DMCA Complaint against my IP

[G73S]

I use StrongVPN as my VPN service and it seems that I had downloaded a file in the past for which someone has filed a complaint to StrongVPN and they sent me a warning that if I continue to do so, they will suspend my account.

1- What the heck? what's the point of using a VPN then?
2- How did the owner of that video know when it was shared through torrents?
3- What shall I do to prevent anyone from tracking me?

Email for your reference:

[FONT=&quot]***NOTE TO RELIABLEHOSTING.COM: PLEASE FORWARD THIS ENTIRE NOTICE TO ACCOUNT HOLDER OF IP ADDRESS 173.195.12.173 at 2014-01-08 17:58:30 North American Eastern Time***[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]January 9, 2014[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Re: Notice of Unauthorized Use of Copyrights Owned by Froytal Services Limited DBA Babes Case #: P53430692[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]CEG TEK International ("CEG") represents Froytal Services Limited DBA Babes, who owns all right, title and interest, including copyrights, in and to the work listed below (hereinafter the "Work"). (Some individuals may find certain words in titles of works to be offensive. CEG apologizes in advance if this is the case.)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]This notice is intended solely for the primary Reliablehosting.com service account holder. Someone using this account has engaged in the unauthorized copying and/or distribution of the Work listed below.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Evidence: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Work Title: Double Pleasure [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Copyright Owner: Froytal Services Limited DBA Babes [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unauthorized File Name: Babes.13.04.10.Jessie.Volt.And.Angelica.Saige.Double.Pleasure.XXX.1080p.x264-SEXORS[rarbg] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unauthorized Hash: 6f151f47455c28be61fae24369d4cb71417679a6 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unauthorized File Size: 1028553920 bytes [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unauthorized Protocol: BitTorrent [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Timestamp: 2014-01-08 17:58:30 North American Eastern Time [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unauthorized IP Address: 173.195.12.173 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unauthorized Port: 37498 [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The following files were included in the unauthorized copying and/or distribution:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]File 1: Babes.13.04.10.Jessie.Volt.And.Angelica.Saige.Double.Pleasure.XXX.1080p.x264-SEXORS[rarbg]/babes-130410-sexors.mp4[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]File 2: Babes.13.04.10.Jessie.Volt.And.Angelica.Saige.Double.Pleasure.XXX.1080p.x264-SEXORS[rarbg]/Sample/babes-130410-sexors.sample.mp4[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]CEG TEK International ("CEG") hereby notifies you that unauthorized copying and/or distribution of Froytal Services Limited DBA Babes's Work listed above is a violation of the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 106. In this regard, request is hereby made that you and all persons using this account immediately and permanently cease and desist from unauthorized copying and/or distribution of the Work.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Settlement Information: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Direct Settlement Link: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Settlement Website: [/FONT]

Locked because the OP is asking how to not get caught. -DrPizza

 

[serpretetsky]

Should you post case#'s and passwords to those cases? I think i would blank that out just in case.

3- What shall I do to prevent anyone from tracking me?
:

stop illegally downloading copyright material?

 

[Mark R]

A VPN is not to protect your identity when you access a web site, or download/upload files.

The purpose of a VPN is to protect against spying by 3rd parties on your local network; for example, if you regularly use free open wifi, you may want to use a VPN to prevent nearby people spying on your traffic (which is trivially easy, as open wifi uses no encryption and all users on the network can read all other user's traffic).

In the above case, the VPN actually provides reliable proof of your identity. If you were using wifi which was open and did not ask for proof of ID, then it would be very difficult to identify you. By using a VPN, you have provided cast-iron proof that it was you.

 

[G73S]

A VPN is not to protect your identity when you access a web site, or download/upload files.

The purpose of a VPN is to protect against spying by 3rd parties on your local network; for example, if you regularly use free open wifi, you may want to use a VPN to prevent nearby people spying on your traffic (which is trivially easy, as open wifi uses no encryption and all users on the network can read all other user's traffic).

In the above case, the VPN actually provides reliable proof of your identity. If you were using wifi which was open and did not ask for proof of ID, then it would be very difficult to identify you. By using a VPN, you have provided cast-iron proof that it was you.

Right, so if I download movies using my ISP's connection with no VPN connected, am I safe? or will my ISP send me similar warnings?

I used to hear about peer block but I don't know if it still works? what else can I do to prevent anyone tracking me

regardless of what I am downloading, I don't want any tracking be it legal or not

 

[lxskllr]

You'd want a vpn that claims it doesn't log. It should also be hosted in a country with strong privacy, and preferably unfriendly relations with your country. Peerblock is crap for blocking media police organizations, and torrenting media directly from your connection makes things even easier for the media police.

