What Happens If You Get Caught Torrenting

Torrent basically refers to any computer file which contains metadata having various information. There is a huge debate among people either torrenting is legal or safe. Well, there is nothing illegal and unsafe about torrenting. Torrenting is absolutely safe and legal until you are downloading any copyrighted or pirated file from the web.

There are various kinds of open-source software who commonly shared files and contents via torrents. Also, some hardware firms make available their drivers and support software via torrents. BitTorrent is the most effective and quickest way to circulate large files of all kinds.

Although sharing of pirated and copyrighted content/file is prohibited and illegal either done via torrents or by some other means. Since torrenting is considered illegal in some countries, therefore, most of the commercially-produced software, movies, music, different TV shows are secured by copyright law and sharing of such files can often lead to penalties and if caught so, even lead to imprisonment.

How someone is caught Torrenting

The copyrighted trolls or their representatives can easily be caught people torrenting. The copyrighted trolls or their representatives will visit the same sharing sites which you have used, download some material from there, check from where the IP address is coming from, looks for the internet service provider who provides that IP address, and contact them by saying some IP address are sharing illegal materials and we actually want to warn them for doing so.

The service provider will then look for the IPs and check the accounts. They will first send warning letters to the account holders. But if this sharing activity continues then, the copyright trolls will seek a court order to force your service providers to provide your account details. They will also comply their lawyers to send a legal notice with you. But if that is ignored then you would be dragged to legal court for further proceedings and action.

Things which can happen when you get caught Torrenting

If you get torrenting then it may hit you really hard than purchasing it with original price. Mentioned below are the things which can happen when you can get caught torrenting any copyrighted movie, music, TV shows, or some other stuff:

Civil Disobedience:

The Copyright Act of 1976 covers all kind of illegal downloading and streaming of copyrighted stuff. Under this act, the people are prohibited from copying, republishing, or using other works without the permission of copyright trolls. Copyright infringements are generally implemented through the civil suits where the owner take a legal action for monetary damages.

The technological advancement has made it easy the sharing of information and files over the internet. In this situation, the copyright trolls now antagonistically target sites like BitTorrent. The copyright owners can’t shut down the sites from where the files are been shared but they target the file sharers separately. The copyright owners not only target individuals but they also go after big companies too. For example, more than 30 people were charged for torrenting ‘’Dallas Buyer’s Club’’, moreover, Lionsgate fined 10 people for sharing ‘’Expendables’’.


The price for illegal downloading or streaming material can be a bit expensive. The Federal Copyright Law agrees for damages ranging from $750 to $30,000 per work. For example, one man who owned sued with $675,000 for downloading 30 songs, while another woman was fined with $1.9 million for downloading 24 songs.

If the charges are not enough of a warning, then there are also jurisdictions apply criminal punishments for online piracy. It is often suggested to consult an experienced intellectual property attorney if anyone is charged for copyright violations.

Examples of cases where people get caught Torrenting

The copyright trolls catch several people torrenting. They receive the IP address details from the service providers and take legal action against them. The victims have shared their experiences and stories on Reddit as they were caught while torrenting. There are victims who have just received a legal notice to consult a lawyer but further proceedings are upheld. However, there are also victims who are sued for torrenting.

A victim shared his story that his cousin was sued with $80 per song for downloading a 12 song album. Also, another woman from Minnesota was charged with $80,000 per song for downloading 24 songs.

In the United Kingdom, the fine for copyright violation depends on the seriousness of the case. In extremely serious cases, it can often lead to an appearance before the magistrate where the penalty is up to £5,000 or six months incarceration. However, in nastiest cases, the culprit may be sent to the Crown Court, which can enforce an unlimited fine and imprisonment up to 10 years.

Tips to ‘’Torrent’’ without getting caught:

Here are some tips which will surely help you to torrent without getting caught:

Avoid Open Communities:

While torrenting the IP address is shared with various other users who assist you to finish the file by sending you the chunks of the file they have already downloaded. You also send them the pieces you have got, and everyone ends up having a complete file. The copyright owners look for illegal downloading. They might also search to have your IP address if caught and will contact you if needed.

The public tracking sites are open for everyone and also they don’t verify the user’s identity. Moreover, there are no restrictions on the downloading material which makes easy for the company to jump in and grab some IPs.

However, private trackers offer extra protection by involving users to register themselves first. Therefore, it is suggested to avoid open communities and opt for public trackers.

Read Comments:

Every reliable and trusted torrent site has a separate section for user comments on the download page. It is recommended to read and scan these comments carefully before downloading any material. If you find anything doubtful or if the torrent does not have any comments, then it is good to simply avoid it.

Block Bad IPs:

Since different companies are joining the torrent sites on downloads to take hold of the IPs, in this way their own IP address also becomes available there. However, by downloading and installing a free program known as PeerGuardian2, you can stay ahead of them by blocking bad IP addresses from connecting you.

Caps Your Uploads:

If you want not to get caught while torrenting then it’s better not to seed and caps your uploads. This is because by stopping client’s seeding bandwidth, you can efficiently take yourself off the radar of several copyright owners.


It is very essential to avoid open communities, block bad IPs, read comments and avoid seeding while torrenting because in this you will be safe from being caught but if you don’t then you have to face legal action and penalties.

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