Warning email from Amazon - the story continues

[TheRaven]

I just got an email from DVDFab regarding the Amazon extra download pack.

This is included in the text:

"Need to download more? Our brand-new Amazon Extra Download Pack lets you boost your daily downloads from 100 to 200 videos! Perfect if you’re subscribed to multiple Amazon channels and want to grab more content every day. The Amazon Extra Download Pack will not affect your Amazon account. It's safe to download videos in the latest StreamFab."

Seems very specific. Just throwing this out there.

[slottedpig]

Yes, accounts are still getting banned / warned. Even when using the 'updated' version.

Are these accounts that exclusively used the newer version or they had used the old versions at some point.

[simchris]

Downloaded S3 of Foundation on AP+ via Amazon on Friday, as well as five movies the other day. Zero issues. USA, no VPN, latest SF, legal long time account.

[Sebastian001]

I just got an email from DVDFab regarding the Amazon extra download pack.

This is included in the text:

"Need to download more? Our brand-new Amazon Extra Download Pack lets you boost your daily downloads from 100 to 200 videos! Perfect if you’re subscribed to multiple Amazon channels and want to grab more content every day. The Amazon Extra Download Pack will not affect your Amazon account. It's safe to download videos in the latest StreamFab."

Seems very specific. Just throwing this out there.

The text seems absurd.

It seems like a two-tier society: Those who book the package receive the Amazon module, which isn't recognized. Those who use the previous (100-token) module, however, run the risk of being caught...

[TheRaven]

The text seems absurd.

It seems like a two-tier society: Those who book the package receive the Amazon module, which isn't recognized. Those who use the previous (100-token) module, however, run the risk of being caught...

I'm not sure that's what they are saying. They could be saying that if you are worried about detection by downloading so much, you don't have to worry, because it is safe if you are using the current version. But it would be nice to get some clarification.

[Sebastian001]

The truth is, they can't say.

[Stan001]

SF just seems so sure there is no issue now. It goes back to, I think, July or August, when they were sure no issues with Amazon.
Check my post here > https://forum.dvdfab.cn/forum/stream...034#post468034
And what is posted here > https://forum.dvdfab.cn/forum/stream...126#post468126

I myself don't know if I can 100% trust them and still have not resumed downloading from Amazon, but SF says they have at least one Amazon account and no warnings.
Those getting them in September, you wonder if it's still something from June or July or even August, with using the older versions of SF, or some tend to wait a long time before they go to newer versions.

I don't know if this will even be resolved. I think there will always be someone claiming to get one, and may even produce a copy of getting a notice.
I know there are others here who went back to downloading from Amazon, and some who barely stopped. Maybe instead cut back.
It is a kick in the gut, though, that SF comes out with an extra 100 to total 200 downloads if there is still an issue, as that will for sure cause a ban, not just a warning.
There were those who went through the trouble to make throw-away account(s) and claimed that they almost hammered 100 downloads a day, and no warning.

Someday, more will go back to downloading, as they can't stay away from downloading from Amazon. I wish those well. No one wants a warning, and then the next step is a block or ban, although, then again, there were those who simply said they contacted Amazon and got the account unblocked or unbanned. The whole situation is a mess. As we all know, when it first started, it seemed like a goof by Amazon or even spam or phishing emails. But then, when the info is found in the Amazon account, it can only be either a goof or real by Amazon. But then the goof I feel is no longer an option, as it should never have been going on this long.

[simchris]

I think my non stop downloading since January is due to my daily prayers to Cthulhu (*kidding!)

Cthulhu

[myuishi]

Having received the email from Amazon in August I don't see how I'll ever be comfortable enough to use SF with Amazon again. Even if the software is supposedly currently safe to use I can't afford to risk my Prime account over it. I am aware of some people are using a dummy account, but I don't see this as an option for me as prepay credit cards are not available for sale in my region. If anyone knows a workaround for that please drop me a message. Even if I had never had the message I still would not feel safe downloading from Amazon on my normal account as we can't rule out more changes from them causing another flurry of emails to be sent out.

For me its a stupid and short sighted decision from Amazon as attempting to shut down the SF route is only going to drive people towards other options like torrenting where they don't even need to have a prime video account or any optional prime channels...

[Occidio]

US here, been using SF since release, I update when something doesnt work or when the program auto tells me a newer version is out. Never ran into any of these problems and its the first I am hearing about it as I just came to the forums to see if there was a Lifetime version of the 200 for Amazon. I use Amazon also for Paramount, Britbox, AMC+, and HBOmax.
I also do not use a VPN. I have often maxed out the 100 a day and continued on into the following days on some older stuff.
I was reading through the older thread and saw people mentioned Amazon Messages and to be honest, lol, I don't even know where this is on my Amazon. I only receive emails from Amazon and have never seen a Messages link. I did just now go look a little deeper but all that is in there is what I get emails on. I have also rented from Amazon before but I only do that on my firefox browser on my main computer and download from my SF computer.

[Stan001]

US here, been using SF since release, I update when something doesnt work or when the program auto tells me a newer version is out. Never ran into any of these problems and its the first I am hearing about it as I just came to the forums to see if there was a Lifetime version of the 200 for Amazon. I use Amazon also for Paramount, Britbox, AMC+, and HBOmax.
I also do not use a VPN. I have often maxed out the 100 a day and continued on into the following days on some older stuff.
I was reading through the older thread and saw people mentioned Amazon Messages and to be honest, lol, I don't even know where this is on my Amazon. I only receive emails from Amazon and have never seen a Messages link. I did just now go look a little deeper but all that is in there is what I get emails on. I have also rented from Amazon before but I only do that on my firefox browser on my main computer and download from my SF computer.

Well, at first, it was reported that people were getting emails, and of course, many thought it was phishing or a scam. But then someone noticed it was also in the message center at Amazon, which showed it was an official thing from Amazon. It still doesn't make sense to me. I would think Amazon would get all that violated their TOS, not just pick and choose.
I had cut back on movies from Amazon and only got one or two shows that were connected to their now-defunct FreeVee. And it had ads no matter what, and SF, when downloaded, the show or movie has no ads. 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. And to my benefit, the one show was on break and the other show started a break right before this happened, so I had no downloads, so I never got a notice. But I have huge doubts when the shows return from break, about using SF to download them. People will do what they want, and if all they get is the one notice, it's not much of a problem. But then came the users who reported blocked/banned Amazon accounts. Then you could lose the order ability. But then some of those who reported the banned/blocked accounts said they simply contacted Amazon. And many order a decent amount of stuff from Amazon, and they surely noted that in their contact with Amazon. And then after contact, the accounts were freed up. SO who knows? I know I, too, depend on Amazon for ordering things. I was just thinking it was not that long ago I went to the eye doctor who wanted a certain eye drop, and I know the stores close by, the chance of them having them was little to none. And guess what, Amazon had them, and I got them shipped to my door. So who wants to risk that? Others made throwaway Amazon accounts, it just seemed too involved in doing that, and they downloaded from them, and reports from that are some even hammered those accounts at 100 downloads a day and did not receive a notice.
So it's up to each person as an individual as to what they will do now and in the future. I know there are other sources to get Amazon webrips, so I may go that route, as they are already downloaded from Amazon by someone else. So no risk to my Amazon account.
I just know this is a mess, and Amazon has access to many other providers like AppleTV, Paramount+, and many others, so if not for this crazy happening, most would jump on the 200 downloads per day option.
Speaking of which, I see no option other than they charge monthly or yearly (no lifetime), but I guess you could ask SF themselves
.

[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.

[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.

[Justin]

Been downloading from prime video Australia no warning at all

[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.