ACS:Law copyright file sharing claims, Gallant Macmillan - and probably some others along the way...

[cashins]

Sooooooooooo....you put it up on 'Freelancer', cough £2-300 and then pass off the results as done by IT experts when it could in fact be any Tom, Dick or Harry.

 

David

[whereswally]

That's my understanding, hence why they won't go to court.

 

Judge:"Where did you get your evidence and how is it regulated?"

 

ACS:LAW: "My buddy Terrance got some foreign freelancer off the interwebs to code us a programs that works 100% in getting nasty illegal filesharers"

 

It just ain't going to happen guys.

Edited April 28, 2010 by whereswally

[Time on my hands]

Hi All ,

 

While i was at work last week werecived our first suggesting that a pornographic film had been d/loaded using our connection in her panic my wife emailed acs law and offered a repayment plan to them. Upon returning from work and reading up on Acs Law i fired off a LOD safe in the knowledge i had done nothing of the sort. Today i have recived another letter accepting the repayment plan. What are my options now as i tend to belive that they will accept this plan as a addmission of guilt :-|

 

Wow - that's a tough one. It may all hang on what your wife said to them, particularly if she interpreted it as a bill, not as an accusation.

It may also depend on who the letter was addressed to.

But I'm sure that Crossley would do his best to twist this.

Can anyone else help?

[Scooby Doo69]

I think the best answer is to take legal advice on this one.

As has been stated ACS would more than likely probe this as an admission of guilt.

 

Try your local CAB or solicitor. Most solictors offer a free 15-30 minute consultation.

[acshunter]

"So this is how they started getting IP addresses then.......posted by Terrance Tsang (TT) way back in 2008"....

 

...And who was dicking around with capturing IP address around the same time? NG3 Systems Limited (Alireza Torabi) the company that works from a two bed flat in London.

[tp123]

Email Received from Which?

 

"Hi ********,

 

My name is ********* *********** and I'm the Assistant Editor/News on Which? Computing magazine.

 

We have had many, many complaints from readers about ACS: Law Solicitors.

 

Do you have a contact number I can speak to you on? Alternatively, give me a ring on ***********

 

Look forward to speaking with you.

 

Kind regards ***************"

 

Email received from SRA:

 

"Thank you for your email of 22 April 2010.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority is aware of concerns regarding ACS Law and we are acting already.The SRA is not proposing to investigate each individual case as the regulatory issues do not vary significantly between cases, but instead will deal with it ‘in the round’.

 

If you wish to make a complaint about ACS Law, we would be grateful if you could provide us with certain information that may be relevant to our ongoing action, the information being found in the letter of claim you will have been sent by ACS Law.

 

We would be grateful if you could provide us with the following information:

[same information requested as before - see previous posts]

[Caimbeul]

Did you know that they sent me a copy of the wrong court order (yes it was a heavily photo copied version too) and my ISP at the time was not even listed!

 

They have also ignored a formal requested for information/evidence.

[zero_flight]

Yes ACS: Law did the same to me, I asked them for more information and they told me that I was not entitled to it. I had all the information that I needed. However, when thinking back the person on the telephone did not appear to know what they were talking about, it sounded like they were reading off a piece of paper. That was about two weeks ago and I have not wasted anymore time on them.

[sequenci]

Great to see some momentum folks, best wishes!

[spacecowboy1159]

Same thing happened to us the other day - they wrote saying we'd downloaded hardcore gay porn. After reading up on the internet it seems as though whilst it's legal for them to write to you (as they're solicitors) the whole thing is a bit of a money-making [problem]. They're fishing and unfortunately some people have been scared into sending these scumbags the money. If you look ACS Law up on Companies House website it shows them as being dissolved. We're seeking advice from Citizen's Advice, but the general concensus seems to be to simply ignore unless you receive an official court summons. I guarantee if you reply to them they'll hound you. Many people have tried to contact ACS Law rather unsuccessfully - they either don't reply to your letters or you receive an automated email response and nothing more. It really shouldn't be allowed - especially as there's obviously something a little dubious about the whole thing.

