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Law question reguarding accidental 'hacking'


Onyx

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I received an e-mail from a company saying my address was wrong and they needed the correct address for they could send my prize.(a video game)

I fill out the form, and notice that the prize ID is clear in the url.

Thinking nothing of it, I change the ID to see what would happen and it takes me to the change address page.

I enter my address for that ID, submit it and I'm given a confirm page.

Now I do this a couple of times for different IDs, mainly because I was bored and wasn't thinking.

One week later... a bunch of packages arrive at my door.

Yup, the prizes related to that ID. (I'm assuming)

Now these are not 'small' prizes... more like $100+ items.

I'm almost positive that if an audit is performed... I'm screwed as I'm sitting on over $2K worth of stuff linked to my home address.

So where do I stand regarding the law?

Hacking is defined so loosely, I'm kind of worried...

Do I wait it out, send the stuff back, e-mail the company?

I'm mainly worried about being called a 'hacker' and facing $$$ fines and prison time.

Thanks for any info.

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I received an e-mail from a company saying my address was wrong and they needed the correct address for they could send my prize.(a video game)

I fill out the form, and notice that the prize ID is clear in the url.

Thinking nothing of it, I change the ID to see what would happen and it takes me to the change address page.

I enter my address for that ID, submit it and I'm given a confirm page.

Now I do this a couple of times for different IDs, mainly because I was bored and wasn't thinking.

One week later... a bunch of packages arrive at my door.

Yup, the prizes related to that ID. (I'm assuming)

Now these are not 'small' prizes... more like $100+ items.

I'm almost positive that if an audit is performed... I'm screwed as I'm sitting on over $2K worth of stuff linked to my home address.

So where do I stand regarding the law?

Hacking is defined so loosely, I'm kind of worried...

Do I wait it out, send the stuff back, e-mail the company?

I'm mainly worried about being called a 'hacker' and facing $$$ fines and prison time.

Thanks for any info.

You changed a URL field. If thats hacking, some of the people on this forum must be literal gods.

I doubt you could be charged with any computer crimes. You are more likely to be charged with fraud. Even that is unlikely as the company knowingly sent you this stuff.

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Its not exactly hacking, its not breach of a computer system. You just visited publicly avaliable web pages and accepted an offer given to you by a company.

You could say for example you got sent some links in an email and followed them, then you saw you had some free prizes and of course accepted them.

If anything this falls under company stupidity, not your fault at all.

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Ok, you arent going to get in trouble for "hacking" but what may happen is the company sue you because you were sent a link for a single prize. So what they will most likely want back is the prizes or the sum of money lost.

The best course of action atm is to CALL the company and tell them your situation. Record the call because if you get a dumb ass agent that tells you to keep the prizes then you can use that in court. Depending on your state you may have a consent rule that intails you to let the other person know that the conversation is being recorded. If you dont then good.

Next just do what they ask. Tell them that it was by accident.

It may be considered fraud if anything because you were trusted to fill out one form for your prize. Judges in America are knowledgeable but when a prosecutor starts their vernacular barrage then things get twisted and you come out looking bad in the long run.

Or bomb you hardrive and do a reinstall.. if they subpoena you then tell them you only filled out one application and that it was an internal error that send you the 2k worth of shit.. But dont come back to hak5 because then they could link this post to you..

I would just call up and explain the situation

1. You received an email detailing how to receive your prize

2. Browser kept fucking up and you entered the url again "miss spelling it"

3. Now you are rich, BIATCH

4. ????

5. Profit

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Call them up, say there's been an error you've got multiple items. They'll say 'You have made multiple orders, wtf?' and you'll be like 'Wtf, thats not right'. They'll put it down to a computer error and maybe ask for the stuff back - you're in the clear.

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Call them up, say there's been an error you've got multiple items. They'll say 'You have made multiple orders, wtf?' and you'll be like 'Wtf, thats not right'. They'll put it down to a computer error and maybe ask for the stuff back - you're in the clear.

You technically dont have to send the stuff back if they send you it, under the law that'd be considered a gift If i recall correctly

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You technically dont have to send the stuff back if they send you it, under the law that'd be considered a gift If i recall correctly

They were gifts, but received and distributed under false pretenses...fraud.

He was sent 1 link

He manipulated the url and visited MORE links

Links were meant for other people

Those people did not receive there prizes

ALSO

Some contest state that only one prize will be given out per participant, so if you broke the "contract" then they have the right to sue. Very unlikely that they would do that..

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I'm mainly worried about being called a 'hacker' and facing $$$ fines and prison time.

Thanks for any info.

:angry: :angry: you mean CRACKER not a hacker

ok ok besides that just wait it out, nothing to worry about its just a url you changed, so what they cant do shit. Oh and how bout giving me the url so i can also get me some free gifts :D lol :lol:

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