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

[SomeRandomGuy21]

Anyone else find it weird that the 'Notes on Evidence' link on the ACS:LAW website no longer links to a Word document?

 

ACS-Law Solicitors

[sduffield]

Anyone else find it weird that the 'Notes on Evidence' link on the ACS:LAW website no longer links to a Word document?

 

ACS-Law Solicitors

 

I'm sure that the persons behind ACS Law do not want people to know they are linked to Davenport Lyons. All this does look at little fishy

[SomeRandomGuy21]

I'm sure that the persons behind ACS Law do not want people to know they are linked to Davenport Lyons. All this does look at little fishy

 

Lol well it's too late for that now. Once again I suggest we all go to the stated address on Monday, and give them hell

[SomeRandomGuy21]

Hmm I've been going through the site and found that the hyperlinked contact form in the following link takes me to google, anyone else found the same thing?

 

Computer Games

[Delta82]

Hmm I've been going through the site and found that the hyperlinked contact form in the following link takes me to google, anyone else found the same thing?

 

Computer Games

 

 

Yeah sure does....

[SomeRandomGuy21]

Lol yeah, I'm unsure as to what to do. I think a visit to the London office would do good, anyone else going to go on Monday morning?

[Delta82]

From were I live and commitments here its no go for me.

 

Im busy checking the various threads that have now popped up on the Google search on this matter and now in the process of making a denial letter as I'm not going to ignore them as that seems to be the worst possible thing to do and I have nothing to hide so good old paper and pen time for me

[SomeRandomGuy21]

Heh same here, these people ain't gonna get a penny from me!

[kiptower]

they must come from cloud cockoo land if they think that this is true

 

QUOTE

 

8.How do I know someone has not “faked” my IP address and I have been caught in error?

Whilst we understand it is possible for an individual to create a false IP address, we have received advice from our experts which has confirmed that it is not possible using the methods employed by our clients’ investigators for either a user or our client’s monitoring software to enter into a successful transaction on a peer to peer network whilst using a fake IP address.

 

maybe their expert is a well know PPC only an idiot would state that

[andydd]

I can well imagine that alot of very angry people will be turning up at their headquarters on Monday morning...

 

Ha..Im in the office next door ...The building they are in has recently been renting out office space and In think ACS are a new tenant, although I cant verify they are actually present, Ill try and have a nose on Monday. couple of pubs round the corner (Bonds & Duke Of York) should you get thirsty

[andydd]

they must come from cloud cockoo land if they think that this is true

 

QUOTE

 

8.How do I know someone has not “faked” my IP address and I have been caught in error?

Whilst we understand it is possible for an individual to create a false IP address, we have received advice from our experts which has confirmed that it is not possible using the methods employed by our clients’ investigators for either a user or our client’s monitoring software to enter into a successful transaction on a peer to peer network whilst using a fake IP address.

 

maybe their expert is a well know PPC only an idiot would state that

 

Surely in a court case all u would have to do is throw some doubt about fake ip addresses in and the whole cases(s) would collapse...there is lots of info on the web about the previous DL cases which show almost certainly that the people accused were innocent.

[swoopsta]

Hi everyone, first post here, I've had one of these letters too

 

Just a thought, doing a search on the solicitor on ACS brings up quite a few hits, one high profile case in particular.

 

Given all the publicity with pirate bay, P2P, etc currently in the headlines - has he taken this over from DL just to make a name for himself / get more publicity, does he even care it may not be successfull ?.

 

PS thanks to everyone on this thread for all the useful info so far, anyone put together a template reply yet ?

[jd47804]

Some of you might have seen this:

 

Acs-law.org.uk - Acs Law

[tommyboy22]

i too received on of these comedy letters , at first i was shocked like everyone else but later on under more scrutiny things just didn't add up firstly im 41 years of age and i ve never even played a computer game let alone downloaded one and one that apparently is rubbish anyway , the date of the offence feb 2008 is so long ago that could anyone remember that day anyway, the isp provider was named as cable internet ltd , instead of virginmedia , asc: law website looks very backstreet solocitors , no letters of qualifications after andrews name either, no-one can seem to get in touch with him via telephone bringing on the remainder of this 21 day period of payment which will panic the wavering payer into action , the back of the letter asking people to submit details of payment ie credit card details and to insert a bank transfer request i think would never be asked by a legitimate law firm..i do belive that this is a [problem] and not a good one at that but i do belive there will be people paying up too because they cant remember if they did download the game or if their children did . i hope as many pepole as possible visit their offices and voice their outrage...also i though that the first line of action for download violation was a stiff letter from their own genuine isp?

[jd47804]

Or to cut to the chase....

 

"Okay, first of all: ACS and Davenport Lyons are officially authorized by TopWare Interactive. So this isn't a [problem].

 

Now... I'm no lawyer and from here I can't make any direct inquiries about your cases. But of course you are innocent until proven guilty. So if you are sure that you haven't done anything illegal, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

I realize that this must be frustrating and annoying for you. And I apologize if you may have been accused by mistake. But I hope you can also understand that we're just trying to protect our game.

However, we'll definitely keep an eye on it and eventually take measures if the complaints about the mentioned law firms should be accumulating. "

 

Complaints accumulating... bloody hell lol

 

 

Delta82, I must have missed some of the earlier conversation. Who do get this response from? ACS or Topware?

 

I emailed Topware to see if they will response whether ACS:Law is real.

