# Has this site stolen your book?



## Marnie (Sep 10, 2014)

I was doing a title search for my book on google and I came across www[dot]epub[dot]pub. They had a copy of my book that could be read online and downloaded for free. They claim to be a distributor for retailers, but the site isn't password protected. Plus the biggest tip off that they were scammers were the fake DCMA and terms and conditions links that go nowhere when you click on them.

I know my book can be pirated, but I don't want to make it that easy for people. All I had to do was search by title and author name and bam, there was a free copy of my book.

I sent a DMCA Notice to their host, plus one to google and one to them. Fortunately Epub.pub took it off within a matter of hours.

I see a lot new releases on Amazon, that are on this site. I opened this thread in case anyone else has a book on there that they want removed.

_Edited to disable click-through to the site in question. Even if you update your antivirus daily, those fighting viruses, malware, and ransomware are always in a reactive, not a proactive, position. Clicking through to one of these sites is risky, and attempting a download much more so. - Becca_


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## BellaJames (Sep 8, 2016)

I see these threads on here all the time and I hear authors saying, it can be a full time job to get your book taken down off every pirate site. S.Q. Williams said it in an interview.

That site doesn't seem to be set up right. When you click the download link, it leads to nowhere. It looks like people can only read books on the site. The search bar does not work. It is a poorly set up site but according to Scamadviser it is a clean site unlike a lot of the others. (http://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/epub.pub)

I know it is not right for any site to have your book on their site for people to read for free (unless you have given them permission to do so) but your book could appear on a lot more sites now or in the next few days if it is already on there.


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## Marnie (Sep 10, 2014)

BellaJames said:


> I see these threads on here all the time and I hear authors saying, it can be a full time job to get your book taken down off every pirate site. S.Q. Williams said it in an interview.
> 
> That site doesn't seem to be set up right. When you click the download link, it leads to nowhere. It looks like people can only read books on the site. The search bar does not work. It is a poorly set up site but according to Scamadviser it is a clean site unlike a lot of the others. (http://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/epub.pub)
> 
> I know it is not right for any site to have your book on their site for people to read for free (unless you have given them permission to do so) but your book could appear on a lot more sites now or in the next few days if it is already on there.


If you click on any of the books on the front page you can read or download the book for free. Take the book "Showstopper", for instance. If you click on the cover, it will take you to another page where there is a link at the bottom of the description to read or download the book.

I'm not suggesting that everyone scour the web to stop pirated sites, but since I found this one, I thought others might like to know about it.


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## BellaJames (Sep 8, 2016)

Marnie said:


> If you click on any of the books on the front page you can read or download the book for free. Take the book "Showstopper", for instance. If you click on the cover, it will take you to another page where there is a link at the bottom of the description to read or download the book.
> 
> I'm not suggesting that everyone scour the web to stop pirated sites, but since I found this one, I thought others might like to know about it.


It does not download, if you click on it it goes back to the same book page. When I say clean, I mean you are not at risk of downloading a virus off the site.

I understand why you started this thread, you have every right to get your book removed from it but there are a lot more sites and much more dangerous ones. Your book could appear on many more sites. I've seen them come up in my searches when I put in an authors name (when i was looking for articles, blogs or interviews)


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## 9 Diamonds (Oct 4, 2016)

Just another phishing scam.


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## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

9 Diamonds said:


> Just another phishing scam.


Yeah, not the first and certainly not the last. Just another entrant in the never-ending game of whack-a-mole. I'd bet the site isn't even all that "clean", no matter what that other site says.


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## BellaJames (Sep 8, 2016)

she-la-ti-da said:


> Yeah, not the first and certainly not the last. Just another entrant in the never-ending game of whack-a-mole. I'd bet the site isn't even all that "clean", no matter what that other site says.


No it is a clean site. I even clicked on the download link and the read online link. My laptop has great anti-virus and pop up & ad blockers. Everyone should have that on their laptop unless they own a Mac, then maybe just pop up blockers. I also use sites like https://scanurl.net/ and http://www.scamadviser.com/. I have never got a virus but I still check sites out sometimes.

Not every pirate site is infected.

I saw an author encouraging her readers to report if they saw her audiobooks appearing on youtube.

I reported a couple people uploading audiobooks I have purchased through Audible. I am a big Whitney G (romance author) fan and I have reported youtubers uploading her books.

I have also replied to comments where they ask the youtube account holder to upload more books. I commented that they could go and buy the book on audible, there are discount codes online and free trials.
I also reported someone who was claiming to have audiobooks of authors who don't even have audiobooks out yet. Those links lead to dangerous sites.

