# FIOS Question This is a real emergency for me **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901 "2012-03-27T01:09:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/1 "2012-03-27T01:09:08Z")
I’m going to be cut off (again) in 2 days for non-payment. I have spent 70 hours on the phone with FIOS about how I DID NOT order pay-per-view porn. I don’t even know how to operate a dang remote! They insist the orders came from my “box” and suggested that someone is sneaking into my house and ordering these movies. Sometimes 1-2 minutes apart!!! Management even came out during the strike and told me 'no movies were recently ordered from this box" and that parental controls were ON. And that was like 8 mos. ago. To date I’ve been overcharged around 1500 bucks–which is why I can’t keep up with the bills. I can’t do this anymore. Oh and I’m disabled (9-11) but that’s another story. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT VERIZON FIBER OPTIC FIOS CAN BE PIRATED OR SOMETHING? They say no. Please help me. I have the 'net/TV/phone package with HDTV altho I don’t have an HD TV. Also wireless capability barely used. And an XBox. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/2 "2012-03-27T01:25:54Z")
I think you need to speak with someone higher up in customer service. You had a manager at your home to inspect your setup? How about calling him/her directly? You got a name and phone number, right? AT the very least, a manager should be able to keep your service turned on until this issue is resolved. BUT. What is the possibility that you really did order the porn? Do you live with anyone? Does anyone have access to your home? Any teenage boys, who watch porn and lie about it? ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/3 "2012-03-27T12:08:33Z")
I wonder if your WIFI is unprotected. I have heard that X-box users leave it that way for some reason. I had a neighbor that did that and I used his WIFI, with his permission, all day long. I could have downloaded anything. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/4 "2012-03-27T12:40:29Z")
Downloading Porn has nothing to do with Pay-Per-View. Sounds like kids or a serious account mix-up. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/5 "2012-03-27T13:36:44Z")
Hmm… I have FIOS, but without a TV box of any sort. The fiber cable goes to a service box in the basement, which then plugs into a network of coax cables that date from when this house was wired for cable. I can plug my Verizon-provided router into any one of several coax outlets throughout the house. If I had a set-top box, I believe I could do the same. So, if your neighbor has access to a coax cable from your house, they could potentially plug in their own set-top-box and order all the porn they desired. This is obviously more plausible if you share a wall with them, but they could also run a cable from your house to theirs (not entirely unheard of). I’m not entirely sure on this point, but some of the googling around indicates that some Verizon set top boxes are ordinary network devices. So potentially they can connect a set-top-box to your network in any way, including wifi, and use that to order all of the pay-per-view porn they want. Both of those possibilities might be prevented by other types of security (don’t set top boxes have to authenticate in some manner?) but that’s always been an arms race, and there has always been a thriving market for hardware that can pirate other people’s cable… ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/6 "2012-03-27T14:18:23Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > Hmm… > > I have FIOS, but without a TV box of any sort. The fiber cable goes to a service box in the basement, which then plugs into a network of coax cables that date from when this house was wired for cable. I can plug my Verizon-provided router into any one of several coax outlets throughout the house. If I had a set-top box, I believe I could do the same. So, if your neighbor has access to a coax cable from your house, they could potentially plug in their own set-top-box and order all the porn they desired. This is obviously more plausible if you share a wall with them, but they could also run a cable from your house to theirs (not entirely unheard of). I’m pretty sure that’s not true. The set top box is authenticated with the ONT where the fiber enters the house, so if you hooked up your STB in someone else’s house, it just wouldn’t work. But even if it was true, the STB is what’s in the FIOS database, not the house address. So if you could connect your STB to someone else’s network, and ordered PPV or VOD, the bill would go to the STB owner’s account. Now what you can do, though it would only be for purposes of screwing someone over, is get their password for their online account, which you can log into from anywhere, and order VOD or PPV from there. I don’t know how much security there is on that, because I don’t want to test it out and accidently order something, but you absolutely can get to a screen that lets you order content even when you’re not at home. The person doing it wouldn’t be able to actually watch the content however. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/7 "2012-03-27T21:45:46Z")
