[Ian Lancaster]

http://excesscopyright.blogspot.com/2008/05/watching-getty-images-watching.html
It seems that its happening over thew big pond as well

From the above link:

The first thing I did after the research was to remove the 'alleged' copyrighted images from the website.

I then sent an email to Getty confirming the removal of the images and then requested confirmation/verification for a few items:

* Proof of the title of copyright including exclusivity
* The date of first publication and the date of copyright issuance
* How many companies have been granted the rights to distribute the images
* Proof that the images have never been contained, in any other image libraries
* The date GettyImages obtained the legal right to distribute the images
* A breakdown of the costs claimed to have been incurred as a result of the alleged copyrighted images being displayed on the website.

I received the letter just 6 days prior to their 'demand settlement payment date'. Subsequently I then gave THEM a deadline of 10 days to respond with the proof. I stated that if I do not receive the required information by the date given that I would assume they are unable or unwilling to provide the information and I would be paying nothing.

I have heard nothing back since - although I understand it can take Getty weeks, if not months, to respond.

I will NOT be replying to any further communications they send me!

Hope this may help to calm other people who may have received one of these strong-armed letters.

I would follow this advice and stop worrying

[MJH]

http://excesscopyright.blogspot.com/2008/05/watching-getty-images-watching.html
It seems that its happening over thew big pond as well

From the above link:

The first thing I did after the research was to remove the 'alleged' copyrighted images from the website.

I then sent an email to Getty confirming the removal of the images and then requested confirmation/verification for a few items:

* Proof of the title of copyright including exclusivity
* The date of first publication and the date of copyright issuance
* How many companies have been granted the rights to distribute the images
* Proof that the images have never been contained, in any other image libraries
* The date GettyImages obtained the legal right to distribute the images
* A breakdown of the costs claimed to have been incurred as a result of the alleged copyrighted images being displayed on the website.

I received the letter just 6 days prior to their 'demand settlement payment date'. Subsequently I then gave THEM a deadline of 10 days to respond with the proof. I stated that if I do not receive the required information by the date given that I would assume they are unable or unwilling to provide the information and I would be paying nothing.

I have heard nothing back since - although I understand it can take Getty weeks, if not months, to respond.

I will NOT be replying to any further communications they send me!

Hope this may help to calm other people who may have received one of these strong-armed letters.

I would follow this advice and stop worrying

Thanks for your advice Ian this is good news for me, fortunatly my wife also knows a lawyer who speialises in copyight law so i will run it past him.
I was just amazed by how threatening the letter is, it makes my blood boil, i will definatly email them with the list.

Regards Matt

[tonyoliver]

sit on it and see what happens dont pay dont reply  it wuill go away its a scam any decent solicitor would write  recorded letters at £100 a go they are jus taking the p

[MJH]

http://excesscopyright.blogspot.com/2008/05/watching-getty-images-watching.html
It seems that its happening over thew big pond as well

From the above link:

The first thing I did after the research was to remove the 'alleged' copyrighted images from the website.

I then sent an email to Getty confirming the removal of the images and then requested confirmation/verification for a few items:

* Proof of the title of copyright including exclusivity
* The date of first publication and the date of copyright issuance
* How many companies have been granted the rights to distribute the images
* Proof that the images have never been contained, in any other image libraries
* The date GettyImages obtained the legal right to distribute the images
* A breakdown of the costs claimed to have been incurred as a result of the alleged copyrighted images being displayed on the website.

I received the letter just 6 days prior to their 'demand settlement payment date'. Subsequently I then gave THEM a deadline of 10 days to respond with the proof. I stated that if I do not receive the required information by the date given that I would assume they are unable or unwilling to provide the information and I would be paying nothing.

I have heard nothing back since - although I understand it can take Getty weeks, if not months, to respond.

I will NOT be replying to any further communications they send me!

Hope this may help to calm other people who may have received one of these strong-armed letters.

I would follow this advice and stop worrying

Got a response within two days via email, they failed to give me direct answers for the above!!! suprise suprise!!!! said they took over the image bank a few years ago so they own the image regardless!!!!

Still no concrete evidence and they want paying by the 16th jan