He sounded like a computer guy that many people would like to have in their network, but soon after that the trouble started. Several consumers had hired a one-man IT company that helped with crashed computers and arranged cheap TV subscriptions. But in addition to help with computer problems, the Dutch anti-piracy BREIN Foundation reported that he also offered illegal IPTV.
Over time, the man hijacked logins of important accounts of customers. His service contracts cost tens of euros per month and if the customer wanted to cancel, he refused to cooperate and threatened to delete all their data. To this end, he even installed spy software on the computers, so that he could watch and delete data if desired.
Customers could buy out the ‘contract’, which they had not signed at all, for a high amount. He transferred subscriptions for TV, telephone and internet to his name, while the customer had to continue paying for them. Sometimes even debt collection agencies were called in.
Clients who protested his practices were threatened. The man had made so many victims that his practices were widely reported on consumer programs on TV and in the newspaper.
BREIN supported the plaintiffs
The BREIN Foundation provided assistance in preparation for the lawsuit, and a BREIN employee made a statement about the infringing nature of illegal IPTV and how BREIN found this with one of the injured parties.
This statement was also discussed during the hearing, where the man denied having installed it. When providing evidence for this installation, the illegal nature of IPTV was further questioned. An untenable argument, as the judge will also rule.
Court proceding
Last week there was a hearing at the Amsterdam District Court in a lawsuit between an injured party and the man, with at least a dozen other injured parties in the audience. The victims and the man met each other outside the courtroom after the hearing. The confrontation did not stop at threats, but resulted in a scuffle.
The verdict of the Amsterdam District Court is scheduled for the end of April.
Further reading
Shady IT service provider and IPTV installer appears in court. Press release. April 9, 2025. BREIN Foundation (Netherlands)
Why it matters
BREIN notes that illegal IPTV subscriptions may feel like a victimless crime. However, this type of TV service is still illegal and therefore the providers can be quite shady characters
“Illegal IPTV has many victims. Illegal providers pocket all the money, which means that nothing ends up with the producers of all those great films and TV series.” said BREIN director Bastiaan van Ramshorst.
“This results in job losses and the consumer ultimately has less choice of new films and series. That is not the only disadvantage for consumers. This case once again showed what kind of people offer illegal IPTV. Intimidation and threats are no exception. Do you want your address and bank details to fall into the hands of these types of criminals? Think carefully; it is always wiser to choose legal sources,”
