Deactivated for “Suspicious Activity, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT MY FAULT IS?

[EPS JPG]

Hello everyone,

Is the Adobe Stock contributor program truly safe and fair for creators? as My Adobe Stock contributor account (Case #00368169) was unexpectedly deactivated for “suspicious activity,” and I’m at a total loss. I’ve been contributing for over two years on Shutterstock and Fiverr with zero strikes, and my Adobe Stock sales have always been 100% organic and policy-compliant.

Key Facts:

2+ years on Shutterstock & Fiverr with zero warnings, removals, or policy violations

Single, verified bank account for all payouts—no chance of unauthorized payments

Recent Adobe Stock growth driven solely by fresh, high-quality uploads

Never used bots or ranking-boost tools; I adhere strictly to Adobe’s guidelines.

[RALPH_L]

It really doesnt matter what Shutterstock & Fiverr do.

We have no idea why your account was flagged. You have to wait.

[EPS JPG]

Of course, the practices of Shutterstock and Fiverr are separate matters. However, I firmly believe that

JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.

I am 100% confident that I have not violated any of Adobe Stock's terms and conditions. My contributions have always been in full compliance with the guidelines, and I have never engaged in any activity that would breach the platform's policies.
I have reached out to Adobe Support through the official channels and am currently awaiting their response. In the meantime, I wanted to share my experience here to see if any fellow contributors have faced similar situations and could offer insights or advice.
Thank you for your understanding and support.

[Abambo]

However, I firmly believe that

JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.

By @EPS JPG

This is not a tribunal. This is Adobe's turf, and Adobe decides on their suppliers. Contributing is not a right that you can claim, but it is something that Adobe does allow you to do … or not.

I have reached out to Adobe Support through the official channels and am currently awaiting their response. In the meantime, I wanted to share my experience here to see if any fellow contributors have faced similar situations and could offer insights or advice.

By @EPS JPG

All you can do is waiting and yes, other contributors were in similar situations. Check the forum, you'll find many posts concerning this.

All have one thing in common (mostly):

• the contributor did nothing wrong
• the contributor does not know what they did wrong
• they want a fast resolution of their case.

However, it seems to me that Adobe is not attributing a high priority to this and that they are very sure about their case. In addition, the cases went from one each half year to many in a week. This correlates with the acceptance of generative AI, which has lured many new contributors to the Adobe site.

[EPS JPG]

You said:

"All have one thing in common (mostly):

The contributor did nothing wrong

The contributor does not know what they did wrong

They want a fast resolution of their case."

That’s exactly what I mean. Why do so many contributors complain about the same problem?

Psychology of Contributors Are Hardworking Artists, Not Scammers —
---BECAUSE SCAMMERS DON’T PUT REAL EFFORT INTO CREATING ART JUST TO EARN A FEW DOLLARS.

[Jill_C]

"Suspicious activity" usually means that they've detected possible fraudulent sales, such as someone using multiple Free trial stock subscriptions to purchase images, or stolen credit cards to make purchases, etc.  It doesn't necessarily mean that they suspect you of having done any of that; but, unfortunately, the investigation requires that your account be temporarily suspended. 

[EPS JPG]

If someone fraudulently purchases a contributor's content, why does the contributor suffer the loss through account deactivation, instead of blocking the buyer and reversing the transaction?

WHY IS ADOBE PUNISHING THE CONTRIBUTOR BY MAKING THEM A PRACTICE TARGET?

[daniellei4510]

Because the suspicious activity could continue as long as the account is left open, would be one reason.

[EPS JPG]

It could be correct, but in this situation, the CONTRIBUTOR IS INNOCENT — why should he or she suffer?
The deactivation CASE SHOULD BE RESOLVED WITHIN A FEW DAYS, but instead, there is a long wait of several months.

[Jill_C]

Adobe doesn't know if the Contributor is innocent until the investigation is undertaken.

[EPS JPG]

If a contributor is found innocent after several months of investigation, what happens to the earnings lost during that time? Is there any compensation for their loss? If the Adobe Contributor program continues to handle such cases this way, It Risks Losing The Trust And Future Contributions Of Honest And Hardworking Creators.

