Bloggers Beware The Copyright Trolls – Even If You Use Royalty-Free Images

If you create content online, you already know the value of using images legally. The internet is awash with copyright theft, and professional photographers and agencies understandably want to protect their work. But what happens when you think you’re playing by the rules — and still get hit with a copyright claim?

I recently received a very aggressive email from a company called Copytrack. They claimed an image I’d downloaded from the royalty-free site, Pixabay and used on my blog was a copyright infringement for the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany. Copytrack demanded over £1400 in compensation and retrospective rights, threatening legal action within a short timeframe if I failed either to pay up or prove I had the right to use the image.

I immediately thought it was a scam, but when I looked into it, I found Copytrack is a legitimate company based in Germany.

Copytrack acts on behalf of clients to scour the web using image recognition software, hunting for unlicensed uses of photographs. If they detect a match, they send the alleged infringer an email – often aggressive in tone – demanding payment. Copytrack is not the only such company.

The problem arises because the company simply acts on behalf of clients. Copytrack does not verify the validity of their clients’ claims.

So, even if you sourced an image from a royalty-free platform like Pixabay (owned by Canva), you could still be targeted like I was.

I’ve also seen reports of them pursuing people for using their own personal photographs, and images that are in the public domain.

Pixabay’s licence terms are clear, but in practice, there’s nothing stopping a photographer who once uploaded an image for free from later registering it with a rights-management company like Copytrack. This creates a legal grey zone that is especially dangerous for writers, bloggers, and small business owners who rely on free image libraries.

What Should I Do If A Company Like Copytrack Contacts Me?

Don’t panic! I must admit, this is easier said than done. The emails were so aggressive they caused me shortness of breath, depression, and left me dreading opening my inbox for weeks.
Don’t Pay – without verifying that the claim is valid.
Do not share any personal information, such as your address, ID, or payment details, especially if you’re unsure of the claim or the company’s legitimacy.
Do not ignore a demand, because this could lead to escalated legal action. However, this is an expensive route for them, and in most cases they will simply apply aggressive pressure to try to force you into paying up quickly.
Gather Proof of your licence and rights to use the image.
Always communicate in writing and keep records of all correspondence.
If you need legal assistance, this law firm can help you https://heitnerlegal.com/2022/11/07/why-this-is-what-you-do-if-you-get-a-copytrack-copyright-demand-letter/

Responding to Copyright Trolls:

Ask them for solid proof that they actually hold the copyright for the image in question. They should be able to supply documentation showing that they are the original creator and rights holder. One German Lawyer they pursued wrote to Copytrack and said he would not respond to them until they had proved all the legal facts that would justify their contacting him.
Refer them to the image licence if you have it. I contacted Pixabay, who emailed me a confirmation that I’d downloaded the image from their website on a specific date, that it was covered under the terms of Pixabay’s licence, and therefore legal to use. I forwarded this proof to Copytrack, then blocked them. I have heard nothing further from them.
Take Down The Image – although I had every right to use the image, to avoid any further issues, I removed the image from my blog immediately.
Report Them – the more people who do this, the sooner these shady practices will stop.
- I reported them to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime. I suggest you report them to the police in your country.
- I reported them to the authorities in Germany, since they are a German company: Berlin District Attorney, Staatsanwaltschaft Berlin, Turmstraße 91, Germany.
- I marked their emails as Phishing which automatically blocked them, although before I did this, I forwarded all correspondence to myself to ensure I had a copy.
Leave A Review – Like many other victims, I also left an honest review about their distressing tactics and shady practices on Trustpilot and other review sites to warn others.

Protect Yourself From Copyright Scams:

When I contacted them, the image had been removed from Pixabay. Fortunately, I had the original download of the image in my Downloads folder, so Pixabay could confirm that I’d downloaded the image from their website under the terms of their licence. However, copyright trolls rely on the fact that people don’t keep a record of where they downloaded the images or details of the licence.

Obviously, use only images that you have the rights to. If you’re not sure, Hugh Roberts published a post on his excellent blog Where To Legally Source Amazing Images For Your Blog Posts.
Keep a record (screenshot or download) of the licence terms, source URL and original file name at the time you download the image.
Consider using paid stock image services with strong indemnity policies.
Where possible, create your own images – although a web search revealed one victim who was still pursued by Copytrack despite using one of his own photographs!
Beware of Reblogging – if you reblog someone else’s post and it contains copyright images, you are liable for that content and could be fined.

Pixabay told me I wasn’t the first to be targeted – and undoubtedly, I won’t be the last.

In an era where the burden of proof often falls on the content creator, free isn’t always risk-free. The safest policy for bloggers, writers, and businesses is to treat image sourcing as seriously as you treat your own intellectual property.

Protect Yourself From Scams

As an author, there is barely a day goes by where I don’t get an email offering me services to boost my book sales.

Online author marketplace Reedsy published this post: How To Dodge Shady Author Scams – which offers an overview of the common types of publishing scams to avoid.

When you come across a publishing company, software, or service you want to vet, here are two great resources you should visit:

The Writer Beware blog and Writer Beware website are comprehensive sources of information and warnings about scams and other bad practice in the publishing industry. The website keeps a database of bad actors in the industry, including writers’ services and dodgy contests and awards, as well as details of how to file complaints and seek recourse.
The Alliance of Independent Authors Watchdog Desk is the ethical oversight arm of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), led by industry expert John Doppler. Its mission is to protect authors from predatory practices, misinformation, and low-quality services in the self-publishing sector.

Have you come across publishing or author marketing scams?

Join the discussion in the comments.

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