If you’re a fan of Friends who’s turned to illegally downloading episodes of the iconic TV sitcom, you may be in trouble, at least maybe.

In an effort to crack down on internet piracy, Warner Brothers has hired Digital Rightscorp (DRC) to issue notices demanding cash from alleged pirates of Friends. The notice informs users that their ISP account has been used to download, upload or offer for upload copyrighted material, leaving them liable for up to $150,000 for each infringement.

But don’t be alarmed by the six figure numbers WB throws at you, because they’ll only be demanding a $20 settlement from alleged pirates.

However, this $20 payment likely more closely resembles a fishing, or more aptly phishing expedition than a Get Out of Jail Free card. With these notices, WB is casting a line and waiting for users to bite, inducing them to admit guilt so that they may face increased monitoring and penalties down the line, all while lining the pockets of DRC. This is merely the latest in a line of shady strategies employed by Rightscorp, including threats to kick accused pirates off the internet.

Warner Brothers certainly cites more wholesome motivations for its pursuit of small payments, saying that it makes these settlements in the interest of deterring users from pirating again in the future. The idea is that by demanding this settlement, Warner Brothers establishes that it has your information and is willing to pursue damages, showing its teeth in an effort to prevent future illegal activity.

this $20 payment likely more closely resembles a fishing, or more aptly phishing expedition than a Get Out of Jail Free card

However, this threat may not be nearly as persuasive as Warner Brothers makes it out to be. Like WB, many companies have employed this anti-piracy strategy over the years, facing constant skepticism. The problem is that these companies in fact do not have your information, just your IP address, and learning who’s behind the IP could involve a long series of legal negotiations with ISP’s. Moreover, contrary to what Rightscorp claims, even if a company could match your name with an IP address, it would have a tough time establishing that it was you and not internet poachers doing the illegal downloading.

As a result of these informational barriers, the more tech-savvy crowd I’ve talked to say they would be unconvinced by the notice and would likely choose not to pay the fee. However, those unfamiliar with ISP’s and copyright laws, especially older generations, may be much more willing to pay up in order to avoid the alarming legal threats.

Yet it seems like responding to the notice might actually be the best way to ensure continued harassment from DRC. One alleged pirate attests that after giving his information and paying the initial $20 fee, he received phone calls from DRC demanding additional payments. In fact, a group of accused pirates has even sued WB and DRC for abuse and harassment.

 the more tech-savvy crowd I’ve talked to say they would be unconvinced by the notice

It would appear then that such notices may be a ploy for gaining user information in order to file for more extensive damages, rather than an effective means of deterring piracy. Partnerships between companies and DRC further complicate the situation, as DRC’s revenue model actually relies on people continuing to pirate copyrighted content.

In an era where nearly everything is available online, piracy is certainly an important and compelling problem, but it seems unlikely that WB and DRC’s strategy will do little but scare a few middle-aged Friends fans.