Concerns About Fraudulent Download Activity and Fair Treatment of Contributors

💼 Subject: Concerns About Fraudulent Download Activity and Fair Treatment of Contributors --- 📨

Dear Adobe Stock Team, I am writing this letter as a long-time contributor who genuinely supports the Adobe ecosystem and values the opportunities provided through the Adobe Stock platform. However, I would like to express deep concern regarding the ongoing issue of fraudulent or “bomb” download activities that are increasingly affecting honest contributors. Over the past few months, numerous contributors — including myself — have experienced repeated patterns of suspicious downloads: Dozens of downloads from different countries within short timeframes, Identical earning amounts across transactions, Followed by sudden warnings, payout holds, or even unexpected account deactivations. While I completely understand Adobe’s responsibility to prevent fraudulent activities and money laundering, the current automated detection system seems to penalize innocent contributors instead of focusing on the real source of the problem — the fraudulent buyer or bot. 📊 I would like to propose a few constructive suggestions: 1. Separate detection from punishment — Accounts should be flagged first, then reviewed by a human before deactivation. 2. Provide an official “self-report” feature — So contributors can report suspicious download activity directly through the dashboard. 3. Audit buyer-side activity — Investigate suspicious download IPs, payment sources, or repetitive purchase patterns rather than focusing only on contributor behavior. 4. Freeze payout instead of deactivating accounts immediately — This prevents irreversible harm to innocent contributors while investigations take place. 5. Offer transparent communication — Contributors should receive clear reasons and logs explaining why their accounts were flagged, along with a structured appeal process. We contributors dedicate time, creativity, and passion to produce genuine, original content. Seeing accounts get banned or flagged after years of work — especially due to activities we did not initiate — is disheartening and discourages many talented artists from continuing to contribute. I truly hope Adobe will consider improving the fairness, transparency, and human review processes in the fraud detection system. Doing so will not only protect Adobe’s integrity but also restore trust and motivation among the contributor community. Thank you for your time and understanding. Respectfully,