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

[jpts33]

Hi. Had a letter yesterday from ACS:LAW demanding £500 for a file they say was illegally downloaded and distrubuted. (Uploaded). They showed evidence from BT that the file was downloaded from my IP Address 1 year ago. Several people have access to my PC but all have stated they did not download this file. Basically feeling sick to my stomach, depressed, suffer with clinical depression anyway. Searched long and hard for this file on my PC can't find it. Because of very low income I cannot afford £500. In the meantime suicidal comes to mind........

Edited February 12, 2010 by jpts33

[robjam1969]

jpts33

 

Take time to read through the threads and decide on a plan of action. I had a letter from the 6 weeks ago and have issued a letter of denial. Heard nothing since.

 

Most importantly don't worry about it.

 

I personally wouldn't be offering to pay them. Would only be a matter of time before the next bunch of chancers start sending you letters.

 

In the scheme of things this letter is not that important!

[mr.ton]

Goodness me..are these rogues still playing their silly games?

When oh when will the uselsess authorities actually do something

[mr.ton]

15 guests

[Robbie_1984]

Hello All

 

I've just registered so I can post here. My dad recieved one of these letters yesterday from ACS:Law (the Internet connection is in his name) claiming that we have apparently downloaded some hardcore porn film produced by evil empire/Evil Angel. They are demanding a £500 settlement. I havenot downloaded this, and with my parents being over 60 I havent even bothered to ask them if they have, they can barely work a computer.

 

I am obviously not going to pay them the £500 they want, so am I correct in thinking I should start sending the letters of denial I have read about earlier in the thread?

[MrShaun]

Morning everybody,

 

I received a letter from ACS:Law asking me for £500.25 for copyrights infringements, I am very dissapointed as during the date and the time they are quoting I was not in the country.

I have been reading the comments from everybody else and the link and they are very useful although yesterday I was more willing to pay just for the fact that they accused me to distribute a gay - porn video and I was afraid of the consequences of the scandall.

I am planning to use the templates for LOD from the previously quote website and sending this to them and the letter template to my MP.

Is everybody in the same boat as me to report this back to watch dog and get publicly reported?

 

Is anyone think I should do any further than that?

 

Thank you for any comments.

[Delta82]

15 guests

 

There will be for a while I imagine now as there is a lot of people looking this Firm up due to more letters being sent out.

 

Its a good thing I think though because I know I was panicking when I first received a letter and hunting everywhere for info and now there is Help as well as masses of info for people to read as well LODs to send off

 

Only downside is many people may pay up regardless if there innocent or not due to it being Porn titles that they are now chasing.

[mr.ton]

OK fair enough...

Right - anyone reading this/or just signing up for the 1st time, DO NOT PAY THIS COMPANY A PENNY AS IT IS A [problem]!!!!!

Report them to the OFT & trading standards immediately.

You might also want to contact your local police force (not 999) as well.

This company has no legal right to money off you whatsoever - only a county court does.

You have many legal rights within the county courts & it will cost these rogues money everytime they take someone there

[citizenB]

i think the best course of action is a very brief letter of denial as i have said before i know i didnt download this game ive checked my pc to confirm what i already know so why did i get the letter ..thats the worrying thing..the letter i received is unbelievably amatuer i mean you cant dictate how much compensation is due also having a section for a minor to sign too, this is a moneymaking scheme and it will be crushed of that im sure....

 

I also been to the CAB today, they also advised me to ring Consumer Direct and to reply to ACS Law with a letter of denial.

Also if anybody who can not afford a solicitor, I was told some might do a free consultation from 15 to 30 minutes but its best to search around to see if they do this.

 

I will also send a copy of my letter to Watchdog very shortly with the advice that I've been told.

 

 

 

found this draft statement i think i will use............................................I did not download and did not make available for upload your clients work “Two Worlds” via my Internet connection, nor did I authorise anyone else to do so.

 

I deny any breach of the CDPA 1988 sections 16(1)(d) and 20 of the act.

 

I have never possessed a copy of the work in any form, nor have I distributed it, or authorised anyone else to distribute it using my internet connection.

