Subject: Re: ****DESCRAMBLE CABLE****FAST & CHEAP!

From: [email-masked]
Date: 23 Apr 1996 22:39:27 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, @ (ctv) writes:
>MAKE YOUR OWN CABLE DESCRAMBLER - FAST & INEXPENSIVE!
>
>Making your own Cable Test Box is simple!
>Convert any cable box to a Cable Test Box, and it only takes
>about 10 minutes to do!
>
>If you've seen ads for converters that sell for up to 
>four hundred dollars, you know that this is a great deal.
>(It does the same thing.) All modules are priced from
>about ten to forty dollars!
>
>Once you know how to get the the correct module, it's 
>simple to install, and they descramble all channels
>on all systems. Don't be ripped off any more!
>
>For more information, and a complete list of companies
>that sell Test Modules, send Check or Money order for
>$7.95 to:
>
>Sierra CTV
>P.O. Box 1203
>Secaucus, NJ
>07096-1203
>
>
>

I picked up a copy of Popular Science magazine the other day
In the back of the magazine in the classified section 12 adds
selling Test Modules, 1-800 numbers, taking visa, offering
technical info. They must say in the add not for illegal use 
for testing only. That is only a legal disclaimer.  They
wont to sell as many as they can to anyone that wonts them
Sounds good to me Looks pretty good to me.

---

From: [email-masked] (Scott )
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 16:00:35 GMT

This surely doesn't belong in this group!!!
can't e-mail   @(ctv)

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 24 Apr 1996 10:07:45 GMT

Dear [email-masked],
Dear [email-masked],
Dear spam victims reading various newsgroups,

Below is a message which I discovered in rec.arts.jewelry:

Let's get to the bottom of this spam.  Who posted this?
The spammer used an invalid return address (intentionally, in my opinion)
Within the full header of this message, the path points to earthlink.net
and to alter.net...

Will copies of this complaint to the postmasters of those systems spur them
to preventing future irresponsible posts from their site, at least from this 
spammer?

Isn't it "crap like this, from internet maggots like this" that invites 
government intervention/legislation ala the CDA?  Particular to this message,
the proffered "warez" in fact both encourage and invite a criminal act: theft 
of cable services!  

This spam doesn't represent "a guy with an idea to make money, innocently
pursuing his right to free speech (via the net)" -- not at all!  Ignore him
and he'll go away?!?  No, because this spam is indicative of a growing trend.
Bums(spammers)like this know the ropes; They selfishly, disrespectfully 
subject a tremendous number of us (usenet readers) to their spewed, 
cross-posted drivel, armed with the knowledge that their bogus return 
addresses will prevent mailbombing from their victims. Oooh, the power of 
technology!!!

I shudder to think that some few poor fools would actually respond to this 
"spamvertisement" by sending money to a Secaucus post office box. However,
my more immediate concern is the infernal fact that this spam has already
become a thread in each/all of our affected newsgroups. The message's bang
path (?) that enabled the cross-post in the first place carries replies to
it back to every reader in each group!

The "internet providers of the world" as well as their populace -- both 
commercial and private/individual users -- need to realize an alarming
fact. Many people reading usenet lead busy lives and refuse to tolerate
the "noise" created by undesirable/ inappropriate messages such as this spam
-- and, considering the trend for spammers to utilize "bombproof" addressing,
disgusted internet users reading usenet increasingly choose to filter out 
*ALL* messages originating from a spammer's host system/domain!!!

This complaint/ call-to-arms is (at the moment) being sent to only the 
affected (cross-posted)groups.  If necessary, in the near future, this message 
may become (the first?) an "anti-spam spam" across thousands of newsgroups.

With the hope of discouraging the growing trend of usenet abuse,
let's make an example of this spammer.  No lynching, no flaming, no 
name-calling -- but more appropriate means of recourse.  Let's start by
giving the postmaster of the spammer's host system a chance to reply...
Failing a public promise from that host that the spammer (or all users within 
the host's domain) has been advised-slash-educated-slash-warned to NEVER 
repeat this improper utilization of usenet...

..let's email users on that host system, advising them of the situation and
pointing out that when we EN MASSE proceed to filter out any/all messages
>from  their host (because the host continues to allow the spammer to "live"
there)-- they, effectively, will find themselves ostracized from the entire 
gamut of usenet newsgroups!

If the above fails to bring satisfactory response, let's not only filter out
all messages from the site...but advocate that others (not yet victimized in
their newsgroups) join in the punititive effort.  At that point, we can advise
others through use of sigfiles stating
         "the spamsites blacklist -- filter 'em out!"
followed by a list of the noncompliant hosts/domains. 

Taking unified action will, at the very least, allow us to "police our own 
ranks"....or should we wait for BigBrother to come to the "rescue"?!?
  
ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION, EARTHLINK.NET ADMINISTRATION?
  OWNERS OF ALTER.NET -- HOW ABOUT YOU?

