Should You Ignore a Copyright Demand Letter?

You got a copyright claim letter. Maybe from Getty Images, CopyTrack or PicRights. And your first instinct is to throw it in the bin.

We get it. The letter feels like a scam. The amount seems random. You didn't even put that image on your site. But ignoring a copyright demand letter is almost always the wrong move. Here is why, and what you should do instead.

The short answer: no, don't ignore it

In almost every case, ignoring a copyright demand letter makes things worse. Not a little worse. A lot worse.

Here is the typical timeline when you don't respond:

1. First letter arrives. Demands payment for unlicensed image use. Usually 500 to 3,000 euros.
2. Reminder letter, 4-6 weeks later. The amount stays the same or goes up slightly. The tone gets firmer.
3. Letter from a law firm, 2-3 months in. Now a lawyer is involved. Legal fees get added to the claim. The total jumps by 500 to 1,500 euros.
4. Pre-litigation warning, 4-6 months in. Final chance before court proceedings. Interest has been accumulating.
5. Court summons. Now you're looking at the original claim plus lawyer fees, court costs, interest and potentially a default judgment if you still don't respond.

A claim that started at 800 euros can easily balloon to 3,000 or 4,000 euros by the time it reaches court. And if you don't show up to court, the judge will likely rule against you by default.

Why ignoring feels logical but isn't

Most people ignore these letters for one of three reasons.

"It's probably a scam." Some letters are. But most aren't. Getty Images, CopyTrack and PicRights are real companies with real legal departments. They have the technology to prove an image was on your site, often with screenshots and timestamps from web archives.

"They won't actually sue over 800 euros." They might. CopyTrack works on a no-win-no-fee model for photographers. Their business model depends on collecting, so they have every incentive to escalate. Getty Images has in-house legal teams that handle thousands of cases per year across Europe.

"If I ignore it long enough, it will go away." Copyright claims have surprisingly long statutes of limitation. More on that below.

When a letter actually is fake or invalid

Not every letter deserves a response. Some are genuinely problematic. Here is how to tell the difference.

Signs the letter might be fake:

• It comes from a company you can't find any information about online
• It asks for payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards
• The email domain doesn't match the company name
• There's no specific image mentioned, just a vague claim
• The letter has obvious grammar errors and no case reference number

Signs the letter might be invalid even if it's from a real company:

• You actually have a valid license for the image
• The image was never on your website
• The company claiming ownership doesn't actually own the copyright
• The statute of limitations has expired

If you think a letter is fake, do a quick check. Search for the company name. Look up their official website. Call the phone number listed. Real copyright enforcement companies have professional websites, verifiable addresses and phone numbers that work.

If the letter is from a known company like Getty, CopyTrack or PicRights, it's almost certainly real. You can read more about how to verify whether these letters are legitimate.

What to do instead of ignoring it

Step 1: Remove the image immediately

Before you do anything else, take the image off your website. This shows good faith and stops the clock on any "continued use" argument. Take a screenshot of the image being removed as proof.

Don't just hide the page. Delete the image file from your server or CMS media library.

Step 2: Check whether you have a license

Go through your records. Check your stock photo accounts, your web designer's files, any invoices for image purchases. If you or your designer bought a license, you have a strong defense.

If your web designer put the image there, you may have a claim against them. But that's a separate issue from the copyright holder's claim against you.

Step 3: Respond before the deadline

Most demand letters give you 14 to 30 days to respond. Use that time. A response doesn't mean you agree to pay the full amount.

A reasonable response looks like this:

• Confirm you've removed the image
• Ask for proof of copyright ownership if not provided
• If the claim seems valid, propose a lower settlement amount

Many businesses settle for 30% to 50% of the original demand. Copyright holders often prefer a quick settlement over a drawn-out legal process.

Step 4: Negotiate in writing

Always respond in writing. Email is fine. Keep records of everything. Be polite and professional.

If the original demand is 1,500 euros, an offer of 500 to 700 euros is a reasonable starting point. The copyright holder might counter, but negotiation is normal and expected.

