Few people are happy to be stuck with counterfeit software, yet it happens often because it can be hard to tell it apart from genuine programs. Despite this issue, there are a few telltale signs that what you are being offered is not legitimate. Get an idea of the main ways to identify and avoid counterfeit software.

The Price Is Too Good To Be True

Most websites have occasional sales, and some even regularly price their Microsoft, Adobe, or other popular software programs slightly lower than competitors. However, if a seller on eBay or Amazon consistently prices products significantly lower than others, you should beware. Consider why a company or seller would offer Microsoft software or other genuine retail box software for much less than they are worth. You will find that the prevalent reason is there is a high probability that it is luxury counterfeit software.

The Packaging Looks Unprofessional

Some counterfeit software manufacturers pay attention to detail when creating packaging for their pirated programs. However, they usually slip up somewhere. The following are a few mistakes to look for, many of which you can see when comparing photos of the counterfeit software and the legitimate product:

1. The box is the wrong size or color, the images and text are incorrect or of poor print quality.

Rosetta Stone software is a good example of this. Compare the two boxes to see that there is a difference in the color and image quality, and the text stating the version is missing on the luxury counterfeit version.

 

2. Different font is used or there are spelling and or grammatical errors on the box.

Rosetta Stone software is a good example of this as well; if you read the back of the box, the luxury counterfeit version has spelling and punctuation errors where the authentic version does not.

3. There is no product key label or Certificate Of Authenticity that should appear on the real software, or some of the security features on the product key label or certificate of authenticity are either missing or cheap imitations.

The later version Adobe and Microsoft software are good examples of this. Adobe now has a holographic image that states “Adobe Genuine” on the bar code label on the bottom of the box, and when held to the light and moved side-to-side, it changes colors. The luxury counterfeit version stays a solid color.

 

 

Microsoft’s Certificate of Authenticity has security features, such as a band that goes through the label and different types of circles integrated into the COA.  The security band is red or white with red lettering on authentic software, but the luxury counterfeit versions are generally a solid color with no lettering.

 

The security circles on authentic older version software are irregular and frayed on the inside edges, while the luxury counterfeit versions are more regular with little to no fraying on the inside edge. With the newer version software, the circles are depressed on the COA and actually vary in thickness, while the luxury counterfeit versions have a slight shading of the circles to mimic the depression.

 

 

The Details Are Not Quite Right

There can be a lot of different indicators depending on the software and manufacturer. Perhaps the packaging of the software you want to buy looks legitimate, but something is still off. If the seller states that, “to save on shipping the retail box and manual are not included,” you are likely looking at counterfeit software or some limited version like academic/educational, OEM or NFR software that is not a licensed full retail version of the software. They may claim that it comes in just a DVD box, so double check to see if it should come in a full sized retail box. If so, again you are likely looking at counterfeit software or some limited version like academic/educational, OEM or NFR software that is not a licensed full retail version. At the very least, you run the risk of receiving a used version that has already been registered and may not activate upon installation.

The bottom line is buyer beware, and purchase from a trusted site or seller whenever possible, even if you have to pay a little more. For more information on what software makers are doing to combat the ever growing Luxury Counterfeit market you can visit their websites:

Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/Software.aspx#Packaging
Adobe http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/antipiracy/piracy_faq.html#counterfeit

It can be quite satisfying to pay less than you expect when buying old version software still new in the box, or through a software download site. While you can get some great deals when shopping online, you may be buying pirated software that is packaged to falsely portray genuine software. Before you assume you are just getting a great deal on authentic licenses for Adobe, Microsoft, or other popular software, consider the rapid growth of luxury counterfeit software being sold on major online marketplaces.

Know the Facts

China is among the worst offenders when it comes to counterfeit software, as this country is known for having rather loose intellectual property laws when compared to the U.S. Considering that China consistently ranks among the top markets for computers, but is way down the list at #26 for software markets, it is obvious that there is a problem.

An additional factor is that there are strict limits in place regarding the number of electronics that can be imported to China annually. For example, only 20 movies can be imported to this country each year. Instead of going without, residents are likely to simply obtain pirated copies, and the same trend is apparent when it comes to software.

The Effects of Piracy

Not surprisingly, software piracy has a negative effect on legitimate software companies. In fact, it is estimated that genuine software manufacturers in the U.S. lose more than $1 billion annually due to the piracy in China alone.

It is obvious that companies miss out on profits when their software is pirated. However, they lose more than just money. In many cases, they lose credibility when consumers find issues with pirated software, at least when they are unaware that what they have purchased is not genuine. When manufacturers try to take the offenders to court, they are forced to spend lots of money on a legal battle, further hurting their financial bottom line.

Among the companies harmed the most by software piracy are Microsoft, Adobe, and Autodesk, as they are big names that produce programs that most people use frequently. Therefore, they tend to lose the most amount of money. In addition, such manufacturers tend to make the bulk of their money directly from sales of their software, unlike companies that charge a monthly fee for services or support.

Ways To Solve the Problem

China has repeatedly vowed to crack down on software piracy, but it has yet to happen. Even when officials put in more effort than usual, they tend to lack sufficient consequences and methods of catching the offenders. The result is that no one pays attention.

Some software companies have attempted to take matters into their own hands. For example, while Microsoft cannot stop piracy of its programs, it can try to benefit from it by urging users of pirated copies to buy the genuine version at a reduced price. This may appeal to anyone who has had problems with pirated software.

Online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon also try to fight piracy, but they cannot seem to keep up with the amount of counterfeit software that is posted. Such sites feature tips to help people spot counterfeit programs, but it is generally left up to users to learn the hard way and then report the sellers to the website. In most cases, the sellers will be banned, and users may get their money back, but it tends to take months to do so and this outcome is not guaranteed.

For this reason, it is important to either purchase Microsoft, Adobe, and other types of software only from authorized retailers, or keep in mind the ways to identify counterfeit software when shopping.

Photo credit: By Encryptedruler