Federation Warns Against Risks of Buying Software From Online Auction Houses

LONDON, March 27 /PRNewswire/ --

- It Could Damage Your Health

People illegally selling copied software via Internet auction sites have
been warned that the net is closing in on them.

The Federation Against Software Theft (The Federation) is determined to
act against individuals profiting by breaching the copyright of its members.

This activity follows on from an announcement by the Software and
Information Industry Association in the US that it had launched 17 auction
piracy actions against individuals selling counterfeit software via eBay.

"It does not take a rocket scientist to work out that software that
should cost upwards of GBP100 that is being sold on an auction site for a few
pounds is likely to be illegal," said John Lovelock, Chief Executive at the
Federation.

"While our focus continues to be on corporate misuse, and the use of high
speed corporate internet links for questionable internet activity, we will
continue to pursue individuals that set out to defraud our members," he
added.

Every year copyright theft costs the UK economy millions of pounds in
lost income. A recent survey carried out by the British Software Alliance
showed that a ten per cent drop in illegal copying of software could add over
13,000 jobs and millions of pounds in tax revenue to the UK economy.

While the focus tends to be on films and games, software piracy is often
overlooked as a 'Cinderella Sector'. But with more than 80 per cent of UK
households now owning or having access to a home computer, the problem
illegal software sales is a real and growing issue.

And while cheap software may seem like a good investment, buyers should
be aware that the program they are buying or downloading may come with some
nasty surprises in the form of computer viruses or other spyware, not to
mention the problems caused by incomplete versions of the software, no
updates and a lack of any user manual or support facility.

"Too many people think that software theft is a victimless crime - they
believe that the big software corporations can 'take the hit'. That, simply,
is rubbish.

"In principle, there is no difference between selling an illegal copy of
a product via an online auction house, or an individual walking out of a shop
with a box of software without paying for it and selling it to you in the
street. Theft is theft, full stop," said John Lovelock.

"If this activity is allowed to continue unchecked it will cause further
harm to the UK economy and will put jobs at risk, something that we cannot
afford in these uncertain economic times. Britain's creative industries are
now the driving force in the economy and their rights must be protected.

"So we will take the fight to the individuals dealing in illegal copies
and our message is simple - we can, and will, track you down. The next time
you put a dodgy copy of some software in the post, you may well be sending it
to one of our investigators."

Over the last eight years, The Federation has recovered over GBP8,000,000
for the UK software industry. And in one recent case courts ordered an
individual to pay 100 times the value of the software he had been illegally
sharing in costs and damages.

Notes to Editors

About The Federation

The Federation Against Software Theft was formed in 1984 making it the
world's first anti-piracy organisation. It is a not-for-profit organisation
that is limited by guarantee and wholly owned by its members, and works on
many fronts to promote the legal use of software and defend its members'
digital rights through education, enforcement, lobbying and promoting
standards and best practice in business.

The Federation's own Legal Advisory Group (FLAG), which consists of 30
law firms engaged in IT/IP and operating in the UK and overseas, reinforces
legal expertise.