Step 5: Get legal advice for large claims

If the demand is above 2,000 euros, or if there are multiple images involved, talk to a lawyer. A lawyer experienced with intellectual property cases can often negotiate better terms. The cost of 30 minutes of legal advice is almost always less than the cost of ignoring the letter.

Statute of limitations by country

Copyright claims don't last forever. But the windows are longer than most people think.

| Country | Limitation period | Starts from | |---|---|---| | Netherlands | 5 years | Date the copyright holder discovered the infringement | | Germany | 3 years | End of the year the copyright holder gained knowledge | | United Kingdom | 6 years | Date the infringement occurred | | Belgium | 5 years | Date of the infringing act | | Austria | 3 years | Date of knowledge of damage and infringer | | France | 5 years | Date the holder became aware |

In Germany, the 3-year clock starts at the end of the calendar year. So an infringement discovered in February 2024 doesn't expire until December 31, 2027. That's nearly four years in practice.

In the Netherlands, the 5-year period starts when the copyright holder discovered the infringement. If CopyTrack found your image in January 2025, they have until January 2030 to take legal action. Ignoring a letter doesn't make this window any shorter.

First letter vs. court summons

There's a big difference between a demand letter and a court summons, and it matters for how you respond.

A demand letter is a request for payment. It's not a legal proceeding. You can negotiate, dispute it or make a counter-offer. The company is saying "we believe you owe us money, please pay."

A court summons means legal proceedings have actually started. In the Netherlands, this comes from a bailiff. In Germany, it arrives through the Amtsgericht. In the UK, it comes from the County Court. You have a strict deadline to respond, and failing to respond results in a default judgment against you.

If you receive a court summons, get a lawyer immediately. This is not the time for self-representation.

The gap between demand letter and court summons is your opportunity. Most cases never reach court because they get resolved during the negotiation phase. But only if you actually negotiate.

The real cost of ignoring

Here is a realistic comparison.

If you respond and negotiate:

• Settlement: 400 to 800 euros for a single image
• Timeline: 2 to 6 weeks
• Stress level: moderate

If you ignore until it reaches court:

• Original claim: 800 to 1,500 euros
• Lawyer fees added by the claimant: 500 to 1,500 euros
• Court costs: 200 to 500 euros
• Interest: varies, but typically 3-8% per year from the date of the original letter
• Your own lawyer costs if you defend: 500 to 2,000 euros
• Total potential cost: 2,000 to 5,500 euros
• Timeline: 6 to 18 months
• Stress level: high

The math is clear. Responding early saves money, time and sleep.

How to make sure this doesn't happen again

Once you've dealt with the letter, scan your entire website for other potentially problematic images. One letter often means there are more images at risk.

You can run a free scan of your website to check for copyright risks and other compliance issues. It takes about two minutes and checks for unlicensed images, missing legal pages and other common problems.

Replace risky images with photos you've taken yourself, or use verified free image sources where the licensing is clear.

Common Questions

Can I just delete the image and pretend nothing happened?

Removing the image stops the damage from growing, but it doesn't erase the past infringement. Copyright holders can claim damages for the period the image was on your site. They often have cached copies and screenshots as proof.

What if my web designer used the image without telling me?

You're still liable to the copyright holder. As the website owner, you're responsible for what's published on your site. But you can pursue a claim against your web designer separately to recover costs.

How do they know the image was on my website?

Companies like CopyTrack and PicRights use reverse image search technology that scans millions of websites. They also use the Wayback Machine and their own crawling archives. Even if you've already removed the image, they may have proof it was there.

Is there a point where the claim becomes too old to enforce?

Yes. Each country has a statute of limitations for copyright claims. See the table above. If the limitation period has passed, you have a valid defense. But you need to actually raise this defense. It doesn't apply automatically.

Should I hire a lawyer for a 500 euro claim?

Probably not. For smaller claims, responding yourself with a reasonable settlement offer is usually sufficient. Save the lawyer for claims above 2,000 euros or when multiple images are involved.

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