Absolutely vital information for readers and authors alike. I found this through Chris the Story Reading Ape, to whom I am ever grateful for all the good posts he shares.
A while back, alerted by various sources, I learned that my books were turning up on “free download” sites.* Some of these sites had their own “takedown” screens, but using those led only to cryptic error messages. Takedown notices I sent independently received no response. In most cases, there were no contact options or claims of ownership. No way to actually assign responsibility for the thefts.
Bottom line: I decided I didn’t have time to hunt down all those thieves.
So, for me, as Suzan Tisdale points out, the burden is on readers and purchasers. Now that you know, beware.**
You might also be doing yourself a favor by avoiding these sites. How often do you click on a link to a dishonest service without just the slightest apprehension that you may be inviting an invasion of your own space?
*I did learn that a legitimate site can, in fact, post your books for free if they do so in formats for readers with access issues. See this thread about the Marrakesh Treaty from last year. These posts will also link you to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice disseminated by Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America and shared by Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware. Strauss lays out her own struggles to have pirated books taken down.
**And if you MUST download a free book from a pirate site, at least leave the author a nice review at Goodreads or Amazon!
Just Can't Help Writing 