Received a Getty Demand Letter, part 2

[Greg Troy (KeepFighting)]

I agree with you Mulligan, once you get over the initial shock and educate yourself it can actually come down right amusing. I really enjoyed drafting some of the letters I sent to my Getty pen pal Douglas Bieker, however I don't think that they like me much anymore as they have not written to me in almost a year now

Steve, actually the times goes very quickly once you drop the fear factor that Getty Images and its copyright troll and collection agent Timothy B. McCormack use so effectively on many people who don't do their homework to extract payments with their nasty invoicing scheme.

Once you realize it's just a big game of bluff and bluster, then the whole deal becomes quite tolerable and their various letters downright amusing. At least, that's been my experience for almost two years now.

[steve2012]

Thanks Mulligan and Greg. The “McCormick” hurdle could be a challenge on the nerves, when that day comes. I think the word “attorney” builds up a certain amount of anxiety. But with the knowledge I gathered from this forum (and the numerous postings on various websites on the Internet, ALL in agreement that this is extortion!), I’m ready to meet it head on. The more information I digest, the more I realize this is a big game of promoting fear to innocent users to pay up.

[Greg Troy (KeepFighting)]

The way I handled that was when I let Getty know if they did not drop their claim within 14 days that I would file complaints to various agencies and included a copy of the complaint letter to let them know I was serious. I also told them to make sure they let Mr. McCormack know if they were going to pass my case along to him that I had a similar set of letters ready to go out complaining against him to all the same agencies in addition to the Washington, Oregon and Idaho State Bar associations where he is licensed to practice law. I also included a letter to NCS solutions should they decide to pass my claim along to them basically informing them that this was a claim and not a debt and not to contact me which eliminated them from the picture completely. I have not heard a peep from them since other than their responses to my complaint letters.

Thanks Mulligan and Greg. The “McCormick” hurdle could be a challenge on the nerves, when that day comes. I think the word “attorney” builds up a certain amount of anxiety. But with the knowledge I gathered from this forum (and the numerous postings on various websites on the Internet, ALL in agreement that this is extortion!), I’m ready to meet it head on. The more information I digest, the more I realize this is a big game of promoting fear to innocent users to pay up.

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

ahhh, see we just need to adjust your thinking!!! Don't think of Timmy McCormack as an attorney, just because his title says that doesn't mean much..In the grand scheme of things in my opinion he has very little legal experience except for Getty letters, which doesn't say much... you have to look at him as a glorified collection clerk, collection agency, or better yet as the asshat that he is.

[SoylentGreen]

Even if Timmy was the best attorney on the planet, it wouldn't mean much in this situation.

S.G.

[steve2012]

You guys are right, he puts on his pants one leg at a time like everyone else. Greg, I like your strategy.... gives me food for thought on my next move.

[Mulligan]

Steve, letters from McCormack are nothing but smoke. Without providing proof of a right to sue, he knows nobody but a frightened fool is going to pay him a dime. Unfortunately, most people get a letter from a lawyer and they shit their pants before they reach for their wallet. This is a really dumb move because most of these payment extraction scheme lawyers are arrogant assholes playing their little games of aggression and bluff to drag down easy money.

So do NOT shit your pants when/if you get a letter from McCormack.

If you want to reply at all, tell him essentially "No proof, no money. And without proof, as far as I'm concerned this matter is closed and I will not communicate with you any further."

And then ignore any future letters (I got two more after telling them the above, the last one saying they were recommending litigation to Getty). I ignored both and haven't heard peep from McCormack's office of Getty Images for many months now.

At some point before my three year period runs out, I do expect to hear from Getty's collection agency, but I'll tell them they have no business contacting me over a claim that is NOT a debt and then that should be the total end of it.

Mainly, resist the very natural temptation to lose sleep or inner harmony over a letter from an asshat lawyer who makes his living off the pain and fear of fellow human beings. It's just a stupid piece of paper full of misrepresentations rather than a legitimate threat.

[Greg Troy (KeepFighting)]

Well said Mulligan

[steve2012]

Great advice Mulligan... Thanks!

[Oscar Michelen]

Also recall that McCormack has never to our knowledge filed an actual complaint in court on Getty's behalf - he has been challenged repeatedly on this site  by me and others and has even recently changed his boilerplate trolling demand after we broke it down, so  Getty going to McCormack does not change the scenario at all.

[Sandy443]

I too got a second Getty letter.  They had responded to my request for proof of their claim, their contractual rights to claim, their inflated dollar request etc etc. ALL smoke screens and bla bla bla.  I decided I do not have the time or the "edge" or knowledge to respond again and continue to play the game.  I contacted Oscar and asked him to prepare a letter to Getty.  Wow, I am 150% ok maybe 200% relieved- ok 1000% happy I did it.  He sent such a comprehensive, tight letter and truthfully I consider the issue a dead one and so does Oscar.  I had one image Getty was asking for about $1200 for.  Slam dunk.  Thank you Oscar you did an Spectacular job!!!

[Greg Troy (KeepFighting)]

Oscar is amazing!  Glad to hear the outcome.  I hope you will stick around the forums.

I too got a second Getty letter.  They had responded to my request for proof of their claim, their contractual rights to claim, their inflated dollar request etc etc. ALL smoke screens and bla bla bla.  I decided I do not have the time or the "edge" or knowledge to respond again and continue to play the game.  I contacted Oscar and asked him to prepare a letter to Getty.  Wow, I am 150% ok maybe 200% relieved- ok 1000% happy I did it.  He sent such a comprehensive, tight letter and truthfully I consider the issue a dead one and so does Oscar.  I had one image Getty was asking for about $1200 for.  Slam dunk.  Thank you Oscar you did an Spectacular job!!!

[Mulligan]

Sandy makes a really good point about not having the time or the "edge" to play Payment Extraction games with Getty and it's outside counsel, copyright troll, and collection agent Timothy B. McCormack of Seattle, Washington.

I personally have enjoyed almost every minute I've spent educating myself and then messing with the interns at Getty and the notorious "Mistress of Misrepresentation" paralegal at McCormack Law, Ashanti A. Taylor. But, at my advanced age, I have time on my hands and a lot more than a half century of anger built up over the various injustices in this country. The speculative invoicing and payment extraction schemes perpetrated by Getty Images and the other copyright trolls represents for me one of the most egregious injustices currently being used by greedy bastards to extort money from individual blogs and small business website owners.

So I enjoy spending time and energy doing what I can to help others fight these extortionists.

With that said, if I didn't have the time or the energy or the "edge" to play the game with these trolls, I would have paid Oscar in a heartbeat to handle the matter for me. Indeed, for most people who don't handle stress well (and getting threatening letters from the biggest image company in the world as well as from their "outside counsel" and collection agent can be plenty stressful) I think Oscar's letter program is the best solution available.

[lucia]

I did not enjoy writing my first letter because I felt too much anxiety.  However, I enjoyed writing my second, and really enjoyed the 3rd. The third getty images letter was written in response to a letter that was probably automatically generated by some computer script that automatically sends things out to people who had not paid. It came from the generic collections department.

In contrast, the 2nd getty images  letter at least mentioned they'd read my response to their first letter and was somewhat tailored. 

In my response to the third letter, I suggested that their collection people contact the person assigned to my case to obtain the my response to their 2nd letter and requesting they provide the information I had requested in the 2nd letter. That person responded quickly telling me that my case was still being mulled over (or something to that effect.)  That was roughly a year ago. I haven't heard since. I don't expect I will.

[Oscar Michelen]

Lucia - I doubt you will, and three years from date of your first letter it will be over for good.