MUST READ WARNING for Everyone Who Writes Poetry

http://www.facebook.com/michelleldevon/posts/10151449220990226

Read my facebook post and see others’ comments.

Poetry.com, a known poetry ‘contest’ scam site, has re-launched a new website. Today, they sent me an email that they lied about saying I had opted-in to the mailing on March 26th of this year – I most certainly did NOT, as many of you know exactly how strongly I detest Poetry.com.

So they spammed me but in the email, they had the title to a poem I had written and later sold as a song to someone. I still hold the copyright, but I no longer have the poem as mine, since the band that performed it bought the license from me. The poem, in full, was posted on their site under my real last name – the name the copyright was under – so I don’t know how they got that.

I searched under both my real name and pen name, and found about 10 or so poems on there, and I swear I never gave them permission to use my poems. In order to remove them from the database, you have to log in… so I did, and I deleted them from their database. They show up in red, but they are not yet deleted. I’m filing DMCAs against them right now with Google. I also opted out of their email.

The email made it appear it was such an honor to get the email from them – here’s the text, with any alterations noted:

……

Someone wants to read your poems!

Michelle,

You wrote some amazing poems that have just been re-discovered!

Can you please confirm that you’re the author of the following spectacular poem:

[[poem name redacted]]

Congratulations! We would like to feature you and your poems on the NEW poetry.com! This BRAND NEW SITE was just re-launched under new management. To share your poems, click here. [link redacted]

7,000,000 poets from around the world will read and rate your poems. You’ll get reviews and feedback in 60 minutes or less, GUARANTEED! It’s FAST, it’s FREE and it’s FUN!!

To share your poems, click here now! It’s just that easy! You’ll get a whole section of the website dedicated just to you and your poetry. All your poems, old and new, will be beautifully displayed in one place.

Here’s your chance to share your message with the world! Click here [link redacted] to claim the poems you wrote.

It’s time for you and your poetic accomplishments to be formally recognized. The NEW poetry.com is all about featuring talented poets like yourself. Won’t you join us? It’s totally FREE!

Poetically yours,

Janet Stevens
Poetry.com

P.S. Michelle, you wrote some amazing poems that have just been re-discovered. We would like to feature you and your poetry on the BRAND NEW poetry.com. 7,000,000 poets will read and rate your poems. You’ll get feedback and reviews in 60 minutes or less, GUARANTEED. It’s FAST, it’s FREE and it’s FUN! Click here to share your poems now! [link redacted]

…………

If you write poems and have published them anywhere or copyrighted them, visit the site and remove them and file the notices. These people cannot get away with doing business in this scamming, scraping fashion. They are a scourge to literary circles. Unreal.

At the bottom of the email it says:

This message was intended for: michylynnj@gmail.com
You were added to the system March 25, 2012. For more information, click here.
Unsubscribe

When I click on the more information link, it says I opted in to their emails. Bullshit. I guarantee you I did no such thing, neither would I opt in to Poetry.com for ANYTHING, and I most certainly didn’t do it just a few days ago. Liars. Scrapers. Sham/Scam contests. Taking advantage of poets and writers for so long… they might have new management, but they are certainly not using the right methods to build themselves back up again.

Please, share this with poets you know.

Love and stuff,

Michy