Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2000/05/05/accountancy_firm_fails_piracy_audit/

Accountancy firm fails piracy audit

Walls have ears

By Linda Harrison

Posted in On-Prem, 5th May 2000 09:06 GMT

A British accountancy firm has been fined for software piracy after an informant squealed to the BSA. Watford-based JSA Services was fined 47,000 after it admitted having unlicensed software on its company network. The informant stands to pocket the biggest reward yet from the BSA - 4700 - along with the satisfaction of bringing a bunch of software ne'er-do-wells to book. "BSA receives on average one lead every working day on UK organisations suspected to be using software unlawfully," warned Mike Newton. "Companies which don't have enough user licenses or which make illegal copies of software run an ever-increasing risk of prosecution." Last month high street retailer WHSmith was fined 4000 for using pirated software after an email tip-off to the BSA. "The cost to the company's reputation is potentially even greater when the case becomes public knowledge," added Newton. Which now, thanks to the BSA, it is.