Yes we have a box. And then those wireless things. I think I better wait until the kid gets home to explain it to me. And yes I have a teen but these movies were ordered even when he was away! So basic questions: Are these porn flicks 30 seconds long? How could they be ordered 1-2 minutes apart when I’m told that it takes several minutes to go through the process to order a movie. My next door through the wall neighbors are 3 males in their early 20’s. DOg howling to go out. I’ll be back. I LOVE YOU GUYS. (but I can hardly understand a word you are saying.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/8 "2012-03-28T00:11:05Z")
I don’t know what STB is. But I think these movies were never actually “watched.” The 85th tech guy I spoke to said I’m not obligated to pay for unwatched movies and I should take it up with billing who of course never heard such a thing. BTW Fios was in the news last week–awesome profits and bonuses kind of thing. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > I’m pretty sure that’s not true. The set top box is authenticated with the ONT where the fiber enters the house, so if you hooked up your STB in someone else’s house, it just wouldn’t work. > > But even if it was true, the STB is what’s in the FIOS database, not the house address. So if you could connect your STB to someone else’s network, and ordered PPV or VOD, the bill would go to the STB owner’s account. > > Now what you can do, though it would only be for purposes of screwing someone over, is get their password for their online account, which you can log into from anywhere, and order VOD or PPV from there. I don’t know how much security there is on that, because I don’t want to test it out and accidently order something, but you absolutely can get to a screen that lets you order content even when you’re not at home. The person doing it wouldn’t be able to actually watch the content however. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/9 "2012-03-28T00:20:08Z")
“STB” is just an abbreviation of “set-top-box”, i.e. the thing that plugs into your TV and lets you watch shows and order pay-per-view. Otherwise I don’t have any more help for you. ---
**Author:** ![Postariti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Postariti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Postariti)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/10 "2012-03-28T01:29:39Z")
Contact your Attorney General’s office. Send them a copy of the bill and point out that there’s no way anyone could actually be watching these movies. Send snail-mail letters to your FIOS provider. Be polite and spell everything out in detail. Inculde copies of the bills, and point out that the charges are simply impossible. Tell then you think your box is defective. That’s really the direction you should try. Your box is defective, you never ordered the movies. Ask for a new box. Keep sending letters and emails, and keep copies of everything. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/11 "2012-03-28T18:43:29Z")
Still, is it _possible_ somebody from somewhere is doing this? I looked around and learned words like descrambler / pirate / and so on but the posts were so geeky I couldn’t understand. And if FIOS is in the search term along with stealing or hacking the first 20 pages are all FIOS ads. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/12 "2012-03-28T18:53:35Z")
> **[Hacked Video Rental Account](https://community.verizon.com/t5/Fios-TV/Hacked-Video-Rental-Account/td-p/1450307)** > > My account has been hacked since April. I have been charged for movies that I haven't rented. Working with Verizon has been frustrating since they cannot seem to solve the issue. I have employed every defensive ploy suggested by tech support but the... Looks like there are several people who have the same problem. One said that he requested a replacement Set Top Box and after that there weren’t any false charges. ---
**Author:** ![just\_some\_guy5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@just\_some\_guy5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/just_some_guy5)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/13 "2012-03-28T18:54:03Z")
> [@cynyc](#): > > My next door through the wall neighbors are 3 males in their early 20’s. I admittedly don’t know much about how the technology for stealing cable to order pay-per-view movies works, but I’ve gotta say the demographics of your through-the-wall neighbors raises some very large red flags. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/14 "2012-03-28T21:18:03Z")
I need somebody to make a phone call for me!!! I don’t dare do it from my phone because I told them it is Attorney General Time. **Check this out!** Ad on most recent extortion bill. A new ‘service’: **Verizon News Monitoring and control service** Verizon Home Monitoring and Controls lets you manage your home from nearly anywhere w/a compatible smartphone, PC or or FiOS TV. Plans just 9.99/mo. Call 1-888-863-9302. Followed by taxes and fees disclaimer. Maybe there’s something there… ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/15 "2012-03-28T21:19:23Z")
