Unbelievable sales of stolen models

These definitely look like money laundry jobs - the kind that the worst criminals use - drugs, prostitution ... :/

Thievs are destroying this market place, I lost count how many customers I have lost because they find much cheaper stolen models, sales of models here becoming more and more unprofitable (for me at least). Everyone knows how much time and effort you need to put in a 3d model just to find out that someone is selling that kind of staff for 10-20 times less. And if you if you put a decent amount of quality on sale it will probably got stolen and find it's way to warez sites, and thievs profile here on cgt. I know.. "that's the nature of the beast" someone will say, that's truth, but I can't belive that truth is that cgt won't do anything to help...

@skapricorn, even if they had been sold for half the price they would still be priced too high, and it is unlikely that they would have been sold, especially compared to the large number of models, also stolen, that are sold for less than $ 10. But also, those accounts usually have the discounts deactivated.

Another new user, with stolen models at high prices:

user: edmariita

This user published his first 3 models yesterday.

1.- Stolen model, published yesterday, for sale for $ 400:

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/car/racing/nascar-3d-model-5c338d8c-bfc5-47a5-80a6-7b250fd0a760

Original author Squir, published in 2019, on sale for $ 149 ($ 104.30 discounted)

2.- Stolen model published today, for sale for $ 120:

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/interior/living-room/eva-pachira-aquatica-silk-tree

Original author sabahath11, published in 2016 and for sale for $ 18 ($ 10.48 discounted)

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/plant/pot-plant/plan-2b0db4e6-af73-4f8d-9fbf-2d0859e576a7

3.- Stolen model published today, for sale for $ 150:

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/interior/living-room/arm-chair-3edc0794-8fcf-4ac5-83e5-c7f6adfb0b1c

Original model, published in 2017, for sale at 3dsky for $ 7:

https://3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/varaschin_cricket_armchair

@phantomdesign, there are many thieves who sell cheap quality models, but there are also other thieves, who sell extremely expensive models, and also make many sales in a short time. I think that the latter, although there are fewer, are even worse (if possible). CGTrader has to do something to avoid all this fraud.

@Tecna, in my post I focused on thievs that sell stolen models cheap, that's what affect most of us sellers on cgt. As far as thievs who sells stolen models for high prices go I think (and this will sound crazy)that they help customers to not get ripped off, how?, most of this expensive models they sell can be found on cgt for far less. You can put in search for example "mercedes s63" and there will be Squir's s63 for 150$ and to him will be that same model stolen and selling for 400$, wich one would you buy if you are the customer and you see that quality is equal? What I'm trying to say is that we, legit artist are at loss in any of those cases.

The thieves who sell at low prices are those that directly affect us in our activity. Those who buy stolen models at prices much higher than the original model, are not really buying the model, they are buying what is hidden behind, as well pointed out by @trimitek. I think it is one of the most serious cases although it does not affect us directly and that CGT will hurry to fix it, as it did with the spam from the forum (which I think is related)

Thieves buys models (from cgt and other marketplaces) with stolen credit cards and put them on warez sites so models can be
downloaded for free. Then that same thief or other put the stolen models (which he downloaded for free from a warez website or bought with a stolen credit card) for sale here on cgt.

Or they just download free ones and try to sale them, morph original content from somewhere and try to sell lots of morphed geometry, change some colors, go to pirate sites and get them. Lot's of ways.

after seeing this post i feel nothing but just wasteless hardworking for selling.. i have also a free models that can be sold 500$ about but i never tried to sell it on market place because its ethically wrong or also wrong in my religious to earn money like this.

Hi there,
Thanks for your efforts in catching the fraudulent users selling stolen content on our marketplace.
Just for the record, these users have been banned. As this is a continuous issue that haunts our marketplace, we are already working on a possible solution, which should prevent suspended sellers from selling stolen content from newly created accounts.

Best Regards,
Gabija from CGtrader

I was preparing the report of all the cheats unmasked last week and I have seen that these had already been removed. But others previously reported, in another message have not yet been removed. This shows me that these cases were more serious and that is why we act with more diligence. Or put another way, money laundering, due to the legal consequences it has, is more important than copyright infringements, especially if the author is another modeler, who will not initiate legal action.

I hope that this possible solution comes soon, because this is getting worse, (one of Squir's deleted models was published by the cheater rather than by the original author, who published it today).

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/car/sport/porsche-911-993-carrera-cabrio-1994-1997-6fc159cf-c7a0-4d3c-b927-10fda2bd0392

If his name did not appear on the license plate, with the policy of "the one who publishes it before is the author", the original author's model would have been erased because it has been published later.

Hi Gabija,
I believe the root of this problem is in the fact that CGT concept from the beginning was quantity over quality and winning customers with low prices, which in theory is a sound strategy from the markets point of view, but you didn't took into account the effect this will have on the creators of models:
It stimulates undercutting and as you can see attracts a lot of criminals, which can afford to undercut to extreme levels (as they do not do any work on creating the models).
These thieves drive the prices even lower and faster to the point where honest sellers don't have any chance to compete and this ruins the whole industry and in time harms everyone, including CGT - they are like cancer which will kill its host in the end.

I'm sure you realize that now and your efforts to fix the problems are appreciated, but you will need more than this 'possible solution' to make a difference.
There were already numerous good suggestions made in different threads, but for me you have to aim for the root.
Think about tiered pricing with different licenses for different type of customers and uses, so you will be still flexible with pricing for indie devs and freelancers.
Some screening process for new accounts can also greatly help stopping thieves at the door.

