More than 12 apps on Google like Pics how Momix and Popcorn Flix are stealing original content from OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon and showing them to customers for free. Within a few hours of the launch of the show on the country's big OTT platform, the entire show comes on these pirated apps. These apps also get a boost from social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Not only this, these apps present on the Play Store are being run from many other countries. Even the cyber cell is aware of this, but it is out of reach. However, in the greed of watching the latest movies or web series for free, users are not missing out on taking the risk. But the biggest danger from this is the breach of personal data saved on your mobile.
Dainik Bhaskar found in its investigation that these illegally operated apps or platforms have almost all premium content of television, Bollywood, Hollywood, and radio, not just cricket.
These are the apps, where the goods of piracy are found
Currently, Pics how, Momix, Popcorn Flix, Mobdro, Kodi, Popcorn Time, Movie HD, Top TV, Flix Play, T TV, Mr. TV, Movie Box, HD Cinema, and many more such apps in the market the last 2 to 3 years From indiscriminately stealing and selling premium content of the video and live TV.
Talking about the action, only the operator of THOP TV and one of his associates has been arrested by the Mumbai Police so far. Apart from this, Disney Hotstar has filed a case in Chennai against TamilRockers, Tamilmav, Tamil Blasters website, and Pics how the app.
Some popular pirated apps are also charging
The apps for which you spend around 1500 rupees a month, they are openly providing them for the last 2-3 years almost free. The special thing is that the subscriber base of these apps is also becoming more than some of the original OTT platforms. Taking advantage of this, some have started charging money for showing the stolen content. In our investigation, it has come to the fore that they are selling 'stolen goods' for about 30 to 50 rupees a month.
Santosh Ram, an officer associated with Bangalore Cyber Cell said that the traffic of 62 million comes every month on the pirated platform present in the country.
Google-Facebook is also promoting
Pune Cyber Cell DCP Sambhaji Kadam said that the biggest challenge before us is about the apps being operated from outside. Even though we are aware of these apps, we cannot block them. We often report this to Google, Facebook, and Twitter, but there is almost always a late or sometimes no response from their side. There is a law on this and we keep taking action from time to time. Even today, with just one click, we can find these apps on Google, Facebook, Telegram, and other search platforms.
India at number three in terms of piracy
According to a report by Akamai Technologies, a cyber security and cloud services company, India ranked third in the world in accessing pirated apps and websites in 2021. India recorded 6.5 billion visits to pirated websites, the third-highest after the US (13.5 billion) and Russia (7.2 billion).
Fear of terror funding from pirated app
According to a report, the Indian OTT platform providing video streaming services is losing 30%-35% of revenue every year. Security agencies suspect that this money can also be used against India i.e. for terror funding. 1993 blast accused Dawood Ibrahim has also been doing piracy of films for many years. According to sources, people associated with the Dawood gang have become involved in piracy of OTT content and are accumulating thousands of crores every year.
Why it is difficult to catch cybercriminals
Sanjay Shintre, DCP of Maharashtra Cyber Crime Cell said, 'We have caught two operators of THOP TV and are going to file a charge sheet in this case soon.' While not disclosing how to reach the accused, the DCP said, "Cybercriminals always leave some footprint, catching them is sometimes difficult but not impossible." If those apps are operating from India then they get caught soon, but for apps operated from outside, we have to see whether we have a treaty with that country or not. It may take some time to arrest the criminal by going to the countries from which there is no treaty, but he reaches behind the bars.
Mumbai Police is waiting for the complaint
DCP Sanjay said that we have cracked an app and if the complaints of the apps that are running in the market come to us, then we will try our best to take strict action against them too. Cases have been registered against some other apps, but they are registered outside Maharashtra. Maharashtra Cyber Cell can decode any cybercrime but that's all should a complaint come to us. Unless someone comes to us with a complaint, we cannot act on it.
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