Wonder if they got a credit. Oh. When I called the AG office the gal said she got the same complaint last week. > [@Dog80](#): > > [Community Forums - Hacked Video Rental Account - Verizon Community](http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-TV-Technical-Assistance/Hacked-Video-Rental-Account/td-p/334057) > > Looks like there are several people who have the same problem. One said that he requested a replacement Set Top Box and after that there weren’t any false charges. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/16 "2012-03-28T21:22:35Z")
Just because you told them it’s “Attorney General time” doesn’t mean you can’t call them anymore. 😕 The other thing sounds like an offer for a service. You have to dial the number to order it, and it’s $9.99/month. ---
**Author:** ![Odaran09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Odaran09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odaran09)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/17 "2012-03-28T23:08:41Z")
Another possibility, (I thought they would have fixed it by now but I may be wrong) is that someone cloned the MAC address of your box. Every network device has an IP which can change (even if you have a static IP service, it can be changed easily if you needed to), but your MAC (Machine Access Code) address is difficult to change. It is usually hard coded in the NIC (Network Interface Chip/Card). Although MAC address can be changed, you really have to know what you are doing or you will mess up the chip and it won’t work anymore. I used to hear of a method where you used the appropriate network card on a PC to interface with the cable/satellite network. You sniffed out what Devices (cable boxes) were on the network and cloned one of the MAC addresses on different box. Because there are boxes with multiple tuners, the cable/satellite companys were not always able to determine that there was a pirated device. Of course you wanted to be close to the node (group of boxes like the same neighborhood) of the MAC adress you cloned, otherwise the cable company would know something is up if it sees the same “box” in two different states. It is ususally the MAC address that they block when they disable your cable. I can be wrong because I have not kept up with that area of technology. If some little tweener figured that out, I can see them passing the info along to their friends and that is how you get 1-2 mins between purchases. Easiest way to figure this out is to call your provider, physically disconnect the box, hope that the thief is using theirs and see if the tech on the phone can ping the MAC adress. If it is still showing up, you got cloned. A new box means a new MAC address so as long as they target someone else or stop doing it, you should be fine. Assuming this is what’s happening to you. Sorry about the post’s grammer and spelling, I don’t have a lot of time on break. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/18 "2012-03-28T23:45:25Z")
Odaran09: Thank you for your (limited no less) time. (Kiss.) My kid’s tutor, who just showed up, is an IT guy. I asked him if it was feasible. He said yes that anything digital could be “spoofed” I told him I understood what a spoof email was and to make one isn’t all that sophisticated and, basically, what does that have to do with the price of rice? He said that would be an example of a “Low Level One Spoof.” So yes there are “levels” to this business. What he doesn’t know is how it is done. Of course FiOS employees all state the party line–“impossible.” (And to an earlier poster–there are no “higher ups” according to they who answer the calls at the 6 departments I’ve spoken to a dozen times each; each of which doesn’t handle “this.”) Damn shame one needs to be an attorney and a special investigator just to have a cable package." ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/19 "2012-03-28T23:55:39Z")
> [@Odaran09](#): > > Another possibility, (I thought they would have fixed it by now but I may be wrong) is that someone cloned the MAC address of your box. > > Every network device has an IP which can change (even if you have a static IP service, it can be changed easily if you needed to), but your MAC (Machine Access Code) Tiny nitpick: _Media_ Access _Control_, which, by itself, refers to the entire process of controlling who on the LAN can talk at any given moment; thus, each NIC (which you defined correct) will have its own MAC address, regardless of how many NICs a complete computer (or STB) has. A MAC address is what you correctly referred to above and what can be cloned, at least on personal computers. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901/20 "2012-03-29T02:37:26Z")
Another hypothetical. There are methods with comcast where you can watch pay per view and on demand stuff from a computer or tablet. Verizon may have similar services. All you need for comcast is some info off your bill which can be easily aquired by any random customer service rep or someone who might have picked your bill out of the trash. > **[Comcast plans to offer live and On Demand content for iPad, Android tablets...](https://bgr.com/general/comcast-plans-to-offer-on-demand-and-live-content-for-ipad-android-tablets-this-year/)** > > Tech. Entertainment. Science. Your inbox. Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there. Email: SIGN UP By signing up, I agree … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fios-question-this-is-a-real-emergency-for-me/616901.md?page=2)