> Organization: Your Organization Lines: 26 Message-ID:
> <[email-masked]> NNTP-Posting-Host:
> pool003.max1.newark.nj.dynip.alter.net X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.93.14
> Xref: scramble.lm.com rec.collecting.dolls:13035
> rec.collecting.phonecards:4492 rec.collecting.postal-history:839
> rec.collecting.sport.baseball:89775
> rec.collecting.sport.basketball:58532
> rec.collecting.sport.football:77748
> rec.collecting.sport.hockey:44599 rec.collecting.sport.misc:6536
> rec.collecting.stamps:27288 rec.collecting.villages:2652
> rec.crafts.beads:7039 rec.crafts.brewing:88251
> rec.crafts.dollhouses:1209 rec.crafts.glass:1936
> rec.crafts.jewelry:11445 rec.crafts.marketplace:6878
> rec.crafts.metal working:27348 rec.crafts.misc:20782
> rec.crafts.polymer-clay:5174 rec.crafts.pottery:1681 Status: N

>that sell Test Modules, send Check or Money order for

-----
For good measure, I'm mailing a paper copy of this correspondence to the
USPS postmaster at Secaucus.  You are welcome to print this and mail your own
copy to same.
-----

---

From: [email-masked] (Peter Drumm)
Date: 24 Apr 1996 10:50:41 GMT

In message <[email-masked]> - [email-masked] writes:
<junk deleted> 
->technical info. They must say in the add not for illegal use 
->for testing only. That is only a legal disclaimer.  They
->wont to sell as many as they can to anyone that wonts them
->Sounds good to me Looks pretty good to me.     

Is free TV really worth a stay in prison?

---

From: [email-masked] (Chuck Holcomb)
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 10:29:23 GMT

>This surely doesn't belong in this group!!!

Scott,

Two things. First, I'm sure the original spammer just loves you to
death for RE-spamming his ad for him, to every newgroup he hit before.
Second, if you look in the header, you'll find that you _can_ e-mail
[email-masked].

-
Chuck Holcomb
[email-masked]
++

A termite walks into a bar, and says, "Bartender?"

++

---

From: [email-masked] (Tim Robinson)
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 96 16:54:29 GMT

>Dear spam victims reading various newsgroups,
[lotsa stuff clipped]

Look, it happens.  Keep your life simple.  Just forward the damn spam to the 
postmaster at the host.  Lots of people do and no postmaster wants to wade 
through that.  Bombing the spammer may be irritating, but legitimate 
forwarding to his postmaster by lots of people will irk someone with power.  
Can you say "blackball?"

| Tim Robinson                   | Those who would give up essential |
| [email-masked]             | liberty to purchase a little      |
| Excalibur BBS: 918-445-3091    | temporary safety, deserve neither |
| http://www.ionet.net/~timtroyr | liberty nor safety.  Ben Franklin |

---

From: [email-masked] (Chuck Holcomb)
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 1996 02:15:27 GMT

Hey [email-masked], or whatever your *real" name is,...since you don't
have the 'nads to send e-mail to me with a *real* return
address....byte me!
-
Chuck Holcomb
[email-masked]
++

++

---

From: Scott Taylor <[email-masked]>
Date: 29 Apr 1996 12:17:02 -0700

> Sounds good to me Looks pretty good to me.     
Just to let anyone know who might be interested,(I was in the cable 
business for ten years), any of these companies who advertise the modules 
or "hot boxes" can only sell them outside of their own state and will 
ALWAYS send a complete list of all purchases made to the cable companies 
in the area where the products have been sent. This includes 
names,addresses and credit card #'s. They have legal guidelines alot of 
people are not aware of. Beware of the "cable cops" with their meters, they 
can see alot more than you think.
                                           -----ST

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
taylorz                                
[email-masked]                   

                                       The Taylor Family                                          
                                         Marana, Arizona

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

---

From: [email-masked] (Sherry Bailey)
Date: 30 Apr 1996 15:21:53 GMT

Please note this thread is being posted to about 20 newsgroups -- if you
follow up please edit your headers. (Or, better yet, drop it.)

---

From: T-Bone <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 16:12:14 -0600

Scott Taylor wrote:
[deleted]
> can see alot more than you think.

so, uh, what's your point ? 

is it illegal to own one of these boxes ?

TimW

---

From: Mike Porter <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 17:37:42 -0500

> is it illegal to own one of these boxes ?

Own?  Probably not.  Use?  Probably. Using something, like cable service, without permission is 
often classified as theft.)

-- 
Mike Porter		Stress and Vibration Consulting Services
Dynamic Analysis	FEA Consulting and Training
(913) 341-3269

---

From: [email-masked](bambi)
Date: 1 May 1996 06:04:10 GMT

>is it illegal to own one of these boxes ?

to own it no.  to hook it up to receive free cable yes.  in some states
you can receive up to a 5,000.00 fine for theft of cable service. 
these guys are out to make a fast buck off people who want cable but
either can't afford it or don't want to pay for it.

remember rule 1:  if it sounds too good to be true it usually is.

---

From: [email-masked] (Jay T Carrigan)
Date: 1 May 1996 23:27:49 GMT

Please don't continue this spam by sending to all newsgroups!

In article <[email-masked]>, 
[email-masked] says...
>>> names,addresses and credit card #'s. They have legal guidelines 
alot
>of