Scam by COPYTRACK / WENN Rights International

By Xah Lee. Date: .

Scam by COPYTRACK / WENN Rights International

on 2023-01-20, i got a email from “COPYTRACK”, in pseudo legal writing style, suggesting I pay $220.00 euro for compensation of past usage of copyright violation.

the page they claim is copyright violation is Paris Hilton Sculpture, which contain photos of the “Paris Hilton Autopsy”.

xahlee.org Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-19 DqJQ2
screenshot of http://xahlee.org/xa/va/paris_girl.html as of 2023-01-19

Here's the email from “COPYTRACK”:

email COPYTRACK WENN Rights International 2023-01-20 1
email from COPYTRACK / WENN Rights International Ltd, 2023-01-20, part 1
email COPYTRACK WENN Rights International 2023-01-20 2
email from COPYTRACK / WENN Rights International Ltd, 2023-01-20, part 2
email COPYTRACK WENN Rights International 2023-01-20 3
email from COPYTRACK / WENN Rights International Ltd, 2023-01-20, part 3

Note that, if you read carefully, they did NOT outright claim i violated copyright, but suggest i may have violated copyright, and suggest that i should pay, with easy paypal link. The whole email is written in a pseudo legal style.

I think they are scam with scare tactics. These images, are widely spread on the internet in 2007. I got the image from the internet, various news sites, blog posts, social media sites, etc, and i make no money from it. I think the claim that i violated copyright is questionable, since am using it for purposes as non-commercial personal blog, and the intent is to document the behavior of human society (including the sculptor Daniel Edwards), and history of the internet behavior.

Is COPYTRACK Scam? What Do People Say?

Apparently, there are reports by others on them. (the COPYTRACK, for WENN Rights International Ltd)

Copytrack scam quora 2023-01-20 sJfYb
〔How can we deal with Copytrack and Kodakone post-licensing companies? Did you ever receive a claim from them? How did you respond? ~ By Anonymous. At https://www.quora.com/How-can-we-deal-with-Copytrack-and-Kodakone-post-licensing-companies-Did-you-ever-receive-a-claim-from-them-How-did-you-respond〕
COPYTRACK scam By Michael Grace 2023-01-20 mTxNW
〔Is German Scam “COPYTRACK” Run By Descendants of Nazi War Criminals? By Michael Grace. At https://www.cruiselinehistory.com/copytrack-marcus-schmitt/〕
COPYTRACK pitpass 2023-01-20 vmKkW
https://x.com/pitpassdotcom/status/1519970217505476611
inquisitr COPYTRACK WENN 2023-01-20 z7fYP
〔How WENN uses copyright threats as a sales tool By Duncan Riley. At https://www.inquisitr.com/21969/how-wenn-uses-copyright-threats-as-a-sales-tool〕

the “Paris Hilton Autopsy” incident

here's other sites on the “Paris Hilton Autopsy” incident:

brave image search Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 qwyf8
brave image search Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 qwyf8
wired Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 58gRX
wired Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 58gRX ❮https://www.wired.com/2007/04/paris-hilton-au/❯
youtube Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 K7bQp
youtube Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 K7bQp
reuters Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 JZ3Bt
reuters Paris Hilton Autopsy 2023-01-20 JZ3Bt ❮https://www.reuters.com/article/us-art-hilton/paris-hilton-sculpture-shows-heiress-in-deadly-pose-idUSN0936508120070510❯
Paris Hilton Autopsy denverpost 2023-01-20 S6ZzQ
〔Paris Hilton sculpture controversial By The Associated Press. At https://www.denverpost.com/2007/05/10/paris-hilton-sculpture-controversial/〕

If you also got hit by COPYTRACK, please let me know. Post a reply to https://x.com/xah_lee/status/1616489397100380165