What to do when someone copies your photos or designs

1. Save the evidence before anything changes

• Copy the full address of each listing, not a share link or a search page.
• Take an uncropped screenshot that shows the address bar and the date.
• Note the seller or store name exactly as it appears, and any item number.

2. Check that it's really a copy

Reports carry legal weight, so make sure you have a real claim before you file.

• Is it your actual photo or artwork, or just a similar idea? Copyright protects how something is expressed, not the underlying idea, method or system.
• Could it be genuine resale of something you sold, or a licensed use you've forgotten about?
• Names, titles, slogans and short phrases generally aren't covered by copyright. Trademark law may cover some of them, and that's a different process.

3. Gather your proof

In the US, copyright exists from the moment a work is created and fixed in a tangible form, and registration is optional. Under the Berne Convention, member countries protect works without requiring formalities, though the details depend on local law.

Platforms still want to see that the work is yours. Your original files, process photos and a link to where you first published are the usual starting point.

4. Report it on the platform that hosts it

Each marketplace has its own form and its own reasons for rejecting reports. Use the guide for the platform below. Only the rights owner, or someone authorised to act for them, should file.

Reports usually include a statement made under penalty of perjury, so keep to what you know is true. Knowingly misrepresenting that something infringes can make you liable for damages under US law.

5. Keep records and watch for it coming back

Keep the report reference and the date you filed. The seller may be able to dispute the report, and removed listings can reappear under a new address.

If a lot of money is involved, the seller disputes your report, or you're thinking about court, talk to a lawyer. This guide isn't legal advice.