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Virg-- piracy letter
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tonkatoy
Newbie
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5. November 2008 @ 06:48 |
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Hi,
A 'friend' got an interesting letter from Virgin media today regarding illegal set-top box.
It begins:
"It has been brought to out attention that someone at your address has purchased and may be using an unauthorised set-top box."
It then lists the terms and conditions, and includes a faq on how naughty it is.
It stops short at saying that the FBI are going to kick your door in, and indeed does say they "are not going to take any legal action at this stage", but make it very clear the box should be disconnected and disposed "in an environmentally friendly way"
One faq question/answer:
Where did Virgin Media get my details?
We have been working with the police to legally gather details of the people who are selling unauthorised set-top boxes and also the details of the people who have brought the boxes for use on our network.
Anyone else heard of these letters?
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gurmuk
Newbie
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5. November 2008 @ 07:51 |
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I too have recieved this letter today, I rang the helpline to tell them i didn't have an unauthorised box and they told me 'A third party had informed them i had purchased one'.
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tonkatoy
Newbie
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5. November 2008 @ 08:00 |
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hmmmm,
Well I guess thats about all they can do then. If they can't detect you using the box, a letter is about as far as they can push it. ...and a black mark on your account, no doubt.
Still interested to know how they got the information though.
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AfterDawn Addict
2 product reviews
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5. November 2008 @ 08:01 |
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Can you scan the letter and put it up obviously without your details on it? would make interesting reading.
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malci
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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5. November 2008 @ 08:15 |
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Very intriguing to say the least, if you could possibly do what has been suggested, it would be beneficial to everyone, and I just wonder if you are both in the same area and have someone malicious close by? (who obviusly knows you and your hobbies)
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tonkatoy
Newbie
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5. November 2008 @ 08:45 |
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sorry about the crappy quality (mobile phone + too much coffee)
page1
page2
page3
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2008 @ 08:57
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AfterDawn Addict
2 product reviews
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5. November 2008 @ 08:48 |
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Tonk thanks for uploading them!, just to let you know the first pic still has the Ref number on it.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2008 @ 08:55
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tonkatoy
Newbie
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5. November 2008 @ 08:59 |
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Removed the ref #. It seems pretty unidentifying anyway. thanks.
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AfterDawn Addict
2 product reviews
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5. November 2008 @ 09:06 |
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Would be interesting to know where you both got your receivers from, maybe you have the same supplier and he's been done for selling them and given or forced to give his customers details, if this is the case im sure we will be hearing more of the same, who knows?
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Senior Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:07 |
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I wonder could they be sending them out to everyone that used to have a more expensive package and switched back to the basic package?
For example if you subscribed for the movie channels and sports channels for years and then stopped.
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AfterDawn Addict
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5. November 2008 @ 09:20 |
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Afternoon, did anyone not wonder why fleabay has stopped allowing the sale of them and don't fleabay have all the buyer/seller info?
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tonkatoy
Newbie
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5. November 2008 @ 09:21 |
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I'm in the telewest aztec region, and the box in question was a starview clone that came from unknown supplier from ebay over a year ago.
I did drop some sports channels some months back. ... but i'm still paying them £85 a month, not exactly suspicious.
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AfterDawn Addict
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5. November 2008 @ 09:23 |
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Hence what I was hinting at regards fleabay ;)
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Senior Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:24 |
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So you reckon it's fleabay then? And would they be likely to be giving the irish companies lists of names too?
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AfterDawn Addict
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5. November 2008 @ 09:28 |
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I am only surmising Eva but it makes sense they have done similar things in the past. As said nothing to worry about as there hasnt been a spate of letters. I could also be adding 2 + 2 and getting 5 ;)
Maybe something as simple as a nosey neighbour.
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Senior Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:32 |
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I wonder if they are doing it how far back they would be likely to go, six months, 12 months, beginning of the year?
Interesting.
I thought fleabay were supposed to keep your details confidential. Could you not sue them for releasing them to a third party?
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smudger24
Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:35 |
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I bought my box off a website about a year ago, (not an auction site). I have just received one of these letters this morning also.
Is it worth ringing V*rgin or just leave it?
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2008 @ 09:37
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Senior Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:39 |
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Not fleabay then. Do you live near the op? Have you cancelled a premium package and gone for the basic package?
Not interrogating you here, just trying to get any common factors.
Personally i wouldn't ring them and admit to having the box, if you are worried maybe disconnect it for a while and wait to see what other people have to say.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2008 @ 09:45
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AfterDawn Addict
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5. November 2008 @ 09:41 |
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Roughly where in the UK are you two that have received the letters from?
@Eva regards fleabay its open to debate as regards information. If I gave out someone's info without their knowledge would I admit to it. (Yes I would of course, thats my nature), but we are dealing with a different beast here.
Too much guess work here on my part without enough info. Maybe they are just mailing them like a mailshot in the logical manner that quite a few people have boxes. You wont hear from people who dont have boxes here or on any other forums saying they have received these letters.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2008 @ 09:44
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Senior Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:46 |
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My guess is they're doing a mailshot to people that cancelled premium sub for the basic pacakge.
We'll find out soon enough i'm sure.
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smudger24
Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:52 |
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I bought from a website on line that was selling several different types of boxes. It was about a year ago so trying to remember what it was called. (Not fleabay or any auction site).
Don't know what you mean by near the op? I am in East London but am not near an exchange or any V*rgin building. I reduced my package when I got my box about a year ago.
I have the package that is one up from the basic so paying about £22 pound a month.
Was thinking of ringing v*irgin and telling them I do not have a box or they might think I have, unless I contact them?
Is it better to just wait and see what you clever people can find out first?
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AfterDawn Addict
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5. November 2008 @ 09:52 |
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True Eva, we will wait and see, its just guess work as said ;) I just got a mail about it from a friend of a friend, directing me to here of all places :)
@smudger were they called Cleverbase?
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2008 @ 09:54
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Senior Member
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5. November 2008 @ 09:55 |
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Op means original poster, the person who started the thread. So you both had a more expensive package and then cancelled it for a cheaper one.
It's up to you if you want to ring them, personally i'd wait a day or two and see what other people come up with.
If anyone else has had the same letter and is posting here, please tell us your general area, and whether you downgraded your package or not. That way we might be able to work out a common thread here.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2008 @ 09:58
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varnull
Suspended permanently
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5. November 2008 @ 09:56 |
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hehehehe.. I would phone them threatening to cancel my whole package unless they inform you exactly who "told" them. You are legally entitled to know who is spreading "hearsay" about you so you can confirm it is false.
I had some asshole buy tv equipment in a supermarket and next thing TV licensing are on my case (and they told me who the business which had given out my information was.. apparently it's a legal requirement under the data protection act)... but with my old name.. which tied it down to ONE person.. who promptly got a visit from my "friends" who made it impossible for him to enjoy his new TV for a few months while he was recovering.
Get investigating.. if push comes to shove go to the CAB and complain strongly about being falsely accused of a crime with no evidence other than hearsay.
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smudger24
Member
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5. November 2008 @ 10:02 |
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Yes they were called Cleverbase.
As said, I am in East London.
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