 

[etrigan420]

...regardless of what I am downloading, I don't want any tracking be it legal or not

wat?

The real question is: Was that porn worth $250? :hmm:

 

[G73S]

You'd want a vpn that claims it doesn't log. It should also be hosted in a country with strong privacy, and preferably unfriendly relations with your country. Peerblock is crap for blocking media police organizations, and torrenting media directly from your connection makes things even easier for the media police.

so what would you do?

 

[G73S]

wat?

The real question is: Was that porn worth $250? :hmm:

no clue bro :whiste:

 

[lxskllr]

so what would you do?

I wouldn't torrent. Either that, or I'd use a darknet.

 

[serpretetsky]

just so you know your password for the case is still listed one more time in the email

 

[G73S]

just so you know your password for the case is still listed one more time in the email

thanks bro

1) how come StrongVPN's management told me the case is now over and this is just a warning but further complaints will lead to the suspension of my account, yet when I asked them how come you say it's a warning yet the case for settlement of $750 USD is open? the manager told me to ignore it. But I am scared because in that case page of DMCA, it says I need to settle the amount by the 15th of February 2014??

2) If I download torrents without connecting to my VPN, though my ISP that is, will I get a warning from my ISP? I have never heard of such thing in all the 15 years I have used the internet until today

 

[lxskllr]

thanks bro

1) how come StrongVPN's management told me the case is now over and this is just a warning but further complaints will lead to the suspension of my account, yet when I asked them how come you say it's a warning yet the case for settlement of $750 USD is open? the manager told me to ignore it. But I am scared because in that case page of DMCA, it says I need to settle the amount by the 15th of February 2014??

2) If I download torrents without connecting to my VPN, though my ISP that is, will I get a warning from my ISP? I have never heard of such thing in all the 15 years I have used the internet until today

You know how torrents work, right? Everyone in a swarm knows the ip address of everyone else. That ip address might be a vpn you purchased, or it might be assigned by your isp. Either way, it leads directly to you. The variable is a vpn doesn't necessarily have to keep logs. If they have no log of who was connected at what time, there's no one to send a nastygram to.

 

[G73S]

interesting reply from another forum:

the VPN is being complained to, you are not. Simple enough. Your vpn is saying stop now probably because its against their TOS, or they will forward all to you. leave it go, stop the porn (For gods sake man 10000000000000000000000 people already do, why add more!?!!).

-ed-
going straight though ISP will most likely get you a court hearing AND OR suspend your ISP account or terminate.

 

[serpretetsky]

thanks bro

1) how come StrongVPN's management told me the case is now over and this is just a warning but further complaints will lead to the suspension of my account, yet when I asked them how come you say it's a warning yet the case for settlement of $750 USD is open? the manager told me to ignore it. But I am scared because in that case page of DMCA, it says I need to settle the amount by the 15th of February 2014??

2) If I download torrents without connecting to my VPN, though my ISP that is, will I get a warning from my ISP? I have never heard of such thing in all the 15 years I have used the internet until today

If StrongVPN did not give your information out then there is no one really to the pay the bill. They technically don't have to give out your information unless they've been ordered to by a court (I dont know where or not this is the case). This is probably sort of a gray area, and you'll have to use your best judgement on whether or not to pay it. I'm not a lawyer and there are other people here that probably know better than I do.

For torrenting, people generally get caught downloading from honeypots or downloading unencrypted files. If a file is unencrypted that means the file is in plain view during its entire transmission from the server to you. This means that any networks that the file travels (ATT, comcast, etc) over can plainly see what the data is. For honeypots, the company who's looking for pirates either hosts the file that's being downloaded or is activiely connected to the same file that everyone else is downloading. When this is the case no amount of encryption will really save you, because you are effectively trusting the people who are trying to catch you.

Typically, VPN's are not just used for their encryption properties, they are also used for their "proxy" ability. What that means is that when you connect to a VPN, all the traffic that is coming from your computer is first funneled to the VPN server, where it then continues onto its destination.

Anyone who tries to track you will end up at the VPN's doorstep before they can get to you.

If you're connecting to a VPN that has all of your information and will freely give it to anyone who asks, then this is almost worthless (although your data is still encrypted from your computer to the VPN, which might bypass a really aggresive local ISP, but doesn't really help with anything else)

If you have a VPN that doesn't give out information, it may still be forced to give out information by local government law.

 

[G73S]

If StrongVPN did not give your information out then there is no one really to the pay the bill. They technically don't have to give out your information unless they've been ordered to by a court (I dont know where or not this is the case). This is probably sort of a gray area, and you'll have to use your best judgement on whether or not to pay it. I'm not a lawyer and there are other people here that probably know better than I do.

