German dealer jailed for MS packaging fraud
PrintReboxed academic versions
Posted in Channel, 22nd July 2004 14:23 GMT
Free research: Application platforms, the state of play
A German software dealer has been sentenced for five-and-a-half years for repackaging cut-price Microsoft software intended for schools and reselling them as full versions.
The fraud, which saw Ralph Blasek repackage 32,000 units of software, cost Microsoft an estimated €4.5m. Blasek resold the boxes through his dealership, Dino-Soft.
According to Microsoft, Blasek was the "suspected leader of Europe's largest known software counterfeiting network". But Blasek was not counterfeiting software in this case, was he? He was counterfeiting the labelling, passing off licenses sold under discount as full-price versions.
Reuters has more here. ®
Related stories
Gates offers Asia slimmer Windows
Symantec hits counterfeit biz for $3.2m
Symantec hits counterfeit biz for $3.2m
OEM software scams on the rise
Microsoft treads softly on compliance
MS mounts covert anti-piracy op
Dirty, dirty PCs: The X-rated picture guide
Top 500 supers - rise of the Linux quad-cores
Early adopters bloodied by Ubuntu's Karmic Koala
Sign up, sign up for The Register IT security newsletter