Dish Police back in action.

[dvrexpander]

So let me get this straight... they are letting people have more receivers on their accounts but fired up the "dish police" force back in action..makes sense.

I think if you have over 5 they will do this so makes sense with the May22nd changes they pushed.

Ohh and while you were on the phone with her did she ask you if you wanted to buy some screen cleaner?

 

[Teehar]

Well I think I passed. I called back asking for Silvia but got someone else, forgot her name. Anyway she was nice. She asked if I'm on a cordless, I said yes. She said please don't place me on hold during this process. I said Ok. She wanted me to go to 101. Told her I don't have 101. So she said just put it on whatever channel I want. I told her I'd just use 102.

She wanted the receiver number, switch type and location id from each receiver. I complied. I actually muted the phone when I was moving around just because I didn't want her to hear anything "suspicious" even though I have nothing to hide. With all the horror stories I've read throughout the years I wanted to make sure and not give her any reason to screw with me. Line was definitely sounding like there was someone else listening in or something.

Anyway so that's all she wanted were those 3 things from each receiver. Went smooth as something like this can go I suppose. She was nice and didn't make a single accusatory remark. I guess being prepared ahead of time helps. Who knows what would've happened if I couldn't find a remote or something. She said to call 800-333-3474 if I need help. I asked her how often this will occur because I don't usually pick up for 800 numbers, she said shouldn't receive another call again, but I know that anything is possible. Whole process took about 20 minutes, including the time I was on hold waiting for someone to answer.

So I think I passed. I guess the receivers would be shut off by now if I didn't.

Yea you passed.At the end of the conversation with Sylvia,she stated no changes in my pricing,or programming.And yea,if you fail the test they will shut all but the primary receiver off.If you fail to call them back at all they will also shut them off.So,I wouldn't advise ignoring the call.

 

[R0ss]

If they are all connected to a phone line or broadband, when they "check in", it will indicate that they are at the same location (same phone # or same IP). If that's the case, it's not likely you'd be checked on.

As Scherrman mentioned, you can sign up with Dish and have them come out and hook up multiple TVs. As soon as they leave, take one or more of those receivers to a parent's house, cousin's house, etc, buy a used dish/LNB, hook them up, and share the cost of the bill (or the others get FREE service).

Makes you wonder though...if someone has enough skill to put a dish up at a friend or relatives home and take one of their receivers to that house it would seem to me that they would also check out the forums and blogs to find out all the skinny. I mean if the audit team calls and leaves a message all you have to do is run over to the relatives house and get the receiver plug it in check switch and call back right????

Ross


Sent via Tapatalk

 

[Teehar]

So let me get this straight... they are letting people have more receivers on their accounts but fired up the "dish police" force back in action..makes sense.

I think if you have over 5 they will do this so makes sense with the May22nd changes they pushed.

Ohh and while you were on the phone with her did she ask you if you wanted to buy some screen cleaner?

The number of receivers on a single account hasn't changed,it's still 6.Now you can have more than 6 tuners ie 3 hoppers.

My gut instinct says,that corporate has to at least look as if they are trying to combat stacking and piracy,hence the audit team back in action.

 

[Teehar]

Makes you wonder though...if someone has enough skill to put a dish up at a friend or relatives home and take one of their receivers to that house it would seem to me that they would also check out the forums and blogs to find out all the skinny. I mean if the audit team calls and leaves a message all you have to do is run over to the relatives house and get the receiver plug it in check switch and call back right????

Ross
Sent via Tapatalk

If I'm not mistaken,the location id can give them a general proximity of the receivers general location.Otherwise I have no idea why they would even ask for it.So if you had a receiver at home in NC and one in loaned out to someone in TX it would definitely fail the test.

 

[3HaloODST]

If I'm not mistaken,the location id can give them a general proximity of the receivers general location.Otherwise I have no idea why they would even ask for it.So if you had a receiver at home in NC and one in loaned out to someone in TX it would definitely fail the test.

I think the LID changes constantly so you can't just write it down and give it to them later. You have to get the LID the moment they ask for it. I'm assuming that the LID is beamed down from the satellite. They can probably generate new LIDs on-the-fly too.

 

[Claude Greiner]

All the location ID is, is a mathmatical equation that has something to do with the Receiver ID number and the date and time that periodically changes throughout the day.