For torrenting, people generally get caught downloading from honeypots or downloading unencrypted files. If a file is unencrypted that means the file is in plain view during its entire transmission from the server to you. This means that any networks that the file travels (ATT, comcast, etc) over can plainly see what the data is. For honeypots, the company who's looking for pirates either hosts the file that's being downloaded or is activiely connected to the same file that everyone else is downloading. When this is the case no amount of encryption will really save you, because you are effectively trusting the people who are trying to catch you.

Typically, VPN's are not just used for their encryption properties, they are also used for their "proxy" ability. What that means is that when you connect to a VPN, all the traffic that is coming from your computer is first funneled to the VPN server, where it then continues onto its destination.

Anyone who tries to track you will end up at the VPN's doorstep before they can get to you.

If you're connecting to a VPN that has all of your information and will freely give it to anyone who asks, then this is almost worthless (although your data is still encrypted from your computer to the VPN, which might bypass a really aggresive local ISP, but doesn't really help with anything else)

If you have a VPN that doesn't give out information, it may still be forced to give out information by local government law.

I understand, thanks a lot man for your time

 

[G73S]

Does this method work to prevent torrent tracking?

http://thecyndicate.com/Communicati...Torrents-SAFELY-Without-Your-ISP-Tracking-You

 

[lxskllr]

Does this method work to prevent torrent tracking?

http://thecyndicate.com/Communicati...Torrents-SAFELY-Without-Your-ISP-Tracking-You

No. Aside from Demonoid not being around anymore, they had very lax membership standards. Pretty much anyone could be a member, including the people you don't want looking at you.

 

[G73S]

No. Aside from Demonoid not being around anymore, they had very lax membership standards. Pretty much anyone could be a member, including the people you don't want looking at you.

I see, guess there's not way around it then but to refrain from downloading

 

[gorb]

get a seedbox.

 

[jolancer]

mark was refering to public or unsecured random wifi that don't ask for password

the manager is probably correct. this sounds like a scare tactic of embarisment hoping you have a wife or something. so you just pay to make it go away b4 thinking.

torrents:
could be tracked as others stated, but most likely not other than them directly hosting the file or being part of the swarm.. in order to capture your IP

risk factors for file being tracked:
age
popularity
speed - at which you download and upload

I don't DL much these days, but if i do and its a risky file. I just limity my up to 8kb/s and limit DL aswell to something that doesn't stick out. note - i don't use a modern torrent client tho that has malware built in

 

[ImpulsE69]

The only real solution is to use your neighbors connections to get your pr0n fix. Seriously. At least until they either lock up their wifi or lose access.

Having been notified 2 times by my ISP for things I did not download, I can personally say the method they approach this with is not only unreliable, it should be illegal itself. Of course, that isn't the case because we the people don't have the power.

 

[Headfoot]

The only real solution is to use your neighbors connections to get your pr0n fix. Seriously. At least until they either lock up their wifi or lose access.

Having been notified 2 times by my ISP for things I did not download, I can personally say the method they approach this with is not only unreliable, it should be illegal itself. Of course, that isn't the case because we the people don't have the power.

Why should it be illegal to notify the owner of an IP Address that the IP Address they own was used to make illegal downloads?

 

[ImpulsE69]

Why should it be illegal to notify the owner of an IP Address that the IP Address they own was used to make illegal downloads?

Because there is no standard for how it is handled. It is left up to the ISP. In my case, they shut off said connection until I went to their upper management. This was their process. ISP's are not verifying that these things are happening nor in the case of WiFi prove that the person registered to the IP actually did anything. They are just receiving threat letters and reacting with no proof.

Anyone could randomly get a bunch of IP's from an ISP and generate a bunch of letters stating this IP did this that this time. Which is essentially what these shotgun scare letters are. I get that it's probably 90% not that case, but I can personally tell you it does happen and there is no way to prove or disprove that the person (and I mean household) that is using the IP are the guilty party.

 

[G73S]

Hmmm even as someone suggested SecurityKISS I contacted asking them about their TOS for downloading torrents but got this:

In the free version the torrents are blocked on some of our servers for security reasons.
In the paid version you may get access to additional servers without such limitations but you can download/upload torrent but only with legal content. After purchase you need to send us request and we will enable for you access to torrent.

Please bear in mind that according to SecurityKISS Terms of Service any complaint related to downloading or uploading copyrighted material will result in account termination without refund.

Please see our TOS: http://www.securitykiss.com/about/tos/

 

[smakme7757]

There is really no way to download public torrents 100% privately. It's more or less a lost cause. There are too many variables.

Private networks could be created between friends, but anything larger has a big chance to be compromised. With companies now making a living on tracking the internet one has to deem the public internet exactly that - Public.

I envision the IPv4 internet the slum of cyberspace in the not so distant future when IPv6 becomes the primary standard.