Warning email from Amazon - the story continues

[Stan001]

jpp72 try to Analyze then you will see the issue. I tried 2 other programs and none where able to get the info properly for this show. So again something new Amazon is doing. Amazon seems to change their website more then most other sites combined.

[jpp72]

The problem is that the 'fix' didn't 'fix' the issue, it simply made it worse. In fact, it made it quite easy to detect which user is using SF. How, you ask?

1. Pull up a show. We'll use 'dish it out (US)' as an example, because it's where I noticed it in SF
2. Now, pull it up on Amazon
3. Notice the differences? Of course you do

Can you stop playing coy and tell us your epiphany? Clearly, I am not smart like you.

[Elgin]

No issues for me ever since I got SF over 2 months ago. Germany region, no VPN, standard subscription (with ads) and strategic download habbits.

Could it mainly be a region thing? Most here seem to be U.S. with the issues.

Got SF about a year ago, german region, no VPN, standard subscription (with ads). Got a warning and haven't downloaded anything since. At this moment I just use Amazon to watch rented and purchased movies/shows. Something I didn't do before. I exclusively downloaded purchased movies/shows and never watched them over amazon directly.

[tswizzlestix]

So, my own 0.02 here:

I was going through, minding my own business, and had no issues while using the app UNTIL it updated claiming to have 'fixed' the issue

The problem is that the 'fix' didn't 'fix' the issue, it simply made it worse. In fact, it made it quite easy to detect which user is using SF. How, you ask?

1. Pull up a show. We'll use 'dish it out (US)' as an example, because it's where I noticed it in SF
2. Now, pull it up on Amazon
3. Notice the differences? Of course you do

Unfortunately, at first, I did NOT, and selected 'download all'.
Within days, I was notified

It's quite obvious by this behavior that I was using something that I shouldn't be. Even an AI detector written by a 5 year old could tell that.

SF is simply not keeping up with Amazon. It's been this way for weeks now, and nothing is being done on their end to fix it. THIS is what's causing the bans. Not my case specifically, but the fact that SF is behind Amazon and refuses to update (again)

[bestellu]

At least most people here only got a warning. I, on the other hand, was banned when the ban wave started. I wish I had gotten a warning too.

[0xFeedBeef]

And who says he doesn't use crack? I don't know if it makes a difference.

Look at it from the adversarial perspective: if I were Amazon, and lost my way of detecting downloads, I, too, would be spamming all socials and forums with tales of lost accounts...


Not saying it's what's happening, but just saying there are other explanations...

[Sebastian001]

And who says he doesn't use crack? I don't know if it makes a difference.

[Brave New World]

Over on the reddit forum someone posted a message today saying they created an amazon account last week, did some downloading and this week the account was banned. They said nothing about how much they downloaded nor what version of SF they are using, but the bans are still happening.

[phelings]

What a con.
Despite having been a SF customer long before they started selling it one module at a time and when there were no restrictions on how many downloads you could do, SF once again expect me to shell out to get the increase to 200 a day pack.

Fortunately I rarely download in quantity from Amazon but downloading too many per day is either problematic or it isn't.
Since when were downloads restricted to ensure Amazon don't get funny about it but then suddenly its fine if you want to pay another $60.
Scam

[Germania]

Germany region, no VPN, standard subscription (with ads)

Same fo me and never >80 dl/day (mostly <10) and never AppleTV+
Add-On and I received the warning mail at the end of July
btw: op's affected account is in PL

My two non-EU accounts always use VPN and different countries
and have never received a warning so far.
(All three accounts were already in use prior to the SF “fix”)

[y2jerichool]

No issues for me ever since I got SF over 2 months ago. Germany region, no VPN, standard subscription (with ads) and strategic download habbits.

Could it mainly be a region thing? Most here seem to be U.S. with the issues.

[Stan001]

I love how only part of my statement was quoted

Some said the ads, and if you paid the extra money for no ads, you may not get a notice.

instead of

There is just way too much speculation, as I doubt Amazon will ever reveal what they are targeting. Some said the ads, and if you paid the extra money for no ads, you may not get a notice. But again, way too much speculation as no one really knows but Amazon.

YES, no one knows nor will know other than maybe Amazon itself. And the speculation went on and on and still sometimes continues.
And yes, a good possibility is it’s not even just one single thing. According to the notice, you are violating a portion of Amazon's TOS by downloading items and or bypassing the DRM.

4k. General Restrictions. You may not (i) transfer, copy or display the Digital Content, except as permitted in this Agreement; (ii) sell, rent, lease, distribute, or broadcast any right to the Digital Content; (iii) remove any proprietary notices or labels on the Digital Content; (iv) attempt to disable, bypass, modify, defeat, or otherwise circumvent any digital rights management or other content protection system used as part of the Service; or (v) use the Service or Digital Content for any commercial or illegal purpose.

This is why it's even doubtful what streamfab representatives say about it being fixed. First, it was an API, then they say they added some internal code that made it look like you're watching the movie/show, not downloading. Although I even find that statement highly suspicious unless they do it at high speed, as movies can easily be 2 hours, and it never took 2 hours, not even close to that, to download a 2-hour movie from Amazon.
Also, why Amazon has not hit everyone with a notice who downloaded with SF or violated Amazon's TOS will also remain a mystery.

The only 100% sure way is not to download with streamfab. And pushing the limit even further to 200 is kind of insane right now.

Like I said, I know why I did not get a notice, I was not downloading during the period of time it started, and have not since, at least not downloading with streamfab.

[Justin]

Been downloading from prime video Australia no warning at all

[Germania]

[QUOTE=TheRaven;n468209]

Some said the ads, and if you paid the extra money for no ads, you may not get a notice.

No one in the forum knows the exact triggers!

But it is obvious that it cannot be just one trigger.

That's why it has been impossible to narrow down the selection so far.
Advertising, film distribution, using VPN, AppleTV+... none of these have been confirmed on their own.

[TheRaven]

[QUOTE=Stan001;n468197]

Some said the ads, and if you paid the extra money for no ads, you may not get a notice.


I got the notice 2 months ago and I have had ad free for a year and a half.