Rose - just wondering whether you have heard anymore? We have also received the same demands for over $2700.00! The images were in an old blog which wasn't even being read and not being used for financial gain at all. They were removed immediately. After a few phone messages nothing more was heard until receiving a letter from Dun & Bradstreet demanding payment. It totally looks like a scam but obviously people end up paying something. What happened with yours?

Hi Carla

In the end you paid the 198 ?

Received a dubious call yesterday asking for $1500 for one image on my website. Yes it's Duns and Bradsheet glad to have found this page. No number but they sent me an email displaying this 1300 number. Absolutely disgusting

I keep getting calls from an unlisted number asking me to ring this number. In one phone call they said that they would be recording the call so I hung up, as it's totally unethical to record a call if it's an unlisted number! They said to ring this number about Getty images but I will not do so. If they have a problem they can send me a formal letter. I do not give personal information over the phone, and I would advise anyone to request everything in writing prior to divulging your name and address. cheers

Hi Andrew I received similar email & letters so did you paid ? If not did getty images took any legal action. I would be interested & can be contacted on amolpunni @ hotmail.com

Thanks in advance.

Amol Punni

I received a letter today about copyright infringement of a Getty image. The crazy thing is this page isn't active but hidden on my website. I used an image as a placeholder in a mock page that isn't visible from my actual live site. How do they even have access to it and is it actual copyright infringement if I never intentionally used or published it?? I was so shocked and called them to query it, at which point they offered to discount the claim by 80% if I paid in the next 7 days. I confirmed my name and contact number. How I wish I had come across this information before doing that.

Had a message to call a 1300 315 994, spoke to them Dunn and Bradstreet, tried to suggest they work with the Aust tax office. They asked for a claim no to quote, I didn't give that or the name of the person they were supposedly chasing.

Very suspicious , anyone come across them "working with the ATO" before?

There is a great thread on the Whirlpool forum about this issue (Google key words i.e.: Dun and Bradstreet Getty images copyright whirlpool). If anyone wants any information I suggest you look there.

Had the same thing, i used 3 pictures we put up on our page for my business this year and took them down a couple of months ago, I then get a letter at the end of october explaining the image ownership and copyright stuff and with screenshots of my page and a bill of $1700!. Thought it was a scam and Spoke to the ACCC who directed me to the Copyright Council, spoke with them and they gave me preety much the same information from the letter they gave me and told me talk to them about my options to resolve this.

Called them up today gave them an apology for the image use and how i wasnt aware then asked them if they could discount it if i cleared it today and they gave me a discount then 7 days to pay it instead of paying today.

Lady on this number has told me she has a screen print of 2 images I may have put up on an old web site which has since been redone. I am awaiting official letter or email which I can forward to ACC for them to investigate. She offered me a discounted fee of $120 . Sounds VERY fishy ..
Any suggestions??

Just so you're aware (you probably are now already, but for the sake of anyone reading this) - Copyright law in Australia, does *not* require any content to be marked as Copyrigh in order for it to be protected under Copyright. Copyright is automatic under our laws, and if they were to prosecute you in an Australian court, then our Copyright laws would be used. There are all kinds of ways you can use material that is copyrighted (which you should consider is everything unless it explicitly says otherwise), http://www.copyright.org.au/ is a good place to refer to.

These delightful people harassed my 94 year old granny over a telstra bill of 75 dollars she had paid the bill and had the reciept but they would not leave her alone. They went away after I recorded the phone calls and told them so. They are unscrupulous bastards who wont stop. They are untouchable too as their calls come from India

They further reduced it to $376.00 with the same ranting and raving about the photographer has to get his due etc.My solicitor has advised me to let the matter lie as I have fulfilled my legal and moral obligation in responding to them.

Alister... I would have thought an admission of guilt would have given them clear grounds to continue harassing you until they get their pound of flesh.... In the UK and America, apology for unintentional use only attracted a discount.....keep us updated. :) Love to know if it works for you.

hi,Contacted my solicitor today and he advised me to write an apology letter to them and send by registered post.They should accept it and drop all proceedings as the use of their image was unintentional and should not charge for prior use of their product.If they harass you any further you can sue them.I tried ACCC and was then guided to legal aid Victoria who gave me a referral to a solicitor.The legal term is (DUTY TO PROTECT)
Which they had failed to do.

I"ve had:
Initial phone call with the request to record our conversation re one Getty Image accidentally placed on a website
Email with attachment supposedly from an Austalian Collection Agency (Dun and Bradstreet) listing my options to pay within 14 days
Several follow up phone calls with messages to phone this number and quote their 9 digit code
Today I've received a letter - unopened as yet, which has Dun and Bradstreet Melbourne address on the outside

This is one heck of a bombardment in two weeks!

charging me $672.00 for unauthorised use of an UNPROTECTED COPYRIGHT IMAGE.
To my knowledge copyright image should have a watermark or something printed across it to prevent people from making use of it without paying for it.You can't expect some to pay for an image he has used without issuing him an infringement notice.If its freely available then its not copyright material.

Had a call from this number on two occasions (voice mail) and had a similar call a week previous for the same issue saying they were from Dunn and Bradstreet but they never followed up with the requested proof of their claims. Researching the whole thing it appears that Getty Images did take some businesses to task over unlicensed images however this was via a formal legal letter, not by phone. This appears to be scammers trying to fool people on the back of legitimate claims by Getty Images. Don't engage with them.

This is a scam. They will call you several times and leave multiple voice messages with an 8 digits reference number. Three different callers left voice mails. The whole matter is an absolute scam. Don't waste your time and money.

Its a scam, targetting regional small businesses to squeeze money from unsuspecting people. Dont send them any money and report to ACCC.