 

Any proceedings that you may choose to take will be fully and vigorously defended, please inform your client that if they wish to pursue this matter, I will seek to recover all my costs to the maximum permitted by the Civil Procedure Rules.

 

jpts33, Robbie_1984, MrShaun, as advised read through the thread. There is short denial template that tommyboy used, in the quote directly above this.

 

I believe you are also being advised to contact Consumer Direct/OFT.

 

Above all, please do not sign the letter personally, use a digitgal signature or one of the script fonts that you will find on Word.

[mr.ton]

Do Not Pay Them A Penny!

[mr.ton]

Maybe we can incorporate these rogues into my thread about "a national day of anti DCA action"?

[beingscammed]

Hello all,

Just to let you know not to consider this as a [problem]. These are real lawyers, obtaining real Norwich Pharmacal orders through the courts. Your ISP has released your details to the lawyers.

I suggest anyone recieved these letters does some research before deciding their course of action. I recommend this Being Threatened? website for help and resources.

Best of luck to all.

[andydd]

Hello all,

Just to let you know not to consider this as a [problem]. These are real lawyers, obtaining real Norwich Pharmacal orders through the courts. Your ISP has released your details to the lawyers.

I suggest anyone recieved these letters does some research before deciding their course of action. I recommend this Being Threatened? website for help and resources.

Best of luck to all.

 

I agree, I thought we had been through all this before and it was suggested that it shouldnt be refered to as 'a [problem]'. a [problem] implies that ACS Law can be completely ignored, HOWEVER if you choose this course of action then ACS Law will be more tempted to issue court proceedings If they do and you ignore these then unfortunatly ACS Law WILL win by default.

 

I have just listened to the You & Yours Radio show about this and they guy arguing against ACS Law used the term 'speculative invoicing' which made me giggle and is a far better term than '[problem]', I believe the definition of [problem] should not be used in this case, as this isn't a fictional nigerian lottery winner we are dealing with it is a REAL legal company with REAL evidence (admittley not strong evidence or maybe not legal permissable) but the evidence does exist.

 

Mr Ton..Your comments are well meaning and I admire your stand up to them attitude and i certainly wouldnt advise paying ACS a penny but i strongly do not approve of the term '[problem]' as it could send people off on the wrong path and end up getting them in trouble.

 

I would suggest DO NOT IGNORE letters from ACS, DO NOT write back accusing them of being scamsters,instead send back a LOD (Letter of Denial) to them, there are templates floating about, I think on other sites, follow some of the links earlier on this thread.

 

Also here is a link to the BBC radio show You and Yours where they question ACS Law although it could of done with being longer !

 

BBC - Radio 4 You and Yours - Wednesday

 

Andy

[Robbie_1984]

jpts33, Robbie_1984, MrShaun, as advised read through the thread. There is short denial template that tommyboy used, in the quote directly above this.

 

I believe you are also being advised to contact Consumer Direct/OFT.

 

Above all, please do not sign the letter personally, use a digitgal signature or one of the script fonts that you will find on Word.

 

Thanks, I'll send an LOD off to them in the next few days, but forgive the question probably sounding stupid, Law really isnt my strong point, but why do we not sign the letter and use a digital sugniture?

[jpts33]

Nvm

Edited February 12, 2010 by jpts33

[MrShaun]

jpts33, Robbie_1984, MrShaun, as advised read through the thread. There is short denial template that tommyboy used, in the quote directly above this.

 

I believe you are also being advised to contact Consumer Direct/OFT.

 

Above all, please do not sign the letter personally, use a digitgal signature or one of the script fonts that you will find on Word.

 

CitizenB thank you for this, I just finished writing the letter of Denial, a letter to my MP, a letter complaining to ICO and a letter complaining to SRA using the templates mention earlier in the threat.

Do I need to send any more letters to anyone else? I don't mind and I will fight this even if they send me to court it will impossible to prove that I was using the internet at the time.

[Robbie_1984]

How many people have ACS actually managed to get to court over this anyway? Is it just the 4 that failed to turn up?

[MrShaun]

I have just posted the letters and how funny but the address that ACS:Law is quoting in their letter is belonging to a company for property management.

The address I sent is: 18 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1HX.

I saw in the in a the back of the letter there is another address 83 Victoria St, London SW1H 0HW.

