UPDATE Being slandered!MONEYCLAIM ONLINE

NewLifeAhead_2

I am a hair extensionist, and largely use facebook for advertising. Its brought me 90% of my customers and is great for keeping in touch with people, and posting photos of my work.
However, recently I accidently came across an american website displaying photos of their extension work, that i recognised from another local extensionists before and after album which she claimed to be her own work. I messaged her privately to ask her about this, and she promptly blocked me.
Then, I had some of my friends and clients messaging me with copy-pasted text of things she was saying about me on her status. Shes told everyone im not qualified or insured, that i make peoples hair fall out, that i abuse them when they have problems with their hair, and has also made an album on her profile entitled "awful extensions" full of stock photos of peoples hair ruined, bald patches etc, and says its all my work!
4 of my most recent clients wrote on her wall to say they were extremely happy with their hair and that none of these things were true, and she removes the posts and blocks them too.
To top it all off, she has offered one of my clients a free full head of extensions to slate me. This client commented on photos of another client id done saying how amazing i was and how happy she is with her hair, then the next day shes writing on this other extensionists wall saying all her hair has fallen out.A completely different story to what she said to me and others just the day before.
The other extensionist also has a "spy" on my profile telling her everything i say to mock me ie if i post a special offer, she is constantly updating her status saying "do NOT use xxxxx she will ruin your hair, if you are booked with her cancel now"
This has upset me so much im losing sleep. I have built up a good little business for myself and love what i do, and have worked so hard to make this special for people, sometimes only making £40 for 10 hours work just so i can ensure the client is happy.
This woman is out to destroy me
In my upset over this i did contact the american website in question to ask who owned the photos. They replied to say them, the models are their friends and they took the photos themselves, they even have a video on the site of the same girl having her hair done.They said they are contacting her to tell her to remove them yet this woman has still not taken the pictures off her website and has "all content owned and copyrighted" written all over it.
I dont know what to do. I feel like closing down my facebook profile or just stopping doing this all together, but then shes won. But i cant take all this bullying anymore

whitewing

Do you have legal cover as part of your insurance? May be worth talking to them if so.

What a horrible situation.

You could also contact Business Link in your area for advice.

heretolearn_2

A solicitor's letter can have a marvellous effect on people like this. A solicitor will make a fairly small charge for this.

Also have you contacted Facebook about this? They may be willing to do something/block her account. They certainly have the power to remove photographs.

maninthestreet

It will be libel, rather than slander. But who is doing the libelling - someone based in America??

redcard

It all sounds rather weird.

If she is in the States, then surely you have a different customer-set? And why would she be so concerned with you, if you aren't in competition?

Your post is extremely confusing, and you seem to have got some facts mixed up.

You asked her about photos, and she blocked you and went on a mission to destroy your business?

Uncertain

heretolearn wrote: »

A solicitor's letter can have a marvellous effect on people like this. A solicitor will make a fairly small charge for this.

It MAY do but this is far from certain.

The problem is what you do if the letter fails or provokes a worse situation. Do you have the resources to go further?

Somebody once said only rich men and publicity seekers sue for libel and this remains all to true!

heretolearn wrote: »

Also have you contacted Facebook about this? They may be willing to do something/block her account. They certainly have the power to remove photographs.

Apologies if I'm misreading your post but I don't see the problem regarding the pictures??

Are they photos of your work being lifted and misused? If so, then I agree they are adding to the libellous comments. However if they are photos of somebody else's work (good or bad) then I don't see how you can object.

If need be I can provide far more detailed information about the law relating to photographs so if you clarify what is happening I'll happily respond further.

mrbrightside842

Yeah I'd get a solicitor to have a look at sending her a letter, and the person who she's given free services to!

To the people who found the first post confusing, I read it as this; Another woman has an extension business, similar to OP. She has photo's of her 'own work' on the fb page, but the OP has found that this other woman has ripped them off an American site and is passing them off as her own work. When OP asked the woman about this, the woman has gone on to say bad things about OP's business and is paying people in free services to also say that they have received bad service, and she has false photos of people with bad extensions and is claiming that they are the work of OP.

Is that about right, OP? Can you give the FB page of the woman in question?

Mistral001

They know that there is no way you could afford $10,000's to take a libel case against them in the USA.

Leave them alone and they will get bored.

You will suffer a slight loss in business for a while.

Sending a solicitor's letter will only provoke them into continuing with their fun at your expense. I would do absolutely nothing. Do not mention it to any client or anybody on the internet.

deedee71

I think everyone has misunderstood the OP.

The rival hair extensionist is using photos from an American website and passing them off as her own. OP contacted her privately and it's all kicked off from there.

Rival is now slating OPs work and is trying to poach her clients.

OP would like to know how to stop rival from slating her business on the internet.

Is that right OP?

Sadly, I've no answers but thought I'd clear up the American issue!

relic

Why are people going on about the USA.

It's obvious that the person who is causing this problem is from the UK, and using pictures of hair extensions done by someone else in America.

NewLifeAhead_2

Hi thanks for all your replies, and thank you deedee and mrbrightside for clearing up the american confusion - this extensionist is based here in the uk, the website i found "her" photos on are american (she is actually american so maybe she assumed it would be ok here if she knew they werent a well known company in the uk - sorry if this confuses it more)

It is the fact she has stated an album full of bad examples of extensions are my work, and is constantly telling people lies about me.

I have looked through the facebook help sections and it seems the only way you can report someone on there is by reporting a specific thing ie the message/photo/comment etc - well because she has blocked me i am obviously unable to do this. She even sent me a message on my personal facebook (not sure how she knew who i was) but must of blocked that me straight after because it wouldnt let me reply or report the message. In that message she actually said "oh and ive got your address its xxxxx xxxxx isnt it? so you better watch yourself) which really infuriated me ive got children here how dare she threaten my home (well it sounded like a threat to me).

I already know that the legal world is a big one that i dont really want to get invloved in I know it would probably do me more harm than good. I just feel so helpless even today (this all started monday) ive still got friends messaging me saying "oh shes said this and that" when is she going to give up?