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Cable Theft
Anonymously report illegal acts
What is cable television signal theft?
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.
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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 feedback@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.
Anonymously Report Cable Theft
Cable television signal theft is the illegal interception of cable programming services without the authorization of your cable operator. It might seem like a light offense, but it is punishable by both hefty fines and jail time. Whether you are actively stealing a signal or not reporting a previous homeowner’s illegal connection, it is all a crime.
Cox Communications has to adjust its cable rates to recover 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.
Is someone in your neighborhood stealing their cable signal from Cox Communications? Send an anonymous lead to our Audit Department and they’ll investigate. Do you part and clean up your neighborhood.
Use this form to anonymously report the person you suspect. Fill out as much information as possible on the person/home you suspect. Thank you for your participation.
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