However, it can be a endless job trying to get your book off every site and off youtube.


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## Not any more (Mar 19, 2012)

I strongly suggest you update your anti-virus software and do a full scan of your machine. You might also check (by phone) with people on your email address list and see if they've received emails from you with links to click.

DO.NOT.EVER.CLICK on sites like that. They don't have your book, but they would be happy to have any information they can glean from your computer.


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## Michael La Ronn (Jun 17, 2013)

brkingsolver said:


> I strongly suggest you update your anti-virus software and do a full scan of your machine. You might also check (by phone) with people on your email address list and see if they've received emails from you with links to click.
> 
> DO.NOT.EVER.CLICK on sites like that. They don't have your book, but they would be happy to have any information they can glean from your computer.


Agree 100%. I've heard of ransom ware hiding on sites like this so it's best just to stay away.


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## BellaJames (Sep 8, 2016)

brkingsolver said:


> I strongly suggest you update your anti-virus software and do a full scan of your machine. You might also check (by phone) with people on your email address list and see if they've received emails from you with links to click.
> 
> DO.NOT.EVER.CLICK on sites like that. They don't have your book, but they would be happy to have any information they can glean from your computer.


As I said, you cannot download anything off this site. The site looks like it is not set up correctly. You can only read the books online. * Not all sites give you a virus. * 
My friends boyfriend works in I.T. and he has helped me make my laptop safe enough that I have never got a virus on this laptop or my old desktop PC. I have anti-virus that searches for everything from ransomware to malware.

I know authors want to deter people from using these sites but I am just saying you cannot even download books from this site. I wonder if anyone even uses that site, since you cannot get the books off the site and onto your computer or ereader.


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## rbkcCourtenay (Oct 4, 2019)

I just released my book on the 1st and this site already has it. 

While I'm not sure if people can actually download it or not, I still don't want my book associated with them. 

Where did you find the contact information for them? I'm not finding anything online. Do you have their email or address?


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## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

rbkcCourtenay said:


> I just released my book on the 1st and this site already has it.
> 
> While I'm not sure if people can actually download it or not, I still don't want my book associated with them.
> 
> Where did you find the contact information for them? I'm not finding anything online. Do you have their email or address?


As pointed out above, these sites are phishing scams. They don't have your book. They simply scrape amazon for details, that's why your book is there so fast.

There is likely nothing you can do but move on. You can try filing a DCMA but that only helps if the site in hosted in the US.


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## ShaneCarrow (Jul 26, 2017)

BellaJames said:


> My friends boyfriend works in I.T. and he has helped me make my laptop safe enough that I have never got a virus on this laptop or my old desktop PC.


That you know of.


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## jb1111 (Apr 6, 2018)

One poster in a thread last month said a relatively easy was to get pirate sites more-or-less dismantled is to report to a trad publisher if you see a trad pubbed book on a pirate site. They do the work for you, on their time, and their dime.


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## David VanDyke (Jan 3, 2014)

SSDD, folks.


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## Tristan Cruz (Apr 2, 2014)

Marnie said:


> I was doing a title search for my book on google and I came across www[dot]epub[dot]pub. They had a copy of my book that could be read online and downloaded for free. They claim to be a distributor for retailers, but the site isn't password protected. Plus the biggest tip off that they were scammers were the fake DCMA and terms and conditions links that go nowhere when you click on them.
> 
> I know my book can be pirated, but I don't want to make it that easy for people. All I had to do was search by title and author name and bam, there was a free copy of my book.
> 
> ...


I cannot find the host to this site, they are hiding the host. All I have been able to do is email them. Can you give me the steps you have taken?


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## Jeff Hughes (May 4, 2012)

There is no anti-virus software that is proof against all malware.  Even with the very best anti-virus code - and even on their best days none of them are perfect - there is always a lag between new black hat exploits and the anti-virus vendor's response to those exploits.  And then there's a second lag between when that vendor deploys an updated signature file and when a user downloads it.  Assuming you're "protected" is a very good way to quickly becoming infected.

The only way to assure a clean system is to not be exposed to the internet (along with a few other things).  Since that's a bridge too far for most of us... the (very imperfect) real world solution is to always operate with suspicion, care, and thought... and to never visit sites that are unknown to you or to click on links for which there is not a good and familiar reason.

As for the site referenced here by the OP... I would not visit that URL on a dare.


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