Microsoft has filed a lawsuit against a prolific distributor of infringing microsoft software, alleging that a texas man displayed online and sold pirated office, windows and other products. Other microsoft software distributed via usb, such as office 2016, will bear a. Microsoft had alleged that mbc purchased counterfeit microsoft windows 98 and office software from bantech of cedar park, texas, and resold it, and that they sold counterfeit microsoft nt server. After we receive the information, if you have inadvertently purchased microsoft office software that is counterfeit, we will send you a complimentary replacement. Microsoft cracks down on counterfeit software sales in pennsylvania legal actions to bolster honest small businesses and reduce risk to consumers pittsburgh, sept. Is it legal for any seller to sell microsoft software product keys to a home userend user, when those product keys are for msdn. Press release 42511 two sentenced for trafficking in.
The defacto page is this one which appears in the 2018 blog post mentioned above. There is a huge increase in counterfeit microsoft office software being sold on the internet. Where to buy a legal digital download of microsoft office. Why microsoft could be dropping the ball on software piracy. Having counterfeit software is illegal and will cause errors on any computer that uses the. Counterfeit software i have had my pc for 5 yrs now, it has the original installed windows 7. Learn how to tell whether your microsoft software and hardware are genuine. Michigan man charged with selling counterfeit microsoft. Take these steps to stay safe from counterfeit software. Microsoft alleges that four northern california companies.
The wga program is designed to differentiate the value of genuine windows software from nongenuine, and to educate consumers about the potential risks associated with counterfeit software. Software submissions are not returned to customers. The notice claimed they were pirating software, namely microsoft office applications and operating systems. Counterfeit software posted in windows xp home and professional. Microsoft filed 63 lawsuits thursday against online auctioneers in 12 countries who allegedly sold counterfeit microsoft software on sites including amazon, ebay and even microsofts own shop. Software piracy claims can ruin your business and reward. Many websites such as amazon and ebay are enabling the sales, although this is through the way their business models work, rather than on purpose. You must print a copy of the online counterfeit report. Sometimes these product keys are printed on counterfeit labels or cards with a download link to microsoft software, and sometimes theyre distributed with software media that is unauthorized for resale, such as promotional media, original equipment manufacturer reinstallation media, or other microsoft programspecific media. The packaging is made to look like office professional 2010 but a copy of office professional plus 2010 gets installed. The current microsoft office family of products no longer includes an installation disc with.
Software piracy and fraudulent subscriptions are serious, industrywide problems affecting consumers and organizations around the world. Where to enter your office product key office support. It descends into the farcical though once you actually try to report counterfeit software on microsofts website. Theres a lot you need to know about when purchasing microsoft products. The actions are part of the companys nationwide effort to more energetically protect legitimate software distributors and customers from the negative effects of. Please call our microsoft careline at 800 852 3543 and select. What to watch out for when buying microsoft products. Many different online resellers market and sell microsoft products without microsofts approval. Collier bennett harper, 30, was taken into custody late friday.
I cant find the folder named dllcache when im in system32 anyway, i. I wanted an upgrade so i purchased a copy of windows xp professional from someone online, it came with a coa and product key. Microsoft office 2019 is a good option for those who need to use these applications frequently. I filled out the paper work online to fet the complimentary offer of ther genuine office and am sending the orginal cd along with reciept of purchase to microsoft. Counterfeit software windows xp home and professional. See more shopping tips make sure you have the right licensing for your microsoft products. Why microsoft could be dropping the ball on software. Contacting microsoft support is the only way to override a microsoft office 2010 professional product key that wont verify through microsofts validation system. Many microsoft products on cd and dvd include holographic security features to help ensure you receive authentic product and to protect against counterfeiting. Lakewood man charged with trafficking counterfeit computer. With a genuine product next to the counterfeit product to compare, there will be many nuances of the packaging that are different between the. This is because microsoft itself sells genuine versions of these cds to refurbishers hence the market for selling counterfeit copies. Are you concerned you might be a victim of counterfeit software.
The facts about a recent counterfeiting case brought by. He is charged in a fourcount federal indictment following the seizure of two shipments of microsoft office professional edition 2007 software cdroms. A label stuck on top is a key indicator that the drive is a counterfeit. Microsoft files lawsuits in washington for alleged. Customs referred the case to federal prosecutors after intercepting shipments of counterfeit software imported from china by mr. Microsoft had alleged that mbc purchased counterfeit microsoft windows 98 and office software from bantech of cedar park, texas, and resold it, and that they sold counterfeit microsoft nt server software to mr. According to the indictment, edward unlawfully distributed counterfeit copies of microsoft office 2003 professional and microsoft windows xp professional software by purchasing counterfeit copies of the ed works from china and singapore, selling the ed works on ebay and then using the u.