It works simmilar to one of those security key chains the bank will sometimes issue to you that will generate a random number you need to enter when logging into a secure website.

In theroy if you where account stacking, you would not be physically infront of the receiver to read the new location id number.

I don't think they beam down the number from the satellite, as it would result in millions of un-necessary authorizations in any given day. I think they could change it remotely, but I have never heard of the audit natzi asking a customer to go back and read the location ID again after it changed.

The only true way to stop account stacking would be to incorporate a SWM type technology into all the receivers like Directv, and for the authorization to be valid, force all the receivers to talk to each other on a network.

Another way they will try to trick you during an audit is to make you do a check switch and have you read the switch configuration and the satellites. They made me do that on my home account a few years ago because in theroy if you where account stacking you would likely have a DPP44 switch.

I wish they would try to audit my account to give me an excuse to cancel. Im down to 1 receiver with 1 international channel on a single account.

 

[Hall]

Makes you wonder though...if someone has enough skill to put a dish up at a friend or relatives home and take one of their receivers to that house it would seem to me that they would also check out the forums and blogs to find out all the skinny.

Don't overestimate the number of people who actively visit internet forums about satellite TV....



Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Teehar]

Another way they will try to trick you during an audit is to make you do a check switch and have you read the switch configuration and the satellites. They made me do that on my home account a few years ago because in theroy if you where account stacking you would likely have a DPP44 switch.

Ahh,I forgot to mention that,she did ask me to read switch configuration.I just read the first part Dish 1k.4.She said and whats the rest,1k.4 (1) etc.

 

[3HaloODST]

I have a DPP33 and a DPP44, only way to have four Hoppers on a single dish. Why would having a DPP44 make you more likely to be a stacker? I figured they wanted it to see if different receivers are on different switches/LNBs, which could clue them in that they're not on the same dish. Doesn't work so well in my case though. She didn't ask what sats I'm looking at or about the 1k.2(1)-(3) part either.

 

[Teehar]

I have a DPP33 and a DPP44, only way to have four Hoppers on a single dish. Why would having a DPP44 make you more likely to be a stacker? I figured they wanted it to see if different receivers are on different switches/LNBs, which could clue them in that they're not on the same dish. Doesn't work so well in my case though. She didn't ask what sats I'm looking at or about the 1k.2(1)-(3) part either.

Doesn't work so well in my case either.Crazy installer insisted I couldn't get 129 so he puts up a 1k.4 for eastern arc.So now we have western arc quad legacy,with sw21 for 129,and the 1k.4.When I told Sylvia the dish configuration on our 722 she was very suspicious.I had to repeat it 3 times.sw-21 3 sat,could you repeat that? lol

 

[TheTechGuru]

Yeap, they can see that they're connected on the same external IP which generally means they're in the same location.

That "can" be faked though the use of a VPN. Could have 4 receivers in 4 different states, each connected to VPN client routers with one VPN server at the account holder location.

Also, there is now a possibility of having the same IP as other account holders because many ISP's are starting to use NAT/shared IP because of running out of IP addresses.

Phone lines can be faked too, but a little harder, use a analog SIP/VOIP adapter at each location using the same outgoing number/account.

You know, if the providers had a brain they would just put GPS chips in the receivers. That would kill two birds with one stone. No more account stackers, and no more "movers" to get out of market locals.

Would probably be a better idea to put the GPS chip in the LNBF though since it's outdoors and to keep costs down.

Anyway, all the more reason I have DirecTV and will never use DishNet.

 

[Hall]

That "can" be faked though the use of a VPN....

Really ?? I made it a point to include "Yes, I know perfectly well that this is a stretch !!" for just this type of response.....

 

[TheTechGuru]

That should generally rule you out as a likely account stacker. Of course, you could share equipment (the 2nd Hopper), ethernet, and/or WiFi with very close neighbors to accomplish this. Yes, I know perfectly well that this is a stretch !!

Ya, what about people that have a guest house out back? Same address, same lot number and tax record account number, even same landline. But walking to it and most likely unlocking the door would probably take too much time for DN to pass.

So I guess it's safe to say, if you have a guest house and want TV in it with your main house, don't get DishNet.

What about the 5-12 bedroom "mansion" houses that take a long time to walk around? Sounds like they'd never pass.

