Photo Backlink Scams- Fake Image Copyright Claims by Blackhat SEO idiots

[Bethhfof]

There are a large number of blackhat SEO companies out there claiming that they can help bloggers get backlinks fast. In case you’re wondering, here’s one of the extremely scammy ways that they do so.

Photo Backlink Scams- Fake Image Copyright Claims by Blackhat SEO Idiots

First, they’ll scan through websites with a decent domain authority ranking. Once they target the site, they’ll scan through pages on the site of images that do not contain watermarks.

Once they locate a photo, they’ll compose an email claiming that they represent a client and that you’re using the photo illegally. They’ll try various scare tactics, such as “don’t take it down, the damage has been done”, or “my client will sue for thousands”, etc.

Here’s a prime example of one such douchey scam email from PHOTOCREDIT.ORG :

The image that this lying scumbag is referring to is actually a licensed photo from Shutterstock. Luckily, on our blog, we keep a spreadsheet that not only lists each and every article, it lists every single image, who took it, which program it was crafted in (Adobe, Photoshop, Canva, PicMonkey, etc), and whether it was purchased or public domain.

This seems like it would take a lot of time to track, but in reality, it takes about 5 minutes per article and saves lots of money and heartache when unethical scammers rear their ugly head.

Usually, if you check the ICANN record for the domain, it’s fairly new. Here’s the one they’re trying to get links to, it’s only a year old.

 

Telltale Signs you’re being Scammed

1. You know you purchased rights to the image (or you took it yourself!)
2. The scammer fails to mention WHO owns the rights to the image- notice his very vague “I represent a client” bullshit. Yeah.. and I represent willy wonka and the fkg oompa loompa’s too.
3. If you hire an SEO company and they won’t tell you precisely HOW they intend to build links to your site, they’re probably doing stupid shit like this.

 

If you have paid a company to create backlinks for you, please be aware they could be pulling really stupid shit like this- which will ultimately destroy your reputation and business.

These manipulative, dishonest scams/schemes are not permitted by google and they will hurt your site.

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[Melissa Burnell]

Great post! Thanks for sharing. You’re absolutely right, these type of schemes are a dime a dozen.

Here’s one a blogger friend of ours recently received:

EMAIL RECEIVED THIS MORNING:
Hi Megan,
I recently found a photo of mine in one of your articles.
MyPhoto: XXX
Here’s the article: XXX
Where you’ve used my photo, would you be able to provide a clickable link back (photo credit) to the domain XXX, in case users would like to know more about us?
Many thanks,
David

Her Clever Response

Hi David
Thank you for your email. The image in question is a public domain image owned by Stockpic, made available for free use to the public via Pexels (as you can reference in my attached screenshot).

It was uploaded to my site in April 2017, which I note is a full year before it was uploaded to Flickr under your name on July 31 2018.

As such I have determined that it would not be appropriate or legal for me to fulfill your request. I would be happy to put you in touch with the original author of the upload via Pexels so the two of you can hash out your individual ownership claims, and determine whether it is an appropriate use of public domain images to upload via Flickr for link building purposes.

I note your Flickr page has quite a robust range of public domain stock images.
Best

[pinupcasino777]

I take screenshots of the source / license for every image I ever use, and file them for later reference, as proof of license.
I have this for every image on my site over the past 7 years, filed into folders by year, then by month, then by article.
It’s OCD, sure, but it takes 2 seconds to screenshot as I’m downloading it, and then file.
I’ve relied on this 4 times in the past year, and it’s absolutely essential in my opinion being that the publisher has the burden of proof.

1. Another common scam I receive now and then is when I get an email regarding a guest post by Website A that was on my site.
2. It said that this was the owner of what was formerly Website A, but they now rebranded and changed their URL to Website B.
3. Could I please change the attribution in the guest post to reflect that?
4. Of course, Website A never changed their URL and Website B was just trying to get backlinks by claiming false ownership.

It’s amazing what these scummy losers come up with. Imagine if they put half the effort into running a legitimate business!

 

 

If you get an email, letter, or blog comment claiming to be an attorney, always look the attorney’s name and contact information up on the state bar association website. Then contact them directly with the contact information you got from the state bar. You can confirm whether they sent the letter and whether they represent the client.

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[Melissa Burnell]

As mentioned above, this backlink scam has been ongoing for years, and it seems to get dumber and dumber each time. Here’s the latest one we’ve received.

Identifying the Scam

First, the Scam: They send an email claiming ownership of an image they don’t actually own.

