Exposing Legal Predators: How to Handle Copyright Shakedown Scams

If you’ve been in the content business long enough, you’ve probably encountered one of these scams. It starts with an email subject like “Final Warning” or “Demand for Copyright Infringement Settlement.” Inside, you find a boilerplate accusation of infringement, a demand for thousands of dollars, and a “generous” offer to pay in installments.

At first glance, this might look like a legitimate legal issue, but it’s more likely a scam.

I recently had an experience with Higbee & Associates, a law firm notorious for sending aggressive copyright infringement notices and demanding fast cash settlements. This isn’t an isolated incident, but a well-established tactic used by firms like this to extort money from those who are either too scared, too uninformed, or too busy to push back.

Just this week, President Trump fired the head of the US Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter. With the top copyright regulator out of the picture, legal predators like Higbee & Associates are left with fewer checks, which may give them more room to harass creators under the guise of enforcement.

The story began when I received an email from a so-called “Legal Assistant” named Kenneth Green, claiming to represent a client in a copyright infringement matter. He demanded a payment of $825 for alleged infringement. If the recipient couldn’t afford the lump sum, he offered a payment plan. The tone was condescending and full of veiled threats: pay now, or face serious legal action.

Instead of giving in, I responded with a single word: “Fuck off.”

What followed was a series of increasingly aggressive emails, with Kenneth continuing to pressure me into paying. At one point, he wrote: “If your site is not protected under the DMCA, the attorneys remind you that you would still be liable... copyright matters are Strict Tort liability matters.” This legalese was clearly intended to intimidate, but it felt more like a man in a cheap suit yelling “Do you know who I am?” at a nightclub bouncer.

By this point, it was clear this wasn’t a legitimate legal claim, it was a scam. So, I decided to have some fun with Kenneth. I introduced my own fictional lawyer: “Justin Bill Smith, Esq., MBA, JD, Harvard.” I crafted a polished resume for this made-up attorney, and Kenneth, failing to recognize the satire, responded as though it were real.

Then, Kenneth made one last attempt, sending a final ultimatum: “As a follow-up to settle these copyright infringement matters outside of federal district court, please confirm how you wish to proceed with remitting the demanded amounts… $8,500 and $10,000. Total: $18,500.”

The response was firm: “Your attempt to extort my company with a boilerplate shakedown is noted and rejected. This correspondence is not only insulting in its lack of merit but also demonstrates a broader, contemptible pattern of behavior by your firm. Your threats and 'payment plan' offer masquerading as legal recourse are closer to scam artistry than legitimate copyright enforcement.”

Kenneth’s reply? A single word: “Okay.”

This story isn’t just about one company, it’s about a business model that thrives on intimidation. Firms like Higbee & Associates use legal threats to collect quick settlements from people who don’t fight back. It works because most people don’t know how to stand up to these tactics.

But when you do push back, the scam quickly unravels. The threats become empty, the legal façade crumbles, and the scammer is exposed for what they really are: nothing more than a collection agent in disguise.

The next time you, or anyone you know, receives a letter from a so-called “legal assistant” or a similar figure, remember this: they are counting on your fear. They want you to stay silent and hand over the money. Don’t give them what they want. Demand proof. Call their bluff. Or, if you’re feeling bold, invent your own fictional lawyer and watch them waste their time.

But above all, don’t pay the troll.

Because that’s all this is: a troll under a bridge with a Gmail signature. And if you’re reading this, to the one behind these scams, we told you we’d make it public. Welcome to the internet.