DirecTV Inc. said it filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, against seven individuals it claims fraudulently obtained DirecTV direct-to-home satellite television services for other consumers by setting up false subscription accounts and illegally activating receivers. DirecTV claims the defendants violated provisions of the Federal Communications Act, Federal wiretap laws and state law, all of which claim that it is illegal to intercept or assist others in intercepting DirecTV’s encrypted satellite signal without authorization or payment to DirecTV. According to the laws under which the suit was filed, DirecTV could be entitled to actual damages, including any profits made by the defendants, or statutory damages that can range from $10,000 to $100,000 per violation, plus court costs, attorney’s fees and investigative fees, if the suit is successful.