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Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

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Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Old 10-09-09, 02:34 AM
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Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Just bought a bootleg Disney DVD from Half. It has been probably 5 years since I had this happen, in fact it was VHS last time, on ebay.

Wasn't super low priced and it was well described, so I thought I was safe. Decent attempt at a copy, but several telltale signs. Corners of the cover insert are clearly hand trimmed to be rounded. The case is not the kind with the two sided hinged tray in the middle. Etc. One of the discs doesn't play all the way though.

Anyway, I am now into a testy email exchange. I am mad. Any advice?
Old 10-09-09, 07:27 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Don't buy bootlegs.
Old 10-09-09, 08:40 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by SpinalGuffman
Just bought a bootleg Disney DVD from Half. It has been probably 5 years since I had this happen, in fact it was VHS last time, on ebay.

Wasn't super low priced and it was well described, so I thought I was safe. Decent attempt at a copy, but several telltale signs. Corners of the cover insert are clearly hand trimmed to be rounded. The case is not the kind with the two sided hinged tray in the middle. Etc. One of the discs doesn't play all the way though.

Anyway, I am now into a testy email exchange. I am mad. Any advice?
Report him to Half.com. Report him to Disney. Drink refreshing Coke.
Old 10-09-09, 08:45 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

All the time. And I'll get those gosh-darn Duke boys, if it's the last thing I do!
Old 10-09-09, 11:39 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by Groucho
All the time. And I'll get those gosh-darn Duke boys, if it's the last thing I do!
Simmer down there, Rosco.

The only thing you can do is report the seller to Half.com and any other appropriate parties. The Feds come to mind as well.
Old 10-09-09, 12:28 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by DVD Josh
Report him to Half.com. Report him to Disney. Drink refreshing Coke.
Half is done. Looking on Disney's site for report avenues there. I am surprised that they don't just have a couple staff troll the web and bust people. A minimal investment would put the word out to bootleggers and save Disney $ in the long run.

Oh, and I am headed to the fridge right now for a bottle of the only soft drink that matters -- Coca Cola.

I guess I was just wondering about other people's encounters. I am tempted to just blast this guy in my next email. But if it gets ugly, he has my name and address. Wondering if there are any horror stories out there.
Old 10-09-09, 12:38 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

First think with head. You know...the ball like thing that holds a squidgy thing called a brain. Report to the site, call the feds?
Old 10-09-09, 01:07 PM
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g
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

This was current as of last January when I contacted them:

Please feel free to use our email address ([email protected]) or
our Antipiracy voice mail hotline, 818-560-3300, if you want to provide
more information about the suspected infringement or to report a
suspected infringement in the future.
Old 10-09-09, 04:57 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Thanks for the info g!
Old 10-09-09, 05:18 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Never had a problem myself but I did witness something funny once. I was at a horror convention in August 08 and a dealer there was selling bootlegged copies of Poultrygeist (about a month before it was being officially released) and Troma had a booth setup, caught wind of it and went over there after the guy, and got cops involved. It was funny to see how fast this guy packed up his stuff and get out of there.
Old 10-09-09, 11:53 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

I would complain to Half as yourself and Disney anonymously. Nothing like being subpoenaed to appear as a witness and have to pay your own way.
Old 10-10-09, 12:53 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by SpinalGuffman
Anyway, I am now into a testy email exchange. I am mad. Any advice?
Post the email exchange so we can determine your next direction.
Old 10-10-09, 02:33 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by Tarantino
Post the email exchange so we can eat popcorn and laugh.
Fixed.
Old 10-10-09, 05:20 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Pretty tame so far, sorry to disappoint.

Me: This is clearly an illegal copy. I want an immediate refund.

Dirty Rotten Booter: I don't sell fakes. If it is defective return it and I will send another copy.

Me: Just happen to have another, huh? No. Refund. Now.

Haven't heard back. Filed a claim and reported to Half. Reported to Disney.

Drank eleven Cokes.
Old 10-10-09, 11:13 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Out of curiosity which Di$ney title was it you ordered?
Old 10-10-09, 03:14 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Because if it was Song of the South, I got news for you...
Old 10-12-09, 02:22 AM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by danganet
Out of curiosity which Di$ney title was it you ordered?
Jungle Book.
Old 10-13-09, 03:34 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?
They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way!
Old 10-13-09, 03:40 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Yesterday the last flea market of the year was held here in Oshawa, Ontario for Thanksgiving. One vendor was selling nothing but bootlegs and was almost immediately arrested. From what was being said among the crowd, someone complained to either the people who set up the market or they just called police, I'm not sure which. Police then casually glanced at the table of boots and then the vendor was taken away, and apparently not very peacefully either.
Old 10-13-09, 05:31 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by Kmical
They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way!
Just like a wop to bring a knife to a gun fight.
Old 10-13-09, 05:32 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by Nick Martin
Yesterday the last flea market of the year was held here in Oshawa, Ontario for Thanksgiving. One vendor was selling nothing but bootlegs and was almost immediately arrested. From what was being said among the crowd, someone complained to either the people who set up the market or they just called police, I'm not sure which. Police then casually glanced at the table of boots and then the vendor was taken away, and apparently not very peacefully either.
This warms my heart.
Old 10-13-09, 08:38 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by SanityRemoved
I would complain to Half as yourself and Disney anonymously. Nothing like being subpoenaed to appear as a witness and have to pay your own way.
If they were so stupid as to not collect enough evidence to convict him on their own, to where they're relying on a guy that bought Jungle Book: The Bootleg, they deserve to lose.

He won't be subpoenaed.
Old 10-13-09, 08:52 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by SpinalGuffman
Just like a wop to bring a knife to a gun fight.
Borrowing a line from that movie SpinalGuffman.

Afraid you'll get a Bootleg?

Don't go to the Barrel, get it from the Tree!

Last edited by Regulus; 10-13-09 at 10:25 PM.
Old 10-13-09, 10:38 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

Originally Posted by SpinalGuffman
Half is done. Looking on Disney's site for report avenues there. I am surprised that they don't just have a couple staff troll the web and bust people. A minimal investment would put the word out to bootleggers and save Disney $ in the long run.

Oh, and I am headed to the fridge right now for a bottle of the only soft drink that matters -- Coca Cola.

I guess I was just wondering about other people's encounters. I am tempted to just blast this guy in my next email. But if it gets ugly, he has my name and address. Wondering if there are any horror stories out there.
I don't know about that. I might need to get into it with YOU.

Old 10-13-09, 11:12 PM
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Re: Anyone ever get into it with a bootlegger?

They sell bootlegs and most of the big comicbook conventions. It seems to be the same guys at every convention. Nothing seems to happen to them.

At the cons there's also a bunch of artists that sell their own limited edition prints of Marvel, DC, and other companies characters with no indication of permission from Marvel/DC. Representatives from Marvel/DC are present at most of these conventions and seem to turn a bling eye to it so I guess they don't care.

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