Dunlap Grubb & Weaver, Voltage Pictures and Hurtlocker – a bunch of incompetent moron lawyers that couldn’t find their way out of a paperbag are trying to abuse the legal system to sue illegal downloaders of one of the worst movies of all time – Hurtlocker!
47 Responses to Dunlap Grubb & Weaver, Voltage Pictures and Hurtlocker – a bunch of incompetent moron lawyers that couldn’t find their way out of a paperbag are trying to abuse the legal system to sue illegal downloaders of one of the worst movies of all time – Hurtlocker!
The U.S. Copyright Group (Dunlap, Weaver & Grubb) are the slimiest of slime. I hope the tide turns and they get arrested for extortion!
Like or Dislike: 20
Leah on November 10, 2010 at 1:51 AM
I feel that this needs to be shared…
Today I was one of the 5,000 other people across the country that received a letter in regards to a subpoena that has been filed to my internet service provider to turn over my personal information that is attached to the IP address that they say has “Committed Copyright Infringement” because of illegally downloading one film copyrighted by Voltage Pictures, LLC. Which I did not download and do not have stored on my computer.
After some research I’ve discovered that this filmmaker decided to hire a group of lawyers who call themselves ” The US Copyright Group” who then hired dozens of other smaller firms around the country and originally filed the lawsuit against 5,000 “John Does” and have filed about 14,000 lawsuits so far this year. This morning when I contacted the law firm on the subpoena that my internet service provider received I was told that it did not matter if I did not download the film I will be held responsible anyway because the IP address is connected to my ISP and my computer regardless if my wifi connection was open and other unauthorized computers were using my connection to download the film.
I was told that to avoid going to court I could settle for 1,900 dollars now and if I didnt settle in two weeks the amount would increase to 4,000 dollars if I still refused to pay I would then have to go to court and possibly be sued for up to 150,000 dollars. Therefore I was told it was in my best interest to settle and pay the 1,900 dollars, they even provide a convient web page where people can log in and pay the settlement amount.
I am a 21 year old college student paying my own way through school, paying my own bills, with no financial aid. This company expects me to pay the settlement of 1,900 dollars within about two weeks or I have the option to get a lawyer (and pay even more) to help me take care of the accusations. What I am curious to know is how does this group of lawyers expect to take thousands of people to court? They dont. They are hoping they can scare people enough into paying the settlement amount of 1,900 dollars just so they can make a quick buck.
I would say the threat of being taken to court for a possible fine of 150,000 dollars would be pretty intimidating to someone that cannot afford a good lawyer and also has no idea where or how their IP address was flagged to begin with. which takes me to my next point…
Coercion: the practice of compelling a person or manipulating them to behave in an involuntary way (whether through action or inaction) by use of threats, intimidation, trickery, or some other form of pressure or force. These are used as leverage, to force the victim to act in the desired way.
How can this group of people decide to sue thousands of people without even providing them with a chance to legitimately defend themselves? I live in a college town where just about every student here has a computer and is technology savvy, I also know that even with a password protected connection it is still possible to steal someone’s connection and this problem is not possible to avoid.
They called us thieves for supposedly having the film attached to our IP addresses and are treating this entire group of people as hardcore criminals when that is not the case. This law firm Dunlap, Grubb, & Weaver has discovered that they can use scare tactics to pressure people into just giving them a settlement amount just by using the threat that they will be taken to court and basically sued for everything they have… THIS IS WRONG ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.
I originally thought this had to be fake when I first saw the letter just because of how ridiculous these accusations are in the first place. Our rights are slowly vanishing and people are paying up only because of the threat that they will be taken down in court by these “big bad lawers”
How can something as simple as an IP address on a list given to these lawyers by a random company be evidence enough to possibly sue someone for 150,000 dollars? What I also find interesting is that the law provides Voltage Pictures and Copyright groups with the option to take down these illegal torrents off of the web pages where people are downloading the film but surprisingly enough they have not issued a single take down but why would they when they can just “catch” people downloading it, send them a letter and potentially sue that person for thousands even hundred of thousands of dollars and make way more money than the film ever would. This is exactly what a scam is and I don’t see how these lawyers have even gotten this far, do we honestly live in a world where people can just make assumptions, violate our privacy, then attempt to take everything we have?
