How To Report NFTs That Have Been Plagiarized

Photo 237493659 © Salarko | Dreamstime.com

Counterfeits are painfully rampant in the world of non-fungible tokens, and to step up, marketplaces have implemented new tools to cull their databases for signs of similar art that could be stolen.

Art community DeviantArt was among the first to utilize artificial intelligence to clamp down on plagiarized NFTs, even those with “a level of manipulation and variation.” And recently, Decrypt profiled a brand-new program by intellectual property protection company MarqVision made for NFT platforms that automates scans for infringing NFTs via “advanced image recognition and semantic analysis” and instantly reports them. 

As quoted by Mashable security reporter Jack Morse, OpenSea—which touts itself to be the world’s largest NFT marketplace—detected that, as of January 28, “more than 80% of the NFTs minted” via its free minting tool are either plagiarized, come from fake collections, or are spam.

“If it can be downloaded, scammers will try to steal it,” the artist running a popular @NFTtheft Twitter account tells Mashable. “Artists have less control over their creations than they ever have before.” The owner, who goes by the pseudonym of ‘bor’, frequently exposes NFT works pilfered from non-consenting creators. Since joining Twitter in September 2021, the account has amassed almost 20,000 followers.

Unfortunately, artists can only do so much to weed out plagiarized NFTs. OpenSea and its direct rival Rarible have each opened up a section to report NFT thefts, and Mashable has outlined those steps. Here’s what you can do.

Reporting stolen NFTs on OpenSea

Screenshot via OpenSea

1. From the Help Center, select “Report Fraudulent Activity.”

2. Go to the dropdown menu and choose “Someone is using my images without permission.”

3. An explainer about how the platform deals with stolen artwork will pop up. Click on “this form.”

4. You’ll be led to a form where you can share proof of the offending NFTs, whether as the copyright owner, a representative of the creator, or someone else.

Reporting stolen NFTs on Rarible

Image via Rarible

 1. Open the infringing NFT and click on the top left of the token. Then, click on the three dots and select “Report.”

2. Explain that the work is stolen and elaborate in as much detail as possible why it should be taken down.

3. Click on “Report."

The two exchanges disclaim that reports will be reviewed before their support teams decide whether the work will be pulled from their platforms. Sadly, there are no promises that all requests will be acceded to, but this is as much as creators can do for now. Read more on the subject over at Mashable’s full report.

[via Mashable and Decrypt, cover photo 237493659 © Salarko | Dreamstime.com]