 

Is anyone else having the same problem?

 

Which one is the right address?

 

Thank you

[Robbie_1984]

I have just posted the letters and how funny but the address that ACS:Law is quoting in their letter is belonging to a company for property management.

The address I sent is: 18 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1HX.

I saw in the in a the back of the letter there is another address 83 Victoria St, London SW1H 0HW.

 

Is anyone else having the same problem?

 

Which one is the right address?

 

Thank you

 

If thats correct then thats another foul up on their part, the letter i recieved states a different telephone and fax number to what their website states, hence why I believe so many people do think this is a plain [problem] and not taking it remotely serious.

[andydd]

Thanks, I'll send an LOD off to them in the next few days, but forgive the question probably sounding stupid, Law really isnt my strong point, but why do we not sign the letter and use a digital sugniture?

 

Whereas when you apply for a CCA or any type of agreement it is important NOt to sign anything, in case they use it to make a fraudualnt agrrement, in this case it really doesnt matter if you sign or not, you havnt entered into any agreement with ACS so a signature is irrelevant, your ISP may or may not have a signature but its not really going to matter.

 

Andy

[MrShaun]

What a surprise!!!!

 

The other address is also register to a company called Advanta not to ACS:LAW.

 

I sent both letter to the two adresses just in case.

 

Now just waiting until Monday to see if they arrive.

[andydd]

I have just posted the letters and how funny but the address that ACS:Law is quoting in their letter is belonging to a company for property management.

The address I sent is: 18 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1HX.

I saw in the in a the back of the letter there is another address 83 Victoria St, London SW1H 0HW.

 

Is anyone else having the same problem?

 

Which one is the right address?

 

Thank you

 

I used to work over the road from no.18 and I believe that ACS do indeed have an office there, a property management company may own the whole building, its quite big and various floors and/or offices will be rented out.

 

Andy

[andydd]

Hi. Had a letter yesterday from ACS:LAW demanding £500 for a file they say was illegally downloaded and distrubuted. (Uploaded). I may be in a different position than most of you as I have used torrent sites to download films, although I don't have any knowledge of the film they say I downloaded. They showed evidence from BT that the file was downloaded from my IP Address 1 year ago. Several people have access to my PC but all have stated they did not download this file. Basically feeling sick to my stomach, depressed, suffer with clinical depression anyway. Searched long and hard for this file on my PC can't find it. Any files I have ever downloaded have not been shared as far as I know because I have downloaded and exited the program. No excuse here I guess. Because of very low income I cannot afford £500 so should I offer to pay them by instalments each month? I don't know. I wouldn't have personally knowingly downloaded this file but they have proof it was downloaded so I have to go with that. Does anybody think they will accept installments, otherwise it is to Court I go which could cost me thousands I havn't got. BTW - never ever will I download from these sites again lol. In the meantime suicidal comes to mind........

 

Please don't worry about this, the very worst that could happen is that you will have to call their bluff and say you are willing to go to court, ACS Law have never taken anyone to court, listen to their guy on the You & Yours show, he admits as much.

 

Certainly DO NOT offer to pay them anything, why should you ?. Also it could be seen as an admission of guilt.

 

Andy

[MrShaun]

I used to work over the road from no.18 and I believe that ACS do indeed have an office there, a property management company may own the whole building, its quite big and various floors and/or offices will be rented out.

 

Andy

 

Andy, When I was referring about that they are not listed , just quoting what in the post office told me from their computers. It may be you are right they are just renting from this property management company.

On the second letter I got the same answer it belongs to someone else.

Coincidence or just bad records from the post office? Not disputing them, just for everybody to think about this...

I will know by Monday if they receive them.

 

I am not discouraging anyone to send the letter the other way around, please do as soon as possible.

[Robbie_1984]

I just listened to the radio 4 show that was linked earlier in the thread and heard Crossley himself say:

 

"all we're doing is putting them on notice that their IP address has been utilised, we offer a compromise, they're under no obligtion to pay it, but if they ignore us we will take further action"

 

What does this mean? That the letter is basically a warning that my connection is now being watched, pay up if you did it, if you didn't just let us know and we'll forget about it??? That sounded quite confusing.