It's an issue because it is illegal and against eBay's Policy. If nobody cares I guess I'm wasting my time.
albertabrightalberta
·2 weeks ago@powell-collectibles
Are you seriously trying to justify the sale of counterfeit/bootleg/illegal items?
Sheesh!
powell-collectibles
·2 weeks agoI’m not justifying the sale. Just indicating that there are plenty of us that buy boots, and we like them. Reporting boots is not nice.
jonathanbrightlight
·2 weeks agoReporting those who are engaged in illegal activities is definitely a good thing.
powell-collectibles
·2 weeks agoYou are back! I am surprised that you responded, given the “unacceptable” situation.
powell-collectibles
·2 weeks ago · Editedfriends can disagree, I suppose. Thankfully for some of the guys that do work at my house, I don’t agree. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing that I got some good guys deported. I understand why folks with this mindset report them, but that isn’t me.
kensgiftshop
·2 weeks ago"Reporting boots is not nice."
Selling them isn't either.
It hurt the sellers selling legit items.
powell-collectibles
·2 weeks agoIt might be worthwhile to differentiate b/w boots and pirated copies. Very different things. Boots feed authorized items and vice versa.
msha3839
·2 weeks agoCan you prove that items are indeed illegal? Did you personally bought any and have court approved experts confirm it? I don’t think so…I have seen subjects like you end up bankrupt after making accusations…but you’re in canada…enough said…🤧
grann-4629
OP2 weeks ago@msha3839 Can you prove that items are indeed illegal
If you are asking me, absolutely 100% I can prove they are illegal ... just don't want to waste any money to do it 😎
msha3839
·2 weeks agoUsually argument ends up with the comment like yours..typical..
janet9988
·2 weeks agoHe is probably okay with fan made Coach and Gucci purses also.
msha3839
·2 weeks agoI have estate in north Florida with a private pond…never tolerated canadian geese landing there..they are invasive parasites and create nuisance..dealing with them according to plan..😈
grann-4629
OP2 weeks agoThose Canada Geese are not very tasty. OTOH, Bald Eagles are a delicacy here 😎
msha3839
·2 weeks agoI have no desire to eat them..simply calibrating my optics…🤧
grann-4629
OP2 weeks agoshouldn’t we spread happiness by allowing people to buy things that they will enjoy?
If your partner was happily buying and enjoying cannabis stinking up your home, would you be OK with that (assuming, of course, that you don't enjoy it)?
I know, Apples to Rocks ... just sayin' 😎
albertabrightalberta
·3 weeks ago@grann-4629
Every listing has a "?" on the lower right.
Click on the "?"
Click on "submit report"
Click on the type of content.
roccotacodad54
·3 weeks ago"a bunch of 'fan made' dvd's of copyrighted tv series stating that there is no artwork"
"I couldn't make a report and some buyer(s) are going to get burned thinking these are real factory made dvds."
Just me but if they are numb enough to buy "fan made dvd's" with no artwork............?