Accessing competitor's websites

Q: My employer obtains information from the website of another competing firm in our industry (publishing). They caught on and have blocked our IP Address so our IT guy installed an anonymizer to mask our presence. I believe there was talk of a lawsuit against us at one point. Now we have changed the way we access the site such that it is accessed using a VNC Viewer on our desktop. Either way, the company does not have the permission to access this website. Are they breaking the law?

A: Has your competitor explicitly forbidden your company from accessing its site, or has it merely blocked your IP address without any explanation? You say your company ''does not have the permission to access this website.'' Is that merely because of the IP address block?

It's probably not a criminal act, but your company may be violating the other company's website terms of use, which may set up a civil cause of action.

Q: The way I heard it there was a phone call to us where a lawsuit was threatened. Without using the anonymizer the website simply says ''Forbidden,'' so yes I guess the IP was also forbidden in addition to being blocked. Currently it now reveals a Red Hat Enterprise Linux ''test page,'' and no access is granted

Company Emails

I am a self-employed realtor working for a brokerage that provides a network. The active broker reads all of the agent emails. Do they have a right to do this when there is no policy in place especially since you are self-employed and pay your own way?

internet chat websites

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spouse's email

Is it illegal to check spouse's email if (s)he is deceased..

computer fraud

Hi my name is--name removed-- and i recived a e mail that stated This e-mail is to congratulate you as your email address have won you a cash prize of �715,000.00 in our Online Lottery Sweepstakes Promotion held in London July 2008. To file your claims, I dont know if this is a scam or not and i was looking to get some advice on what i should do. thank you

myspace and sex

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email with stolen pics

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Verizon denial of service

I have Verizon DSL. Just recently, it seems they started sneding firmware upgrades to my modem. Once the unit is upgraded, it will not stay connected. Their answer was that the modem was defective and I needed to order a new one, but if I downgrade the firmware, the modem works fine. Unlike timewarner, verizon's policy is that you own the modem, so when it ''breaks'' you're responsible for buying a new one... does this sound fishy to anyone else... they have been copletely non-responsive. I'm supposed to havebeen called twice by supervisors, but have yet to hear from anyone.

Is it legal for them to upgrade the firmware to hardware they say is mine? Aren't they hacking my home network?

Starting an e-commerce Business

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Information used from published books used in computer software

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agreements for internet

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photos

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website transfer issue...

I can't let go of this one. Here's the short version of the problem...

A couple of months ago, I won an auction from a lady on ebay for a clothing website. Not too long after I paid for it, she was booted off ebay for unstated reasons and she has not responded to any of my attempted communication. So not only has she never shipped me the inventory, I have a dead website and no way to get control of it. Do I have any recourse here ??

Am I liable for a customer's data?

A customer brought me an older laptop for repair and it was not worth repairing so he said he was going to look into buying another laptop. After the laptop was left with me for a couple of months he called and asked if I could get the data off the hard drive if he bought another computer. I said yes and that I would keep the laptop. He called back two months later after I had moved out of state and is threatening to sue becuase I threw the laptop out. I threw it out because I did not hear back from him but I did not call him either. I had a signed service request that says I am not responsible for lost data but it has been lost in the move. Does he have a case against me?

web host account close over attitude?

a tech support level 2 mgr at my web host which i personally know and i think personally has a grudge with me over past spilled salt is trying to terminate me over ''attitude.'' on 1 email where he stated he can no longer discount me due to ''commercial'' usage on my host then states he will transfer for me to full price on the new rebill and then i replied with how much and still no discount what so ever? then he ''rescinds'' as a renegade and then wants to terminate my account with over 50+ domains and 50+ databases which nets my Internet life blood over approx 2,500.00 a day. how can i stop them from terminating as that it seems that this mgr has been the ONLY negative support i've had there. he claims over miscellaneous irrevelant reasons after i bashed his stupid judgment. another tech there which is a clear expert told me that everyone hates this hitler like mgr and always trys to get his way. he knows my side and thinks getting terminating is totally ridiculous. ''attitude'' is not under a reason to terminate i see under their terms of service. please advise how i can approach this to get my way and stay as a paid customer. only the level 2 mgr which i've spoken to 1 wants me off... and hes just tech support mgr.

threats, harassment

I've been getting threatening messages from my son's aunt, I've blocked her now she sends them to a friend of mine. She has accused me of being on drugs, selling drugs, that she is going to make sure '' I go down '' that she has been telling the police I'm a drug dealer, she has had the cop's & feds here, she has called child service's on me countless time's always closed, unfounded. She has accused me of being with married men, calling their wives, she says I have disease's ( I do not, never have ) she has made up profile's on inter net even harassing me and my 17 yr. old son. do I call my local police ( that she has half believing I'm a drug dealer ) How do I stop this? I'm afraid for myself and my children

virus/spyware

i called my isp where i bought the internet security suite that even though the software is installed that i was still haveing virus/spyware on my computer they checked it out and said there was no virus/spyware on the computer and software working fine if i have a virus/spyware on my computer and it messed it up would i be able to sue or something about that?

E-mail tampering by spouse

My ex-husband and I were separated for over a year when I learned that he was able to answer the security questions to my personal e-mail account and gain access. I have read that because the e-mails were already read by me that they are not considered to be intercepted and are not protected by Federal Law. Is this correct? Or did he violate Federal Law and/or State Law? Would any of the e-mails now be admissable in a child custody hearing?

Publish Prices from other websites

I want to show price information in my website of a product that sold in several online shops. Is it legal to take this information from those websites without informing them?