YNOT – Is there no depth to which scammers will not sink?
Apparently there isn’t. Canadian police are seeking information about the person or people behind a group calling itself “Artisan International License, Compliance and Investigations.” According to the West Vancouver Police Department, Artisan International is targeting senior citizens with demand letters claiming the old folks downloaded pirated porn from online peer-to-peer networks.
According to a report at TorrentFreak the letters demand recipients fork over a “settlement” of about $3,000 if they want to avoid an expensive, and potentially embarrassing, court battle.
Canadian authorities are understandably skeptical about the claims, considering the allegedly pilfered porn doesn’t seem to exist. Among the titles listed in the letters are Paris Porno (1976), Real Big Boobs 2 Volume 2 (2006), Retired Porn Stars (2010), White-Hot Nurses (2002), Reality Pron Series 1 (1995), Les Affames sont tombles sure la tete (1994) and Rammin’ the Rear Gate 2001 (2001). According to the Internet Adult Film Database, only two of the titles come close to existing: Real Big Boobs 2 was released in 2002 by Metro, and White-Hot Nurses 1 saw a 2003 Hustler release.
The sort of massive porn-file-sharing lawsuits and settlement offers that have become popular in the U.S. over the past few years slipped across the border into Canada only this month. Consequently, Canadian police have labeled the letters part of a particularly vile scam operation.
West Vancouver police have issued an official fraud alert: “If you or anyone you know has been a recipient of this letter or has personal knowledge of who may be responsible for sending these letters, please contact the West Vancouver Police at 604-925-7300 quoting file number 11-11341, or if you wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.”
