Extortion Letter recieved but no image found on their site?

[brazz87]

Hello there I recieved this extortion letter today, with no cease or desist! it just jumps straight to second base and demand money from me?

This is over an image on my website that I have forgotten LONG ago, and now they are claiming 1,537£ from me?

The worrying thing here is this, I have looked onto their site and no such image was there, I even tried on google images "which I originally found this image" and I can only find one site using it.

Surely this is a scam? I have contacted a lawyer and he will get back to me over on monday.

My question is this, should I send them an email over the weekend so they have document proof that I have tried to contact them over this?

I have this letter waiting to be emailed, its outlaying that they are demanding money off me and saying that even when I take off the image I still owe them money? Isn't this illegal?

I also outlined that my concerns over this may be a scam, as I never handed money over to someone with an invoice, these guys just gave me their bank details and told me to pay it! Do I even get a reciept?

All this smells like a scam, and I want to know that can I use this as grounds to not pay? should I send this email or should I wait till monday for my lawyer to give me advise?

I can pay the amount, its just the fact they came over with a ten ton hammer with no form of warning demanding me to pay! Even credit card companies give you warning letters before a bailif comes right over to your door! These guys are appalling.

Please tell me your thoughts.

Many thanks

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

Just know that if you reply, you open the gates for more harassment, I personally would not engage them via email under any circumstances..for what it is worth, a cease and desist is not "mandatory", it's more of a polite way to do business, which Getty could care less about..after all they just want your money!

[brazz87]

Thanks for the quick reply! I will not send them anything, at all, I have 1 lawyer on the sniff out and also one other company in which will deal with the correspondance on my behalf. They specialize with Getty lol to think law firms specializing with one particular company.....Getty must be creating havoc all over the world.

Whats the worst could happen if I keep ignoring them?

The address they sent it to is our business address, and I instructed my staff to kick out any bailiffers if they come.

Thank God that they didn't get my home address

[Couch_Potato]

If you do contact them do not tell them where you obtained the image.

Don't give them any information they don't already have.

[nedmundo]

I'm in a similar position, although my case has been rumbling on for 2 1/2 years. I too, couldn't find the image in question, even when I typed in the image title quoted in correspondance from them in their search engine.

I have prints outs of the screen prints of the searches as it demonstrates that 'reasonable' steps have been taken to ensure the situation arising in the 1st place. Getty must surely have an obligation to ensure there is a accessible means of buying the licence before pursueing someone for unlawful breach of copyright.

Fot what it's worth, I have always responded promptly as it shows cooperation and willing to reach a settlement. They, on the other hand generally take between 3 & 18 months to reply and never repsond to any points raised or supply any information requested. If it did ever go 'legal', I know who would be seen in the better light by the Judge.

[squid]

Hi
Try using the google reverse image search
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/images/searchbyimage.html
I just tried it and the image in question (in my getty case) was on also on a royalty free website for commercial use - plus hundreds of other websites.

you press the little camera and upload the image in question - it then shows you where it can find it on the web.