Copyright Cease & Desist letter
Verfasst: 30.01.2025, 18:42
Hallo liebe Community.
Ich brauche dringend eure Einschätzung.
Ich habe heute folgende Email von einer Firma bekommen:
„I am writing to you on behalf of (Firma A), the copyright owner of the digital products (Produkt A). Our products are protected under the UK Copyright Act 1988, the Austrian Copyright Act (Urheberrechtsgesetz), and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
It has come to our attention that you have been engaging in the unauthorized distribution and resale of our copyrighted software, along with those of many other independent creators, across various online platforms. Your involvement in this software piracy operation has been documented and reported to the relevant authorities in Austria and the EU.
Evidence we have collected indicates unambiguously that you are:
Illegally Distributing Copyrighted Materials Without Authorization: Offering illegal copies of our and other creators' products for sale or download.
Financially Benefiting from Criminal Activity: By reselling pirated copies of our and other creators' products, you are profiting directly from illegal acts. This constitutes a breach of Austrian copyright law, as well as a violation of basic ethical principles within the creative community.
Engaging in Software Piracy: Facilitating the unauthorized distribution of software and digital goods is classified as criminal activity under Austrian law and carries significant penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
We have carefully documented multiple instances of this activity, including but not limited to:
Your listings across multiple online platforms and messengers.
Logs of your online activities.
Relevant communications with your IT infrastructure, internet service and social media platform providers.
Your actions have caused significant financial and reputational harm to our business and many other creators, while undermining the integrity of intellectual property rights.
We hereby demand that you:
1. Immediately cease and desist from all infringing activities, including but not limited to the distribution, advertisement, or sale of (Firma A’s) copyrighted materials.
2. Provide a full and accurate account of all sales, downloads, and transactions related to (Firma A‘s) copyrighted materials, including:
The total number of illegal sales and downloads of (Firma A) software.
Revenue earned from these transactions, including payment methods used.
Any third parties you have collaborated with.
3. Provide written confirmation within 7 business days that you have complied with the above demands.
Legal Consequences You Are Facing
As this case progresses, you may be held liable for:
Fines and statutory damages.
Criminal charges under Austrian copyright and fraud laws, carrying potential prison sentences of up to 2 years.
Confiscation of all profits obtained from illegal sales under EU anti-piracy laws.
Injunctions and asset freezes to prevent further infringement.“
Ich weiß gerade nicht wie ich weiter vorgehen soll.
Habe wenige dieser digitalen Artikel billig weiter verkauft, schätzungsweise nur 2 Stück mit einem Umsatz von etwa 30€.
Meine Website habe ich nun bereits offline genommen.
Soll ich darauf antworten?
Zugeben, Entschuldigen + die Daten senden und eine Ausgleichszahlung des Profits anbieten?
Ignorieren und so tun als wäre es nie passiert?
Die Firma düfte nur meinen Namen über die Paypal Email Adresse herausgefunden haben und vermutet so, dass ich dahinter stecke.
Anscheinend hat diese Firma meine eigene andere Website meines kleinen Unternehmens mit meinem Namen gefunden, wo auch meine Wohn Adresse angegeben ist, an diese Email Adresse wurde mir dies gesendet.
Ist wahrscheinlich ein Fehler hier etwas zuzugeben, wenn anscheinend schon etwas an die Behörden weitergeleitet wurde, oder?
Ich brauche dringend eure Einschätzung.
Ich habe heute folgende Email von einer Firma bekommen:
„I am writing to you on behalf of (Firma A), the copyright owner of the digital products (Produkt A). Our products are protected under the UK Copyright Act 1988, the Austrian Copyright Act (Urheberrechtsgesetz), and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
It has come to our attention that you have been engaging in the unauthorized distribution and resale of our copyrighted software, along with those of many other independent creators, across various online platforms. Your involvement in this software piracy operation has been documented and reported to the relevant authorities in Austria and the EU.
Evidence we have collected indicates unambiguously that you are:
Illegally Distributing Copyrighted Materials Without Authorization: Offering illegal copies of our and other creators' products for sale or download.
Financially Benefiting from Criminal Activity: By reselling pirated copies of our and other creators' products, you are profiting directly from illegal acts. This constitutes a breach of Austrian copyright law, as well as a violation of basic ethical principles within the creative community.
Engaging in Software Piracy: Facilitating the unauthorized distribution of software and digital goods is classified as criminal activity under Austrian law and carries significant penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
We have carefully documented multiple instances of this activity, including but not limited to:
Your listings across multiple online platforms and messengers.
Logs of your online activities.
Relevant communications with your IT infrastructure, internet service and social media platform providers.
Your actions have caused significant financial and reputational harm to our business and many other creators, while undermining the integrity of intellectual property rights.
We hereby demand that you:
1. Immediately cease and desist from all infringing activities, including but not limited to the distribution, advertisement, or sale of (Firma A’s) copyrighted materials.
2. Provide a full and accurate account of all sales, downloads, and transactions related to (Firma A‘s) copyrighted materials, including:
The total number of illegal sales and downloads of (Firma A) software.
Revenue earned from these transactions, including payment methods used.
Any third parties you have collaborated with.
3. Provide written confirmation within 7 business days that you have complied with the above demands.
Legal Consequences You Are Facing
As this case progresses, you may be held liable for:
Fines and statutory damages.
Criminal charges under Austrian copyright and fraud laws, carrying potential prison sentences of up to 2 years.
Confiscation of all profits obtained from illegal sales under EU anti-piracy laws.
Injunctions and asset freezes to prevent further infringement.“
Ich weiß gerade nicht wie ich weiter vorgehen soll.
Habe wenige dieser digitalen Artikel billig weiter verkauft, schätzungsweise nur 2 Stück mit einem Umsatz von etwa 30€.
Meine Website habe ich nun bereits offline genommen.
Soll ich darauf antworten?
Zugeben, Entschuldigen + die Daten senden und eine Ausgleichszahlung des Profits anbieten?
Ignorieren und so tun als wäre es nie passiert?
Die Firma düfte nur meinen Namen über die Paypal Email Adresse herausgefunden haben und vermutet so, dass ich dahinter stecke.
Anscheinend hat diese Firma meine eigene andere Website meines kleinen Unternehmens mit meinem Namen gefunden, wo auch meine Wohn Adresse angegeben ist, an diese Email Adresse wurde mir dies gesendet.
Ist wahrscheinlich ein Fehler hier etwas zuzugeben, wenn anscheinend schon etwas an die Behörden weitergeleitet wurde, oder?