How to Report Copyright Theft and Promote Honesty Online

[Flamethrower]

Not that you don't have enough on your plate, but I've surfed on other rootworking sites/forums that blatantly copied pages from the LM site without giving credit to you (Cat Y). I'm sure it must be annoying as heck to see someone else taking credit for your hard work.

Is this something that you want brought to your attention whenever I come across it or just let it be?

[Devi Spring]

She goes after those people like wildfire! Definitely let her know if you run across anything like that.

[catherineyronwode]

Yes, in addition to banning copyright violators from my site, in solidarity with other writers, i do want to know about sites that infringe on my copyrights or advertise my images without actually selling my products.

I also like to enlist my friends, students, and well-wishers in active web campaigns against these rip-offs -- exposing them, ridiculing them, making legal moves against them, and bringing their repulsive lies to public view.

The Lucky Mojo Fan Army to the rescue!

[ablake]

Consider me enlisted in the LMF Army...

Where should we send a link

[Flamethrower]

I found an e-mail address for you, I think, but it's for friends and commune buddies.
Where do you want us to submit these links?

Maybe we can set up another page on this forum just for reporting copyright violators? Nothing too elaborate, just a place for the LM Fan Army to report these issues.

[catherineyronwode]

If you are a student, please post copyright violation notices to the hrcourse yahoo group. I will not "approve" them for the group to see, but i will see them and act on them.

If you are not a student, please send copyright violation notices to comments@luckymojo.com

Thank you!

[Dawn2]

What about websites that are based overseas? Do you have any recourse there? (UK to be specific) I came across one the other day selling most of your oils for about twice the cost. I looked for the logo thing showing them to an approved reseller, but couldnt find anything.

[Carin Huber]

Yes, ...i i do want to know about sites that infringe on my copyrights or advertise my images without actually selling my products.

The emphasis in the above quote is mine. If a site showing Lucly Mojo Curio Co. products is actually selling those products, they are permitted to use the images, though it never hurts to ask. The apparently exorbitant prices on the UK website are probably necessary for them to cover their overseas shipping costs, customs fees, and Value Added Taxes, which can all be shockingly costly. I think it's a testament to Lucky Mojo quality that they find the products to be worth the cost.

[catherineyronwode]

As an author, i have seen a dreadful trend developing on the web, and that is copyright theft. Copyright law proves that the author of the work owns the right to copy it. It is against the law for anyone else to copy it, either for free or for pay. However, with the ease of digital copying at our hands, too many people have fallen prey to the false idea of easy money or easy fame by copying things works that they did not write and which are obviously protected by copyright law, and offering these stolen writings at their web sites, either for purchase or, more often, as come-ons to attract attention to their own services or wares.

Copyright theft for the purpose of attracting attention to one's person -- whether the material is offered for free or for sale, or is used to advertise other items for sale is against the law.

What is most disappointing is to see copyright theft used to attract attention among so-called "spiritual practitioners" and "hoodoo root doctors" and "occultists" and "pagan witches" and "Voodoo priests," and "Angel readers" and "goddess worshippers" and "tarot readers." These people, more than any others on Earth, who present themselves as men and women of insight, knowledge, compassion, devotion, giftedness, or wisdom, should NEVER lower themselves to the status of thieves and criminals -- yet they do so all the time, repeatedly, and egregiously.

Because my writings are extensive, practical, and useful to the spiritual and magical communities, and they have been available online in some cases since 1995, i have been the target and victim of many copyright thieves. Some steal from me to draw attention to themselves as wise or fun or interesting people. Some steal from me to sell heir own goods and services. I cannot tolerate being continually victimized by these thieves, and so i fight back, often harshly, and assert my rights as an author and a provider of services and goods who will do whatever is necessary to remove the illegal copies of my work that are hosted by thieves and criminals.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

I am very fortunate to work and live within a community of good friends, students, and professional colleagues who recognize my writing and who report on copyright thefts to me. Sometimes they report the thefts via email, sometimes at my Facebook pages, and sometimes in this forum. To all of you who have made reports in the interest of helping me to maintain control over the presentation of my writings, my thanks. You folks are true friends and supporters, and i am grateful to you every day. Never be afraId that reporting a copyright theft will "upset" me or get me "mad." Taking care of thieves is an unpleasant chore, but it is a necessary one, like dipping sheep or swamping out the refrigerator every now and then. Yucky ... but necessary. An i sure can use your help.

