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Watch out for Mathew Higbee and his scam companies. Higbee & Associates operates under numerous alias's including Recordgone.com, and Mathew K Higbee.
These theives run around on the internet posting fake positive reviews about their company. The truth is they need to post all these fake reviews because they are scamming inoccent people out of their hard earned money. Using Recordgone.com or one of his other shell companies Mathew Higbee and his "team" are charging thousands of dollars for work they never complete. They offer all kinds of fancy promises through their websies, but at the end of the day their service is complete junk and they will give you the run around over and over until they stick you with a multi thousand dollar bill. When you question the bill and services not delivered they will then threaten to sue you.
Mr. Higbee is nothing but a cut rate low life lawyer. Instead of chasing ambulances, Higbee & Associates is out chasing people that have been hurt online. In my mind this group of crooks is even lower then the ambulance chasers.
It would be one thing if this firm actually did what they said for the cost they said, but instead they don't perform the work and just completely rip you off.
Read around on the other complaints about these crooks. They have done a good job of plastering the web with fake reviews, but don't fall for it!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I have many stories regarding this idiot and his scam firm extorting money from people and I must state...you people need to stop paying and fight this monkey. If your attorney can't fight the fact you found a picture online and thus NO copyright exists as it has already been in the free market and distributed countless times thereby negating any claims by any supposed owner. Sorry some people lost money but, read the law next time and make your attorney too.
Can't afford a lawyer.
I just got sued by these lawsuit happy, fascists. The hot shot copyright lawyer I called for help said it is going to cost me at least $10, 000 if I want to fight the lawsuit... and apparently it does not matter if I found the image online and it did not have a watermark or copyright notice.
I just spoke to the supervisor of this firm and this firm is garbage, scam artists and pure attorney trash. If any of you people get a letter from this firm trying to scam you our of money for an online picture, email me at designprintshipmd@gmail.com and I will either help you bury them or get you an attorney that will. These idiots are worse than attorneys that file frivolous disability lawsuits. Do not pay. Again, if you copied & pasted a picture from online (regardless of the website) and NO Copyright seal is shown or it is a public venue, there is NO copyright. Also, if it has been there for some time and has been distributed and re-distributed at least 1 time prior to you, copyright is no longer enforceable. Tell these leeches to go pound sand.
Daniel, Just working on responding to a Higbee and Assoc. demand on behalf of another scam, PicRights.com. Thanks for your offer to help. I am in the process of writing my response now. Your comments are helpful. Can send my response to you if you are interested. Pete pete.wheeler45@gmail.com [protected]
We paid just under $2k to get some old charges from 1999 cleared or dismissed. They claimed that they did the job and that for $2200 more they would also file his certificate of rehabilitation and restore his rights.
We opted not to do the latter, cut to a few years later, he is still having trouble getting on to some bases for work and the final straw, denial to visit our daughter and grandkids on base while her husband is deployed because ALL of his previous charges still stand as they were in 1999. I have screen shots of all of the communications with their rep stating that he was good to go. We got a really helpful person at Fort Carson who was able to show us that NOTHING had been changed. Where did these court docs come from? How could they help him get a certificate of rehabilitation if the charges still stand? I would absolutely LOVE to have guidance or help on how to proceed. They do not answer any of their phone numbers.
Hello,
I just received a letter from Higbee demanding $2, 700 or they are sueing for $150, 000. They say it is on behalf of PicRights and the Picture is an AP photo. Here is the photo I found by googling Wall Street Pic and used on my site:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/03/29/how-wall-street-became-a-big-chunk-of-the-u-s-economy-and-when-the-democrats-signed-on/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.653a86b349a1
I just emailed the AP directly to ask if they have hired Higbee to go after me for this picture copyright violation, so we shall see what they come back with...I am a little freaked out, because that lawsuit would break me.
did the AP reply to you?
Feel free to reach out to me if you’re being harassed by Mathew K Higbee and Associates. Matt@austinvisuals.com - I’ll say it’s been pretty easy to find out how his operations work or don’t work. It’s been pretty easy to slow him down in my opinion from hurting others. Email me and I can share some tips for how to fight back.
Higbee and Associates is asking for over $1500 from us. Any suggestions would be a help. They seem to have a scam but are using the law to run it so that the victims do not have a choice but to pay. We just don't have the money or it will mean cutting out food and/or shelter.
I did some digging and found out some useful information about their copyright work.
