Got a nasty letter from my ISP

[Jake75]

This morning I got a nasty letter from my ISP saying that some kind of organization has found out that I have downloaded a program that they want to protect.

The letter says nothing about what I should do, like delete the program (I already did that), it just states that they know that I downloaded the program.

Are there any laws that are clear about this?, I mean should I expect the cops banging at my door any time soon?

Are these kind of letter normal, do many people get them?
Or do I have to format my HD just to be sure? :tongue:


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[Auburn9698]

Hmm, interesting. Never gotten one of those, myself.

Send them a response saying "I know you wrote me a nasty letter." :lol:

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[jlanka]

how do they know you downloaded it? Did you get it from Warez or something?

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[Jake75]

My guess is that 'they' checked my list while I was on Direct Connect.

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[Guest]

Probably you are already screwed. By the time you get the message they most likely already have the proof they need, ISP logs, a sample of what they got from you etc. Wiping the hard drive won't protect you, but might get you into meore trouble for obstructing justice or something.

You are one of the early ones to recieve the message. I expect this type of post to become common here soon.

It would be interesting to hear what transpires due to this, if it's not to upsetting for you....

 

[Jake75]

Lol, that´s very reassuring...you are supposed to say "Nah, no problem", "don´t worry man"...not things like this! :tongue:

Anyway I keep you updated from jail

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[Guest]

Yeah I guess I was abit doomy, and gloomy. Not that I wish this on anybody. I am just interested in how it's gonna play out.

 

[Jake75]

Btw, don´t you think that they have bigger fish to catch?
I mean, I am not making a profit of it and I only got 'low value' programs...

As long as I use their apps without making any money I think it´s ok (yes I know, morally twisted).

There are lots of 3d-artists, programmers etc that never can afford such pricey applications, how can they learn the program when they can´t afford to buy it?

As soon as they learn the program and start making some money I am pretty sure they buy a legal version, I´ve read interviews with respected 3d artists that started their careers with an illegal copy and then as soon as they got some cash they bought the real deal.

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[goloap]

I would not expect anybody to knock on your door because of that letter. The letter is to scare you so you won't do it again.

You must have something very costly and very rare for the company to go trough the trouble of getting your ISP to send you a letter. Usually the companies can find you through Kazaa and similar file sharing networks. They try downloading the file off of you and when they are connected to your machine they can get your IP adress, after that they call the corresponding ISP and ask them to send you a letter.

In ancient times they had no statistics so they had to fall back on lies

 

[Guest]

I hear you man...it seems like alot of BS if you ask me.

I'm basing what I say on something I heard (i think it was broadcast news). I heard there is already more than 900 subpeonas started by the RIAA. The story went on to say that people who had downloaded as little as 5 songs had been subpeonad. It seems as if they are making examples of "little fish" as well in this case.

I have this feeling that the future depends on how this small sample of cases goes. If it works out well for the RIAA then they will start to throttle everybody they can. On the other hand if each person were to refuse to settle and battle to the death in court it would get very expensive very quickly for the plantiffs.

It should get interesting.

 

[Rob423]

That sounds like a B.S letter, They can't prove you were the one downloading that "so-called" crap... someone coulda broke into your house and used your PC..lol.......

i wouldn't worry about it.

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[Howard]

Formatting the harddrive doesn't destory evidence. They have special programs that could dig up those stuff. They have a way in which they open up the harddrive in a clean room, and I have no clue what they do next. If you wanna destroy evidence, burn your harddrive.

 

[Rob423]

yeah pretty much, open it up and take out some fustration out on the damn thing!

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[lespaul]

Don't worry about it.. We got a letter like that from our ISP (cox.net) for downloading a movie from usenet.. All they said was to not do it again and they'll consider the matter resolved.

 

[TomaHawK]

theres lots of ways to delete all data off a HDD. theres no need to destroy it physically. <A HREF="http://www.killdisk.com/features.htm" target="_new"> diskeraser </A>

Beat the heat with the USB-Powered Fan

 

[Kabome]

The kicker about ISPs complaining about downloading from newsgroups (usenet) is that if they provide the service themselves all the warez and movies are sitting on their own servers free for you to download at superfast speeds/

kinda ironic in it's own way...

 

[piasabird]

look for KILLDISK

www.killdisk.com

All they really know is that someone using your account downloaded something they may not be able to prove the exact computer that it was downloaded to. You could claim that a person with a laptop may have downloaded it. Of course they may know the exact hardware address of the NIC if you have bradband access. There is something to be said for using a router or a hardware firewall device.

I think all they need is the information from the ISP for a search warrant. I heard something on the radio about these RIAA people scanning the chatrooms looking for people talking about downloading music. Anyone can set up a download site including the Police.

The safest way would be to just get a new hard drive and bury the one you have in a deep dark hole. You could take it apart and grind the surface off the disks.

when you see smoke is that a good sign?

 

[4Ryan6]

Jake, they have to have evidence that whatever it is, is in your possession, destroy the evidence, and use a program like eraser to wipe the files from your hardrive then use eraser to clean up the free space, then put it out of your mind. Just because you downloaded something once doesn't mean you ever used it, or that the download was not corrupted and unusable in the first place. Get my drift!


Eraser 5.3 download link, excellent program, you can Erase to whatever degree you feel comfortable with.
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<b><font color=purple>Details, Details, Its all in the Details, If you need help, Don't leave out the Details.</font color=purple></b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by 4ryan6 on 09/28/03 02:33 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

So what if they (whoever that is) have already downloaded from you a complete copy of whatever file they are trying to nail you with along with your information about IP etc.?

I'm guessing the people in charge of doing this aren't that stupid to think they could expect people to leave the evidence lying around after the jig is up, and would have already obtained the evidence necessary to go forward with legal actions by the time you even know about them watching you.

 

[4Ryan6]

Well that would be determined on whether they actually have his IP or not, some services use a dynamic IP system, which means each time you log in you get a new IP address, which will drive them up a wall trying to be on solid ground with that system, on the other hand the static IP pretty much has you dead to rights, but if they come to your house with evidence in hand alledgedly from your IP address, but nothings in your home to solidify their case, they're definitely not legally going to be on as solid ground, so if you've got it, its better to get rid of it.

<b><font color=purple>Details, Details, Its all in the Details, If you need help, Don't leave out the Details.</font color=purple></b>

 

[mickrick]

Yeah, the mac address would give it away with broadband. Actually, 2 mac addresses. The one of the cable modem and the one on the nic.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about it until the RIAA come knocking at your door.

How are people in Europe fixed with the RIAA?

Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in!

 

[HolyGrenade]

The Privacy laws and human rights lawas are still holding up here.

<b><font color=red>They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.</font color=red></b>