[andydd]

i too received on of these comedy letters , at first i was shocked like everyone else but later on under more scrutiny things just didn't add up firstly im 41 years of age and i ve never even played a computer game let alone downloaded one and one that apparently is rubbish anyway , the date of the offence feb 2008 is so long ago that could anyone remember that day anyway, the isp provider was named as cable internet ltd , instead of virginmedia , asc: law website looks very backstreet solocitors , no letters of qualifications after andrews name either, no-one can seem to get in touch with him via telephone bringing on the remainder of this 21 day period of payment which will panic the wavering payer into action , the back of the letter asking people to submit details of payment ie credit card details and to insert a bank transfer request i think would never be asked by a legitimate law firm..i do belive that this is a [problem] and not a good one at that but i do belive there will be people paying up too because they cant remember if they did download the game or if their children did . i hope as many pepole as possible visit their offices and voice their outrage...also i though that the first line of action for download violation was a stiff letter from their own genuine isp?

 

I wish people would stop saying this is a [problem]... ACS are very real and people should take this seriously.

 

Im pointing this out because previoulsy Davenport Lyons DID succesfully win some court cases against 'downloaders'..one for 16 grand.

 

They won because the people concerned ignored the letters and didnt turn up in court, so DL simply won by default, easy money for them, anyone who DID threaten to go to court quickly found their case dropped.

 

So all DL (and now ACS) do is legally obtain peoples IP addresses from their ISP (the court docs for this are on the ACS site) and send out letters, apparently at least 50% paid up !. DL then went on to pursue some of the people who didnt reply through court, in the hope that they wouldnt turn up..in which case they win by default without having to explain any of their dubious practises to the court.

 

It would appear if you receive a letter the best thing to do is reply and deny the allegations..DO NOT add any further detail like you had an unsecured wifi network or anything.

 

Perhaps a letter under CPR or even DPA/SAR rules could be in order, is there anyone who could comment on this ?

 

Andy

[bluesnow]

This made me smile

[Delta82]

This made me smile

 

 

Me too ..especially this part :

 

Call me cynical, but this appears to be little to do with protecting copyright and everything to do with making easy money through fright tactics, particularly when you consider that the the solicitors get the lions share of these fat cheques.

 

I suppose it was inevitable that with expensive lifestyles, some in the legal profession would start looking at 'bread & butter' money to keep them ticking over when things aren't so great, but these people are vampires. It wasn't so long ago that Davenport Lyons name appeared in a case involving a retired Scottish couple, that left it with egg on it's face, and with the evidence being no cast-iron guarantee that the accused were actually involved, its little wonder that defended cases have been dropped like a stone.

 

What a fiasco this is starting to turn into now.

[Superjonboy]

What I want to know is:

 

1. Does Terence Tsang work for Davenport Lyons/ACS:Law?

 

2. If not why was his name in the Author field for the word document?

 

3. The difference between .org.uk and .co.uk is massive. What is the reason for this and why is Terence Tsang the owner of the .org.uk domain name?

 

4. Why is the website constantly changing to hide all the mistakes being pointed out by people on the various forums. This suggests a very unprofessional manner. Surely a website would have been created initially, not after the letters have been sent out.

[tommyboy22]

then why is there so mush mystery surrounding this law firm...different phone numbers , incorrect email address's , not being able to contact andrew crossley personally , domain registrations , i know i didnt download this game and theres no chance of it being on my pc if i wanted to play it i would have paid the twenty quid and bought it, maybe the game was so rubbish that the makers are trying to scrape some monies back to recoup losses.. also only courts can determine what amount of compensation is forthcomming not acs law....maybe i will send a letter of denial , will monitor what the majority of other people will do as i believe theres a lot of milage left in this one...

[Delta82]

Delta82, I must have missed some of the earlier conversation. Who do get this response from? ACS or Topware?

 

I emailed Topware to see if they will response whether ACS:Law is real.

 

 

That response was left on a Forum that Topware run for the game some have been accused of sharing

 

Just had a copt infringement letter for 2 Worlds - ZuxxeZ Forum

[mr.ton]

I wish people would stop saying this is a [problem]... ACS are very real and people should take this seriously.

 

Why should anyone not say it is a [problem]?

Thats exactly what it is

ACS have no legal powers whatsoever to demand monies off an individual, only the county courts do.

It will cost them money to take anyone there & wouldnt be worth their while just to get back £1 per month if anything at all.

What is there to take seriously about a bunch of jumped up clowns threatening people & trying to obtain money by deception effectivley?

Its this lot who should be taken to court & money screwed out of, not the public.

Just because they reside in a posh London office no doubt & proberbly wear expensive suits means nothing.

[andydd]

.. also only courts can determine what amount of compensation is forthcomming not acs law....maybe i will send a letter of denial , will monitor what the majority of other people will do as i believe theres a lot of milage left in this one...

 

Alas in one case the court DID decide and the person involved was given a bill for 16,000 !. ACS claim that the amount they are asking for to settle this BEFORE court action is very low in comparison, they can quite legally ask for whatever they want at this stage, its like entering into a contract, this is what the gist of their letter explains. You dont have to enter into this contract BUT if you don't then they reserve the right to start court proceedings, although as has been pointed out elsewhere, IF you do pay up this could be seen as admission of guilt and they could bring proceedings anyway !

 

Yep, many miles left to run, DL gave up because it all became to much, I wonder what will happen to ACS ?

 

Andy

[mr.ton]

Alas in one case the court DID decide and the person involved was given a bill for 16,000 !

 

Repayable at an amount the person could afford once all essential outgoings were catered for no doubt

[mr.ton]

Does anyone else sniff a troll around here somewhere?