It sure does pay to investigate credible information when it comes to your attention - especially on this amazing medium known as the internet. You never know what you will find. Sometimes it will horrify you.

Specifically, I was alerted today (October 24, 2005) to a website that is fraudulently altering and posting thousands of articles written by thousands of authors. The site, which I will not name (yet), is riddled with errors. All the articles being cobbled together there have been re-typed (for whatever reason I do not know) and are full of spelling and grammatical mistakes. Even worse, again for a reason that I cannot fathom, articles are being credited to the wrong authors. This place looks like a train crash!

The site in question is a total disaster. It makes every author listed there, fraudulently, I might add, look like a complete fool. Unfortunately, along with thousands of others, I am listed there. My articles have been bastardized to oblivion. I can hardly recognize them through all the mistakes.

I noticed some other well-known authors too. All their articles have suffered the same fate as mine. They are all mangled - every one of them!

Additionally, the site in question has ripped off another article site by adding an "s" to the domain name. As of today, this horrible site is claiming 63,621 articles published. To my mind that is 63,621 articles whose credibility have been completely destroyed. So, it is easy to see the enormous size of the problem.

I am really torn between naming this site. On one hand I want to expose them for what they have done. On the other hand, I do not want to contribute to their success by sending them any traffic.

The best advice that I can give at the moment is to be vigilant about who is using your articles. Do the search.

The lesson to be learned here, I think, is to do a periodic google search to see where your name and articles are being posted. Visit those sites and, if they are taking advantage of you, as this particular site does, then complain until they remove the offensive material.

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About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."