Bandwidth theft - procedure and contacts to solve

[rwenzori]

so you don't know...

thanks

Oh I do - I just figured that you are capable of finding the Acts yourself.

Hint - you might start at http://www.acts.co.za/

 

[kevinswan007]

 

[1nsane!]

If people are stupid enough NOT to change their default router password, let them get capped.

i agree in a way with Jeremi, mabey it is a bit harsh, but people should just RTFM, in your router's manual it says that it is a security risk not changing your default password and it shows you step by step what to do and how to fix. So even if you are n00b you should still be able to avoid this.

However, bandwidth theft is WRONG and a huge issue in SA, mabey if Telkom would just stop capping us for local traffic. . . www.fbc.org.za/ states that Telkom isn't allowed to cap us for local bandwidth. Hopefully this will get resolved before i die of old age . . .

 

[PostmanPot]

Change passwords and nail them where it hurts.

 

[thesuspect]

Bandwidth theft is not Telkom or the ISP's fault. You cannot blame Game when your TV is stolen, neither can you blame ADT if you didnt set your alarm or lock your door. In this world there are a few certainties - Death, taxes and hackers. Now, your router comes with a password & username and so does your ISP account. The onus is on you to keep these safe. I can pick up 3 unsecured networks around my house, it is as easy as connecting to them, typing in 10.0.0.2, using Admin - admin and then right click - view source as I get his password. After that I could even cancel my ADSL line as I piggy back off their lines. Should they blame Telkom for this? Should Telkom or their ISP refund them for lost bandwidth? No, they should take the pain andmake sure it doesn't happen again. Remember also that Telkom won't frely give out customers numbers and addresses to abused victims and this is because we live in SA and might end up in a "Bandwidth Rage" incident on the front page of "The Son".

 

[nugpot]

Remember also that Telkom won't frely give out customers numbers and addresses to abused victims and this is because we live in SA and might end up in a "Bandwidth Rage" incident on the front page of "The Son".

Actually, because this is South Africa, I found the name and address I wanted pretty quickly and easily once I found the right person.

Any information can be purchased and I know of one little hacker who will shortly be in for the surprise of his life.

 

[davidmc]

Incorrect Calculation of Bandwidth Usage

I have noticed that Telkom do not calculate the usage of your bandwidth correctly!
I am using Windows VISTA with Office 2007. When I open Outlook 2007 to connect to the Exchange Server at my Company to read my email, Telkom is calculating the size of mailbox as "downloaded data". My mailbox resides on the Exchange Server and I make use of an OST. The original sync of the OST was done at the office on the local LAN.
Besides this just being physically impossible to download over 1Gb in in 2 or 3 mins, Telkom count the complete size of the mailbox as "downloaded data" and this contributes towards your CAP.
Watch out for this!!
Has anyone else experienced this?
Who can this be reported to at Telkom as the last thing I want to do is phone the Telkom Call Centre and explain this to them

Thanks!

 

[ld13]

Telkom is calculating the size of mailbox as "downloaded data". Besides this just being physically impossible to download over 1Gb in in 2 or 3 mins, Telkom count the complete size of the mailbox as "downloaded data" and this contributes towards your CAP.
Watch out for this!!

riiiiiight

Has anyone else experienced this?

Nope. You do know that this is not possible right? All the providers are rather accurate with their downloading stats. In any case, it’s impossible to download 1GB in a few minutes with one concurrent connection in South Africa. But maybe your account got jacked?



/me ninjas davidmc
Welcome to the MyADSL Forums!

 

[davidmc]

Incorrect Calculation of Bandwidth Usage

Nope. You do know that this is not possible right? All the providers are rather accurate with their downloading stats. In any case, it’s impossible to download 1GB in a few minutes with one concurrent connection in South Africa. But maybe your account got jacked?


I have simulated this with my Telkom account and then with my Vodacom 3G account. After connecting using my Telkom account, Telkom add +/-1.2Gb to my account as this is the size of my mailbox. When using the Vodacom 3G account, Vodacom only add a few MB's, this being the new emails that are viewed.
There is something up with the way Telkom is counting this data when connecting to your Exchange Server using the Outlook client.
My account has not been jacked.

