Microsoft smashes £3m counterfeit software racket

Counterfeit goods were hard to distinguish from the genuine article

Microsoft is reporting that it has shut down a trader in pirated software and won substantial damages.

A 12-month investigation involving Microsoft, eBay and the Trading Standards Institute had been conducted against Zoobon, an online trader alleged to have sold over £3m worth of counterfeit Microsoft software to UK customers.

The alert was raised after customers started complaining about the poor quality of the software they received.

Michala Alexander, Microsoft's head of anti-piracy, said: "We take our responsibility seriously to protect consumers and legitimate channel partners from counterfeit software.

"This was a major counterfeit operation selling goods which were hard to distinguish from the genuine article. By working with eBay, Zoobon has been taken out of business."

Following the investigation, an out-of-court settlement has been reached with the individuals behind Zoobon under which they have ceased trading and given undertakings not to sell counterfeit Microsoft software in the future. They have also paid very substantial damages to Microsoft.

Ron Gainsford, chief executive of the Trading Standards Institute, said: "We support Microsoft in the fight against software piracy.

"Consumers should be vigilant when purchasing goods online such as software, and should buy from reputable traders with means for recourse should something go wrong."

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