Comcast caught me pirating apparently.

[The Austin]

So guess what?
I just got a call from Comcast claiming that they caught me red handed, in the heinous act of illegally downloading a copy of Jackass 3D from BitTorrent.

Want to know the twist ending?
I never downloaded a copy of Jackass 3D. I've never even used BitTorrent.

Sooo... What should I do? Am I going to get fined? Am I going to get my internet connection disabled? What?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

Set it straight. Seems simple enough.

 

[7moreDead_v1legacy]

Ask if they can give you evidence of it, and let them know they are talking shit? /shrug.

Also are you using wireless -> is it secured network?

 

[The Austin]

Ask if they can give you evidence of it, and let them know they are talking shit? /shrug.

Also are you using wireless -> is it secured network?

It's wireless AND secured.

 

[sheic99]

Check you who's using your internet. Somebody may be on it whom you don't want. If there isn't call tech support and defend your self. This could be important if they're like Cox, 2 times and you lose your internet.

Edit: Does anybody else use it that you're aware of? Family or friends. Because my dad (who doesn't live here) use to download movies on our internet.

 

[7moreDead_v1legacy]

That limits the "some bugger stole my internet" possibility.

 

[Sleekgiant]

Tell them someone cracked your wireless, they can never prove it was you so their case holds no water.

Also if push comes to shove ask to speak with a manager and tell them you want to cancel your service immediately and will never use their service again.

 

[Dogstile]

Seems like you need to ask them to prove it.

 

[Krion_Vark]

Also are you using wireless -> is it secured network?

This
Also I am pretty sure that them calling you is against their rules. Also are you sure that it was a person from Comcast calling and not just some retarded idiot pulling a prank? Either way unless they can produce concrete evidence/have your computer seized and searched (even if you delete shit from your harddrive there is still fragments on it that can prove something was there)

 

[Something Amyss]

So guess what?
I just got a call from Comcast claiming that they caught me red handed, in the heinous act of illegally downloading a copy of Jackass 3D from BitTorrent.

Want to know the twist ending?
I never downloaded a copy of Jackass 3D. I've never even used BitTorrent.

Sooo... What should I do? Am I going to get fined? Am I going to get my internet connection disabled? What?

Any help would be appreciated.

Comcast doesn't fine people. They claim multiple violations will lead to the termination of yoru service, but I've been told they rarely do it. I've only been "caught" once, so I can't tell you.

If anyone downloaded it on your service, you are responsible for all intents and purposes. Do you live alone and give nobody else access? I used to keep my WiFi open, up until I got a notice for a DMCA violation.

 

[WarriorFH]

Should be easy enough. Just let them search your computer for the file or any traces of it. You should be okay unless you have some illegal shit on there.

 

[therandombear]

Tell them someone cracked your wireless, they can never prove it was you so their case holds no water.

Also if push comes to shove ask to speak with a manager and tell them you want to cancel your service immediately and will never use their service again.

That also usually ends in you getting better offer for a lower price, they are afraid to lose customers.

tbh, it sounds bull, call them up and ask for evidence.

 

[The Austin]

Check you who's using your internet. Somebody may be on it whom you don't want. If there isn't call tech support and defend your self. This could be important if they're like Cox, 2 times and you lose your internet.

Edit: Does anybody else use it that you're aware of? Family or friends. Because my dad (who doesn't live here) use to download movies on our internet.

No, just me and my dad. He didn't do it, either.

That's funny, awesome story bro, I have no idea what's gonna happen, but I almost hope you get sent to court so that people can see how flawed the idea of catching internet pirates is.

Uhhh... Thanks?

[
If anyone downloaded it on your service, you are responsible for all intents and purposes. Do you live alone and give nobody else access? I used to keep my WiFi open, up until I got a notice for a DMCA violation.

I live with my dad. He didn't do it.

 

[vic_elor]

I get letters from my ISP all the time about this kind of crap. (I won't say whether or not I deserve them) I know some are super picky on it but as I just said... I get letters from my ISP all the time and in reality they've never done anything to me. No lawsuit, no fines, no termination. I once worked at a different ISP though and they did take it seriously so it seems to vary. Law suits and fines are really unlikely. The days of suing pirates is passed for the most parts as a fair number of the lawsuits did fall apart when taken to court.

Really, unless they say they are going to do something about it I wouldn't worry but either way if you really didn't download it then definitely check your router logs and the routing tables to see if anyone unexpected has been in there. Wireless security really isn't that strong of a deterint as it isn't very hard to break. In fact not only is wireless encryption not that hard to crack I once had someone spoofing my mac address as when I had wireless I actually went to the trouble of tieing down the mac addresses (something I do advise for all people using wireless. It's a bit of a pain but it is way more effective security then encryption alone)

 

[LightningBanks]

Also are you using wireless -> is it secured network?

This
Also I am pretty sure that them calling you is against their rules. Also are you sure that it was a person from Comcast calling and not just some retarded idiot pulling a prank? Either way unless they can produce concrete evidence/have your computer seized and searched (even if you delete shit from your harddrive there is still fragments on it that can prove something was there)

I thought defragmenting stopped the fragments being left behind?

 

[Nevyrmoore]

Also are you using wireless -> is it secured network?

This
Also I am pretty sure that them calling you is against their rules. Also are you sure that it was a person from Comcast calling and not just some retarded idiot pulling a prank? Either way unless they can produce concrete evidence/have your computer seized and searched (even if you delete shit from your harddrive there is still fragments on it that can prove something was there)

I thought defragmenting stopped the fragments being left behind?

Defragmenting only clumps fragments of data together. It doesn't actually alter what data's on your hard drive.

The only way to can be sure that no one can recover anything from your hard drive is to smelt it to remove the magnetic properties of the disk platters, and then pour it into something that distorts the surface of the metal into a sort of zig-zag shape. If that's too much work, you can use a program like Darik's Boot And Nuke, which overwrites everything on the disk with a useless unit of data several times. But even then, it's not going to stop someone who either has a lot of money or a lot of time, or even both.

 

[Krion_Vark]

Also are you using wireless -> is it secured network?

This
Also I am pretty sure that them calling you is against their rules. Also are you sure that it was a person from Comcast calling and not just some retarded idiot pulling a prank? Either way unless they can produce concrete evidence/have your computer seized and searched (even if you delete shit from your harddrive there is still fragments on it that can prove something was there)

I thought defragmenting stopped the fragments being left behind?

Defraging the computer just compiles all the fragments into one spot rather than having them scattered throughout your harddrive and basically making your computer go through a maze to get around them.

 

[Chamale]

Sadly, deleted data on a computer is almost certainly lost, but you can still prove it used to be there. The others are right, it's very hard to remove evidence of piracy from a hard drive. Not saying you're a pirate, OP, just that they know pirates couldn't destroy the evidence.

You shouldn't let them search your hard drive anyway, though, especially since you're innocent.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

I recommend discussing this with them. You have nothing to hide if you're truly innocent, then they should see their mistake. That's pretty much all the advice I can offer you. If what you say is true (And I have no reason to believe otherwise), then you should be fine.

 

[Something Amyss]

I live with my dad. He didn't do it.

Do you have a wireless router?

I mean, I'm just brainstorming here. I'm not waving fingers or anything like that.