Yesterday, I received this email through my web site (names and related information changed):
From: Rose Dimple <mail@insurancecommentary.com>
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2024 3:06 AM
To: InsuranceCommentary@outlook.com
Subject: New Message From Insurance Commentary with Bill Wilson
Hi
It has come to our attention that you are using one of my photographs on your website insurancecommentary.com without a valid licence.
My lawyers have already posted a bundle of documents with the supporting evidence to your registered company address. You should have already heard back from them.
I would like to personally invite you to settle this dispute by transferring the below amount to one of the crypto wallet addresses.
Bitcoin: bc1q4206tlzgldnr3ufe44hf9m6qm329ztzxhqfxdw
Ethereum: 0xa74cce7805342F10df3969B8342380f58bB709b5
Solana: G9quVAfjmRsLfT9xcopaUp7rkFAvdYEd44kHLhzaFVRu
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly or you can also speak to one of my representatives listed below.
Once you have made the payment, please email me the transaction number and I will close your case.
Yours sincerely
Don Hastely
don@hastely.com
666.123.4666
don@hastely.com
Represented in the U.S. by:
WCW Arts
Crick + Spielbrach Production
wcwarts.com
info@wcwarts.com
555.567.1234
Jim Williams
555.423.111
Represented in Canada by:
Charles Fitzimmons Promotions
havenafitz.com
mollie@havenafitz.com
200.764.9876
Presuming this was a scam, I took a few minutes to check out the information with some googling. First of all, I found that Don Hastely (again, not the photographer’s real name) was a real photographer in another state. Second, I found articles where this photographer had actually and successfully sued someone for copyright infringement when they allegedly used a photograph without permission and licensing. That made me go hmmm. In addition, the other entities and their contact information appeared to be real as well.
So, perhaps this wasn’t a scam after all, though I noted that there was no “amount” listed that I was to pay, I had not heard from any attorneys, and the only means of payment were bitcoin and a couple of other platforms.
To continue my investigation, I found that the photographer had a Facebook page, so I messaged him on Facebook. Within minutes he responded with this message:
Sorry .. we are both victims of “phishing”. Anything that requests payment via bitcoins is going to be a scam.
This confirmed my initial presumption. I have photos on my web site but they are either license-free images provided through the WordPress platform or, in a few instances, photos for which I received express permission to reproduce. But this experience taught me a couple of things.
First, I have a new appreciation for how detailed an online scam can be. Whoever sent this email had obviously spent time researching photographers with a published track record of legally enforcing their copyrighted intellectual property then adding information that could be verified to be real. Second, it reinforced the idea that there is a need for insurance beyond just traditional property and liability insurance.
If, for example, your business web site had photos or other information that is copyrighted by others and you’re threatened with a lawsuit for that alleged infringement, do you have the right kind of coverage in place to respond to such claims? This goes for personal web sites as well. Make sure that anyone who has the ability to post on your web site understands this exposure and that your insurance program protects you when mistakes are made.
Bill Wilson
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Bill
Your band must be having a slow season. This is the second posting I have seen from you. Good to know you are continuing to spread insurance knowledge. I hope you and your family are all well. I am still working with Rosenthal Brothers. All my newest students are the ages of my grandchildren. I do zoom classes on Tuesdays and visit the office on Thursdays. In between I get questions about all sorts of situations. It keeps me from giving in to my aging body.
Keep up the good work
Chuck Schramm
No, we’re doing gangbusters. We play every Thursday at the Nazshville Sam Ash and we’re booking gigs about as often as we want to play. I had been remiss in not blogging for several months…got busy with some travel and we got hit by a tornado in December and we’re still having work done to the house.
As Mark Twain said, “Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Keep on teachin’ the younguns!
The email sender was being a bit cheeky; don’t you think?
Excellent blog on online scams and importance of Insurance.