reported by Peter Bogosian, CyberScreenwriter.com

The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. yesterday filed fourteen lawsuits against online auctioneers who had been selling counterfeit DVDs on eBay. The cases involve movie titles from the major film studios including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, State of the Union, Ice Age, Toy Story, Sahara and A Beautiful Mind. The lawsuits are an extension of the MPAA's ongoing initiative to combat piracy on the Internet and protect consumers from being tricked into purchasing counterfeit copies of movies online.

The lawsuits were filed in Los Angeles federal court against individuals who were operating online auctions in the following cities:

-- Trussville, Alabama

-- Cudjoe Key, Florida

-- Lenexa and Olanthe, Kansas

-- Kensington, Maryland

-- Grand Blanc, Michigan

-- Wallingford, Pennsylvania

-- Nashville, Tennessee

-- Plano, Texas

-- West Jordan, Utah

-- Fairfax, Virginia

-- Milwaukee, Wisconsin

"People who abuse online auction sites like eBay to sell counterfeit DVDs are not only cheating their buyers, they are committing a serious crime and will be held accountable," said John G. Malcolm, Executive Vice President and Director of Worldwide Anti-Piracy Operations for the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. "Our goal is to raise awareness and protect unsuspecting consumers from dishonest transactions in the online marketplace. Profiting from the sale of someone else's creative property is illegal and we want to get this message out to both buyers and sellers."

A federal interagency report published in 2004 estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods, including those of copyrighted works, cost the American economy $250 billion a year. The MPAA estimates its member companies lost $3.5 billion last year due to hard goods piracy. A Smith Barney study conducted in 2003 said that the movie industry would lose up to $5.4 billion in 2005 including Internet piracy. Working with law enforcement around the world, the MPAA seized more than 76 million illegal discs last year.

The MPAA and its member companies have a multi-pronged approach to fighting piracy, which includes educating people about the consequences of piracy, taking action against Internet thieves, working with law enforcement authorities around the world to root out pirate operations and working to ensure movies are available legally using advanced technology.

How Consumers Can Protect Themselves From Purchasing Pirated Movie Products:

The MPAA encourage people to use these simple safety tips while shopping online:

1. Watch for Titles that are "Too 'New' to be 'True'": Movies that have yet to be released in theatres, or which are still out in theatres, should/will not be available in DVD or videocassette formats. If very recent titles are being sold on an auction or other online retail sites, they are most likely pirated.

2. Remember the Adage "You Get What You Pay For": Even if you are hoping to get your favorite movie titles at a discount, whether new or used, the extremely low prices offered on some websites might indicate pirated product.

3. Read the Label: Once your purchase arrives, carefully look over the packaging and beware of products that do not look genuine. The inferior quality of print work on the disc surface, and slip sleeve cover (DVD or CD), as well as the lack of original artwork and/or missing studio, publisher, and distributor logos on discs and packaging, are usually clear indicators that the product is pirated.

4. Keep Receipts: Print out a copy of your order number and sales confirmation and keep them at least until your purchase arrives in satisfactory condition.