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[SiCK]

I got this email today, prompting me to start this forum topic:

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From: Linda
Re: Embroidery Protection Coalition

Do you have any more information about these guys? I received all the letters and I sent them a check but stopped payment on it after someone forwarded me your email. They were stupid enough to send me back the check and it was endorsed by the Home Sewing Association. Have you found any connection? Then they sent me a threat to contact the DA because of my bad check. The envelope was postmarked from Dallas and the return address was PA. I would like to find out more info. One lawyer told me to have them provide the license and copyright material to prove to us that we are in voilation. This sounds like a good idea.

LindaA

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I'm thinking there may be others out there sending this stuff IMPOSING as the Coalition. All one would have to do is register a bank account called "Embroidery Protection Coalition".

This scam is getting bigger!

[SiCK]

Linda sent this information, does anyone have any comments for her?


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The person who I sent the check to was named Joyce Perhac and the person who signed the letter regarding my stop payment (which by the way was not on any kind of letterhead) is named Donna McCauley, ESPC Legal Department. Has anyone checked out these names? Linda A.
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[Torie]

There are several of us that have been looking into this group. I can tell you that the PA government office does not have them listed under any name or abbreviation of thier name as being a registered business or non-profit business. the number on the web site goes directly to the office of Carol Faulkner in Dallas, Texas. She is the general councel for Amazing Desings. The ESPC web site is registered to a bogus person that has never worked for the ABBEY Corperation. and the IRS has never heard of the ESPC (as far as registaring as a non- profit org. The mailing address for the ESPC is a post office box in PA (Thier officials said NO registration has a PO box in their state) and all letters and info come from Dallas, Texas. The state of Pennsilvania, Missouri, and others is asking that all persons getting these letters asking for money; report them to the attorney general of their state as well as Penn. and Texas. This coalition is a fake in my oppinion. They have several sellers on ebay that are gathering info by harassing independant digitizers and giving false info to Mrs. Faulkner so that she can file a bogus copyright infringment case in
the Dallas, Texas federal courts. She then gets info (such as names and addresses) from these people that are selling or buying and send out these letters to gain (now) a $300.00 fee and all designs bought. According to the Law Professers in major universities, " The copyright Law says it is illegal to sell copyritten items. Not to buy them."

Donna McCauley is one of the people that is involved with the ebay scam and the ESPC scam that is going on. This Coalition does not exist as far as our government goes nor as far as any state they are supposidly involved with.

Please protect yourself and do not send money, checks or anything to these people. They are not lagit. Fraud is everywhere and we have to be sure to know everything before we give in. All the info i have posted here can be found on the different official web sites. (PA official site will give phone numbers to call and they will look it up for you. They IRS has a search page for all registered non-profit org.) Protect your self and your hard earned money. CHECK IT ALL OUT FIRST!!!

As for the other info that you posted I will be looking into and will post my results ASAP.

[Torie]

OK Linda I said that I would see what I could find for you. Here is what I have!

here are several addresses!!

Embroidery Software Protection Coalition
1350 Broadway, Ste. 1601
New York, New York 10018
Phone: (212) 714-1633
Fax: (212) 714-1655

ESPC
P.O. Box 1312
Monroeville, PA 15146

The 800 # on the web site goes directly to Carol Faulkner in Dallas, TX

The Home Sewing Association is

Home Sewing Association
105 Mall Boulevard, Monroeville, PA 15146
(412) 372-5950
(found on yellowpages.com

thier site is www.sewing.org

site mailing address is

Company Name: Home Sewing Association
Contact Person: Joyce Perhac
Address: P.O. Box 1312
City: Monroeville State: PA
Pincode: 15146 Country: United States Of America
Phone +1-412-372 5950 Fax: +1-412-372 5953

******Notice the address******SAME AS ESPC*******
Joyce Perhac info
started a company called ProShow Inc. in new York
she became the VP of the Home Sewing Association in May 1,2003.

Several sourses state that Gardner ( owner of Action Tapes AKA Amazing designs founded the ESPC and is running it. According to The Home Sewing Association's Joyce Perhac; she is running the ESPC from Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania official offices states that the ESPC does not have a legal registratin in thier state and anyone contacted should report them to thier Attorney General at:

Attorney General PA
Tom Corbett

By Mail:
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
16th Floor
Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120

By Phone:
717-787-3391

By Fax:
717-787-8242

Thier Govoner's info is:
Govenor
Edward G. Randell
Governor Edward G. Rendell's Office
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

To telephone the Governor call:
(717) 787-2500.

According to Texas The ESPC is not registered in thier state and all should notify them at:

Greg Abbott
Office of the Attorney General
PO Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548
Physical Address:

Office of the Attorney General
300 W. 15th Street
Austin, TX 78701

Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
PO Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548

Texas
Govenor
Rick Perry
Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 12428, Austin, Texas 78711, Phone: (512) 463-2000, Fax: (512) 463-1849

They all stated NOT to send any money to This Orgnaization!!!!

Mr. Gardner was quoted on 9-5-2005 in the Dallas Business Journal as saying:

"We're actually finally getting to the real pirates," he said.

As it gets closer to the real traffickers, it is getting information on the people downloading from pirates. Those users have started receiving notices that the owners of their ill-gotten designs would like to be paid.

That effort began in the last six weeks.

It hasn't happened yet, but if they don't pay up, the group may take the users to court. That's what the Recording Industry Association of America has done to music users downloading tunes from of Napster and other file-swapping services.

"We're kind of following the path of the recording industry," Gardner said.

cwatt@bizjournals.com | 214-706-7123

This is all that I have for now....Will Keep digging!!!