Catalyst Complaint Cover Page

425603

Complaint
Number 425603 Date 2/8/2013 Status Assignee Actual Savings Amount Disputed Estimated Savings Closed Wu, Andrew F $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Location Seattle - Consumer Protection Division NAICS 541920-Photographic Services

Complainant
Name William Judson Strong 4770 E Iliff Ave #114 Denver, CO 80222 Phone Day (303) 757-5390 Phone Evening Email bill@focusedhelp.com

Respondent(s)
Name Getty Images 605 5th Ave S Ste 400 Seattle, WA 98104 Contact Phone (206) 925-6753 Toll Free Email copyright.complian ce@gettyimages.co m

Referral(s)
Name Contact Phone Contact Phone Email

Practice(s)
Code 316 Practice Billing Issues

Activities
Date Added 2/15/2013 2/15/2013 2/21/2013 2/21/2013 Activity Type Email to Complainant Email to Respondent Email from Respondent Email to Complainant Csup Closing Unadjusted (C-UNJ) To: bill@focusedhelp.com Activity C 1st Letter to Complainant To: bill@focusedhelp.com R 1st Letter to Respondent To: copyright.compliance@gettyimages.com

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Date Added 2/21/2013 2/21/2013 2/26/2013 2/26/2013 8/27/2013

Activity Type Email to Respondent Resolution-UNADJUSTED Email from Complainant Email to Complainant Correspondence from Complainant

Activity Rsup Closing Neutral (R-NEU) To: copyright.compliance@gettyimages.com Came with document 425603B Csup Limits of AGO (C-LIMITS) To: bill@focusedhelp.com Addtional information.

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Catalyst Report
Complaint Description
Description I was contacted by: Getty Images 605 5th Ave. S., Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 and told that I was being charged for a picture that they say appeared on my webpage. I attempted to resolve this with Getty by sending letters asking for Copyright Registration of the image, signed paperwork of the artist transferring copyright paperwork to Getty, the exact formula used to come up with the settlement demand, and a sales records of that image at that price or any price. Getty responded by saying that they didn't need to provide me with that information to file a suit against me. I have made every attempt to resolve this issue with Getty Images and am now being harassed. Expected resolution details: Discontinue their harrassment of me

William J. Strong, LCSW

4770 E. Iliff Ave. #114 Denver, Colorado 80222

October 15, 2012 Getty Images 605 5th Ave. S., Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104

To Whom It May Concern, Please allow this letter to serve as a formal response to the Getty Images letter of October 4, 2012 re case number 1245363. Thank you for contacting me about this image. The image is not on my webpage. I respectfully dispute the invoice for the image in question. Please provide me with the Copyright Registration of the image.

Very Truly Yours,

Bill Strong

William J. Strong, LCSW

4770 E. Iliff Ave. #114 Denver, Colorado 80222

December 17, 2012 Getty Images 605 5th Ave. S., Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104

To Whom It May Concern, Please allow this letter to serve as my second attempt to respond to the Getty Images letter of October 4, 2012 re case number 1245363. I would like to resolve this misunderstanding. Please provide me with the Copyright Registration of the image, signed paperwork of the artist transferring copyright paperwork to Getty, the exact formula used to come up with the settlement demand, and a sales records of that image at that price or any price.

Very Truly Yours,

Bill Strong

William J. Strong, LCSW

4770 E. Iliff Ave. #114 Denver, Colorado 80222

2/22/2013 Getty Images 605 5th Ave. S., Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 Case # 1245363

To Whom It May Concern, Please allow this to letter to serve as an attempt to resolve this matter. In my two earlier letters, Ive asked Getty Images for: Copyright Registration of the image, signed paperwork of the artist transferring copyright paperwork to Getty, the exact formula used to come up with the settlement demand, and a sales records of that image at that price or any price.

It is my understanding from your response that I will only be provided this information in Court. As you may know, since that information wasnt provided to me, I filed a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney Generals Office of Washington (File #: 425603). In their response to my complaint, Ive been encouraged to try again to settle this matter with Getty Images. Simply put, I have no record of the image being on my website. In the sites construction, the image may have been used, and if so I apologize. It was never my intent to do so. Ive found the image in your website and the cost of it is far less than Getty Images has asked me for. Clearly Getty Images has attached punitive damages to the amount requested as a settlement fee. I disagree with this amount and this practice. I would agree to a reasonable amount to settle this matter. I am a one person practice for psychotherapy. If the image was used temporarily, I want to make this right with Getty Images. It is my hope that we can both move forward from this unfortunate circumstance. In closing,with this written reply, I consider this unfortunate matter and circumstance resolved and closed.

Very Truly Yours,

Bill Strong