YIFY Went Down After MPAA Pressure, But That Isn't Stopping Imitation Sites

Weeks after YIFY suddenly announced it would cease to exist, a number of torrent sites are using the popular piracy site's name to boost their own popularity. Who is behind the new sites wasn't immediately clear, although the same operators who took credit for taking over EZTV are now promoting the YIFY imitation sites.

YIFY, also known as YTS, was one of the most trusted brand names in piracy, with uploads that were consistently among the most downloaded films on the Pirate Bay and Kickass Torrents. But legal pressure from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) forced the website offline last month, sending users into a panic about which bootlegger to trust next. Now, it appears that impersonators are trying to cash in on YIFY's success by using the same name and Web layout at YTS.ag, a domain registered in Antigua or Bermuda.

“It's a blatant attempt to cash in on the void left by the demise of YTS, and rest assured, it won't be the last,” TorrentFreak reported Wednesday. “If they aren't already appearing, torrent sites will soon be flooded with fake torrents claiming to be from YIFY.”

There's nothing to indicate any of the movies are dangerous to download, and it looks like the site has reuploaded many of the titles first put online by the real YIFY, but it will mean more Whack-A-Mole for the MPAA. The copyright enforcement group filed suits in Canada and New Zealand in recent weeks and also took credit for taking down the main Popcorn Time site, PopcornTime.io.