My ridiculous experience with Riddick and Imageline

[stevep]

Six months ago, I received an email from George P. Riddick III, CEO of Imageline. He demanded information from me and alleged copyright violations. We don’t sell anything and our website is simple and clean. I was surprised. I immediately fired off a reply asking him which image was infringing, and asking him to provide proof of his copyright. He never replied.

A few days ago, six months later, I finally heard back. Riddick alleged I hadn’t replied, and demanded $2,500 for the alleged use of one clipart image, payment plans accepted. This time he displayed his allegedly copyrighted image next to the one that was allegedly on our website. The two images aren’t even the same – they are clearly different works. He still hasn’t provided any proof of his copyright either.

Attached to Riddick’s most recent email was an impressive sounding letter from a law firm, spelling out the trouble I was in. I thought it was odd that a law firm’s client (Riddick) would forward the law firm’s correspondence to me. I called and talked to the principle (head lawyer) at the law firm, and to my surprise found out that Riddick and Imageline aren’t even clients of the firm.

I tracked down the attorney who allegedly signed the letter. She now practices law in a different state. She told me she did not send the letter, and she even put that in writing.

I dug further into the letter, a Word document, and was able to determine that it was Riddick himself who apparently edited the document last. No surprise there at this point.

I contacted the cities in Florida where Imageline was last said to be located, and where it is now said to be located. Neither city has any record of Imageline, nor does the State of Florida, according to officials in both cities.

So it would appear after talking to officials from two cities, the State of Florida, and two attorneys that fraud may well be involved here; at least from the perspective that Riddick apparently sent me a letter on a law firm’s stationary which was not authorized.

If you get a Riddick email, do some digging and ensure it’s from a real attorney, then call that attorney and confirm they sent the letter. Also check the document properties on any Word or PDF document sent to see who last edited the document. I suspect I’m not the only one who got a letter said to be from an attorney, that was actually from Riddick himself.

Needless to say, I’m not paying $2,500 to this one-man operation.

[Matthew Chan]

While I was not directly involved with this particular investigation, SteveP has graciously provided me ongoing and specific updates, files, and communication of this investigation into Riddick's and Imageline's recent letters. Because of that, I know the names of the impersonated attorney and law firm. And because of the transparency of Florida's Corporation reporting system, SteveP's conclusion can easily be substantiated.

Even I was surprised that Riddick would take the measure of IMPERSONATING an attorney and law firm. I do not know if it is technically illegal to do so but I think most people will agree that this is questionable and disreputable behavior from someone who allegedly follows rules and the law.

If anyone receives any emailed letters allegedly from Riddick's/Imageline's attorneys or law firm, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We are interested in tracking such "unusual" actions.

[Oscar Michelen]

I think he has finally stopped doing this, because I heard of it happening in quite a few instances and then it seems to have died down.