p>You've been scammed.
/p>
p>Someone stole your artwork and turned it into an intangible token without your permission. And now that same scammer has listed the NFTs of your stolen art for sale, and is making in the undeserved gains. This is a sad and frequent event. There are fortunately choices. However, it is not simple to get your stolen artwork removed from major NFT exchanges such as OpenSea? or Rarible.
/p>
p>Here's the other side to the overhyped NFT coin. Plagiarized artwork and fake work dominate what was in 2021 the market was worth $44 million. It's so widespread that OpenSea? which is described as the "world∏s largest and the first NFT marketplace" was forced to admit in January 2022 that more than 80 per cent of NFTs that it created using its free minting tool were "plagiarized works, fake collections and spam."
/p>
p>Artists are well-aware of the less glamorous side of NFTs. Twitter accounts dedicated to exposing minted NFTs of stolen artwork, such as @NFTtheft, have thousands of followers and call attention to the frequent scam.
/p>
p>The @NFTtheft Twitter account is managed by an Bay Area artist who goes by "bor." They stated that they prefer to remain anonymous because of the harassment directed at artists who are opposed to non-fungible tokens.
/p>
p>Bor wrote that plagiarism is an intractable issue in the NFT space and will always be a part of it. "As long as anyone can mint anything while remaining pseudonymous on an unregulated/decentralized technology, plagiarism is going to be a big problem."
/p>
p>It is a problem that marketplaces that allow people to purchase, sell, or list NFTs are well aware of. The steps they take to mitigate the problem, however, often fall short. OpenSea? and Rarible (a competitor to OpenSea?) have established procedures for people who wish to report stolen work. https://minecraft-servers.info/ However, as artists often point out it isn't always simple.
/p>
p>Still, many artists see it as their sole option.
/p>
p>OpenSea? How do I report an allegedly stolen NFT
/p>
p>Visit OpenSea?'s Help Center.
/p>
p>Under the "How can we assist you?" Drop-down menu, choose "Intellectual Property Rights Violation/Takedown Request."
/p>
p>
Enter your email address./p>
p>
In the subject line In the subject line, write "fraudulent content."/p>
p>
In the "Description" section, provide as much detail as you can to demonstrate that an OpenSea? listing is simply your artwork that you have posted without permission (include hyperlinks). Describe the images you have included (see Step 6)./p>
p>
Under "Attachments," include screenshots of both where your work actually is online (presumably someone found it there to copy and paste it into OpenSea?) and the offending NFT listings./p>
p>
Click "Submit."/p>
p>
OpenSea? can't guarantee any results or that the company will be back with you./p>
p>"When you submit a complaint, our team will review the collection and determine if it violates our Terms of Service. If it does, we will remove it," says the company's Help Center. "Please be aware that after a resolution your ticket will be closed, so you won't hear from us directly."
/p>
p>How do I report a stolen NFT via Rarible
/p>
p>Rarible is similar to OpenSea? has a reporting process that allows users to report stolen artworks on its marketplace as NFTs that are available for sale. To report stolen artwork in the form of NFTs on Rarible:
/p>
p>Once you've identified the NFT in question, select the three dots located in the upper-right corner.
/p>
p>
Select the "Report" option./p>
p>
Write that the work was stolen, and give as details as you can to support your claim./p>
p>
Hit "Report."/p>
p>
Importantly, Rarible does not promise it will delist the NFT in the case in. The company doesn't even promise it will respond to you - making the anger of artists acceptable./p>
p>How do you stop plagiarized NFTs
/p>
p>While artists can report stolen NFTs directly on marketplaces listing them for sale, the problem of thieves making a profit from the work of illustrators as well as designers, musicians, and other creators is not close to being solved. According to the artist behind the Twitter account @NFTtheft, the problem is a systemic one and will require a systemic solution.
/p>
p>"Scammers are stealing from YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Deviant Art, Artstation and even Minecraft fan forums," wrote bor. "If it is available for download the scammers will try to steal it. Artists have less control over their work than they ever have before."
/p>
p>A quick look on Twitter shows that a lot of artists are shocked to discover that someone else has taken their work and, with no knowledge, produced it and sold it to NFTs.
/p>
p>What other steps can those who are unaware of being dragged into this sometimes fraudulent environment do, other than notifying NFTs that are plagiarized? If bor is right the non-fungible token true believers won't like the answer.
/p>
