NagraStar Demands Pirates to Pay a Settlement of $3500 or Expect Legal Action

Published on June 13, 2019
Written by:
Bill Toulas
Bill Toulas
Infosec Writer

NagraStar, a joint venture encompassing DISH Network and Kudelski Group has decided to take an aggressive approach against those who use pirate IPTV services to access their digital TV or satellite TV content, also including Bell TV. The companies present this as a last chance for pirates to find a way out of what they have done, paying $3500 in settlements and call it a day. Those who won’t follow that path are threatened with legal action. This is not the first time that casual pirates are threatened to pay settlements, but it’s the first time concerning IPTV pirates.

Pirate IPTV services are where all of the focus of copyright holders is right now, as they are considered to be a scourge for their business. Although there has been a lot of action taken from multiple coalitions and content protection agencies, the IPTV scene continues to grow, as it’s simply what most people out there can afford in order to get access to the content they want to consume. The resellers of pirate IPTV services will not get away with the amount mentioned above, but with $7500, which allegedly reflects the greater damage that they have caused to the companies.

NagraStar is actually sending letters to various pirates that they can track down, and they advise the recipients to sign the letters and return them. If you choose to ignore these letters or any emails received by NagraStar, their law firm will take the baton and things will be taken to court. There, a pirate may be given a fine of up to $10k for each illegal purchase made through illicit IPTV services. NagraStar is not delivering empty threats here, as they have actually done this before, bringing vendors and casual pirates in front of a judge. Of course, they can’t drag everyone to court, but there’s always a chance that you may be one of the randomly selected few who will act as examples for the rest.

nagrastar letter

image source: satscams.com

The recipients of these letters are also given a couple of extra incentives to give away relevant information. For example, those who will hand over the illicit streaming devices (TV boxes) will get a discount. The same applies to those who will give away their piracy forum accounts and credentials, helping NagraStar target a wider pirate audience.

Have you ever received a letter from NagraStar? What did you do with it? Let us know in the comments below, and also on our socials, on Facebook and Twitter.



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