Subject: DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice

Dear owner of https://www.budget101.com/money-matters/578361-how-to-save-up-for-a-mortgage-down-payment/,

We hope this message finds you well. We represent the Intellectual Property team for a prominent organization, and wish to address a matter concerning an image linked with our client, eemortgagebroker.com.au

Image Details: https://i.imgur.com/xXmdC0v.png Location of Usage: https://www.budget101.com/money-matters/578361-how-to-save-up-for-a-mortgage-down-payment/

It’s been found that this image is displayed at the mentioned location. We’d like to kindly remind you to ensure that our client receives proper credit. Please provide a clear and direct link to https://www.eemortgagebroker.com.au/
either beneath the image or at the page footer within the next five business days.

We trust you understand the importance of addressing this promptly.
Please acknowledge that merely removing the image won’t settle this matter.
If there’s no action from your side within the mentioned period, we may have to refer to case reference No. 84531 and consider steps aligned with the provisions of the DMCA Section 512(c).

For reference purposes, any historical usage can be verified via the Wayback Machine at https://web.archive.org, the standard digital archive.

Consider this message as an official reminder. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your understanding and cooperation.

We kindly request communications in English for clarity.

Regards

Zoe Baker
Trademark Attorney

Commonwealth Legal Services
3909 N 16th St, 4th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85016

zoe@commonwealth-team.net
www.commonwealth-team.net

Breaking Down the Scam

If you go to the link they provided, claiming “ownership” of the image, you’ll see they use imgur. In this case, the image was uploaded 9 days ago and had ZERO views. Not a very good indication that it’s legitimate!

Exposing the Truth

This image is licensed through Pixabay and is free for use under the Pixabay content license.

 

Deciphering the Truth

Now comes the hard part, deciphering the truth. Clearly, the eemortgagebroker site was seeking backlinks… but the question is, did they hire an illegitimate SEO company, or… are they themselves the actual scammer?

In any case, they got the “free publicity” they were seeking, as we’re exposing them for who/what they are.

As you can see from a quick domain authority search, the domain is brand new and has a very low domain authority. Once we seek out the other backlinks and notify them of the scam, their domain authority will likely drop even more.

The Fake Lawyer Site

Here’s a breakdown of the so called Trademark attorney’s website- it’s only 68 days old, and has a whopping spam score of 11% in less than 3 months time. Crazy!

In short, The address and the name “Commonwealth Legal Services” at 3909 N 16th St, 4th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85016 appear to be associated with a scam involving fake DMCA copyright infringement notices.

Reports indicate that this purported law firm has been linked to phishing schemes aiming to manipulate website owners through fictitious legal threats. The scams typically demand backlinks or threaten legal action under the guise of copyright infringement, often using varied and inconsistent contact details and domain names.

It is highly advisable to approach any correspondence from “Commonwealth Legal Services” at the mentioned address with extreme caution and to verify any such legal claims independently before responding or taking any action. These fools are just your average low-life scammers out to make a fast buck off your hard work.

That’s my personal opinion, of which, I’m still entitled to share under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, protecting the freedom of speech.

Report the Scammers

If you suspect you’ve received a fraudulent DMCA takedown notice from entities like Commonwealth Legal Services, reporting it is an essential step to help prevent further scams. Here’s how and where you can report such scams:

1. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The FTC is responsible for handling complaints about deceptive and unfair business practices. To report a scam to the FTC:

• Visit the FTC Complaint Assistant website at ftccomplaintassistant.gov.
• Provide as much detail as possible about the scam, including any communication you received.

2. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

Operated by the FBI, the IC3 accepts complaints for internet-related crimes. To file a complaint:

• Go to the IC3’s official website at ic3.gov.
• Click on “File a Complaint” and follow the instructions to detail your report.

3. Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG)

The APWG collects phishing email reports and uses the information to fight phishing practices. If the scam involves phishing:

• Forward the email to reportphishing@apwg.org.
• Include the full email header to help them track its source.

4. Your Local Authorities

For additional support and action:

• Contact your local law enforcement and report the incident.
• Provide them with all the documentation regarding the scam.

5. Domain Registrars

If the scam involves a fraudulent website:

• Contact the domain registrar (found via WHOIS lookup tools like whois.domaintools.com) to report the abuse.
• Provide evidence that the site is involved in illegal activities.

6. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)

If you received the scam via email:

• Report the phishing attempt to your ISP’s abuse department.
• This can help them block similar attempts in the future.

7. Social Media Platforms

If the scam involves social media:

• Use the reporting options available on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to report suspicious accounts or messages.

8. Consumer Protection Websites

Platforms like Scamwatch or Scamadviser offer avenues to report scams and check the credibility of businesses.

When reporting any scam, provide as much factual information as possible, including emails, text of the notices, timestamps, and any responses you might have made. Keeping detailed records and reporting these scams not only helps in potentially stopping the scammers but also assists others who might encounter the same problem.

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