Don't Steal Content - you'll look like an ass!

H

handsonhosting

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The other day, a client signed up with us and then promptly entered a ticket to let us know that they found us because of another site. They wanted to know why our site looked so different than the cheezy one that he had found. The answer - the other company stole our content!

OUR Page: http://www.handsonwebhosting.com/hosting/shared-standard/ultralite-hosting/
THEIR Page: http://mysinergy.us/web-hosting/golden-delicious/

Word for word, it's exactly the same. What's worse is that they not only ripped our words, but they left the links intact too. So when people click the ORDER link, they actually go to our site to place the order.

I have not yet contacted "mysinergy.us" as they don't have a contact form on their site. Instead, I filled the necessary paperwork with the various search engines and copyscape.

I'd like to say that I'm flattered that they'd take our wording, but I'm not. They stole 100% of the content, the links on their site don't work, and they forgot to copy over the images that we use for check marks etc. They also kept the pricing the same, and the promises that WE make to our clients. I can say without hesitation, they will have a very hard time delivering the service and features that we provide at such a low price.

If you're going to steal content from someone (which you should never do), at least check the content that you stole!

So, Sinergy Communications, LLC (operating on the domain www.MySinergy.us), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sofia Enterprises, Inc. - you are a THIEF! I recommend anyone who had planned to do business with them to investigate the company thoroughly as if they rip off another company (Hands-on Technologies, LLC - operating on the domains www.handsonwebhosting.com, www.handsonhosting.com and others), they might be in the business of ripping you off too! :crash:
 
wow..

As of January 2012 Sinergy Communications, LLC. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sofia Enterprises, Inc.

Sofia Enterprises, Inc has no public charter on file.
Sinergy Communications LLC has no public filing

Thats not to say they dont have a F entity in another state.



Perhaps let them keep referring clients =)
 
Yeah, we were torn with the idea of letting them send clients. Afterall, the duplicate content penalty from Google would affect THEM and not US as we are the originating source of the content.

DMCA was filed with the hosting company though none the less. Google, Yahoo and Bing along with CopyScape will also file DMCA's with them too. CopyScape is really a nice one-stop-shop for all things related like this too.
 
Sorry to hear that. I think we've all been down this road before, unfortunately. I will never understand why people rip others content or designs to be honest.. :(

If you're a legit and reputable host, chances are you've already been ripped somehow by someone else, and will continue to get ripped. Don't forget, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. ;)

Thanks for the heads up though, Conor.
 
HostLeet said:
I will never understand why people rip others content or designs to be honest.. :(
Click to expand...

Me neither as i can name dozens of site where you can get free templates that would work well or even themeforest for a few $$.

i am surprised the whois says they are US based normally rips are from the middle east.
 
The site itself is terrible, I wonder if they hired some kid "developer" to make a site and he just starting ripping stuff.

I have gone through this several times where the company was not aware that the dev they hired ripped content, and or they fired them for such a terrible site.
 
I get impressed every time I see another content theft. Just incredible. Do you know who their web hosting provider is (whose services they are reselling)?

I tried clicking on the order button and it didn't take me to your site, Conor. Did they fix it?

As far as phone numbers, they are listing two:

toll-free: 1-877-419-SIN-7
local: 484-626-1786

Have you tried dialing or you don't want to get involved directly?
 
Artashes said:
I get impressed every time I see another content theft. Just incredible. Do you know who their web hosting provider is (whose services they are reselling)?

I tried clicking on the order button and it didn't take me to your site, Conor. Did they fix it?

As far as phone numbers, they are listing two:

toll-free: 1-877-419-SIN-7
local: 484-626-1786

Have you tried dialing or you don't want to get involved directly?
Click to expand...

they seem to be with Godaddy as the whois http://whois.domaintools.com/mysinergy.us shows nameservers as
Name Server: NS1329.WEBSITEWELCOME.COM
Name Server: NS1330.WEBSITEWELCOME.COM
which are godaddy nameservers and the domaion was regsitered through godaddy. their IP is 50.22.43.32 which is located Texas - Dallas - Softlayer Technologies Inc with Resolve Host: ns1330.websitewelcome.com
 
Oh jeez, on top of that they provide unlimited space and bandwidth. It all makes sense now. If they are able to lie to customers, they are surely okay to steal.
 
I am entertained with the fact that some web owners still believe that they can steal content from other websites without being recognized by the content owners or other internet users. They need to wake up.
 
Westpoint said:
I am entertained with the fact that some web owners still believe that they can steal content from other websites without being recognized by the content owners or other internet users. They need to wake up.
Click to expand...

It will happen and i dont think it will ever stop, but to steal a site and then upload as your own without changing any links etc. pointing to original website is just plain stupid
 
Wow. Just wow. Maybe they did hire a developer who just lacked so much creativity that he had to not only steal wording and phrases from another site, but not check over spelling. Web Hosting Package "Delcious" ha. At least they link on over to your website. I know if I was looking for hosting though, I wouldn't look at a website that looks so terrible.
 
Website stuff has to be copyrighted to become your intellectual property,if is your intellectual property and you know who is doing piracy you need a lawyer to start suits,legally you are able now thats all you can do,if is not your intellectual property there is nothing you can do.

To me the internet is 2 side knife for owners of intellectual property,it has an appealing side and a bad side but all depends on which your biz is and the expirience you have but in the end you dont have to worry if you are a real company that does powerfull advertising,because the rippers of your contents wont be able to compeat with you,no one is gonna be able to say the hat wasnt seen on ur site first.
 
I'm still showing that they're using our links to our billing system (billing.handsonwebhosting.com) and the site still shows 1,000MB space and 10,000MB bandwidth. I'm not showing the unlimited or the links removed. I refreshed the page here too, still the same.

Over the years we have had our content ripped hundreds of times. I always find it entertaining to expose them for what they are on the various forums. We've had our domain copied, our logos and we've had complete design skin rips. I don't mind someone being inspired by design or content, that's normal. As Frank Zappa said (and I paraphrase) - 'All the good music has already been written'. Books, movies and writings are the same in my opinion.
 
vegas said:
Website stuff has to be copyrighted to become your intellectual property,
Click to expand...

Incorrect. The Berne Convention of 1886 protects ALL writings and Artistic Works the moment it is written. The Berne Convention has also been used in Copyright Law cases from a technology stand point. Ever heard of a concept being scribbled on a piece of paper and then later turned into a product? The moment they put pen to paper, it's intellectually copyrighted.

The Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention (UCC) was adopted at the Geneva Convention in 1952 and amended in Paris in 1971. The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) took it one step further to cover more states and countries in the world, but since nearly every country or state is part of the World Trae Organization (WTO), they too also agree to the Berne Convention and the UCC.

I've been dealing with copyright infringement since 1994 in one form or another, and the moment you put your concept to paper (or in this case, the internet), it becomes your intellectual copyright.
 
Just compared the two sites. Their order link still goes to Hands On from here. Thanks for the heads up, Conor.

Everyone is right - their site looks like crap. I can't imagine what goes through their minds when they do this. These rippers are not simply thieves - they're stupid thieves.

When I was in boot camp, I forgot to put my name on the list to get new glasses. My senior DI grabbed me by the throat and choked me near unconsciousness. Someone needs to grab these rippers by the throat and shake some sense into them.
 
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