Cable television signal theft is the illegal interception of cable programming services without the authorization of or payment to a cable system. While laws vary from state to state, according to the Telecom Act of 1996 (47 USC 553 and 605), cable theft is a crime that is punishable by both hefty financial penalty and jail time.

I receive cable but have never been billed for it. Could I be doing something illegal?

You are doing something illegal. There are two kinds of cable theft: active and passive. Active theft is when a person knowingly makes an illegal connection to the cable system or tampers with the equipment in order to obtain unauthorized services. For example, cutting into your neighbor's cable to get free service is theft. Passive theft is when a customer knowingly receives free services due to the unlawful connection of a previous homeowner. Even though passive theft is the result of an illegal pat action, if you don't report it and receive the free service, it's still a crime.

What if I receive unsolicited e-mails prompting me to buy a descrambler?

Those messages can be forwarded to your cable company for action. Cox employs private investigators that work closely with federal and state authorities to crack down on these cable pirates and their "spam" messages. If you receive such messages, you can forward them to Loss.Prevent@cox.com

Why should I worry about cable theft if I'm not committing any crimes?

Cox, as well as other cable companies, tackles the costs of inflation, rising programming fees, local franchise fees and other costs to keep quality cable television service affordable for everyone. It's the same situation as shoplifting. Just as retail stores must adjust their prices to cover the losses from shoplifting, cable rates must be adjusted to cover the cost of signal theft, not to mention the cost associated with criminal investigation and prosecution. For this reason, it's in everyone's best interest to support measures that eliminate cable theft. Here are some points to consider:

• According to the National Cable Television Association's cable piracy survey, the industry loses an estimated $5.1 billion in unrealized revenue every year. This lost revenue results in higher prices to authorized customers

• Most of the equipment used by cable pirates isn't built to system specifications, thus making it likely that the frequency will leak into those reserved for aeronautical and emergency communications, producing potential safety hazards. The equipment used by pirates also degrades the picture quality for authorized customers.

• Sentences in state and federal theft of service cases have ranged from probation to 16 years in prison with fines ranging from several hundred dollars to $2.7 million. Civil judgments have run as high as $245 million.

• Cable companies pay local authorities franchise fees based on revenues that are used for public service projects such as road repairs or public employee salaries. The lost revenue resulting from cable theft diminishes the payments received by local authorities for these projects.

Where do I report a cable crime?

For more information or to report a cable crime, contact us anonymously at (949) 546-4125 or e-mail Loss.Prevent@cox.com