{"id":324,"date":"2008-06-19T02:28:16","date_gmt":"2008-06-19T07:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?p=324"},"modified":"2012-05-11T07:33:13","modified_gmt":"2012-05-11T11:33:13","slug":"my-conversation-with-chloe-at-getty-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?p=324","title":{"rendered":"My Conversation with Chloe Surdyk at Getty Images"},"content":{"rendered":"

This was first posted on The TurnKey Publishing Blog<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

=======<\/p>\n

When I first received my Getty Images Settlement Demand Letter<\/strong> on Monday, June 16, I took prompt measures to be proactive.\u00a0 One of those proactive steps was to face this issue head-on.\u00a0 I called the phone number 800-272-4170<\/strong> twice and left one message.\u00a0 My voice message was professional and courteous.\u00a0 I was letting them know I acknowledged their letter and was quickly taking corrective measures.\u00a0 I also told them I welcomed a call to discuss the situation.<\/p>\n

Chloe Surdyk called late Wed. afternoon.\u00a0 It was actually a cordial conversation.\u00a0 I did my best to find common ground.\u00a0 I understand their need to protect their copyrights and go after people but I did not agree with their tactics.<\/p>\n

I told her I especially did not agree with her rationale that victims of Indian web designers should have to pay Getty Images especially when I contracted for a web banner, not specific images.\u00a0 I also had little or no say in the selection of any images, only whether I liked a web banner or not.<\/p>\n

She offered me a lower settlement (from the original $1,300) of $800-something.\u00a0 I told her I did not agree with her and it was likely we would have to agree to disagree.\u00a0 In the conversation, I told her I was not ignorant of the law and due legal process.\u00a0 I have been to court many times to be a plaintiff and occasionally a defendant.\u00a0 I was not simply going to “roll over”.\u00a0 I told her I did my research on the Internet on Getty Images and I was informed of their upcoming tactics.\u00a0 I told her I was not going to sit still and that I would likely publicize my interactions with her and her company.<\/p>\n

My sense of embarrassment over this is substantially lower than my sense of outrage at their attitude.\u00a0 Surprisingly, during most of the conversation, Chloe was cordial.\u00a0 Even towards the end of the conversation, she said she would put into her notes to give me another 14-days to consider her offer.\u00a0 Chloe even gave me her direct phone office line:\u00a0 206-925-6779.<\/p>\n

In my mind, there was no way I was going to “settle” with them.\u00a0 I mentioned to her that she would likely have to sue my company if she wanted anything.\u00a0 For now, I told her we would simply agree to disagree.<\/p>\n

My next move is to get my “official reply” sent out by Certified Mail within the next couple of days.\u00a0 I am biding my time as I continue to do more research.<\/p>\n

===========<\/p>\n

Cold calls are NOT welcome on this matter. Please do not cold call me because I will not accept phone calls from phone numbers I don’t recognize.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Get Help with your Extortion Letter<\/strong><\/a>. If you want to learn more about my case, visit ExtortionLetterInfo.com<\/strong><\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This was first posted on The TurnKey Publishing Blog. ======= When I first received my Getty Images Settlement Demand Letter on Monday, June 16, I took prompt measures to be proactive.\u00a0 One of those proactive steps was to face this issue head-on.\u00a0 I called the phone number 800-272-4170 twice and left one message.\u00a0 My voice […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal-affairs","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p927L-5e","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":322,"url":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?p=322","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":0},"title":"I Received a Getty Images Settlement Demand Letter","author":"Matthew Chan","date":"June 17, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, I received a Getty Images Settlement Demand Letter basically trying to extort from me a payment of $1,300 for a bird image that was used on theintrepidway.com website.\u00a0 If I pay that amount, basically they agree not to sue me or my company.\u00a0 However, suing and winning are two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Business Affairs"","block_context":{"text":"Business Affairs","link":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?cat=27"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":704,"url":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?p=704","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":1},"title":"How to Stop Using Stock Photos & Boycott the Stock Photo Industry","author":"Matthew Chan","date":"January 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Because of my personal distaste and dismay of the Stock Photo industry which started with the Getty Images Extortion Demand Letter, I have taken steps to personally boycott the Stock Photo Industry and advocate not using stock photos altogether.\u00a0 The stock photo industry seems to be rapidly consolidating into two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Business Affairs"","block_context":{"text":"Business Affairs","link":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?cat=27"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":449,"url":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?p=449","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":2},"title":"I am Boycotting the Stock Photo Industry","author":"Matthew Chan","date":"April 14, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"This article first appeared on \"The TurnKey Publisher's Blog\" ========= Because of my personal distaste and dismay of the Stock Photo industry which started with the Getty Images Extortion Demand Letter, I have taken steps to personally boycott the Stock Photo Industry and advocate not using stock photos altogether. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Business Affairs"","block_context":{"text":"Business Affairs","link":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?cat=27"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":663,"url":"https:\/\/matthewchan.com\/?p=663","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":3},"title":"Mystery Shopper Check-Cashing Scam Package Received","author":"Matthew Chan","date":"October 14, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"My office manager received a \"Mystery Shopper Check-Cashing Scam\" package today. I just had to share it with the world. Maybe it will \"save\" someone from being scammed. Take a look at the printed check, instruction letter, and UPS envelope. The check looks convincing except for the amateur signature. 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