# Verizon FIOS flagged me for using torrents..WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Off Topic\ **Created:** [April 13, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391 "2012-04-13T20:01:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xreaction](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xreaction/32/6409_2.png) [@xreaction](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xreaction)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/1 "2012-04-13T20:01:09Z")
I just got a call from my Internet service provider(FIOS) saying that i’ve been flagged for downloading a Star Wars movie via torrent threatening me with termination. I have been using Torrents for years without a problem. Has anyone else have this happen to them? :eek3 ---
**Author:** ![JVG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jvg/32/6348_2.png) [@JVG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JVG)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/2 "2012-04-13T20:11:31Z")
> [@oh fawk... Tree \> audi](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oh-fawk-tree-audi/49163/20): > > I just got a call from my Internet service provider(FIOS) saying that i’ve been flagged for downloading a Star Wars movie via torrent threatening me with termination. I have been using Torrents for years without a problem. Has anyone else have this happen to them? :eek3 nice to know they are spying on your content. maybe next time they will have an issue with the amount of internet porn you google. sounds like bs to me. ---
**Author:** ![kramerbuccs24](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/kramerbuccs24/32/6397_2.png) [@kramerbuccs24](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/kramerbuccs24)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/3 "2012-04-13T22:08:16Z")
damn that fucking blows :skid ---
**Author:** ![DrunkieTheBear](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/drunkiethebear/32/6539_2.png) [@DrunkieTheBear](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DrunkieTheBear)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/4 "2012-04-13T23:47:12Z")
Verizon has been known to nail your ass for torrents and they will turn your name over. Time warner doesn’t give a shit what you do. ---
**Author:** ![Ilya](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilya/32/6404_2.png) [@Ilya](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Ilya)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/5 "2012-04-14T00:57:46Z")
I got a letter a few years ago from TW about high bandwidth usage related to possible P2P, Torrenting, etc. I then switched to uTorrent which masks the content it is downloading so the ISP can’t tell what’s being downloaded. Switch to a better torrent client. ---
**Author:** ![crAppAchic0](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/crappachic0/32/6306_2.png) [@crAppAchic0](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/crAppAchic0)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 6:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/6 "2012-04-14T06:57:54Z")
> [@So this is what I got paid to do today](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-this-is-what-i-got-paid-to-do-today/49130/46): > > I got a letter a few years ago from TW about high bandwidth usage related to possible P2P, Torrenting, etc. > > I then switched to uTorrent which masks the content it is downloading so the ISP can’t tell what’s being downloaded. > > Switch to a better torrent client. You can enable client encryption and even ignore non-encrypted peers- also, many times their alerts based off of port-specific traffic, so you can enable port ‘randomization’ on your torrent client also. ---
**Author:** ![jdaniels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jdaniels/32/6399_2.png) [@jdaniels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jdaniels)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 7:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/7 "2012-04-14T07:41:01Z")
It’s not so much your ISP wanting to do it, it’s obligatory. There are seeds out there set as bait to capture IP addresses, once captured, they (copyright owner, RIAA, etc) reports the batch of IP addresses and letters are sent out. ---
**Author:** ![HudsonFalcon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/hudsonfalcon/32/6460_2.png) [@HudsonFalcon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HudsonFalcon)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/8 "2012-04-14T08:02:19Z")
Since their are relatively fewer FIOS customers due to availability maybe you’re easier to track? A friend of mine from Rotterdam is in the teraflop range in terms of torrent content on his HD and has never had a problem. I find i funny that they send you a threatening termination letter. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. ---
**Author:** ![Ilya](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilya/32/6404_2.png) [@Ilya](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Ilya)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:21am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/9 "2012-04-14T08:21:14Z")
> [@So this is what I got paid to do today](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-this-is-what-i-got-paid-to-do-today/49130/47): > > You can enable client encryption and even ignore non-encrypted peers- also, many times their alerts based off of port-specific traffic, so you can enable port ‘randomization’ on your torrent client also. This too. Don’t use the standard port. As long as you set your client correctly and port forward correctly (when needed) so the client can work 100% effectively…you’ll be fine. Plus, not sure if this helps…but I have my TW cable modem/router passing info from my router. The TW modem is setup with a DMZ so it does NOTHING but pass data. Perhaps this also prevents TW from seeing exactly what I’m doing. > [@i guess i should introduce myself....](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/i-guess-i-should-introduce-myself/49145/37): > > It’s not so much your ISP wanting to do it, it’s obligatory. There are seeds out there set as bait to capture IP addresses, once captured, they (copyright owner, RIAA, etc) reports the batch of IP addresses and letters are sent out. Didn’t know that. Good to know. > [@World premiere of the Scirocco GT24 with 325 PS](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/world-premiere-of-the-scirocco-gt24-with-325-ps/49165/10): > > Since their are relatively fewer FIOS customers due to availability maybe you’re easier to track? A friend of mine from Rotterdam is in the teraflop range in terms of torrent content on his HD and has never had a problem. I find i funny that they send you a threatening termination letter. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Damn that’s a lot. I’m still under 3TB between music, games, and movies. Then again, I used to burn everything I downloaded (when hard drives were 500GB :lol). I regret it now…because there is no way I’m re-ripping some of those old movies back to my HDD. Would take forever. ---
