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.
I think my neighbor is stealing
cable. What should I do?
Please contact Cox if you feel someone is receiving services
without paying for them. It is illegal to fraudulently obtain
cable service by attaching a wire or device to the receiver
or any other company wires or equipment. The penalties under
the law include fines up to $10,000, imprisonment or both.
While in some cases we offer amnesty if the offender agrees
to become a paying customer, we do find it necessary to prosecute
to the fullest extent of the law. Cable theft industry-wide
costs operators over $1 billion annually and can drive up
monthly costs for our honest, paying customers.
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 past action, if you don't report it and receive
the free service, it's still a crime.
Where do I report a cable crime?
For
more information or to report a cable crime, contact us anonymously
at 1-877-673-8206.