Images Site wants mone for image used when my site was functioning

I have been getting letters from a well known image site, requesting that i pay for an image used 2 yrs ago on my site. I have since disabled the site. i am sure the image was royalty free, ad when i downloaded it, I did not agree to any value. but they now want over a thousand dollars. now an attorney has written me and demanding even more. The most expensive image they own is about 500 bucks, and its easy to see the image i used as a $30 image. How do they expect me to pay over 1000 for using it?

what is the best action to take?

 

Where are you located? Where is this company located?

 

I thought they have to ask you to remove the image first before they can demand money.

 

Against common belief, they are able to sue you if it is their copyright - you are not protected simply because you did not know. The first thing you need to find out is who owns the copyright to that image and if it is not you and someone else, then I would imagine it is those people that is after you now (or some other image gallery site like Getty).

You say you never agreed to any value of it - that does not matter. Did you check to see who owned the rights to the images. Someone else may have uploaded an image for free that is owned by someone else.

And about the $500 for image thing. This is not surprising at all and they are can do so, it does cost them money to enforce their own copyright and they will get that back from you.

Find out who owes the copyright and if it is not you, I would start asking them to pay a lower amount or work out a deal.

With that said there are some that do just send these letters hoping some bites even if the copyright is valid for the usage so once again you first should find who owes that right to the image.

Also who is suing you, is it Getty by any chance?

 

Thanks its Getty...no lawsuit yet, just letters