**Author:** ![RocketPunch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rocketpunch/32/6429_2.png) [@RocketPunch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RocketPunch)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 9:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/10 "2012-04-14T09:44:10Z")
> [@So this is what I got paid to do today](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-this-is-what-i-got-paid-to-do-today/49130/47): > > You can enable **client encryption** and even ignore non-encrypted peers- also, many times their alerts based off of port-specific traffic, so you can enable **port ‘randomization’** on your torrent client also. ^ That. Basically any BT client should have those features. ---
**Author:** ![kramerbuccs24](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/kramerbuccs24/32/6397_2.png) [@kramerbuccs24](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/kramerbuccs24)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/11 "2012-04-14T09:50:42Z")
i use uTorrent and have port randomization on but can’t find anything in preferences about client encryption. am i looking in the wrong place? ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 9:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/12 "2012-04-14T09:57:15Z")
I always use UTorrent and dont have communist issues with it. ---
**Author:** ![Ilya](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilya/32/6404_2.png) [@Ilya](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Ilya)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/13 "2012-04-14T10:01:05Z")
> [@need ring fixed](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/need-ring-fixed/49168/4): > > i use uTorrent and have port randomization on but can’t find anything in preferences about client encryption. am i looking in the wrong place? It’s under “BitTorrent” in preferences. ---
**Author:** ![HudsonFalcon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/hudsonfalcon/32/6460_2.png) [@HudsonFalcon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HudsonFalcon)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 10:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/14 "2012-04-14T10:31:46Z")
> [@Arnold Palmer](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/arnold-palmer/49158/20): > > Damn that’s a lot. I’m still under 3TB between music, games, and movies. Then again, I used to burn everything I downloaded (when hard drives were 500GB :lol). I regret it now…because there is no way I’m re-ripping some of those old movies back to my HDD. Would take forever. Yeah he’s basically downloading files non-stop. From what I’ve read this is how they get wise to illicit file sharing, the constant high bandwidth usage for weeks, months, years, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Shady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Shady](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shady)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/15 "2012-04-14T10:43:41Z")
This has been a growing trend, did they specifically state what torrents you were downloading? If it was just a threat for using P2P applications theres not much they can do legally as Utorrent and many others is a legal and legitimate way some places distribute content. As daniels said its possible you got a baited torrent, that does happen. Unfortunately this is going to be a growing trend among ISP’s in the future. Many are underway of signing deals with Anti-Piracy organizations to monitor internet traffic and warn/terminate customers who are in violation. Also with the growing trend of streaming media outlets and P2P sharing many that have not done so already are looking at capping bandwidth/throttling traffic. I know TWC tested it with some outrage by customers who were thrown into that little experiment, the funny thing is capping and slowing down bandwidth does nothing to stop congestion. ---
**Author:** ![xreaction](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xreaction/32/6409_2.png) [@xreaction](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xreaction)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 11:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/16 "2012-04-14T11:13:55Z")
> [@Curious on what ppl think about using nos in there cars?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/curious-on-what-ppl-think-about-using-nos-in-there-cars/48537/36): > > This has been a growing trend, did they specifically state what torrents you were downloading? If it was just a threat for using P2P applications theres not much they can do legally as Utorrent and many others is a legal and legitimate way some places distribute content. > > As daniels said its possible you got a baited torrent, that does happen. > > Unfortunately this is going to be a growing trend among ISP’s in the future. Many are underway of signing deals with Anti-Piracy organizations to monitor internet traffic and warn/terminate customers who are in violation. Also with the growing trend of streaming media outlets and P2P sharing many that have not done so already are looking at capping bandwidth/throttling traffic. I know TWC tested it with some outrage by customers who were thrown into that little experiment, the funny thing is capping and slowing down bandwidth does nothing to stop congestion. Yeah they also pulled the Digital Millennium Copyright Act card and knew exactly what i torrented/file size and the stamped time thru the monitor. I’m going to find other ways to download content for a few weeks and then slowly switch over back to uTorrent with the encryption on to see what happens. I heard seeding will raise the chance for you to get flagged greatly so i’m gonna make sure not to seed movies from now on :skid ---
**Author:** ![Ilya](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilya/32/6404_2.png) [@Ilya](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Ilya)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/17 "2012-04-14T12:33:06Z")
Yeah, if you aren’t ‘hiding your stuff’…seeding is what gets you…as not many people upload gigs of data. That’s how they know someone is doing something bad. That’s why when you order service, they give you crazy download speeds but not that great of an upload speed. For most people, 5GB upload is overkill because if all you’re doing is uploading photos, etc. it takes seconds. For me, 5GB is torture :lol. I’m at 30/5 right now…wish it was 30/15 or something. I only seed in spurts. Maybe 24 hours straight…then stop for like 80 hours, etc. ---
**Author:** ![crAppAchic0](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/crappachic0/32/6306_2.png) [@crAppAchic0](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/crAppAchic0)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 8:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/verizon-fios-flagged-me-for-using-torrents-wtf/263391/18 "2012-04-16T08:30:09Z")
> [@RC Car/Truck thread](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/rc-car-truck-thread/21682/46): > > I only seed in spurts. Maybe 24 hours straight…then stop for like 80 hours, etc. Same here - I’ll seed, unthrottled, for a few hours, then pause them all; on and off. you can schedule it on some clients, but it’s better to randomize the traffic as opposed the setting any sort of pattern for traffic analyzers to pick up on.