# Someone STOLE (a photo of) my Ariens Snowblower!!



## rnaude241 (Nov 24, 2013)

So someone stole my 1961 Ariens Sno Thro picture for their ebay ad!





It's not a big deal but I was browsing ebay and said "hey that's my snowblower". It's clearly not a 1963 and I'd feel bad if someone offered him close to that $500 asking price which is...... CRAZY.

I guess I should feel honored they chose mine.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

I sent the seller this question:

"Is that snowblower shown in the photo the actual one being bid on?"

Let's see if we get an answer. Seller only has 40 ratings, but all are positive, which on ebay anymore doesn't mean all that much. You might contact ebay and let them know your picture has been pirated..

I found a Honda HS622 for sale on Craig's List out east once, and the seller was using photos of my HS622 taken in my driveway in Illinois. The seller didn't think it important to mention that he'd borrowed my photos. We went back and forth for quite a while and I even posted a cautionary listing telling people that the one pictured wasn't the one they were potentially buying.

He finally either found his own camera, or other photos to use because he took mine off of his listing.


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

Contact eBay. That's fraud.


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

The funniest thing is the ebay listing has a link to a video, presumably of the actual machine being sold. He could have just used a screen capture from the video!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Not even close to the one in the video. Different mufflers, painted vs chrome handles, name plate across handle bars ....

Hopefully the one in the video is the one and it really is for sale and he just stole the photo as his isn't anywhere as photogenic. THIEF !!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Should post comments on his youtube link telling folks it might not be what he's selling.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

It's happened to me several times!
most of the time its because people are too lazy to take their own photo, so they just grab one off the internet..
or it could be scam posts, where there is actually nothing for sale..but it can also be more benign..

just out of curiosity, I once called a seller who was using one of my photos!
it was on Craigslist out in Ohio somewhere..
I played it innocent, posing as a regular buyer with questions..it went something like this:

me: "Hi, im calling about the Ariens snowblower you have for sale, I have a few questions about it.."

seller: "great! what would you like to know?"

me: "im looking for a 1970's era Ariens, is the one in your ad the actual one you are selling?"

seller: "actually no..im selling it for my Dad..he has zero computer knowledge, and I have very little, 
so I found a photo on the internet that looked just like it, and used that..
so its not the actual snowblower we are selling, but I think its the same model.."

Since he admitted it instantly, and I really believed that he was telling the truth about selling it for his Dad and all that,
I didnt even tell him why I called!  I just made up something about how its not exactly what im looking for, 
I want a later 70's and I "think" you have an early 70's, (playing ignorant!)  but thanks for the info..etc..

If the guy had lied outright and said "yep! that's the one!" then I would have called him on it!  
but I didnt feel the need to in this case..so I just let it go..

Scot


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

That ebay ads down :yahoo:

Wonder if it sold or what's going to pop up in it's place :smiley-confused013:


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

You have to wonder if the guy ever considered that he might get a call from the person whose picture he was using?

In this day and age when everybody has a camera in their pocket, otherwise known as a cell phone, why don't they use their own pictures? I mean, even I've been able to figure out how to post them here from my phone using the mobile version of the site.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> That ebay ads down :yahoo:
> 
> Wonder if it sold or what's going to pop up in it's place :smiley-confused013:


Last time I looked at it, there were only 35 minutes left to go so it probably just expired.


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

sscotsman said:


> If the guy had lied outright and said "yep! that's the one!" then I would have called him on it!
> but I didnt feel the need to in this case..so I just let it go..
> 
> Scot


Honest about the photo or not, I still would not purchase from them. Maybe I'm too hard-nosed but I've been ripped off in online transactions a few times. If I sniff the slightest whiff of fish, I'm outta there.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Sorry, wasn't paying attention again


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## conwaylake (Feb 6, 2014)

*This thread's title is a bit alarming*

Maybe the title could be changed to 
*
They STOLE my Ariens Snowblower (picture) !! *


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

He sent me an email saying : No this is not for sale on Ebay. That machine on Ebay is NOT a 1963 10ml-60. The one on Ebay is 1962 10M-L35. Thanks for sharing Mark.

A 1962 10ML35, what it changed clothes when he wasn't looking ??
This is really starting to smell.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

It gets even stranger !! The video isn't the sellers either.

I got this from the guy with the video:
Mark, The Ebay listing is not me or my machine. I don't know why that Ebay seller used my video to help sell his machine. I live in N.J. The seller is from Massachusetts. I'm not certain what the seller was trying to do with using my video. Thanks again for pointing it out. I have messaged the seller to let him know to stop using my video as it does not match the machine he has.


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

Wow... I hope both the owner of the photo and video report this guy to ebay.

It certainly make you wonder about other things he has listed, like this:


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

The video owner did. I was grilling him a little before I understood he wasn't the ebay seller and he didn't appreciate it, understandably so.


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## rnaude241 (Nov 24, 2013)

I reported the user as well. I haven't heard anything yet from Ebay though.


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## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

You could always send him a picture of a bill for the use of your image
(but if he was clever, he would probably send you a picture of the fee in cash..)


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

when ever you post a pic on this internet thing. it is no longer yours. those name stamp things help some. but it now belongs to the world.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I don't mind someone using my photos for pretty much anything but when they start using them to represent what they have for sale that's going over the line.


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## JSB33 (Jan 11, 2013)

In my hobby of diecast cars, I can find someone using my pictures almost every day. I have given up chasing after them because I end up getting frustrated so its best for me just to ignore it.


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## conwaylake (Feb 6, 2014)

*craigslist boston post uses two from Scott's Ariens site*

Wanted ...Early 60's Ariens Snowblower any condition


I don't have permission to post the photos....


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

conwaylake said:


> Wanted ...Early 60's Ariens Snowblower any condition
> 
> 
> I don't have permission to post the photos....


That one doesnt bother me too much..
because the guy is looking for a snowblower, not offering one for sale.
yes, it would have been nice if he *asked* me to use them! 
but..I removed all the email links from my Ariens page a few years
ago, because I was getting way more emails than I could handle, and I 
felt bad that I couldnt respond to everyone..so I removed the email links
and instead directed people to this forum for questions! 

So even if that wanted to ask me, he couldnt find an easy way to do it..
(he probably didnt even try!  but still..

things like this are now just a fact of life on the internet..it cant be fought, the war is lost..and younger generations honestly believe anything on the internet is free for the taking, they grew up that way..


Scot


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