[tryintowin_007]

Well today I had my reply to my LOD, I did not use a template letter, as feel I have nothing to hide, they have replied saying they are not saying that I downloaded the file, or that I was aware, what they are implying is my IP address was captured on a P2P swarm. They ended the letter saying I have 14 days to reply and state why I still don't think it was me or pay the fine, apparently in both instances even if I pay they will have to take legal proceedings, think that was a major typo by them. They have also advised I take legal advice, and forward on the name of solicitor I have instructed to defend me. I have looked into this and the cost for a solicitor is £250, it's almost cheaper to pay the fine of which I am sure they are aware.

However I still did nothing wrong, I will reply stating my exact reasons this time, 1. I had no computer at the time etc, and also ask what legislation makes me responsible for my wireless router, this is setup and sent by my ISP, of which I would think of counter suing if this went as far as they are threatening.

Oh to be innocent until proven guilty seems a thing of the past for ACS......

[smiler876]

hi all again

Ive had a second meeting with my local trading standards officer and have once again been told to ignore ACS so been advised 3 times now to ignore them

[tp123]

Dear ***************

 

Professional conduct

 

Thank you for your correspondence which has been received by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The SRA is responsible for the regulation of solicitors, their firm and others involved in legal services. Our purpose is to protect the public by ensuring that solicitors meet high standards and by acting when risks are identified.

Your correspondence is in the process of being assessed to identify the issues raised and to ensure the matter is designated to the appropriate unit for consideration within the SRA. We will contact you again shortly.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for taking the time to raise your concerns with us.

 

Yours sincerely

[jpts33]

Well today I had my reply to my LOD, I did not use a template letter, as feel I have nothing to hide, they have replied saying they are not saying that I downloaded the file, or that I was aware, what they are implying is my IP address was captured on a P2P swarm. They ended the letter saying I have 14 days to reply and state why I still don't think it was me or pay the fine, apparently in both instances even if I pay they will have to take legal proceedings, think that was a major typo by them. They have also advised I take legal advice, and forward on the name of solicitor I have instructed to defend me. I have looked into this and the cost for a solicitor is £250, it's almost cheaper to pay the fine of which I am sure they are aware.

However I still did nothing wrong, I will reply stating my exact reasons this time, 1. I had no computer at the time etc, and also ask what legislation makes me responsible for my wireless router, this is setup and sent by my ISP, of which I would think of counter suing if this went as far as they are threatening.

Oh to be innocent until proven guilty seems a thing of the past for ACS......

 

M8, please be careful of what information you are giving them. They are not interested in what you have to say. Of course the more you say they will hope you will hang yourself. Please somebody correct me if I'm wrong but to be an infringer you either have to download/upload (Uploading in this case) yourself or authorize somebody else to do so. It seems you have not done this and it also seems they have acknowledged the fact it may not have been you. To me they seem to want you to give them somebody else's details as the infringer, or slip up yourself. There is no legislation that makes you responsible.

 

Please I urge you to read more of this forum and also on Slyck. Both forums are full of information, even recently seemingly showing where they get their Harvesting techniques from (the software they use). NOBODY has yet been taken to Court and it looks like nobody ever will be, especially if they have to reveal this software they use:-|.

 

You obviously do what you feel you have to do but personally (and its only my opinion) I would fire off a proper LoD from the templates available and leave it at that, don't hang yourself with these idiots.

 

Good luck and hope it works out for you and all of us in the end.......

Edited April 29, 2010 by jpts33

[shenme]

Don't pay the fine! You didn't do it... They are just trying to scare you! I got a letter telling me that if they didn't receive payment within 7 days that they were issuing court proceedings. That was back last October and I haven't heard a peep from the slimey lying *illigitimate children*. This whole situation is so stressful and can lead to irational thoughts, but please consider the facts:

- Thousands have been affected; you're not alone

- No one has been taken to court

- There have been previous bouts of these letters. The older ones (such as mine have seemingly been dropped

- They have absolutely no evidence that you infringed or authorised another to infringe (unless they have a camera pointing at your computer watching you do it or a microphone telling another to do it for you).

