Stop using free listing sites without checking the fine print first

I used to throw my properties on Zillow and Craigslist without a second thought. Then 3 months ago a client in Phoenix emailed me furious because their rental listing got scraped by a scammer who copied my photos and ads. Now I watermark every image and add a unique code to each listing so I can track where it's posted. Has anyone else dealt with listing theft and found a good way to fight it?

2 comments

2 Comments

jackson.max20h ago

Stumbled into the same mess myself last summer. Someone in Texas was using my exact photos for a fake rental listing, got a deposit from a poor family who showed up to an empty house. Now I scribble a little watermark right across the front door in every photo, and I also add a tiny date stamp in the corner. Sounds paranoid but it's saved me twice already when I found my pics on some random site.

tessap9718h ago

Is watermarking every photo really necessary or are people just getting careless with their posts?