This portion of the Lucky Mojo Forum is intended to act as a clearing house for copyright theft issues. Please start a NEW THREAD for each named person. Yes, i said "named." I am not going to shield these thieves from public view -- especially since so many of them are posing as spiritual readers and rootworkers and psychics and teachers. We, the public, deserve to know the truth about those who claim to be guides, wise ones, teachers, and helpers. If they are thieves, YOU need to know the truth as much as i do.

When a case is opened, it is opened in PUBLIC. When it is resolved, it is resolved in PUBLIC.

HOW THIS SITE WORKS

As you will see, my approach to copyright thieves is conducted in stepped and gradual levels of force.

1) A report is published here. Some of these reports will (i hope) be made by my friends, customers, students, and colleagues Some will be made by me. Some will bear my name but will be copied from email or Facebook notices that have been sent to me by others. In some cases, there will be no preliminary report, but the thread will commence with Step 2.

2) If the site infringing site provides a name or email contact and/or if a whois lookup assists in identifying the person who controls the web site that is histing the theft, an email is sent to the copyright thief requesting that the material be removed. If the whois record also provides a telephone number or street address, the thief is sent a duplicate letter by postal mail and may also receive a telephone call. The full text of this letter, including all known names, web sites, and email addresses associated with the thief, is posted here.

3) If there is no response to the email or postal mail or telephone call, the thief's isp (internet service provider) is contacted and/or a DMCA takedown notice is filed.

4) If there is no response to the DMCA takedown notice (and there may not be, if the isp is in a nation that does not respect US copyright laws or if the thief is hosted on a private server or at a rogue isp), then the thief's name will be repeatedly advertised as a thief in an attempt to destroy his or her ability to attract attention or sell goods or services by use of my writings.

5) In the case of extremely extensive or persistent theft, i am prepared to sue both the thief and the isp that is assisting the thief.

6) I bear no long-term grudges. If a person is caught stealing and takes the material down, his or her thread will be LOCKED and the issue will be over.

7) I work for the redemption of sinners and the reconciliation of all sincere people of good will. If a person is caught stealing, takes the material down, apologizes, and shows a sincere change of heart, the thread will be LOCKED and RETITLED so that his or her name is no longer going to come up in a google search attached to the phrase "copyright thief."

[nagasiva]

Our thanks to those who have helped. We regularly send DMCA takedown notices to pirate sites and we also ban people from forum membership for violating the copyrights of others when posting here. If you have a copyright issue, please bring it to our attention.

[Innocence]

I was reading an eBook yesterday and the chapter on honey jar was simply copy and paste from the material on LM, can I pm cat the info?

[catherineyronwode]

Please do. That is a copyright violation and the book should be taken down. You can post the name of the theif right here. Thanks.

[Innocence]

The ebook is Love Magic: Powerful Spells for Love and Lust by Caitlin MacKenna, it's available on Amazon. The pages on honey jar and intranquil spirit bear great similarity to the material on LM and some parts are even identical. No sources were credited for any of the spells collected in the book.

[RevJames]

So as I'm cleaning my facebook up, I stumble upon a group named "Rootwork, hoodoo, Conjure" found at - https://www.facebook.com/groups/555123957978940

I scroll through a few of the posts to see if the group is worth staying in and find a post by "K Bella Nicole" her profile found here - https://www.facebook.com/bellanicole18 - where she posted two pages (42 & 43) from Hoodoo Bible Magic by Miss Michaele. Direct link to post - https://www.facebook.com/groups/5551239 ... 148276584/

Direct image urls:
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=5B2ED2D4
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=5B31F383

Owner of the group is - "Aaron Flieg" - https://www.facebook.com/aaron.hoss1

The group is a closed group so posts are not "public". I hope this gives you the information necessary to get this taken down.