When I say I did not download this film I mean it, and to be told that there is absolutely nothing I can do just because my IP address was involved is ridiculous. If technology is advanced enough to catch people with illegal downloads just by IP addresses then they would know that it is possible for someones connection to be compromised by another local computer user. I am still in disbelief that this is even real, I have researched if anyone of the named “John Does” has actually been taken to court yet and found no findings of it. We need to stand up and protect ourselves. I am a criminal Justice major almost done with school… I will always believe in and stand up for what is right and fair THIS.IS.NOT.
If anyone else out there feels the same way feel free to contact me. I believe we need to stand up for ourselves and not be taken advantage of… that is one of the great things about this country…. we have the RIGHT to do that, not to be bullied or scared into paying for something we did not even take part in.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 180
RVS on November 11, 2010 at 8:15 AM
I too received a letter today. One thing I wonder after reading all the post is that the amount to settle out of court ranges anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000. My offer to settle was $2,900. Honestly, I do not know enough about what is legal and what is not when it comes to downloading movies. The way I that understand it was as long as the download was in bits and pieces and that you did not profit from the download, you were not doing anything wrong.
I feel this group of lawyers is just out to make a name for themselves as well as examples out of people that may or may not even know what they did was wrong. I also believe that people are being bullied into paying the settlement. My letter states that if I do not pay in three weeks the fine will be higher. In addition they state to remove the movie from the shared files, (which mine is not or never was), and not delete it. If I do, they will say they will most certainly have a computer forensic expert inspect my computer in an effort to locate the subject movie file or determine if it was deleted since the receipt of notice of the subpoena of my ISP.
I am disappointed that my personal information was provided by my ISP in the first place. In fact, I thought that was illegal alone. In the end, if this continues and lawyer groups all over the country start suing thousands of people it could lead to tens of thousands of people, and then hundreds of thousand of people and so on. I am sure it will not just stop with Voltage Pictures LLC, but other movie companies will follow suit which will bring down even more people. It will be too easy for all movie and possibly music companies to simply mass subpoena all ISP’s and have computers search for any IP addresses which have downloaded a media file that is copy protected. The amount of the settlement alone will financially devastate most financially. The economy is already in trouble, just think of how it could be if everyone who may have downloaded a media file in the country was fined thousands of dollars and would not afford to buy products that keep the economy moving.
I am not paying the settlement, since the $2,900 will wipe me out anyway, so either way this will ruin my ability to pay my bills.
Does anyone know of a site where we can all come together so we can understand the situation better?
Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 110
RJM on November 13, 2010 at 9:42 PM
To RVS, I also received the same letter on 11/13/2010 and I am in the same situation as you and i am not going to pay. I do not see how they have a legal foot to stand on to do this and they are just trying to fill their pockets.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 50
Crr on November 14, 2010 at 10:00 PM
I also received this letter. Not sure what to do at this point, I sure can’t afford to pay them off. Anyone know a website where I can get more information about this?
Thanks!
Like or Dislike: 20
sue tidwell on November 15, 2010 at 6:52 PM
I also received the letter on 11/12 with the amount to pay before 11/26 was 2,900 and if not paid by that date the fine would be 4,000 and if not paid by then I would be sued for up to 150,000. I did not download the movie either. I am 67 years old and do not know how to download movies. I also believe that the internet provider company did wrong by giving the information to them. I gave my letter to my attorney today and am waiting to hear back from him.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 50
Crr on November 27, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Does anyone know how long it takes from the time your info is turned over to them, to the time you receive your first settlement offer?