[Abambo]

If a contributor is found innocent after several months of investigation, what happens to the earnings lost during that time? Is there any compensation for their loss?

By @EPS JPG

No. You agreed on the terms and conditions before starting to contribute. One of the terms is that Adobe is entitled to close your account without giving any reason. And no, there is no compensation of whatever. Adobe just stopped (temporarily) offering your assets through their sales system.

If the Adobe Contributor program continues to handle such cases this way, It Risks Losing The Trust And Future Contributions Of Honest And Hardworking Creators.

By @EPS JPG

And no, again. There are many new contributors creating an account each day.

[daniellei4510]

Here's a conversation I read on a Facebook group:

OP:  "Adobe disabled my account and I followed all the rules and I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!"

Reply: "The text of the email suggests you had too many similar images."

OP: "Yes, I had a lot of similar images."

So Adobe doesn't know for sure until the account is investigated.

[EPS JPG]

I am 100% sure that my case is not related to 'similar images' because I created all the work myself.

[daniellei4510]

It was an example. There are nearly a dozen reasons why Adobe might deactivate an account that one might be unaware of.

[Jill_C]

You said "I am 100% sure that my case is not related to 'similar images' because I created all the work myself.."

So did all of the Contributors who are accused of spamming the database and too many similars.

[EPS JPG]

Yes, I respectfully understand. But Shutterstock has also become stricter about spamming. They’ve had no issues with me for over 2 years of smooth contribution till today — THAT SPEAKS TO MY CREDIBILITY.

[Jill_C]

You can't compare your experience with one Stock agency to another because they have different guidelines for contributors and different internal processes for confirming adherence to those guidelines.

[godsfavorite]

[moderator removed copyrighted, unrelated image]

[Abambo]

@godsfavorite :What is your message here? You can be banned for such unrelated posts.

[godsfavorite]

Omg, im sorry im new here, it was a meme that  relate to whats happening here. I wont happen again✌️

[Abambo]

I am 100% sure that my case is not related to 'similar images' because I created all the work myself.

By @EPS JPG

“Similar” does not say that you used someone else's creative power with your assets. But even so, using partially some assets from the public domain collections to create something new may be enough if that part is not minor.

But again, we do not know what types of assets you contribute, and how you created them, except that you contribute also to Shutterstock and Fiverr.

[Nancy OShea]

Stock receives thousands of inquiries per week.  It's not possible to answer each one in a few days.  You must wait your turn, just like everyone else ahead of you.

Adobe likely detected suspicious account activity.
1) Unusual sales or refunds.
2) Unauthorized use of Brand or Artist names.
3) Content spamming.
4) Customer complaints / 'Take Down Notices' from 3rd parties.
5) Violation of other Stock Contributor Terms. See below.
https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/submission-guidelines.html

This matter is solely between you and Adobe Stock, not fellow Contributors in this user-to-user community.
Be patient. It may take several weeks for an investigation to conclude. Check your email spam folder. If requested, provide additional information directly to Adobe Stock. 

Meanwhile, work on other projects. Submit content to other stock services.

Good luck.

[EPS JPG]

I found the Shutterstock forum and contributor system to be more effective in preventing suspicious activity from buyers. They manage illegal transactions without penalizing contributors, which is why my Shutterstock account continues to run smoothly.

In contrast, my Adobe Contributor account was deactivated after receiving just one payment—apparently due to suspicious activity by a buyer, which I believe was the reason.

[Abambo]

I found the Shutterstock forum and contributor system to be more effective in preventing suspicious activity from buyers. They manage illegal transactions without penalizing contributors, which is why my Shutterstock account continues to run smoothly.

By @EPS JPG

Your options, I think, are clear.

In contrast, my Adobe Contributor account was deactivated after receiving just one payment—apparently due to suspicious activity by a buyer, which I believe was the reason.

By @EPS JPG

There is a check done when you ask for a payout. One buy from one suspicious buyer won't lead to a ban.