Fake DMCA copyright infringement settlement fee scam — website/blog/social media uses copyrighted image/music/content without license + pay $350-$1,200 discounted settlement to avoid legal action + may impersonate Getty Images/Shutterstock + real DMCA enforcement never demands fees by email

Fake copyright infringement demand letters sent by email — a widespread scam targeting website owners, bloggers, e-commerce stores, and social media accounts. Scammers send emails claiming to represent a photographer, music rights holder, or stock photo agency (sometimes impersonating real companies like Getty Images, Shutterstock, or Alamy using lookalike domains) and allege that the recipient used copyrighted content without a valid license. The email demands a "discounted settlement" ($200-$2,000) to avoid formal legal action and cites statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringement to maximize fear. The infringement claim is fabricated — scammers often reverse-image-search to find any image on a site and then claim it. Key facts: (1) Real copyright enforcement via DMCA: the rights holder sends a takedown notice to the hosting provider, who disables the content — the website owner is not directly billed; (2) Real copyright settlement demand letters are sent by registered attorneys via postal mail, not mass emails from generic agency domains; (3) Getty Images has a legitimate licensing compliance program but operates through its official domain gettyimages.com — any other domain claiming to be Getty is fraudulent; (4) Responding to these emails or paying the "settlement" often triggers more demands, not closure; (5) The FTC and CISA have both warned about fake copyright infringement fee demands. Before paying any copyright demand: verify the claimant's identity through their official website, check the specific image allegedly infringed, and consult a real IP attorney.