Friend "going to be sued" for downloading?

Kristoph · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:51

Hey, I've got a mate who may have downloaded something recently.

He's been handed a court order etc, basically they're suing him for £600.

The company rang a bell, wasnt there a thread a while back with someone who got a letter for a game he didn't download? I can't find the thread.

Any help would b great.

GarethDW · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:52

Think it was Davenport Lyons.... Have a search for it.

Kristoph · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:52

Thats the one. I'll take a look.

Dunks · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:54

Unless you get anything via post, i'd just ignore it.

iSam · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:54

Crikey, sounds serious. should have just bought the game, it definitely wasnt worth £600!

JIM_BOB7813 · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:55

Isotope said:
Crikey, sounds serious. should have just bought the game, it definitely wasnt worth £600!

I believe this is the exact message all these companies are trying to send out

Kristoph · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:56

He did get it by post. 2 letters - they've told him how he can pay, otherwise they'll be taking him to court.

JIM_BOB7813 · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:56

link for the lazy
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17824481

Zefan · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:57

How do they know he did it :confused:

~J~ · 12 Feb 2008 at 14:57

LOL

Just LOL.

JIM_BOB7813 · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:00

Zefan said:
How do they know he did it

Don't they seed the software on p2p networks, and record which IP addresses download/upload from them, then send a threatening letter to the ISP to find out who was on that IP at a given time.

Well, i believe they employ companies that do this, although they won't reveal how they actually know it was you because i don't think it's morally/legally allowed. I dunno if that is true, but i probably read it somewhere.

*Chris · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:00

buy the game + say the disc was too scratched + wouldnt play

Zefan · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:01

JIM_BOB7813 said:
Don't they seed the software on p2p networks, and record which IP addresses download/upload from them, then send a threatening letter to the ISP to find out who was on that IP at a given time.

Well, i believe they employ companies that do this, although they won't reveal how they actually know it was you because i don't think it's morally/legally allowed. I dunno if that is true, but i probably read it somewhere.

Yeah, they'd be breaking the law themselves if they did that :\

JIM_BOB7813 · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:02

Zefan said:
Yeah, they'd be breaking the law themselves if they did that :\

But nobody will ever find out because all the people they are threatening with court action will probably pay-up, or if you refuse, they will probably just let it go.

SpeedFreak · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:18

So his ISP just handed out his details to a firm claiming to be a solicitor without any police involvement? Sounds like a breach of data protection to me.

Delboy · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:23

Perhaps discussing this on public forum is not going to help matters.

snowdog · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:27

Make a pic of your behind.
Print it.
Write: Kiss my ***
Put in envelope.
Send back to Davenport Lyons.

Perhaps also send them one of them middle finger toys...
Also tell em their next letter will be used as toilet paper.

JIM_BOB7813 · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:30

snowdog said:
Also tell em their next letter will be used as toilet paper.

I bet the letter is on quite thick paper...

Azagoth · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:31

Is he on wireless? If so, just say that someone must have been leeching his bandwidth and let them try to disprove it.

Raikiri · 12 Feb 2008 at 15:32

SpeedFreak said:
So his ISP just handed out his details to a firm claiming to be a solicitor without any police involvement? Sounds like a breach of data protection to me.

Indeed, they probably obtained the details illegally (entrapment) and as you said breached the data protection act... send a nicely worded letter back