I've mainly observed out of Poor-Middle-Rich that it's mainly Poor & Middle with DishNet and Middle & Rich with DirecTV.

Was watching some luxury RV show on I think Velocity, guess what satellite TV system they come with? DirecTV!

 

[TheTechGuru]

Yeap, they can see that they're connected on the same external IP which generally means they're in the same location.

Really ?? I made it a point to include "Yes, I know perfectly well that this is a stretch !!" for just this type of response.....

Had not read that one yet.

 

[TheTechGuru]

yeah if they've got like 12 receivers on the account

otherwise they dont bother

How would/does DirecTV even do it? I've never ran across anything like a location ID in any menus that DirecTV could use.

 

[Claude Greiner]

What about the 5-12 bedroom "mansion" houses that take a long time to walk around? Sounds like they'd never pass.
[\QUOTE]

I had one of those types of installations fail an audit like 10 years ago for a ceo of a major corporation around here. It was back before we had duo tuner receivers and the guy had 2 accounts with (6) receivers each.

A few phone calls to corporate to the right person and they never bothered him again.

 

[jimdandyvi]

That "can" be faked though the use of a VPN. Could have 4 receivers in 4 different states, each connected to VPN client routers with one VPN server at the account holder location.

Also, there is now a possibility of having the same IP as other account holders because many ISP's are starting to use NAT/shared IP because of running out of IP addresses.

Phone lines can be faked too, but a little harder, use a analog SIP/VOIP adapter at each location using the same outgoing number/account.

You know, if the providers had a brain they would just put GPS chips in the receivers. That would kill two birds with one stone. No more account stackers, and no more "movers" to get out of market locals.

Would probably be a better idea to put the GPS chip in the LNBF though since it's outdoors and to keep costs down.

Anyway, all the more reason I have DirecTV and will never use DishNet.

You don't necessarily need GPS in a device to determine its location. If a device has WiFi or is connected to a network that has WiFi its location can be determined within a few hundred feet by scanning what WiFi network SSIDs are nearby. (Thank you Google, NSA, et al.) Aereo uses this WiFi technology to screen potential customers to determine if they are actually in their service area. Using my VPN to NYC didn't fool them. The technology works well. I can track my Kindle Fire (WiFi only ) well enough to know it is at home or at the office, but not accurately enough to know if it is in the family room or the bedroom.

Also FYI many VPN services restrict how many devices can be connected using one account simultaneously. The IP ranges used by most VPN providers are known so if a web site really wants to know they can tell you are using a VPN and therefore may not be located where your VPN server is. If you are connecting to a VPN server in a different time zone than your system's actual time zone that can give you away.

 

[TheTechGuru]

You don't necessarily need GPS in a device to determine its location. If a device has WiFi or is connected to a network that has WiFi its location can be determined within a few hundred feet by scanning what WiFi network SSIDs are nearby. (Thank you Google, NSA, et al.) Aereo uses this WiFi technology to screen potential customers to determine if they are actually in their service area. Using my VPN to NYC didn't fool them. The technology works well. I can track my Kindle Fire (WiFi only ) well enough to know it is at home or at the office, but not accurately enough to know if it is in the family room or the bedroom.

WiFi location is not really reliable, maybe in NYC and other big ones, but generally not reliable in most places.

Also FYI many VPN services restrict how many devices can be connected using one account simultaneously. The IP ranges used by most VPN providers are known so if a web site really wants to know they can tell you are using a VPN and therefore may not be located where your VPN server is. If you are connecting to a VPN server in a different time zone than your system's actual time zone that can give you away.

I am not talking about using any VPN service, I am talking about setting up ones own VPN server at the account holders home and plug the remote receivers into VPN client boxes that connect to that VPN.

 

[TheKrell]

You don't necessarily need GPS in a device to determine its location. If a device has WiFi or is connected to a network that has WiFi its location can be determined within a few hundred feet by scanning what WiFi network SSIDs are nearby. (Thank you Google, NSA, et al.)

I don't even understand that. Suppose (well it's true!) all my receivers are on Ethernet to my wireless router, and suppose (this is NOT true) I am account stacking via VPN with a 4th receiver (hardwired Ethernet) on the other side of the country. How can anybody determine via wifi that I am account stacking?