Lundgren took great pains to disguise the counterfeit software he imported, including arranging for fake microsoft and. The different versions of windows xp, windows 7, office 2003 and office 2007 that were used came from some of the most popular channels of pirated software distribution, including peertopeer file sharing, independent hardware dealers, and street. In the past two years alone, hundreds of thousands of counterfeit data carriers above all windows 7 recovery dvds and counterfeit certificates of authenticity socalled coas have been obtained. So you dont get ripped off buying illegal microsoft software, such as microsoft office or microsoft outlook or microsoft access or microsoft windows or. A user can do an authenticity check through the genuine microsoft software site. Microsoft packaged software products such as windows, office, and windows server come on a holographic cd or dvd, which shows vibrant color and 3d effects as the disc is tilted. Softwaremedia is committed to making sure you get exactly what you paid for.
I purchased a pc from dell that came preinstalled with windows xp home. In 2016, 39 percent of all software installed on computers was not properly licensed, according to a survey conducted by bsa and the software alliance. Today the first time since, i got a message saying im victim to software counterfeiting and at the bottom right of my desktop showswindows is not genuine, build 7601. Ive seen claims that counterfeit office 2010 software has been sold on amazon and elsewhere, so if you are looking for this product, be aware of the dangers and scrutinize an offering as best you can.
Much of the counterfeit software was recovered in california. Microsoft has been consistently combating the sale of illegal software for years. Counterfeit microsoft windows software consumer alert. Microsoft is interested to hear from customers who may have inadvertently purchased suspect counterfeit microsoft software. Microsoft cracks down on counterfeit software auctions. Rather than buying the complete software package, another option is to look for ebay sellers offering recycled microsoft product key cards pkcs. Software pirates in europe have a bum holiday season when their plans to sell 55,000 counterfeit microsoft office 97 cdroms are crushed during a raid. Microsoft has done a great deal of work to help software users protect themselves from illegal sales channels and offer tips and advice to help the user ensure that the software. How microsoft helped imprison a man for counterfeiting software it. Well, here are 7 tips for telling the genuine from the fake, the legal from the illegal, the authentic from the counterfeit. My microsoft office 2010 professional 64bit key wont.
I did something wrong after formatting and installing windows xp professional on my compaq. I have not yet opened the clear plastic shrinkwrap that encases the disks in their hard plastic container. Microsoft intensifies efforts to eradicate counterfeit. Hello ml smith, from the diagnostic report and the. Most often the items on sale are counterfeit or pirated software. Microsoft product key scam a new form of software piracy. Steps to take when identifying counterfeit microsoft software.
Specifically, the indictment charges harper with two counts of trafficking counterfeit goods and two counts of smuggling. The defendants further admitted that they then sold the counterfeit software over the internet, using the company names wireless now computers and whitebox computers, and mailed the software to customers throughout. The definition of counterfeit software is the illegal copying and distribution of commercial software, via downloads, cd, dvd or any other form of digital formats. This post is authored by matt lundy, assistant general counsel, microsoft. How is possible to verify those keys trough microsoft activation center by speaking to a person, that key is valid, genuine. Please print the report and post it along with the items requested below. A study showed if counterfeit software was avoided, it could create more employment opportunities as well as economic growth. Microsoft cracks down on counterfeit software sales in. You may be a victim of software counterfeiting 2020 fix. All of the lawsuits allege that the defendants distributed counterfeit copies of microsoft software to investigators. Piracy has long been the bane of microsoft but softwareasaservice. Lately when i log on i am being told that my xp pro is counterfeit and i need to purchase it. Microsoft, mbc and the problem of counterfeit software.
Get tips for safer shopping or buy directly from microsoft. Guide to buying genuine microsoft windowsoffice software. Lundgren sought out counterfeit software which he disguised as legitimate and sold to other refurbishers. Microsoft packaged software products prior to windows 10 such as windows, office, and windows server are delivered on a cd or dvd, which includes vibrant color and 3d effects on the inner hub of the disc, as the disc is tilted. Microsoft sues prolific distributor of pirated office. It runs fine when i deleted the wga registry and rebooted it. Error code 0xc004c060 when activating office microsoft. Counterfeit software i have received what i believe is a counterfeit copy of office professional 2007 from inc. Software piracy and fraudulent subscriptions are serious. What do i do if i have a volume license version of windows or office and experience issues with it. Microsoft packaged software products such as windows, office, and windows server come on a holographic cd or dvd, which shows vibrant color and 3d.
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