Just got a letter from Higbee

[Dills]

I just discovered this forum today so I'm still pretty new to all of this. Yesterday I received a letter from Higbee Associates informing me that I was in violation of using a copyright image a few times in a blog post I made back in 2016. They asked for about $50k to settle. A little about my site: It's never been incorporated as a business and is a pretty small affair overall. In total I've made like $100 from ads over the years but that is definitely not a profit when considering facebook promotion, URL registration, and getting the wordpress tools. I was pretty green back then, mostly doing stories about cute animals, endangered species, or neat scientific breakthroughs...pretty light and feel good. I haven't updated in quite some time, almost a year I think. Anyway this has me pretty freaked out. I have about $60 in my bank account and virtually nothing in my name (no car or house). I really don't know what to do and I'd like to stop panicking. Any advise would be appreciated. 

[Matthew Chan]

$50K for one image? Are you sure about that? I have never heard of anyone demanding this much for one image.

Start reading this forum and you will get an idea of how this scheme works.

I just discovered this forum today so I'm still pretty new to all of this. Yesterday I received a letter from Higbee Associates informing me that I was in violation of using a copyright image a few times in a blog post I made back in 2016. They asked for about $50k to settle. A little about my site: It's never been incorporated as a business and is a pretty small affair overall. In total I've made like $100 from ads over the years but that is definitely not a profit when considering facebook promotion, URL registration, and getting the wordpress tools. I was pretty green back then, mostly doing stories about cute animals, endangered species, or neat scientific breakthroughs...pretty light and feel good. I haven't updated in quite some time, almost a year I think. Anyway this has me pretty freaked out. I have about $60 in my bank account and virtually nothing in my name (no car or house). I really don't know what to do and I'd like to stop panicking. Any advise would be appreciated.

[Dills]

Okay so I've done some digging and I guess what it all boils down to is this question: Should I reach out to Higbee before they formally sue me to try and explain my situation or would that just guarantee they'll pursue legal action? Right now I'm just kind of hoping they realize I have nothing for them to take and just go away on their own but would it be better to reach out to them first? The waiting is taking years off my life.

Thanks again.

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

don't contact them it will only egg them on, it's useless..you will be pissing in the wind... yup this is going to take years off your life...3 yrs to be exact, the statute of limitations..

[Dills]

Wait did you say three years? The image I'm being sued for was registered Dec. 17, 2013. Or does it go based on when I posted the image, Aug. 1, 2016? Or is it perhaps when the claim is issued?

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

3yrs from time of discovery...in other words use the date of the first letter you received..3 yrs from then..

[Dills]

Update. They've now starting calling and emailing me saying they want to resolve this in two weeks or they'll pursue legal action. I'm not sure what to do but I haven't contacted them yet.

[kingkendall]

They're trying to scare you into sending them money.  That's the game.