intuitively I started fighting back from my extortion letter.Next steps advice?

[mars1026]

Hello my name is Mario
I am hear to tell you that getty images is trying to scam me for putting one of their photos on my non profit personal website.
I make no income of the website and I did not say their photo was mine. I was not using it for nothing just to fill a space. Furthermore, I was not making any money off this photo and was not promoting anything with it. This is ridiculous. They sent me a letter to pay 780 dollars for one tiny photo within 14 days. I am unemployed and i do not have that kind of money. No way can I pay this amount. It is literally a scam. it is wrong and should be against the law to make me pay that much.

this is what i sent them. Now I know that i should not contact them after doing some research

Me:(this was after i sent the first one and they still said I have to pay)

"This seems like a scam. How about all those videos and photos that people post on youtube and many other websties. Most of them are not the owners of those videos or photos. They are not being charged hundreds of dollars. They just remove the videos or photos. It is unethical and wrong to charge me a ridiculous amount of 700 plus dollars just to remove a photo. This is wrong what you guys are doing and I don’t understand why you cannot see that. I did not do anything wrong. It is just one tiny photo that I liked. You guys should appreciate that I liked the photo instead of being unethical and charging me for liking the photo. I never said it was mine and I never used it to make money.
I do not have that kind of money. I don’t know why you guys are so heartless. It is just one tiny photograph. One photograph is not worth 700 plus dollars. This should be against the law to charge me such a ridiculous amount of money. There is so much things going on in the world like world starvation and you guys are worried about charging me too much money for a tiny picture. This is wrong. I do not have that money I am poor! I don't have a job!! A college student has to worry about loans and paying for books and transportation. It is wrong what you are doing. I do not have that money. It is unethical and too much money to charge. "

this was the first message:
me:
"I think I have received this letter in error. I was not using your image for promotional or editorial purposes.
I am not even a company. I am young and unemployed and I go to college and that is all.
I do not have 780 dollars. Please realize that I do not deserve this letter being sent to me.
I am sure many people just like your photos and put them on tumblr or facebook. I just had it because I liked the photo. There is no need to take legal action over a young person that is unemployed. Please help me out. Thank you for your time"

After doing much research i have realized to stay calm. I really was one of those who got stressed out and was worried about paying this within 14 days. thank you for this forum it has made me realize my case is not important and there is many people in the same boat. I wrote all this to getty without doing research. I know to stay calm now. I am going to ask them for proof of registration? i also found the image on google that i used and it is linked to a completely different website that has nothing to do with gettyimages.

i am thankful for any comments that will come. anything will help
thank you for your time everyone

[rock]

follow these links:

Resolution of Getty v. Advernet (A blow to Getty & Stock photo companies)
http://www.extortionletterinfo.com/forum/getty-images-letter-forum/resolution-of-getty-v-advernet-(a-blow-to-getty-stock-photo-companies)/

The judge asked for:
1- Date of infringement
2- Are the images registered
3- Does Getty have EXclusive Rights
etc....

Matthew wrote:
"""However, it is also interesting to note that despite the fact the defendant defaulted, the judge was not so quick to give complete victory to Getty either. Essentially, the judge was NOT simply going to accept what Getty presented as facts without extensive scrutiny and questioning. As I have frequently said, most judges try to be fair and the stock photo companies do NOT have slam-dunk cases no matter what they claim. In their extortion letters, stock photo companies can try to be cute, coy, and threatening.  But once it gets to court, the judge insists on fully understanding what is going on."""


SoylentGreen's Defense Strategy Summary Guide 
http://www.extortionletterinfo.com/forum/getty-images-letter-forum/soylentgreen's-strategy-summary-guide/

[Extortion-Victim-No Longer]

You could not have found a better place to do your research than right here on ELI...! This website has been helpfull to so many others in the very same situation...you are far from being alone! Don't roll over & fight back...you will get through this stronger & smarter...