Are digital cable TV descramblers legal to use?

Cable descramblers that either come from or are authorized by the cable company are legal, but descramblers not paid for or allowed by the cable company are illegal, explains Expert Law. Criminal and civil charges may be filed against anyone found to be in possession of an illegal descrambler.

Illegal cable descramblers are sometimes detected during maintenance service by a technician from the cable company. This is possible because cable companies possess technology allowing them to uncover the presence of a descrambler in a house that does not subscribe to cable service, according to Expert Law. Sometimes an illegal descrambler results in the cable company filing a civil lawsuit against the person in possession of the device.