Got a DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice from Citi Legal about a photo on your website? Don’t fret, it’s just an SEO backlinking scam trying to get free links on your website. Read on to find out what this scam is, how to recognize it, and how to avoid getting a real notice like this in the future.

As a side note, a friend of mine got a real legal notice about copyright infringement, from a real law firm, and actually had to get a lawyer over it. So, it does happen. But the image he used was from the X Files, so obviously not a free stock photo.

DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice E-Mail

This scam starts with an e-mail that actually fooled me at first. Probably because of what had happened to my friend. They claim I’ve been using a copyrighted image on my website, and include a link to that image hosted on Imjur.

They then demand not removing it, or paying them, but that I put a link to the image owner’s website! And threaten me that they will use the Wayback machine to prove usage.

I admit, I got a bit worried, clicked the links, and they took me to a legit looking law firm. But a few things stuck out as odd.

First, this DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice didn’t come off as very professional or legal sounding. You can read a copy of the e-mail below:

Second, when my friend got the copyright violation notice, they were suing for money. Who asks for a link for copyright violation? That was really weird.

And finally, I only use images that either I took, or they are copyright-free from Pexels or DepositPhotos.

The image they are referring to in their DMCA Copyright Infringement claim is this one below, which I got from Pexels:

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/focus-woman-packing-suitcase-on-bed-4245905/

Taking all that into consideration, this just seemed fishy.

Is Citi Legal Services Real?

At first glance, the Citi Legal Services website looks legit. But no, Citi Legal Services is not a real law firm. In fact, if you Google their address, 1 Beacon St. 12th floor, Boston, MA 02108, mostly what pops up is other people who got this scam letter.

There is an actual building at 1 Beacon St., but there’s no record of a Citi Legal Services being there. And it certainly doesn’t look like the building in the photo below. The whole website is AI generated garbage.

They also use these website names for similar fake websites: clexperts . org, clexperts . site, clexperts . info

This particular one that I got the e-mail from, clexperts . biz, was just created just a couple months ago. Another sign of a fraudulent website.

An SEO Backlinking Scam

The whole thing is one big SEO backlinking scam using the DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice to scare people into adding backlinks to websites.

Do these websites know about these scammy tactics? I have no idea. But I suspect these websites are owned by the scammers, and they are trying to inflate their DA to use them for selling backlinks.

I took a closer look at ecolife . zone, which was the website they wanted me to link to, and the whole thing looked very suspicious and totally AI.

How to Avoid Getting a Real Copyright Infringement Claim

Copyright gives creators legal protection over their original works—everything from articles and photographs to music, artwork, and videos. If you use someone else’s work on your website without the proper license, permission, or adherence to “fair use” rules, you may be infringing on their copyright. Even if the content is easy to find online, that doesn’t mean it’s free to use.

The best strategy is prevention. Here are some practices that can keep you safe:

• Use original content. Create your own photos, videos, and articles whenever possible.
• Check licensing. Stock image sites (like Unsplash or Shutterstock) provide licensing details—make sure you follow them.
• Understand fair use. Limited use of copyrighted material (such as short quotes in reviews or commentary) may qualify as fair use, but it’s a narrow exception, not a free pass.
• Give proper credit. Attribution doesn’t replace permission, but if the license requires credit, ensure you include it correctly.
• Keep records. Save receipts, license agreements, or written permissions in case you ever need to prove you had the right to use the content.

What a Real Copyright Claim Looks Like

A legitimate copyright claim will typically arrive as a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice or a cease-and-desist letter. Here’s what you might expect:

• Clear identification of the work. The claimant must specify what content is protected (for example, “the photograph titled X, originally published on Y date”).
• Identification of the infringing material. They’ll point to the exact URL or content on your site.
• Proof of ownership. The claimant usually provides evidence they created or own the copyright. (Note that the DMCA scam letter did not include any proof of ownership.)
• A request for action. This could be removal of the material, credit adjustments, or—in more formal cases—compensation.

So, watch out for those fake DMCA claims, but also take care to avoid getting a real one!