Like or Dislike: 20
Ken on December 8, 2010 at 8:17 PM
my wife got one today! This is crazy! We are being robbed from every front in this country. Lea how can one contact you? Your right we need to stand up and say enough!!! I will set up a blog site and post back here. That way we can meet there and pass info. People need to know of this crime.
Like or Dislike: 20
Take Action on December 9, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Mr. Dunlap and his cohort attorneys at Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver are a bunch of lying scumbag vermin. Stand up to them! There threat and letters re just that paper. They have no intention of filing any lawsuits nor have they hired any attorneys or even talked to any attorneys of substance in these matters. Ignore them and they will go away as they have to. Do not enrich them by sending them any money whatsoever. They openly know at the law firm that this is all a big sham and scam – a virtual legal shakedown for the 21st century.
So, if you stand for freedom of the internet copy your middle finger and send it by fax to Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver:
phone: 800-747-9354 x3885
fax: (202) 318-0242
e-mail: tdunlap@dglegal.com
You can also call them and give them a piece of your mind or flood their email. If everyone did this work at Dunlap, Grubb and Weaver would slow to a snails pace as no other faxes, emails or phone calls could get through. Make their life difficult as they have tried to, basically, illegally extort thousands of Americans. Give them a piece of your mind! Remember complaining and being an irate consumer is your right! File a complaint with your state attorney generals office. File complaints with the state bar association in Washington DC – I know that they won’t stand for this abuse of the legal system if enough American consumers complain about it to them:
Like or Dislike: 20
Ken on December 10, 2010 at 8:30 AM
I agree with Take action, so my middle finger will be mailed to them this week! After much reading and research on this pathetic crime, Moe Larry and Curly at the stooges law firm will be getting my middle finger. The copy right law they are trying to use is draconian and is nothing more then a quick money scam. DON”T let the fear that they use get you to cough up $2900. Do not send them any money!
Use the above addresses and phone numbers that (take action) put in his post to clog there phone lines and fax.
Isn’t it bad enough that the government continues to steal from you! Using FEAR! Don’t let these thugs hiding behind suits and law degrees steal from you too. MAIL them the middle finger.
Damnit be free fight for your liberty, act like a AMERICAN…….
I’ll be posting YOUTUBE vids on this stuff soon so stay tuned, and check this site often for up dates.
Read this article that came out yesterday. They dismissed every case that was not a Washington D.C resident.
The U.S. Copyright Group (Dunlap, Weaver & Grubb) are the slimiest of slime. I hope the tide turns and they get arrested for extortion!
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
I feel that this needs to be shared…
Today I was one of the 5,000 other people across the country that received a letter in regards to a subpoena that has been filed to my internet service provider to turn over my personal information that is attached to the IP address that they say has “Committed Copyright Infringement” because of illegally downloading one film copyrighted by Voltage Pictures, LLC. Which I did not download and do not have stored on my computer.
After some research I’ve discovered that this filmmaker decided to hire a group of lawyers who call themselves ” The US Copyright Group” who then hired dozens of other smaller firms around the country and originally filed the lawsuit against 5,000 “John Does” and have filed about 14,000 lawsuits so far this year. This morning when I contacted the law firm on the subpoena that my internet service provider received I was told that it did not matter if I did not download the film I will be held responsible anyway because the IP address is connected to my ISP and my computer regardless if my wifi connection was open and other unauthorized computers were using my connection to download the film.
I was told that to avoid going to court I could settle for 1,900 dollars now and if I didnt settle in two weeks the amount would increase to 4,000 dollars if I still refused to pay I would then have to go to court and possibly be sued for up to 150,000 dollars. Therefore I was told it was in my best interest to settle and pay the 1,900 dollars, they even provide a convient web page where people can log in and pay the settlement amount.
