seen it all before a number of times with getty

others will no doubt disagree with my advice, but i have been there (by mistake - a designer I used pinched one off their site once) and I have also talked to others in the same boat.

SO, my advice is:

1) never ever use their images without permission, and as their prices for web use are monstrous i.e. $600 or more for 6 months use, I doubt you would want to anyhow. Check through all your sites now and immediately remove any getty images.

2) just admit you made a mistake if it was you or your business that put the images onto your client's website, then you should tell your client not to worry, you will indemnify them for any charges / legal restitution or costs AS YOU SHOULD

3) here's the good bit, don't listen to the holier than thou righteous ones, just SIT TIGHT. Getty are unbelievable the way they get super heavy. Don't bother wasting money on expensive IP lawyers until you have to, i.e. IF THE SH&* HITS THE FAN and the summons arrives. WHICH IT PROBABLY WON'T. But in that scenario your lawyer will argue that the extortionate 3 or 4 x the normal getty price that your client has been charged is UNREASONABLE. A lower settlement will probably be levelled, especially if you can show you removed the offending images as soon as you were notified. But you may get whacked with their legal expenses. However, if this lower setlement gets awarded by the courts getty will be sorely pi**ed off, as a precedent will be set that will make it harder for them to make this kind of approach to the next dumwad who uses their images in breach of copyright. MY BET IS THAT FOR THAT REASON THEY WON'T TAKE IT THAT FAR.

your call dude