Directv's new anti-piracy campaign

[quaddawg]

Has everyone seen the news about Directv's new approach to piracy??


If not, what they now report to be doing is going after the end-user. I saw it on CNN and TechTv. They evidently have, or are going to, send out 400,000 or more letters to suspected pirates, and tell them to come clean, all is forgiven, just sign up and pay. HA HA HA LOL< ROTFLMFAO.

They are supposedly basing the targeted users by recent packaged downgrades and even folks who cancel service. In other words, they don't have a clue and are trying to get the media to report, no questions asked, that they are going after the end users directly. That tactic may very well keep some potential "free-tvers" from getting "hooked up" but the whole media isn't biting, Tech Tv for instance (Leo Laporte in particular) isn't buying the effectivness and has already laughed at the attempt and stated that they guess DTV is going to resort to the "honor" system to get the pirates to reup their subs. LOL.

Anyway, if anyone gets one of these letters, please post it, I am curious as hell. I don't think I will get one, as I don't watch tv at all, much less "steal" signal.

Hmmmmm, food for thought anyway.

or.... as the AYB people would say:
<font size="7">WE GET SIGNAL!<font>



quaddout

[megados]

Hmmm, possibly, but there seems to be a trend with DTV actually doing some of that! It's a good idea for everyone to realize that DTV can do just that.


In the US as you all are aware, signal theft is taken seriously. Don't be lulled into thinking that they cannot, or will not prosecute. They have the law, lawyers, and a lot of money on their side. Fair, no. But it IS possible.

Sorry to rain on the parade, but I advise watching your back. Better to err on the side of caution.

[BC]

If D** were to throw in a nude picture of Tanya Memme...hell,I'd turn myself in :D

[Kemuel]

Same here BC! She's the bomb!!!

[zcubed]

Here's one of the letters, quad. I didn't receive it, but it was posted by TTRK in the can/am forum:

YARMUTH WILSDON CALFO PLLC
ATTORNEYS AT LAW

July XX, 2001

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL

This law firm represents DIRECTV, Inc. in the investigation of and litigation regarding the
illegal reception and use of its satellite television programming. This illegal reception and use of
DIRECTV's programming is accomplished through the use of modified, DIRECTV Access Cards
and other devices sometimes referred to as "test cards."

DIRECTV recently obtained evidence demonstrating that you purchased illegal signal theft
equipment to gain unauthorized access to DIRECTV's programming. At DIRECTV's request, I
am contacting you because your purchase and use of illegal signal theft equipment to access
DIRECTV's programming violates federal and state laws.

Federal and state statutes impose serious criminal and civil penalties against users of illegal
signal theft equipment. See 47 V.S.C. § 605(a) (making it illegal to receive or assist another in
receiving an encrypted satellite signal); 18 U.S.C. §2511(a) (making it illegal to intercept an
ng an evic.-ypl@-ld -satellite signal),,, 1.8 U.,.C@'. '@,25 i 1 (1),
encrypted satellite signal); 17 U.S.C. § 1201 (a)(1) (making it illegal to circumvent a technological
measure such as the DIRECTV conditional access system). So strict are these statutes that
Congress has made the mere possession of signal theft equipment an offense under federal law.
See 18 U.S.C. § 2512(l)(b) (making it illegal to "possess" any electronic, mechanical or other
device, knowing or having reason to know that the design of the device renders it primarily useful
for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of an encrypted satellite signal).

Your purchase, possession and use of signal theft equipment gain unauthorized access to
DIRECTV's satellite television programming subjects you to statutory damages of up to $10,000
per violation. Moreover, your involvement in modifying devices to illegally gain access to
DIRECTV's programming increases potential statutory damages to $100,000. Further, these
statutes allow DIRECTV to recover from you compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys' fees


[Scullion/NorthSat Customer]
July 6, 2001
Page 2

and other expenses. See 47 U.S.C. § 605(e)(3)(B); 18 U.S.C. § 2520(b). Thus, possessors of
illegal signal theft equipment face substantial monetary penalties for their conduct.