EDIT : was unsure how to phrase the new topic without being verbose stating the group, and parties involved. I apologize in advance.

[catherineyronwode]

No apology necessary, Rev. James -- only our grateful thanks! Within the next day or two nagasiva will have time to report this and file a DMCA take-down notice with Facebook. At that time your post will disappear from here. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[nagasiva]

Thanks i'll look into this.

[CheekyKittyChan]

I read this thread and found that someone had put it out there awhile back, but it seems to be out there again.
I found it searching for a pickle jar work (so to speak).

(URL removed -- thanks for reporting it. -nagasiva)

Hope this helps, unless you know of this one already.

[Miss Athena]

Hello CheekyKittyChan,

It never fails to wonder where people like this get their nerve.

Thanks for being so protective of Miss cat's valuable teachings.

[Pyromancer]

If we have a social media, and we are talking about LM products, and using it on spells to show how a certain spell is done, is that copy right?

[catherineyronwode]

Pyromancer --

Thanks for asking.

Copyright is the right to copy. It is like mineral rights (the right to dig minerals on land) or water rights (the right to take water from a river) or gazing rights (the right to run animals on someone's land.

When a writer, artist, scuptor, musician, or designer creates something, the right to copy that thing belongs to them. They can make copies and give them away, or they can make copies and sell them. That is their copyright.

My txts and my art belong to me. I do not lease, sell, or give away my sole right to copy them -- anywhere, whether for free or for sale, with my name attached or removed.

Most authors, artists, and musicians retain their copyrights, because that is how they make money from their creative works. Creating works is their job.

So ... talking about us -- Lucky Mojo or anything about us -- is YOUR creative writing, and it is not a violation of our copyrights. Describing a spell in your own words is also fine (although crediting us for the idea would be much appreciated). But it is actually against the law to copy-and-paste material from our forum or web sites (or anyone else's) -- because that is a copy, and you have violated the author's copyrights.

See a longer explanation here:

COPYRIGHT: THE RIGHT TO COPY
http://www.luckymojo.com/copyright.html

[Pyromancer]

Nope I would never copy from text. Just making sure of what I asked. Spell videos, hoodoo using Lucky Mojo products

[Djenkins]

There are several Lucky Mojo books (one of which is the correspondence course) on an ebook site.

I can provide the site name but didn’t want to on the post.

[nagasiva]

Thanks i've emailed you for the links to them.

[brian_s]

Hi, I found a copy of HRCC posted on the internet. I sent links to cat on Facebook messenger but if you’d prefer I send them elsewhere I can!

[stinastarryeyed]

Hi, I'm completely new as a member to this forum, but I wanted to report a copy of the HRCC that I found on the internet.
[ URL REMOVED]

I reported it on the site as well, but I don't know how much good that will do.

[catherineyronwode]

Thank you.

I will report this to Siva and he will send them a DMCA takedown notice.

[nagasiva]

DMCA Takedown reported! Thanks stinastarryeed!

[Karma Zain]

Hey y'all,

I've been out of the loop for a while (long enough that I couldn't access my old account when I got back online last year and had to make a new one), but is this still the place to inform you of copyright theft if we stumble upon it?

Karma Zain

[catherineyronwode]

Karma!

So good to see you back here!

First things fist -- i got nagasiva to hook up your old account with your new one so people will know who you are and how cool you are and how much you have brought to this community,

And, yes, this is a place for the public to report copyright thefts and plagiarism, but there is a better, more private place, in the student and graduates forum, to which you will soon have full access again.

Thank you for continuing to look out for my welfare; i appreciate the kindness.

It is so wonderful to see you again. I have missed you.

[Karma Zain]

Aw! (I'm not crying a little, nope, not me!) Thanks for the kind words Coming back online and trying to rebuild hasn't been easy, but it's been *right.* And I'm really glad to be back.

