Copytrack is a company that searches the web for image use on behalf of photographers, photo agencies, and other rights holders, and then contacts website operators about uses it considers unlicensed. Letters typically ask for a license fee or proof of an existing license.

Is a Copytrack letter a scam?

Copytrack is an established claims-management company, so a letter should not be dismissed as spam without checking it. At the same time, a letter is a claim, not a court decision: verify that the image, page, and dates are correct, and look for your license records before reacting.

Can ImgCompliance tell me whether the Copytrack claim is valid?

No. ImgCompliance is not a law firm and cannot access stock-platform accounts or license databases. It helps you see where the named image appears on your site and whether other images show similar stock-platform risk indicators.

Should I just delete the image?

Removing an image may stop future use, but it does not by itself settle a claim about past use. Preserve evidence of where and how long the image appeared before changing anything, and get legal advice if a payment demand or deadline is involved.

Copytrack letter: what to check before you respond

Important note

This page is practical information for organizing your own review. It is not legal advice. ImgCompliance is not affiliated with Copytrack and cannot see Copytrack's case files, the rights holder's records, or your stock-platform purchase history.

What a Copytrack letter usually contains

A screenshot or URL of the page where the image was found, often with a capture date.
The rights holder (photographer or agency) Copytrack acts for.
A request to show a valid license, or to pay a subsequent license fee.
A deadline and a case reference or online portal link.

Step 1: confirm the facts in the letter

Open the URL from the letter and check whether the image is (or was) really on your site.
Note every page, blog post, PDF, and social preview where the same image appears.
Save screenshots and the letter itself before you change anything on the site.
Check whether the domain, company name, and dates in the letter match your business.

Step 2: look for license evidence

Search your email, invoices, stock-platform accounts (Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, iStock, Getty Images and others), design-tool accounts, and agency handoff folders. If an agency or freelancer built the site, ask them for the specific license for this image and this use. A general statement that “the images were licensed” is usually not enough.

Step 3: check whether this is the only image

A letter about one image often means nobody tracked image sources when the site was built. Before you decide anything, find out whether other images on the site match stock-platform sources too. Otherwise a second letter about a different image may follow. A free ImgCompliance scan checks up to 100 images across 20 pages and shows how many carry a risk indicator.

Step 4: decide with the right help

If you hold a license, send the proof through the channel given in the letter. If you do not, or the amount or deadline worries you, talk to a lawyer who handles copyright matters in your country. Copytrack works internationally, and the rules on damages and license fees differ between the US, the UK, and EU countries.

Related resources

Similar letters come from other companies, for example PicRights and agencies such as Getty Images. For a full site review, use the website image copyright audit guide.

Received a Copytrack letter? What to check before you respond