I am a 21 year old college student paying my own way through school, paying my own bills, with no financial aid. This company expects me to pay the settlement of 1,900 dollars within about two weeks or I have the option to get a lawyer (and pay even more) to help me take care of the accusations. What I am curious to know is how does this group of lawyers expect to take thousands of people to court? They dont. They are hoping they can scare people enough into paying the settlement amount of 1,900 dollars just so they can make a quick buck.
I would say the threat of being taken to court for a possible fine of 150,000 dollars would be pretty intimidating to someone that cannot afford a good lawyer and also has no idea where or how their IP address was flagged to begin with. which takes me to my next point…
Coercion: the practice of compelling a person or manipulating them to behave in an involuntary way (whether through action or inaction) by use of threats, intimidation, trickery, or some other form of pressure or force. These are used as leverage, to force the victim to act in the desired way.
How can this group of people decide to sue thousands of people without even providing them with a chance to legitimately defend themselves? I live in a college town where just about every student here has a computer and is technology savvy, I also know that even with a password protected connection it is still possible to steal someone’s connection and this problem is not possible to avoid.
They called us thieves for supposedly having the film attached to our IP addresses and are treating this entire group of people as hardcore criminals when that is not the case. This law firm Dunlap, Grubb, & Weaver has discovered that they can use scare tactics to pressure people into just giving them a settlement amount just by using the threat that they will be taken to court and basically sued for everything they have… THIS IS WRONG ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.
I originally thought this had to be fake when I first saw the letter just because of how ridiculous these accusations are in the first place. Our rights are slowly vanishing and people are paying up only because of the threat that they will be taken down in court by these “big bad lawers”
How can something as simple as an IP address on a list given to these lawyers by a random company be evidence enough to possibly sue someone for 150,000 dollars? What I also find interesting is that the law provides Voltage Pictures and Copyright groups with the option to take down these illegal torrents off of the web pages where people are downloading the film but surprisingly enough they have not issued a single take down but why would they when they can just “catch” people downloading it, send them a letter and potentially sue that person for thousands even hundred of thousands of dollars and make way more money than the film ever would. This is exactly what a scam is and I don’t see how these lawyers have even gotten this far, do we honestly live in a world where people can just make assumptions, violate our privacy, then attempt to take everything we have?
When I say I did not download this film I mean it, and to be told that there is absolutely nothing I can do just because my IP address was involved is ridiculous. If technology is advanced enough to catch people with illegal downloads just by IP addresses then they would know that it is possible for someones connection to be compromised by another local computer user. I am still in disbelief that this is even real, I have researched if anyone of the named “John Does” has actually been taken to court yet and found no findings of it. We need to stand up and protect ourselves. I am a criminal Justice major almost done with school… I will always believe in and stand up for what is right and fair THIS.IS.NOT.
If anyone else out there feels the same way feel free to contact me. I believe we need to stand up for ourselves and not be taken advantage of… that is one of the great things about this country…. we have the RIGHT to do that, not to be bullied or scared into paying for something we did not even take part in.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
18 
0
I too received a letter today. One thing I wonder after reading all the post is that the amount to settle out of court ranges anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000. My offer to settle was $2,900. Honestly, I do not know enough about what is legal and what is not when it comes to downloading movies. The way I that understand it was as long as the download was in bits and pieces and that you did not profit from the download, you were not doing anything wrong.
I feel this group of lawyers is just out to make a name for themselves as well as examples out of people that may or may not even know what they did was wrong. I also believe that people are being bullied into paying the settlement. My letter states that if I do not pay in three weeks the fine will be higher. In addition they state to remove the movie from the shared files, (which mine is not or never was), and not delete it. If I do, they will say they will most certainly have a computer forensic expert inspect my computer in an effort to locate the subject movie file or determine if it was deleted since the receipt of notice of the subpoena of my ISP.