I will wait for the student/graduates thingie, then. This one's pretty sprawling and might affect a number of students/graduates as well.

[Karma Zain]

Whoa. This account I've been linked to - something is very wrong. I never made 1147 posts. I'm afraid my name was being used here without my permission or awareness. Should I be PMing somebody about this?

[catherineyronwode]

Karma --

I know what happened, and it is not sinister. While you were gone, we combined FOUR forums into one:

The Lucky Mojo Forum -- public -- 2008 onward
The HRCC Student Yahoo Group -- PRIVATE, FOR HRCC STUDENTS AND GRADUATES ONLY -- 20003 onward
The AIRR Yahoo Group -- PRIVATE, FOR AIRR MEMBERS ONLY -- 20007 onward
The HP Yahoo Group -- PRIVATE, FOR HP MEMBERS ONLY -- 20009 onward

We did this because Yahoo Groups vaporized and when the LMCCo Forum took on the added infllux of old HRCC student posts, and built a separate, private sub-forum for them, we were already paying for upkeep and maintenance, so siva and i offered AIRR and HP their own private sub-forum spaces on our forum server and they accepted.

We hired a cool guy in Scotland named Wilson Logan to port all of the tens of thousands of posts out of the Yahoo Groups space and move them here. Then siva and i set about re-linking account names and re-threading the loose Yahoo posts into coherent student, AIRR, and HP threads, (As you probably recall, Yahoo's threading mechanism was very bad.)

We started out with 24,000 loose posts in the Student sub-forum alone, and i have been sorting these for several years -- but with the recent help of the moderator JayDee, who works with me once a week to re-bundle, sort, merge, and re-title the posts, we are now down to fewer than 8,000 loose student posts. The student sub-forum is well on its way to true functionality!

I am doing the same thing with the old AIRR posts and old HP posts. JayDee is not a member of those private groups and has no access to their forums, so i am sorting them myself, a few posts each week.

The total of 1147 posts reflects your contributions to all four forums from 2003 to the present, but your public forum posts amount to about 590.

And that's one reason i have missed you so much -- once a week i am seeing, reading, sorting, and merging your many valuable but loosely dis-aggregated contributions from past years into their "canonical threads" in these private sub-forums.

Much love!

--cat

P.S. We had to take out the old PM function at the forum a number of years ago. It was being abused by spammers, fraudsters, and pornographers. It was a good system, but because it was private, we could not protect vulnerable members from abuse, and banning the offending members who had been reported for abuse turned into "he said / she said" social squabbles which took up a lot of time and energy, so we just eliminated the entire PM structure.

P.P.S: And look at me -- 29,723 posts total -- but only 19,493 can be accessed in the public forum.

[Karma Zain]

Wow, what a ton of work. But how valuable it is! Thank you, and JayDee too, for doing all of this. I mean, is there truly another educational resource/archive/record of this quality and depth like this anywhere? I can't think of one.

Thanks for explaining that. I made enough of a mess on my own when I went offline that I'm still sorting out. I was a little panicky at the prospect of having to also disentangle myself from someone else using the same name in the same places. Big sigh of relief

Ok, so now I'm looking for the best spot in the student forum to share these plagiarist details, if I'm understanding you correctly, and I see that forum, so I'll go poke things 'til something looks promising

Cheers,

Karma

[catherineyronwode]

It's in the Post-Grad sub-forum. Posting there keeps the offending URL out of the public eye. Thanks.

[RisenRaven]

How can I report someone who is using the AIRR logo on her website but is not linking to AIRR and is not listed as a member of AIRR?

[catherineyronwode]

Post it right here and we'll go after her!

[RisenRaven]

Okay. She calls herself Auntie Sindy and is at todomojo.com. After posting that, I noticed that she linked to Susan Diamond’s site and Ms. Diamond does link back to her but Auntie Sindy is not listed on AIRR. The last copyright date on her website is 2018. My apologies if she was a member in the past as I haven’t been here that long.

[nagasiva]

She used to be the Treasurer of the board of directors (Aunty Sindy Todo), yes.