by James T.
Member since:
June 23, 2007

Picture.com and The International Library of Photography is a scam!!!

July 31, 2007 06:37 PM EDT
views: 210 | comments: 24

Please pass it on to any one and everyone that the so called contests that Picture.com and The International Library of Photography is nothing but a scam to get your money. Please go to the Google search below to read all about them.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=DVXA,DVXA:2005-35,DVXA:en&q=picture%2ecom+scam

 I was almost taken in by them myself. But I looked them up on Google and found the above references. Don't be fooled by scammers on such a huge scale.

link to this page
Bookmark this post:
Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Buzz
More

Comments: 24

Angela <:3---}~~~~ M. Jul 31, 2007, 6:45pm EDT
yup they will publish any photo if you buy the book!
Erin P. Jul 31, 2007, 6:46pm EDT
Awww, I knew someone who felt themselves so special for getting into the International Library of Photography and then discovered that it's all a scam. Hopefully everyone can work together to get rid of these guys so needless embarrassment no longer occurs.
andrew c. Jul 31, 2007, 6:50pm EDT
great article thanks james
James T. Jul 31, 2007, 6:52pm EDT
I agree, if you want to be published go to Lulu.com and pay for a book of your own full of your own work. At least then it will be an honest buy not a scam. And friends can buy it as well if they want. I have a deep dark hole I would love to put scammers in where they will never see the light of day ever again...
I agree let's put them out of business.
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Jul 31, 2007, 7:03pm EDT
Yes James. I was almost taken in by this myself. Great warning. Tanks.
I am sure this is in connection with poetry.com which is aslo a big scam. They have a few out there so beware.

i do know there is a link between poetry .com and one in the UK which I have received emails from but can't think what it is called at the moment.
James T. Jul 31, 2007, 7:51pm EDT
Maria,
There are about a dozen different scams being pulled at one time by these same people and the state within which they are doing them has not even tried to put a stop to them from all the articles I have read online about them.
All the scams want money for something that nine out of ten times you never receive or if you do is junk. And if you send in money give up ever getting it back from them. Have read way too many horror stories about what they have been doing and like I said the state where they are based doesn't seem to care.
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, Jul 31, 2007, 8:11pm EDT
It's just like with notifications with winning the lottery, if you have to pay money - it isn't real.
Heather * Jul 31, 2007, 11:33pm EDT
Uhh, is there anything genuine left anymore?
James T. Aug 1, 2007, 6:56am EDT
If it says you've won you have to pay to get it...uh, SCAM!!!

H Y. can't even say I'm all genuine...have parts put in me by doctors so guess I'm not genuine any longer either...lol.
Haven't set off the alarms at the airport yet but who knows... :o)
Heather W. Aug 1, 2007, 8:20am EDT
Everyone seems to be willing to run scams on the internet where the victims are faceless.
Jerry Owens Aug 1, 2007, 9:41am EDT
Hey James, thanks for the info! I was not aware of this particular scam.
Tricia C. Aug 1, 2007, 4:41pm EDT
I about fell for them too, but I never sent them any money... When I got the invite to go to DC where I could only get my awards for my photo... well i did a little more research. Since one of the speakers was from national geographic themselves, I myself emaild National geographic about whether or not picture.com was actually a ligit thing. Within a week National geograpic pulled out and other things happened that should not have happened.

This goes along with poetry.com as they are the same company.
Donna Marie G. Aug 2, 2007, 8:24am EDT
So glad you all are aware of both the photography and poetry scams. I did, years ago enter my first poetry contest, got published, and actually bought the book. Then I realized that the 1st prize winner of that contest was as follows: Title: WRITER'S BLOCK; Aurthor's name at bottom of a blank space. Okay, I will give credit that it certainly was unique, but there was no poem!

I totally agree that when they notify you that you are voted "Best" and are getting an award, it's stupid to expect you to pay for it. They did the voting, let them pay for the award. We are the ones doing the "work", they are suppose to pay... sort of like getting anything published (photos or writing). Unless, of course, you chose self-publishing. But even then you are going go make a profit for youreself.
CyberGwen ! Aug 2, 2007, 3:11pm EDT
I knew this, but thanks for passing on the info:)
Beverly M. Aug 2, 2007, 5:44pm EDT
Thank you so much for the information. How does one ever know ahead of time if contests are legitimate? Is it only by experience, or by good people like you who post warnings that we can really learn? It seems such a shame to send off some of your best work, hoping to find a good place to be published or to receive recognition, then they have your pictures/poems to do with what they choosem and if you bite, your money,too. It is a lose-lose situation it seems.
Robi Y. Aug 4, 2007, 4:28am EDT
Beverly like it was mentioned above "if you have to pay for it it is 100% scam, and the national library of poets/ and photography are ran by the same people and it is a huge scam. I know I fell prey to them many years ago, it is people like them that give us writers and photographers severe cramps in our heads talk about writers block!!! always search anyone out when it comes to your work, and make sure you get them copyrighted. I did do that.
Jamila K. Aug 8, 2007, 6:48pm EDT
This is sooooo sad. I thought I really had a shot and then I found this site. Google is a life saver. Oh well, Karma comes back to people who do rotten things like this all the time!!!!!
Dylan K. Aug 15, 2007, 9:12pm EDT
I completely agree. The sadest part of all this, is that it's almost 2008, and picture.com, for how far the internet has come, is still up and breaking hearts strong, with a name that anyone would have to think is ligitamate, and yet they really want to help themselves.
Jennifer P. Aug 21, 2007, 10:18pm EDT
I know first hand about this scam. Fell for it a couple of years ago. Although there are a few here on Gather who don't think it is. (I wrote an article about my problems with it too). It's amazing how many still fall for it. Betterphoto.com has a thread about them too. They took a lot of people with their scam. And we all feel foolish about it.
julie (I want your coke codes) Sep 5, 2007, 4:00pm EDT
Thank you for posting this! I had no clue!
Taylor ~hopes no one forgets her!~ Blue Sep 5, 2007, 4:02pm EDT
I know I almost fell for it...but then I saw the price of the book. I once got a poem published my the International Poetry place...I got a really nice book with my poem in it but it cost my mom hundreds of dollars. She didn't care though because she wanted me to be a writer forever already. BUt they are a scam too.
Jamie T. Mar 4, 2008, 3:24pm EST
Years ago, I submitted a picture to them. They are still sending me emails about it.

Join the Conversation
Chime in! Become a Gather member to comment.
Already a member? Sign in
top
 
Gather | Friends | Groups | Share
About Gather | Engagement Marketing | Make New Friends | Gather Points | Advertise on Gather | Gather Press | Privacy | Terms of Service | Community Guidelines
Books | Celebs | Entertainment | Family | Food | Health | Moms | Money | News | Politics | Spirituality | Sports | Travel | Writing
Version 16961, "Pacino"; Copyright © 2009 Gather Inc. All rights reserved.