This site provides a lot of useful information about who they have sued, it is a long list, and what the demands amount are. http://copyright-demand-letter.com/higbee-associates-copyright/
The magazine Fast Company did an article about how they use search engines to find people using their images, https://www.fastcompany.com/40494777/here-come-the-copyright-robots-for-hire-with-lawyers-in-tow
They love to boast about their successful extortion cases on Twitter and their web page:
https://www.higbeeassociates.com/practices/copyright-law/
RM Media LTD wins $17, 500 for infringement of 2 images offered via Creative Commons
Summary judgement denied to BackChina in infringement case
Alex Wild wins $15, 000 copyright infringement judgement
Chris Sadowski wins $30, 000 copyright infringement judgement
Michael Grecco wins $45, 000 default copyright infringement judgement
Michael Grecco wins $60, 000 copyright infringement judgement
Sadowski wins $50, 000 copyright infringement judgement
Thanks for your posting yet, you should also know that many of the cases you cite are "FAKE". If you go to the Higbee website, they will direct you to a stand-alone webpage that supposedly verifies cases and the large network involved in this plight to rid the world of so called, image thefts. I have researched the site and it was created by Higbee and managed by his firm too yet, none of the cases cited have any legal documentation or reports in any Courthouse or legal system anywhere. He created a FAKE webpage to try to scare you into paying and show you he is viable yet, he isn't, the cases are not and the process is an elaborate scam to extort money from innocent people and small businesses.
They started sending me emails two years ago that I copied a photo. It was on Google images but I was new to blogging at the time and didn’t think to look for the infringement. First they told me to take the picture down, and I did. Then sent me a notice I owed them several hundred dollars. I wrote to ask them for the registration number but they didn’t answer me.
Several days ago, Higbee contacts me and now they want $985 and said they are filing a lawsuit. Once again, I asked them for the registration number and they just replied it wasn’t registered yet.
Should I hire an attorney?
so what is the current status on this higbie company? Can they take me to court or no?
Or, is this just a scare tactic to get a settlement?
they initially asked for $700+, and a "pay now" before it goes up...
then it went to $2000+, now its a $4040.00.
Any advice would be appreciated...
hello what is the update on some of you did they pursue it in court are these all in the USA?
I have a few posts regarding the Higbee Law firm and their elaborate scam to extort money from people and small businesses that are innocent. I personally have not had these idiots contact me but, that doesn't mean they are not hostile, lying and real scum within the legal community. I did speak to both Matthew Higbee a few times and have had an attorney contact him yet, he is arrogant and not at all remorseful for his scamming and actually believes he is ridding the world of what he refers to as, "leeches that break the law and harm poor photographers and business" such as PicRights and Getty Images and others by not paying for trivial and meaningless pictures, images or otherwise they state are covered by US Copyright privileges. They are wrong, they are lying and they have NO evidence to back up their claims which is evident when you ask them for any documentation and they state they don't have it or need it. It appears Matthew Higbee has a different law he seems to follow because the one I am aware of requires evidence, proof and documentation.
As I have stated prior, if you are contacted or notified by this firm, please be aware it is a scam and not valid. Do not pay them and do not accept any correspondence from them that is NOT Certified through the US Postal Service or any other tracking or shipping company. This is the only way the United States Court system works so, hold Higbee & associates to the same guidelines required by each and every State & federal Court.
Again, if anyone receives a letter or e-mail from this firm trying to scam and extort money from you our of money for an online picture, email me at designprintshipmd@gmail.com and I will either help you defend yourself or your business from these liars, thieves and disgraceful lawyers or get you an attorney that will.
Here is another example of the elaborate lengths Higbee and his law firm will go to create a false image of strength and winning in copyright cases. Go see this webpage or site:
https://www.higbeeassociates.com/higbee-associates-wins-appeal-on-copyright-statute-of-limitations/#comment-41632
This is the fourth web page or website I have uncovered regarding Higbee and Associates regarding his so called copyright lawsuits and winning cases. How many websites or web pages does a law firm need to show their reputable and truthful legal triumphs? I implore you to go investigate and see the lies, deceit and scam for yourselves. Case in point: Higbee sends out over 10,000 letters a year to small businesses stating copyright infringement and according to my investigations only has responses of maybe 10% then, possible payments of nearly half of them out of fear, NOT guilt. That said though, if these payments are between $350 and $750, that would make a profit of possibly $375,000. Not bad for a scam via e-mails and 25 or so off people that assist in the scam.
In regards to the cases though, many I have researched are NOT Court cases at all and NO legal docs have ever been filed. Again, your choice, go investigate or let the liar take your cash.
Last year I was contacted by a company, Ivaninfotech, wanting to build a website for my business. I was wanting to add some features that I didn't have, so I made a deal with them.. When it was all said and done, I wasn't very happy with it, but I paid them and moved on. Shortly therafter I was contacted by Pic Rights demanding payment for a picture that was on the site. It was in a section for comments, which I hadn't even asked for and was a profile type pic of a man with just some nonsensical wording underneath, that had nothing to do with me or my business. Turns out it was mid level actor named Micheal Ealey from an interview he did with the AP.. No way it could be an accident.. It had to have been planted just for the purpose of scamming me. I have accused The Tech company of doing this and now they won't answer my calls. I have an attorney friend dealing with Higbee right now, but he lives on the East Coast and my business is in California, although I am running it from Germany at the moment . I would show the photo and wording but am afraid They might sue me again