I am disappointed that my personal information was provided by my ISP in the first place. In fact, I thought that was illegal alone. In the end, if this continues and lawyer groups all over the country start suing thousands of people it could lead to tens of thousands of people, and then hundreds of thousand of people and so on. I am sure it will not just stop with Voltage Pictures LLC, but other movie companies will follow suit which will bring down even more people. It will be too easy for all movie and possibly music companies to simply mass subpoena all ISP’s and have computers search for any IP addresses which have downloaded a media file that is copy protected. The amount of the settlement alone will financially devastate most financially. The economy is already in trouble, just think of how it could be if everyone who may have downloaded a media file in the country was fined thousands of dollars and would not afford to buy products that keep the economy moving.
I am not paying the settlement, since the $2,900 will wipe me out anyway, so either way this will ruin my ability to pay my bills.
Does anyone know of a site where we can all come together so we can understand the situation better?
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
11 
0
To RVS, I also received the same letter on 11/13/2010 and I am in the same situation as you and i am not going to pay. I do not see how they have a legal foot to stand on to do this and they are just trying to fill their pockets.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
I also received this letter. Not sure what to do at this point, I sure can’t afford to pay them off. Anyone know a website where I can get more information about this?
Thanks!
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
I also received the letter on 11/12 with the amount to pay before 11/26 was 2,900 and if not paid by that date the fine would be 4,000 and if not paid by then I would be sued for up to 150,000. I did not download the movie either. I am 67 years old and do not know how to download movies. I also believe that the internet provider company did wrong by giving the information to them. I gave my letter to my attorney today and am waiting to hear back from him.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
Does anyone know how long it takes from the time your info is turned over to them, to the time you receive your first settlement offer?
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
my wife got one today! This is crazy! We are being robbed from every front in this country. Lea how can one contact you? Your right we need to stand up and say enough!!! I will set up a blog site and post back here. That way we can meet there and pass info. People need to know of this crime.
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
Mr. Dunlap and his cohort attorneys at Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver are a bunch of lying scumbag vermin. Stand up to them! There threat and letters re just that paper. They have no intention of filing any lawsuits nor have they hired any attorneys or even talked to any attorneys of substance in these matters. Ignore them and they will go away as they have to. Do not enrich them by sending them any money whatsoever. They openly know at the law firm that this is all a big sham and scam – a virtual legal shakedown for the 21st century.
So, if you stand for freedom of the internet copy your middle finger and send it by fax to Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver:
phone: 800-747-9354 x3885
fax: (202) 318-0242
e-mail: tdunlap@dglegal.com
You can also call them and give them a piece of your mind or flood their email. If everyone did this work at Dunlap, Grubb and Weaver would slow to a snails pace as no other faxes, emails or phone calls could get through. Make their life difficult as they have tried to, basically, illegally extort thousands of Americans. Give them a piece of your mind! Remember complaining and being an irate consumer is your right! File a complaint with your state attorney generals office. File complaints with the state bar association in Washington DC – I know that they won’t stand for this abuse of the legal system if enough American consumers complain about it to them:
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
I agree with Take action, so my middle finger will be mailed to them this week! After much reading and research on this pathetic crime, Moe Larry and Curly at the stooges law firm will be getting my middle finger. The copy right law they are trying to use is draconian and is nothing more then a quick money scam. DON”T let the fear that they use get you to cough up $2900. Do not send them any money!
Use the above addresses and phone numbers that (take action) put in his post to clog there phone lines and fax.
Isn’t it bad enough that the government continues to steal from you! Using FEAR! Don’t let these thugs hiding behind suits and law degrees steal from you too. MAIL them the middle finger.
Damnit be free fight for your liberty, act like a AMERICAN…….
I’ll be posting YOUTUBE vids on this stuff soon so stay tuned, and check this site often for up dates.
Read this article that came out yesterday. They dismissed every case that was not a Washington D.C resident.
http://www.ipbrief.net/2010/12/08/us-copyright-group-drops-p2p-defendants-from-lawsuits/
Like or Dislike:
0 
0