James Delahunty
1 Dec 2005 14:16
A British software website has discovered that it had been unknowingly selling pirated Microsoft software to its customers. Monitorshop.co.uk was selling popular Microsoft software titles that came from a Chinese source which the e-tailer thought was a legitimate source. It had obtained copies of Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 from this source and had sold $7,000 worth of the counterfeit goods to customers until Microsoft stepping in.
One of the customers who purchased a counterfeit copy of Windows XP, discovered that it wasn't legitimate when he used Microsoft's Product Identification Service. This data led Microsoft to Paul Rowling, owner of Monitorshop.co.uk. According to Microsoft, Rowling was shocked to discover that he had been unknowingly reselling the counterfeit software, and that he was extremely supportive at all stages of the investigations.
He gave Microsoft all the details of the Chinese source, and of customers who had accidentally received the software. He then help Microsoft to recover all the pirated software that was sold and paid for the customers to receive legitimate software instead. "Monitorshop.co.uk has been in business just over two years and we've prided ourselves on providing top-quality software, hardware and gadgets at reasonable prices," said Paul Rowling. "We were shocked to find out that the software we'd been selling was counterfeit and apologize unreservedly to any customers affected. We have done everything in our powers to put the situation right and will continue to assist Microsoft while investigations continue."
Microsoft expressed concerns over the Chinese source, and how resellers can be easily fooled into buying pirated software. "We’re delighted that our Product Identification Service has proved instrumental not only in closing down an illegal supply chain, but also in helping provide genuine versions of our software to victims of the counterfeit trail," said Michala Alexander, Microsoft's head of anti-piracy. "We will continue to pursue all vendors suspected of selling illegal software to ensure that customers benefit from the full functionality, support and protection of our legitimate products."
Microsoft has been battling more actively with pirates in the last couple of years. Since the company already has the majority of the Operating System market, it is now looking to regain lost revenue due to piracy. The Windows XP operating system is one of the most pirate software titles in the world. Microsoft has put checks on its download websites to help users determine whether or not they are using pirated software. The company claims the main aim of these checks is to track down sellers of pirated Microsoft software - not to track down the individual using the pirate software. In order to get the customer to identify a source, the company has tried offering users discounts off legitimate software, or in some cases, free swaps.
Source:
The Register