PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Mary Halicek said she and her family never even saw the film, "Maximum Conviction." Yet they're being threatened with a lawsuit for illegally downloading the Steven Seagal action film.
Halicek and hundreds of other Oregonians received similar letters from a Salem law firm that claims to represent Elf-Man and Voltage Pictures.
The firm said the notices speak for themselves, but declined an interview request with KOIN 6 News.
"They're giving us two weeks to cough up $7500 to pay them off," Havlicek said. Her family received another letter Tuesday demanding a much higher dollar amount -- about $150,000 maximum.
"I'm being sued," she said. "I don't know what's going on here. I didn't certainly do this. I didn't steal any film. I don't even like Steven Seagal. I checked with other members of the family and they said they didn't do it."
Portland patent attorney Dave Madden told KOIN 6 News while some of the people who received the letters may have actually stolen the movies, many aren't guilty.
"It's about scaring people enough to write a check," he said. "Very few people have actually gone to court, even the ones who have wanted to go to court and say, 'Here's my computer, I didn't do it, please leave me alone.'"
He also said it's the first time this lawsuit ploy has come to Oregon.
And he said the odds are slim the Halicek's will be sued. But Mary Halicek is still enraged.
"Why would they rob us when we didn't do anything? We're not responsible for any of this."
http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/illegal-movie-download-threat/I-4g_Re7ZEiQdtikVyIbVA.cspx
Halicek and hundreds of other Oregonians received similar letters from a Salem law firm that claims to represent Elf-Man and Voltage Pictures.
The firm said the notices speak for themselves, but declined an interview request with KOIN 6 News.
"They're giving us two weeks to cough up $7500 to pay them off," Havlicek said. Her family received another letter Tuesday demanding a much higher dollar amount -- about $150,000 maximum.
"I'm being sued," she said. "I don't know what's going on here. I didn't certainly do this. I didn't steal any film. I don't even like Steven Seagal. I checked with other members of the family and they said they didn't do it."
Portland patent attorney Dave Madden told KOIN 6 News while some of the people who received the letters may have actually stolen the movies, many aren't guilty.
"It's about scaring people enough to write a check," he said. "Very few people have actually gone to court, even the ones who have wanted to go to court and say, 'Here's my computer, I didn't do it, please leave me alone.'"
He also said it's the first time this lawsuit ploy has come to Oregon.
And he said the odds are slim the Halicek's will be sued. But Mary Halicek is still enraged.
"Why would they rob us when we didn't do anything? We're not responsible for any of this."
http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/illegal-movie-download-threat/I-4g_Re7ZEiQdtikVyIbVA.cspx