- Regardless of the Digital Britain bill/whatever it's called, ACS will drop this when the money runs out, especially with the bad publicity.

 

Just hang in there. There's so much support here!

 

[devonwoman]

Good advice, its easy for them to scare you and make you panic.

[Scooby Doo69]

hi all again

Ive had a second meeting with my local trading standards officer and have once again been told to ignore ACS so been advised 3 times now to ignore them

 

I'm not a Solicitor, but I don't care what anyone is telling you, I'd strongly advise against ignoring what is potentially legally proceedings. ACS are of course chancers, but they are a legally registered Solicitors firm and know their stuff. By ignoring them, you are not stating your innocence.

 

At single letter of denial should be sent as a minimum to state your innocence.

[Scooby Doo69]

Good advice, its easy for them to scare you and make you panic.

 

They are literally banking on it

 

[jonnyboy86]

hello all,

 

just been reading through the forum and would like to say thanks for all the advice.

 

here is my story,

 

returned today from working away and had a letter from acs falsely accusing me of downloading copyrighted pornography and askin for $495, dont know why its in dollars but anyhow, after reading through here i called the sra and told them i had recieved the letter and the guy on the phone asked if it was from acs. i told him yes and he told me they had recieved a number of complaints and they were investigating the cases. he then told me to call them back in the middle of next week and he would let me know what is happening with it.

 

he then told me he recieved a phone call from a woman who had recieved a letter and paid them the £400, she then recieved a second letter saying she had to pay them another £1200.

 

has anybody ignored their letters? and if so have you heard from them again?

 

also has anyone else been asked for the amount in dollars rather than pounds?

 

also, dont know if you already know this but a friend looked into them and told me the registered owner of the company is also the owner of another company that sells cars from japan and never imports them.

 

cheers.

Edited May 1, 2010 by ukaviator
Removed commercial link

[zero_flight]

My advice would be never to ignore them, you need to send them a letter of denial. I sent them mine on Tuesday, just before the deadline that they requested payment (mine was also £495). I sent it just before the deadline following advice from a member on this forum. I am now waiting for a second letter from them, but I hope that I do not hear anymore. Like others on this forum I have also reported them to SRA, Watchdog, Which, Trading Standards, etc. It would be advisable to do the same, so that they can be stopped.

[tp123]

jonnyboy86,

 

I echo zero flight's advice. I have also responded with a letter of denial and am now waiting. I have spoken to a number of individuals from organisations that are investigating ACS Law (most are mentioned in zero flight's post) and there is a lot going on "behind the scenes" regarding concerns over ACS Law's conduct.

 

I would also advise not to provide any details specific to your letter on any forums as it is well known that ACS watch these forums trying to identify individuals by linking details and usernames etc in the hope that someone may incriminate themselves. A tactic that, in my view, further demonstrates their aknowledgment of the flawed legal position in relation to the claims.

Edited May 1, 2010 by tp123

[jonnyboy86]

thanks for the response, is there a sample denial letter anywhere I could use?

 

cheers.

[tp123]

jonnyboy86,

 

[mod edit: removed link, sorry it's against the site rules]

 

Use it in conjunction with the advice on this forum. Some people choose not to use the template as sometimes ACS send a stupid letter back saying they won't respond to templates.

 

I used it for guidance and wrote my own.

[samueladams]

Ok. This is strange. I have today received a letter addressed for someone else, who has clearly had the same kind of correspondence as the rest of us. I can't give too much away as i feel that either myself or the person in question may be identified. I have no idea what to do at this point. I've tried to find the person using the internet and failed. If anyone knows how i may be able to track someone down using alternative methods, please get in touch.

 

Thanks

[tp123]

Ok. This is strange. I have today received a letter addressed for someone else, who has clearly had the same kind of correspondence as the rest of us. I can't give too much away as i feel that either myself or the person in question may be identified. [...]

 

That is strange - do you mean it was to your address but someone else's name?