A number of Australian internet providers, including iiNet, have been ordered to hand over the account details of almost 5000 customers who allegedly illegally downloaded the Dallas Buyers Club film.

Federal Court Justice Nye Perram this afternoon found in favour of United States company Dallas Buyers Club LLC's "preliminary discovery" application for the identities of the people it believes breached the film's copyright by sharing the film online, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

As well as iiNet, ISPs Dodo, Internode, Amnet Broadband, Adam Internet and Wideband Networks have also been ordered to provide customer details.

The decision means 4726 Australian customers whose accounts were allegedly used to share the film starring Matthew McConaughey early last year are likely to be sent legal letters from Dallas Buyers Club LLC's Australian lawyers.

The letters are likely to mirror those sent to customers in the US, which threatened legal action unless large sums of money are paid.

In the letters to US customers, account holders were told they faced damages of up to $196,656 in court if they refused to pay $9171 in settlement fees, Fairfax Media said.