JREF directory plagiat

Today by accident I stumbled across the following message at [news]fj.life.in-japan[/news]

=> Google Groups

Someone praised a new Japan-related links page:

JAPAN EASY LINKS
If you need information about Japan, you can found out here
j.ella Online Clothing Boutique


Checking category structure, links and link descriptions I found out that this person has copied most of our database claiming all of the links have been submitted by users.

This website is aimed to offer a non-profit service to all people and companies looking for information about Japan. Here you can search links to Japanese (or Japan related) websites.

All links have been submitted by users and we have no control about the description. We just check that for every link there is a real website related to Japan. If you use these links, we take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of these third-party sites.

Click to expand...

Compare the following pages, in particular the links, their descriptions as well as the number of links in subcategories:

Architecture
http://lnx.kataxia.com/web/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=3

Prefectures
http://lnx.kataxia.com/web/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=70

Government and Politics
http://lnx.kataxia.com/web/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=22

etc, etc.

Both sites, jael.com and kataxia.com are registered by the same person in Italy.

Someone must have done an awful lot of copying. For the time being I'm reserving all options, pondering which steps to take next.

Hi Thomas,

is there any "wach dog" in Italy, like the FCC in USA. I am italian reside in USA and i am not familiar with internet regulation in Italy. But i do have some Italian commections with some University , and some legal aids.
If you find any links on italian site, you can e-mail me.

Did you speak or understand any italian language?

I be glad to help anyway i can.
I know, there`s lots of frode on italian internet, and most the time the italian law can`t do anything to prevent if they don`t have any clue or links.

I am sorry this happen on this site.

Regards,

Cathy

Cathy, I do appreciate your help, mille grazie! Having studied Latin and French I understand some Italian, but certainly not enough to engage in legal disputes. I have contacted the webmaster and will wait for his response first. I might get back to your offer.

You do thad Thomas.

I know how desturbing are this things.

I sell PC games to collectors in Italy, and some pay lots of money, like $ 2,000 and $ 3,000 for just one game.
Well it were some copies "RW", of my games that try to sell to my clients. They were Russians- israelians, copying this games, and try to sell to my costumers in Italy. it din`t go very far, couse i reported to the FBI. But i had all the address and details of the sellers, wich i told my costumer to send to me.

I worned all my costumers to not buy any game collection, anless they ask me first.

Two of this sellers got couth by the FBI, after i send all the details about them.

Also in USA this happen. Athough i can`t stop everyone, i do help mi friends collectors, here in USA.

If you react, you be able to stop them.

Keep us posted of the outcome when ever you can. And e-mail me if you need.

This site is get so big and interesting, i am not surprise tha someone try to copy for their own advantage.

Regards,

Cathy

How brutal!
Well, seems all content is offline now.
I guess they're currently very busy restructuring and rewriting.

Believe me, it is truly disturbing to find out that some filibuster has copied your work of three years and a half, claiming it's his!

I was contacted by the person who is listed as administrative contact and - surprise, surprise - insists on not being responsible for jael.com's content. He maintains that all links have been submitted since 1997 by "users over which they had no control". But - of course - they will "further investigate".

It seems the investigation resulted in their pages' suspension. At least for the time being.

Kathy, thanks again for your help and your kind words.

You could also consider it as the first Japan Reference tribute site.

Welp, as long as he PAYS his tribute.