AfterDawn: News

New scam alert: Fake copyright infringement letters

The French high authority HADOPI, which was put in place to oversee the country's recently passed "three strikes" anti-piracy laws has a new problem on its hands; phishers and scammers using the authority's name to trick people into giving up personal information.

The group is allowed to issue sanctions and fines to Internet users accused of piracy, with a "third strike" meaning disconnection from the Web, and a blacklisting.



E-mails, purportedly being sent from HADOPI, have been hitting thousands of inboxes this week, all claiming that the recipient has been accused of copyright violations.

The accused are then pushed to a website to pay off their fine, which leads to phishers stealing their personal info along with the money.

"As expected, this is classic Internet," says HADOPI's Secretary General Éric Walter (via Ars).

HADOPI says it will begin sending out the first real violation letters in the coming months.

(Article pic found here)

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 4 Sep 2010 0:06

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• 9 comments

• Tristan_2

  Like I didn't see this comming(sarcasm) I mean honestly did any country who pass this kind of Draconian copyright law this think wouldn't happen? Regardless if people"Infringe Copyright" or not will get confused over a fake or real copyright notice, If you think bout it...this will continue to grow even when Hadopi starts sending those out.
  
  If Acta is somehow passed....and this happens globally, I'll be paranoid and scared..not going to lie.
  

  4.9.2010 02:40 #1

• attar

  It's a dismal fact that government cannot compete with organized criminals.

  4.9.2010 06:05 #2

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by attar: It's a dismal fact that government cannot compete with organized criminals. Why can't they compete with themselves?

  4.9.2010 09:37 #3

• Mysttic

  Quote:Why can't they compete with themselves?
  
  They do, but its more fun to compete with others, that way it gets the mass public eye off them.

  4.9.2010 11:02 #4

• blueboy09

  Originally posted by Mysttic: Quote:Why can't they compete with themselves?
  
  They do, but its more fun to compete with others, that way it gets the mass public eye off them. Think about it. It allow them (phisers) to do their dirty work behind the scenes. It's the perfect dirty scheme and the worst part is that it's working plus most of these guys can't get caught in time and low and behold guess who has your money.
  
  

  Life is about walking on thin ice, if you make too much drama, youll crack under pressure. - BLUEBOY

  4.9.2010 23:03 #5

• slickwill

  Is the photo in the article suppose to be a parody of the poster "Big Brother is Watching You!" from the 1984 movie 1984 (based of George Orwell's Book).
  
  Now that I have looked around, the picture has turned out to be a parody.
  
  http://tstock.pottsgrove.wikispaces.net/...atching_you.jpg

  5.9.2010 02:28 #6

• xboxdvl2

  I dont understand something
  Quote:The group is allowed to issue sanctions and fines to Internet users accused of piracy, correct me if im wrong but shouldn't it be people found guilty of internet piracy???
  technically me or anyone else in a free speech country can accuse anyone of anything.
  

  PS2 with 12 games.
  pc-windows 7,intel core quad Q8400,4 Gb ddr2,WD 500 GB hdd,ATI Radeon HD 4550 graphics,AOC 22inch LCD moniter.

  6.9.2010 01:09 #7

• borhan9

  Massive gaps in cyber security here.
  

  Edited by DVDBack23
  
  
  "the mediocre teacher tells. the good teacher explains. the superior teacher demonstrates. the great teacher inspires."- William Aruthur Ward

  7.9.2010 01:54 #8

• dEwMe

  LOL...i bet RIAA is involved...they're the biggest crooks out there...
  
  

  Just my $0.02,
  
  dEwMe
  

  7.9.2010 13:14 #9