How to Find Stolen Product Photos & Get Them Removed
Your product photos showing up on a competitor's site? Here's exactly how to find them, document the theft, send DMCA takedowns, and prevent it from happening again.
Step 1: Find Where Your Images Are Being Used
Before you can take action, you need to know who's using your images. Here are the best tools for reverse image searching:
Bing Visual Search
Best for: Different index than Google, catches some Google misses
bing.com/visualsearch →Start with your hero images—the professional shots you invested in. These are most likely to be stolen. Upload directly or paste the image URL.
Each search engine indexes differently. Run the same image through Google, TinEye, AND Yandex to get full coverage. You'll often find results in one that others miss.
TinEye offers alerts when your images appear in new places. Set this up for your top 10-20 product photos. It's free and catches thieves quickly.
Step 2: Document Everything
Before contacting anyone, gather evidence. You'll need this for DMCA takedowns and potential legal action.
What to Document
- Screenshots of the stolen images on their site (with URLs visible)
- Archive links from archive.org or archive.today
- Timestamps showing when you first published your images
- Original files with metadata (EXIF data proves ownership)
- WHOIS information about the infringing domain
How to Prove You Own the Images
- Original RAW files or high-res versions
- EXIF metadata showing camera, date, your name
- Invoice from photographer (if you hired one)
- Earlier dated versions in your Shopify media library
- Social media posts with earlier timestamps
Step 3: Send DMCA Takedown Notices
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) requires websites to remove infringing content when they receive a valid takedown notice. Here's who to contact:
Who to Send DMCA Notices To
- The website owner — Check their contact page or WHOIS
- Their hosting provider — Look up with WHOIS, then find their abuse contact
- Search engines — Remove from Google, Bing search results
- Social platforms — If shared on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.
- Shopify — If it's a Shopify store, Shopify has a DMCA process
Copy-Paste DMCA Templates
Use these templates as starting points. Fill in the [BRACKETED] sections with your information.
Template 1: Direct Email to Website Owner
Template 2: Notice to Hosting Provider
Template 3: Google DMCA Request
For Google, use their official form: Google's DMCA Troubleshooter
You'll need:
- URLs of the infringing pages (not just the domain)
- URLs of your original images
- Description of your copyrighted work
- Your contact information and signature
Platform-Specific DMCA Guides
Shopify Stores
If a Shopify store is using your images, submit to Shopify directly: shopify.com/legal/dmca
Shopify takes these seriously and usually acts within 48-72 hours.
Amazon Sellers
Report through Amazon's Brand Registry or their IP infringement form: amazon.com/report/infringement
Social Media
- Instagram: Instagram IP Report Form
- Facebook: Facebook IP Report Form
- Pinterest: Pinterest DMCA Report
- TikTok: TikTok IP Report
What Happens After You File
Typical Timeline
- Direct email to owner: 24-72 hours (if they respond at all)
- Hosting provider: 3-10 business days
- Google search removal: 1-4 weeks
- Shopify: 2-5 business days
- Social media: 24-72 hours
If They Don't Comply
- Send follow-up notices (cc their hosting provider)
- File with Google to remove from search results
- Consider a cease and desist letter from an attorney
- For significant damages, consult an IP lawyer
Step 4: Prevent Future Theft
Once you've cleaned up existing theft, protect your images going forward. Prevention is far easier than chasing down thieves.
Immediate Protection
- Right-click blocking — Stops casual copying
- Disable drag and drop — Prevents dragging to desktop
- Block keyboard shortcuts — Ctrl+S, Print Screen
- Visible watermarks — Deter professional thieves
- Invisible watermarks — Track stolen images back to source
Long-term Strategies
- Use lower resolution for web display (keep originals private)
- Add your logo subtly to images
- Publish images on social media with timestamps (establishes ownership)
- Register copyrights for your most valuable images
Get the DMCA Tracker Template (Free)
Want a simple spreadsheet template to track infringements, URLs, timestamps, and who you contacted? Enter your email and we’ll send it.
Stop Image Theft Before It Starts
PhotoSentry blocks right-clicking, drag-and-drop, and keyboard shortcuts on your Shopify store. One click to enable, works on all themes.
Learn About PhotoSentry →When to Get a Lawyer Involved
For most cases, DMCA takedowns are enough. But consider legal help if:
- The thief is making significant revenue from your images
- They refuse to comply after multiple notices
- Your brand reputation is being damaged
- You want to pursue damages, not just removal
- Images are registered with the US Copyright Office (enables statutory damages)
An IP attorney can send a formal cease and desist, which often gets faster results. For serious cases, they can pursue actual damages plus legal fees.
Quick Reference: DMCA Filing Checklist
☐ Run reverse image search on all 4 engines
☐ Screenshot every infringing page
☐ Archive pages at archive.today
☐ Gather proof of ownership (dates, originals)
☐ Look up WHOIS for domain/hosting info
☐ Send DMCA to website owner
☐ Send DMCA to hosting provider
☐ File Google removal request
☐ Report on social platforms if applicable
☐ Set up ongoing TinEye monitoring
☐ Install image protection on your store