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"Watch Sky Free" . . . is this a con?

(June 2005)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
DJ
DJGM
Take a look at this ad I've just spotted at the top of the TVF homepage . . .

http://djgm.co.uk/stuff/tvf-suspicious-ad.png
It links to this rather dubious website, apparently offering a dubiously large number of digital TV channels broadcast via
the internet using Windows Media Player or RealPlayer. They claim you can watch all the live Premiership Football
matches shown on Sky, plus other live footie games that aren't currently broadcast on any normal TV channels.

This has to be a money making con, whereby gullible punters pay short of �8 (one-off) to access this service. Even
though they claim this service is not illegal (using "open gateways") I would strongly suspect it's highly illegal, and
it most probably breaches a somewhat large number of ongoing TV copyright agreements.

Any thoughts or comments about this . . . ?
AB
ab
I've seen this discussed before elsewhere and from what I remember, apparently it is nothing more than a load of links to streams, like those found on wwitv.com. Highly unlikely to be any genuine Sky channels. Probably just loosely using the term "Sky" to mean satellite channels.

Did a whois look up for the domain (which I shan't post on here even though the site is highly likely to be a con) and it's registered to some guy in Buckinghamshire. Not a company.

I think just by the fact the site provides no proper contact details shows it can't be genuine.
SC
scottishtv Founding member
When encouraging a transaction, isn't it usual for a vendor to let potential customers know what they are buying? I know it says 200+ channels but that's about it. If you have Winamp or software like it you can proably find about 200 TV and radio streams - but they're not proper telly (or in the majority of cases, they're not very good.)

I think you'll see this guy appearing in the next Egg Card TV advert:
"If you don't look after your money, who will?"
TW
Time Warp
Freesat?

EDIT: sorry, obviously it can't be - just followed the link.
GM
nodnirG kraM
These "channels" are generally webstreams of content already available, for example BBC World, News 24's Headline thingy, and ITV regional news channel, plus loads of foreign channels.

You get a couple of the German music channels (VIVA, VIVA Plus) which are quite good.

Oh! And pricedrop.tv!!

EDIT:

And you certainly cannot view Sky Box Office movies or anything similar - why they feel it is necessary to have a picture of Anger Management and X-Men is beyond me.

"Thank you very very much, I can now watch my favorite games everywhere I go – even work!” Glenn Miller

The fact that they're using testimony from a dead rock and roller bodes well to the "service". You're more likely to find Glen Miller than you are to find anything worth watching from watchskyfree.com.
DA
DAS Founding member
I found Glen Miller in my kitchen actually. Last Tuesday.


To me, this website would do much to identify those with common sense and those without common sense. Just looking at the site screams "con". Even if you invest more attention, there is no company address, contact information or even a name. No explanation whatsoever. Vague language designed to bamboozle the average Joe who isn't particularly technical.
BC
broadband cowboy
Omigod ! The truth is out Glenn Miller was actually a rock and roller. All this time those of us who believed he was a big band leader during WWII have been told a pack of lies. Thank you nodnirG kraM for opening our eyes at last - i'm going to burn all his symphonies ! Razz
DE
deejay
In general, there seem to be some very dubious links on the ads on this site! Presumably the site owner doesn't have much say in what gets advertised on here...
TW
Time Warp
deejay posted:
In general, there seem to be some very dubious links on the ads on this site! Presumably the site owner doesn't have much say in what gets advertised on here...


It's Google doing the work - take a look at the Google Ad-Sense mini-site; I think it recognises the genre or format of the site and advertises accordingly.
HA
harshy Founding member
Yes, that it's Google Ad Sense, I've had to put it in my company's portal too, essentially Videoguard remains unhacked, therefore they are no scams involving Sky Television, so don't be conned, this encryption system is one of the toughest in the world today.

27 days later

EH
Edward H
Sorry to bump this old topic up but..

Quote:

Hello ******,

Thank you for your email and for reporting an ad that possibly violates one of our policies. I will investigate this matter and take the appropriate action.

Please note that our AdWords Specialists review all of the ads in our program. However, ads may run on Google before we check them, and you may see some ads that do not comply with our guidelines appear for a short time on Google. We assure you that we are working diligently to apply the same criteria to all of our ads.

Thank you for informing us of your concern, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.

If you have additional questions, please visit our Help Center at https://adwords.google.com/support, where you'll find answers to many frequently asked questions.

We look forward to providing you with the most effective advertising available.

Sincerely,

Lina
The Google AdWords Team


----------------
Expand your AdWords knowledge through our online Learning Center, which includes interactive lessons that cover a wide range of basic to advanced AdWords topics. Visit www.google.com/ProfessionalWelcome3.

Original Message Follows:
------------------------
From: "User" <@>
Subject: Feedback: Ads By Google
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 07:29:38 -0700


Client: ca-pub-9171544716565461
Language: en
Original URL: http://www.tvforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16468
Ads: www.skytvonpc.com:Watch Sky Tv on Your PC
Email: @
Comments:
Con - These type of advert which say free sky on computer or saying you can see sky channel shouldnt be on google adverts
NH
Nick Harvey Founding member
I just find it highly amusing that Asa puts these adverts at the top of the pages, yet, if any of us were to dare to post links to these places, we'd probably get a ban for encouraging copyright infringement.

It's even funnier when they appear in the Requests forum, right next to all the warnings about NOT linking to such places.

Double standards? I'll take two, please!

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