Posted on 12/08/2005 2:10:22 AM PST by dennisw
Microsoft and eBay hook up to catch pirates Rogue traders getting their e-collars felt
Ken Young, vnunet.com 07 Dec 2005 Microsoft and eBay are working together to stop the sale of pirated software on the online auction site.
The companies said in a statement that over 21,000 suspect software sales were removed from the eBay UK site between August and October this year.
Around half were sales of counterfeit copies of Windows, and 36 per cent were fake copies of Microsoft Office.
Microsoft claimed that the crackdown is working because eBay removed 11,535 suspected counterfeit sales from the site in August. This fell to 4,460 in September and 5,423 in October.
But many sellers have insisted that eBay is not doing enough to tackle fraud. Richard Coleman, a regular eBay user from Luton, said: "I have been the victim of at least three fraudsters. One was a mobile phone that did not exist, another was a registration code for an online gaming service that was illegal, and the third was a pirated DVD.
"When you tell eBay they do not really help you. They informed us that the registration code we had was pirated but failed to recompense us for the cost.
"If I was buying software I would expect about 10 per cent to be pirated or fake. The only way you can tell is by comparing the pricing of a number of sellers. If it looks too good it is probably dodgy."
The wise man's guide to Christmas shopping Win a trip to Las Vegas! EBay stated that it does not monitor its website for fake goods, but removes infringing items once they have been brought to its attention by the rights owner or its representative.
The company has set up the Verified Rights Owners Programme to assist rights owners. Participants have the ability to identify and request removal of allegedly infringing items and materials.
But regular users of the site have pointed out that some software sellers put in writing that buyers are bidding for the box rather than the CD containing the software as a way of getting round the laws against piracy.
EBay has confirmed that such wording is not illegal but is against eBay's own rules for selling recordable media.
Other critics suggest that eBay fraudsters have little fear of the law due to lack of real punishment for such offences.
Last month Phillip Shortman was given a 240-hour community service order after scamming thousands of pounds out of victims of a rugby ticket fraud.
The case was somewhat high profile because Shortman was already on a 12-month detention and training order after being convicted of similar frauds totaling £45,000 in May 2005.
After his conviction he had said that he was planning to become an advisor to eBay in a poacher-turned-gamekeeper capacity.
aaaaarrrgghhh!!!
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Better MS than RIAA/MPAA. If it was the RIAA/MPAA that ebay would have partnered up with, it would have been banned on ebay to sell used and/or legit imported DVDs and CDs.
True, but it's the idiots that don't do this that complain the most.
Billy Bones Gates
Just an interesting question: is it legal to buy and/or sell used software titles in the current versions? I once asked a Microsoft agent buying an old copy of Windows 98 2 years ago as I needed to keep an obsolete computer running, and the rep pointed me to a local equivalent of eBay to buy and it was perfectly legal from MS's POV.
Now the question is: is it still legal if I buy a MS Office 2003 secondhand in this way? Because new copies of it are still on the shelves around the world.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Can you name such an OEM store? Thanks.
welp, there goes Christmas
I personally asked sales reps at some computer stores about buying Office 2003 and they discreetly say that "in theory you must be a currently-enrolled student to buy academic-priced softwares, but we do turn a blind eye...". I wouldn't say much more here because what they do is certainly illegal, but...
Yes, as long as you recieve the legit hard disc (CD) the software comes on AND the seller has uninstalled the software from their computer.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Great site to buy Windows XP Pro for $50... thanks.
I am not talking about the retail box, nor the printed manual. I am talking about the CD the software is on.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
So. It's not hard to tell the difference between a legit CD and a fake one. Watermarks, seethrough CDs, it is not hard to tell.
Be forewarned that "feedback" is not always protection against fraud. There was a fellow selling bicycles on ebay that would steal the identy of a seller and post his own fraudlant ads with his contct info stating that he would no go through paypal. When you click on the feedback items none of them were for bicycle related items. When you check the seller's address for a real bike shop it does not exist. Call the 800 number listed in the ad on ebay and I feel certain that it is a VOIP 800 number that transfers to a fradulent overseas site. Be very careful.
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