Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Yesterday I discovered Beta script publishing had ripped off one of my books from part of a Wikipedia entry, my website and the actual printed book. My book 'Arthur has left the buildings' retails for £4.99; the proceeds go towards the grave restoration fund of the architect, Arthur Beresford Pite, whom it is about. They are trying to sell it for £34. Beta script publishing are based in Mauritius and have so far not responded to e mails. I did some research and came across this rather alarming article about the scam. Wikipedia have the right to fair usage and creative commons licence but even they respect copyright. Betascript are using any content they can get their hands on - Wiki, blogs etc, with no regard as to where it comes from or if it's copyright. They have changed names countless times too which just smacks of something to hide. Many people have discovered that their work has been turned into books without there knowledge or permission. The books are available via Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other online book stores.
http://fraudex-2012.blogspot.com/2011/10/vdm-publishing-scam-aka-frederic-p.html
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,897
Disgraceful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would contact Amazon and the others straight away and threaten them with legal action.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
I have already contacted Amazon and they are being helpful. I had to fill out umpteen copyright infringement forms and unfortunately it all takes time. I agree it is shocking that they have been getting away with it.
I had to laugh at the book cover, probably taken 40 years after Arthur had died and totally unrelated!
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Anyone concerned about publications or articles they have written or have on Wikipedia etc do a search on Amazon under your name or subject matter.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Very disturbing Jeane...some copyright has gone totally squuuiff on the internet. People think they can use stuff with impunity. Fortunately I think the law is at last catching up.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
I read about these two similarly named companies, I think in Private Eye, a while back.
Yes, all they 'do' is print out a Wiki page and the pages linked therein and add an exorbitant price tag.
I'll try and find the article to see if they offer any further assistance.
All this, no doubt, is linked to the new technology that prints and binds a book to order thus doing away with print runs etc.
Part of what I read was that any Amazon search for these 'publishers' yields many thousands of results.
[the rest is unprintable owing to concerns of taste and decency
]
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
At the last count there were 364,841 of these books listed on Amazon!
It's exactly as you say Tom. I really do hope the law catches up with them soon.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
all very common wikipedia have used stuff i have written and taken it as gospel rather than my opinion.
no problem for me but deadly serious to people like jeane who are trying to earn a living.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
This be they...
http://www.vdmpublishinggroup.com/
From Private Eye...
""...A disgruntled purchaser who complained to the bookseller as long ago as July 2010 received this reply from Amazon: "I would like to inform that all Alphascript Wikipedia titles were retired and removed from Createspace..."
...From it's Indian Ocean bunker, VDM dealt with the threat by issuing most of it's new non-books under the imprint Betascript rather than Alphascript...
...Asked why Amazon condones this daylight robbery, a spokesman told the Eye:"We are working to ensure that all titles that primarily feature articles from Wikipedia or other free sources online are highlighted as such on our website."
Why not simply ditch them altogether?"" Asks the Eye.
A Google search for VDM publishing yields many sorry tales.
POD Phraud on demand?
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Thanks Tom, alas they are still listed on Amazon who never actually removed them like they said they would - all 364,841 of them.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Ooooh just realised I posted the above at 11:11 on 11-11-11.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Following on from this saga I am pleased to tell you that as of today Alibris books have removed their listings (of my books), ditto Amazon.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Well done all, well done Jeane.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
You may recall this topic I posted last year about publishing scammers. Well you never know who is reading Dover Forum as I have been contacted by the Independent on Sunday newspaper about contributing to an article about it as they read about it here.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
good for jeane,i do hope you pile on the pressure through the paper.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Thanks Brian, naturally the 'robbing from the dead' angle (My book 'Arthur has left the buildings' retails for £4.99; the proceeds go towards the grave restoration fund of the architect, Arthur Beresford Pite, whom it is about. They are trying to sell it for £34) peaked their interest, but hopefully they will do a good job and make more people aware and as you say pile on the pressure. In the last few months I have been contacting all the online books shops who had the dodgy copy of the book up and everyone of them (Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Alberis etc) have taken it down and been helpful.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
The Independent on Sunday..well I never! Recognition for us lowly out-of-towner scribes at last !!lol
well especially if the Independent on Sunday is looking in...and very welcome they are too.
Go for it Jeane..well done in advance.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Thanks PaulB, yes you never know who is looking in!
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
terrible jeane
a lot of scams about sadly
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,897
The famous (or is that infamous) Dover Forum.
Jeane, good luck with the fight against these thieves.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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