Another site scraper UGH, what to do?

[pokeraddict]

Compare here

rakebacklisting.com/faq.php

and

rakerebatereview.com/faq.asp

My questions are in the exact order and exact words. Several of the answers are exact or worded the same as mine.

Also compare

rakebacklisting.com/advertise.php

rakerebatereview.com/rates.asp

My graph (that obviously looks bad and needs to be redone) has been completely duplicated. The paragraphs are very identical, some exact on this page as well. Even the graph of the only listing (his own rakeback site) uses the exact wording as mine.

Beyond contacting him how do I handle this? None of the affiliates listed at RRR are going to advertise there but it goes further then that, this is my work that is not licensed and I am sick of getting ripped off. I have found reviews word for word on sites and other similarities but never this bad.

The offender is located in New Zealand which from what I understand recognized US copyright laws. He even has the nerve to copyright his pages!

Any input on how to handle this would be appreciated. Have any of you in this industry ever successfully sued over this?

Thank you
John

[pokeraddict]

The site is already down. It was pulled after a couple of emails to the owner.

[Casinomeister]

Good going.

I was going to say, the best way to deal with a-hole webmasters is to simply make a complaint to whichever affiliate program they associate themselves with and to notify their server. This is usually cheaper and more effective than hiring a copyright lawyer.

The problem is that this is all time consuming, and can suck up time well spent on other things.

[Webzcas]

Have to agree. Contacting the affiliate program as well as mailing the webmaster direct is the best first approach. Even if you do not promote the casinos that the affiliate program promotes, you will find that they are all too willing to help out. It has worked for me in the past and is a timely solution to this problem.

[webber286]

Good to see you got the issue resolved. For others reading this that are looking for possible courses of action in this situation, and in the order you should pursue them:

1) Contact the offending webmaster
They may be honest and didn't realize the issue with copyright and will remedy the situation themselves.

2) Contact the affiliate program(s) they represent
Affiliate managers should take action to warn the offending webmaster, and could at least put the offending webmaster in trouble with the programs they represent.

3) Contact the ISP they are hosted with
The ISP may take the site down if they view it as a blatant offense.

4) Submit a SPAM report to Google
At least this would remove the website from the Google SERPS so they don't receive the benefit of natural traffic.

[dominique]

Very well put, webber!

Usually these work.