I hope you will manage to solve the problem before it's too late.

We have new style of selling stolen models.

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/various/various-models/gta-5-pc-fivem-3d-vip-models-mods-mod-pack-zm3-zmodeler-3

This models are stolen (ripped) from couple pc games and than converted using third party software called zmodeler to pc game GTA V as mods. Than that same models got ripped from GTA V using zmodeler also (because Zmodeler can import GTA V models files) and saved as .zmod files (like max scene is saved as .max). Zmodeler is also the software that's is used for ripping models from games in general, in other words can import a lot of different game formats so models can be stolen directly from game. What is most striking about this is that seller do not hesitate to put the game name in the title and sell it as this.

Yes, I reported this, we'll see what happens.

I think there are so many cases that CGT cannot (nor does it want to) end this situation, because it would end its business itself.
On Monday I reported 9 users, (3 of them repeat offenders, deleted a few days ago), of whom I also reported in another forum thread, and they have not yet been deleted. I also sent Dalia (CEO of CGT) a formal message, over a month ago, and she hasn't had the decency to reply. I think that the solution to this problem does not go through CGT, we must take other measures.

Upgrade. The 9 mentioned users have already been eliminated.

Hello, I'm new here. Before I came to CGT, I offered several downloadable models for free on Sketchfab which I applied CC-Non Commercial-No derivatives license. I was just browsing models here then I noticed a guy was selling one of my models at 10$, WOW! As soon as I hit the report button and claimed copyright infringement, the model disappeared from his account, so thanks to CGT. That guy is still selling several models, but I don't want to say who he was, bookmarked in my browser. I should email to support. I was probably naive, thanks for lots of information, I'll keep watching. It's so sad, pathetic people out there, I spent a lot of time making it :(

It seems to be a waste of time to report. Some get removed, some only get reported models removed, still have stolen ones on. Then report again, send proof - models get removed, rest stays. CGtrader users have to research internet for hours to find proof for other stolen models - report again.... never ending story!

@Tecna: What other measures are you thinking off? - Because names of honest modellers on here aren't the ones of well known huge studios I doubt that there be much chance that things change or we can do anything about it I am pretty sure by now.

@phantomdesign, good job, one less cheat. I think if we all spend a little of our time unmasking the cheats, the situation will improve. It seems that CGT is also going to dedicate more resources to this. I hope they don't just kick them out, it is very important that confirmed cheats cannot re-enter within a few days.

When we find a stolen model, it is worth taking a look at the rest of that user's models, because they will probably also be stolen. Thus, with sufficient evidence, the cheater will be eliminated and not only one of his models will be deleted (it costs him nothing to publish another bunch of them). I think that the system of reporting in the forum, in addition to sending the email to technical support, is the most effective, because more and more people are becoming aware of this serious problem and CGT begins to feel the pressure of the sellers, tired of this situation. . Maybe if CGT really starts to take it seriously and actively fight cheats, it will improve its reputation and attract quality buyers and sellers, who are sorely needed.

@ techykitty, welcome. Do not hesitate to inform. We cannot allow unscrupulous people to take advantage of our work. As you say, it takes a lot of time to make a good model. I do not understand how CGT is not surprised by the many users who publish a large number of models in a few days, unless it is a large studio or superman that is impossible.

@ Mineral3D, in addition to reporting on the forum, I think you need to inform affected sellers and buyers of those stolen models. Buying stolen material is also a crime. If we put a message on all the models reported (some months ago), which are waiting to be erased, that will deter unsuspecting and opportunistic buyers. It will also increase pressure on CGT, if it has a reputation for it. And if this does not improve, I think that CGT investors and even the authorities should also be informed.

Maybe a more stringent way to authenticate sellers will help. Something like what freelancing site UpWork uses or even twitter. It might increase cost though.
Also any new model that is uploaded that is in the same category or name as a model that I have, I should receive a notification. In this way we can easily discover if our model is stolen and report it.

The user brianogembo mentioned at the beginning of this thread and deleted 15 days ago, is already here again, with the same model stolen from Guzz Soares, although now he only sells it for $ 300:

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/character/man/3d-animation-plus-man-voice-over-deep-voice

It is not advertising, it is ghost sales. The other time he published the models, he did it with formats like .gmf ipt, iam or without format ... and in the description he talked about the Maasai and the lions of Africa. Still this user made sales before being removed, (4 in 15 days). Those who bought those models were not interested in the model, only in what is behind it. Also, how is it allowed to publish a model without a file? I have seen models without description, without information, with only one image, but without files, it is the last straw. However, the images are also the property of Guzz Soares and are being used without permission.

Seems like CGT created the site presuming that all people are honest and didn't considered all of the ways this kind of system can be abused by criminals :/
I guess it will not be easy to fix all of the issues.

Creating the web thinking that all the people who are going to use it are honest, it is a serious security error, a well-designed system must foresee all possible contingencies. Being able to publish the models without even a native file format is a beginner's mistake, and the probable cause, that attracts those who use the web for illegal activities. It is like allowing us to send a form without filling in the required fields and without validating the data sent, leaving the door open to injected code attacks. Fear gives me, thinking about how sensitive user data is managed. The rest of the allowed options (multiple users, repeated images ...) is to be tolerant of cheats, something that I have more and more clear every day that is intentional and are part of its hallmarks.

@ Mineral3D, if there are $ 10,000 models like this:

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/animals/dinosaur/carnotaurus-417d8acf-25a7-4731-af9f-bad90f21b1dd