DIRECTV is making an effort to rectify past misappropriations of its satellite programming
by users of signal theft equipment and to prevent the use of illegal access cards in the future. With
those goals in mind and in light of DIRECTV's signal theft claims against you, DIRECTV has
instructed me to take a proactive approach in resolving this matter. With your cooperation, we can
reach an acceptable resolution to this problem. DIRECTV is prepared to release all claims against
you in return for your agreement to (1) surrender all illegally modified access cards, or other
satellite signal theft equipment in your possession, custody, or control; (2) execute a written
statement to the effect that you will not use illegal devices to obtain satellite programming in the
future; and (3) make monetary restitution to DIRECTV for your past wrongful conduct and the
damages thereby incurred by the company. If you should chose to reject this settlement offer,
DIRECTV will be forced to file a lawsuit in Federal District Court, seeking substantial monetary
damages and injunctive relief.

While DIRECTV will allow me to discuss this matter with you, the company will not
imprudently and indefinitely wait for you to acknowledge your unlawful conduct. Therefore, if
you wish to discuss the contents of this letter, you must contact me at 206-654-4123 on or before
5:00 p.m., P.S.T., [two weeks from the date of this letter]. After that date, DIRECTV will abandon
its attempts to negotiate and/or amicably resolve this matter. In any event, as a result of turning
this file over to me, DIRECTV representatives are no longer able to handle questions regarding
your illegal access to DIRECTV satellite programming. Please direct any and all future inquiries
to this office.

There is little question that you will benefit by resolving this matter through informal
discussion in lieu of judicial action. Illegal access to DIRECTV programming is a serious problem
and, consequently, DIRECTV has no choice but to fully pursue illegal residential access cases
to the end. If you have any comments or questions regarding this letter, or any other matter, please
call me as soon as possible.



Sincerely,


Spencer Freeman

[zcubed]

I guess that's the letter you mean? It's targeted at people from customer lists. Is the recently downgraded/terminated service a whole different letter in their approach?

[BigDog4All]

I guess if you have cancelled your service, or downgraded your sub, you stand a higher than average chance of receiving one of those.

Personally, I think they will send to everyone that has called Dave, to cancel or drop level of service.

That's why I have said many times, Why would you ever want to call Dave?

They might even send letter to all without a phoneline pluged in.

Maybe even check address's of all who have purchased IRD's and not ordered service.

But who knows...Maybe you might get one, if you never order any movies or PPV.

I only order (1) movie every two months, so I must be guilty of something.

[TrailerParkManager]

Who has time for TV or anything else, I am just trying to run a Trailer Park here...have you seen the deranged and demented people in this park?

[xbr36]

Sounds like Daves getting desperate.What does dave have a team of jobronies to come in the house's of 400,000 people and take there equipment?

Think about it. If they actually send that letter to everyone that has downgraded or cancelled their sub I bet we see a law suit filed against DirecTV for character assisination.

Who says because I would cancel or downgrade that I am a thief? Have they reach the point that they will soon send out Vinnie to break my legs because I decided to go back to cable?

Fux them. If anyone responds to this letter other than by having their attorney send a letter back stating that you are innocent until proven guilty then they are dumb.

Later

[wannano6]

Sh!t where's my HU Card and damn which one of these recievers is the legit one...:D I am so confused:d:D:D:DBut seriously folks:D:D:D

[udhorky]

Well being in the US I am unable to test DTV access cards. I guess this is a good thing because it seems like a very costly hobby, but that is besides the point. After seeing a show or two on TV & reading news sites I have been following the news on what DAVE does. The way I look at it is DAVE raided a lot of US dealers a few months ago & in that raid I am sure they got all their records. I could be way off on all this so if I am please let me know. So with these records they can see exactly what you bought. So if you have been buying unloopers & bootloaders and things of that nature they have a pretty good idea what your doing. Now the question is does this give them enough information to do anything with besides mail a threatening letter? Im not a lawyer so I cant answer that question but it seems pretty circumstantial to me. I will agree with everyone else that posted that it is very unlikely that DAVE with do anything besides send out these letters. What are they going go start to do drive down the street looking for dishes on houses & then check for subs?

And thats my 2 cents!