 

[Just1ce]

I registered to reply to this thread as I am one of these people. I have been using accounts for the past 14 - 16 months. What I want to know is, if there is any option to 'come clean' as it were. I.E tell Telkom what I've been doing, pay the fine and get immunity should one of my victims lay a charge against me?

 

[PostmanPot]

Rofl

 

[ardee]

They Robbed me

What do I do? Modem was not yet installed and service not activated but downloads took place over two days. Helkom said it came from my line. Modem was still in box??? Who can I mo&r at helkom?

 

[rwenzori]

Rofl

Agreed! Criminal record for life for Just1ce! LOL!

 

[rwenzori]

What do I do? Modem was not yet installed and service not activated but downloads took place over two days. Helkom said it came from my line. Modem was still in box??? Who can I mo&r at helkom?

Telkom do their very best to give you zero access to anyone with any power to do anything. If it was not installed, one can presume a Telkom employee. Why not claim it is fraud and log a fraud case at their fraud line on 0860 124 000. Insist on logging it - they are very uninterested in one's troubles.

 

[Megafreak]

I need some help Please!

Hey guys,

Ok..this is what happened.

Last week Monday at about 4pm, there were 8 cops who appeared outside our house. They had come all the way from Cape Town and were driving around Gauteng following up on charges laid for bandwidth theft.

Now suddenly they come up with this fact that we have been stealing bandwidth from some allyoucaneat account.

Please note that I have never done this and have no idea how to do it. I also don't believe my +/- 50yr old parents would do such a thing

Well anyway, they came in with a search and seize warrant and apparent proof that this account was used off our line from the 15th to 27th August 2007.
Now as mentioned in previous posts, we have a choice of the R1500 fine or a court case. Now we would quite easily go to the court cases, but the thing is that they are being held in Cape Town, where as we are in Johannesburg!

My parents spoke to a lawyer telling him about what happened, and he says that these "cops" should never have come in and taken our harddrives without some prior warning or notification. He also stated that it would be best to go to court, but would take about 6-7 trips to Cape Town and back and in the end cost us ALOT of money..which we don't have

My parents are leaning toward paying the fine of R1500 just to get our PC's running again, but would this mean they would get a criminal record for life for doing NOTHING!!

Can anyone help us out, is there anyway to get these charges dropped or a way out of the situation without getting a criminal record as such?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding a bit crazy about nothing, but it just drives me nuts to know that an innocent family like us is being charged with "account theft" where as there are tons of other people getting away with it. (most being Telkom employees according to these cops)

 

[rwenzori]

I'm intrigued - under what law are they charging you? Under what law is the R1500 "admission of guilt"? Would it mean a criminal record, or would it be like a traffic fine?

You best take the advice of a lawyer on this.

As a 50-something year old parent, I'd pay the fine myself - less hassle.

 

[ld13]

The R1500 "admission of guilt" would mean a criminal record yes. Megafreak, did you check that these "cops" were real cops? Because I dont see CT cops going to Johannesburg just to find you. But it's not impossible. Then, what you could do is also to check what your ADSL line's port number is (Dont ask Telkom for it). Then find out what port the police is after. Could be a simple misunderstanding (line port number listed with wrong details on Telkom's side etc etc).

 

[The_Unbeliever]

How do you find out what your ADSL line's port number is?

 

[Praeses]

How do you find out what your ADSL line's port number is?

I think the ISP knows. Webafrica displays it in their control panel thing with the usage etc.

 

[ld13]

How do you find out what your ADSL line's port number is?

I check it with my WA account. In the DSL Console > Authentication Menu/Tab > Line management > Line Port. Do you have a WA/Sainet account TL? As You should be able to find the 10 digit port number somewhere on there. I suppose Axxess's accounts are the same with their DSL Console thing...

Megafreak, You dont maybe have a Wireless router do you? Is your security set up properly? Are you tech-savvy in any way?