Sadly, this is a trend that we have been seeing happen more and more as the private lending profession continues to grow. We receive phone calls and emails from members and consumers throughout each week with horror stories of fraudulent activity happening that has their information stamped all over it. It kills me. Very honestly, it builds a hate in me that I can’t even explain without A LOT of swearing. (and I do mean A LOT OF SWEARING.)

Do a Google search. Read the countless stories of websites being stolen, copyright infringements and piracy issues. I promise, you will start swearing with me.

But what can you do about it?

Here’s three steps I recommend:

1. Get as much information about the perp as you can. Find an email address and contact them with a formal email informing them of the copyright laws they are violating and demand they remove the offending material – and be specific with a time frame.  (Also, consider a DMCA Complaint.)
2. Use tools that are available to find out the hosting company responsible for the site. Contact the host and let them know what is happening. They don’t want to be associated   with piracy either. I like www.whois.com.
3. Get in touch with Google and request that the website is delisted from search results. Click HERE for Google Legal Removal Requests

I hope it doesn’t take all three of those steps to get your situation resolved. But, if all three of them don’t work then I’m afraid the next step is to contact an attorney.