[wannano6]

This is true, years ago I had a guy who worked for the cable company and for $150.00 he would put a gutted out filter on your service so it looked like you were not getting the movie channels but you were so anyway for Christmas I gave my parents and my older brother free TV they had it for about a year and a half then the cable company started this big anti-theft campaign and offered free amnesty and I'll be #@*% if my parents and my brother didn't both turn their self in. (I could understand my parents but my brother?) anyway again people will come clean and puke all over themselves(is that spelled right?) which is just what D#@ is looking for..(He!! no we won't go)

p.s. <h3><font color=red>ALLYOURBASEAREBELONGTOUS</font></h3>[Edited by wannano6 on August 1st, 2001 at 02:56 PM]

[quaddawg]

Megados, Yes I know they can and will prosecute, and after reading that letter, I believe I have been misinformed. I just wonder if customer lists are enough to convince a judge to issue a search warrant. I don't think so, but stranger things have happened.


Zcubed, No, I think I am just wrong as to the targets, I think I either heard wrong, or was misled by the media (OOO big surprise)


Yes, Dtv is getting desparate, this chess game is one they cannot afford to lose. One intersting thing I saw on the news was the chart of projected lost revenue into the year 2008, that as much as anything else is an admission that the security of thier CAM's is and will continue to be extremly compromised. Hmmmm. curiouser and curiouser.

Well, it is their move. Lets wait and watch the fireworks, it sure promises to be an interesting future.

[quaddawg]

You know, I was thinking. I know that just having your name on a list is not enough to convict. Anyone that gets this letter could just get rid of all equipment immediately. Then what would DTV do?? This is a scare tactic, I am not saying that noone will get prosecuted, but, if you were going to try to put people in jail and fine the hell out of them, WHY WARN THEM?? This approach is clearly intended to bring some of the wayward subscibers back into the DTV flock. If you wanted to really get this tactic to make the most impact, you would go and get search warrants for a few of these folks (IF you could that is) prosecute them publicly, THEN send out the letters. I mean, if you wanted to bust a drug user, would you send him a letter warning him?? Giving him time to clean out the house?? No, I think not. This is an economic and scare tactic. Although people in general are a bunch of lemmings, easily guided off the cliff, I don't think this will make much of a dent in their signal theft problem, but then again, I could be wrong.

[larzo]

Hmmmnnnn.... Lets see, figure at least $12-15 for each letter (probably a low estimate - mailing, additional head count, legal fees, etc.). Multiply that by 100,000... 1.2 million plus or minus... thats a good chunk-o-change off the bottom line. My guess is that we will have several thousand "poster children" and after the media hype (now thats some bang for your buck) dies down other stratagies will be explored... that being said, I sure wouldn't want to get one of those letters...

[orvil01]

a lot of people are getting scared and calling it quits. I had putchased a product a week before the dealer raids and had already recieved i think im out of the water on that part hopefully, and then there is the canceling yeah i canceled, but that was 3 years ago, and ive only been in the game for 2 years, i had to cancel because i couldnt afford it, because i was put on workmens comp where i still am today or at least until the doctors decide what they are going to do with me.

[wannano6]

You know I bought some of that "stuff" you guys are talking about but I never could figure out what to do with it so I just sit home and watch the preview channel it's pretty good I've got a 96 on the reception. I ended up taking that "stuff" I bought and broke it down and used the components for fishing lures I figgered I might as well get some use out of it.....;)

[BigDog4All]

Well, I guess the police and the Feds will be at my house soon. I did have to purchase some rolling papers. So I must be smoking the bud.

What else could I be doing with cigarette rolling papers?

[wessside00]

I know, I must lose my bong, er water pipe that i just purchased. Since i have that i must be smoking herb, or even growing it, or selling it. I just recieved a letter warning me that they know I smoke herb and possibly manufacture it. I guess i better confess and turn it over.

[quaddawg]

Yeah, for sure. mail all contraband to me immediately. We know everybody who is using, and you will be pardoned if you send your stash to me. Do it now and avoid any penalties.




quaddout.

[quaddawg]

Remind me sometime and I will tell you all the "other" so called rules I don't live by. I have had a BUNCH of scare letters in my life, and I will tell you one thing, if someone wants you busted, they sure as hell don't warn you!!!



Quaddout.

[so.calguy]

Hah! dude i can like totally remember when i got one of those letters in my cable tv cheater box days. dude this letter goes to show that we are like fully kicking dtv's buttocks.

[modern1]

I hate to break it to everyone but buying say an unlooper/glitcher isnt in and of itself illegal. They are perfectly legal devices until u load the flash on them to hack hu cards.

[quaddawg]

Like I said, its a scare tactic aimed towards the sheeple.

And I still don't watch tv.

Quaddout