Microsoft notes rising 'accidental' piracy in Bahrain

Noting a rising number of "accidental" piracy, software giant Microsoft has warned consumers in Bahrain about counterfeit versions of its products.

 

Microsoft Gulf said the pirated products even contain fake holograms and certificate of authenticity labels, and are sold at prices "too good to be true."

 

"Customers who make the purchase in good faith believe that what they are purchasing is genuine when the product is in fact counterfeit," Microsoft anti-piracy manager Savas Yucedag said, according to a report on Gulf News Daily.

 

Yucedag added it was becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between genuine and non-genuine software, unless consumers knew what to look for.

 

He added Bahrain was experiencing a rising number of "accidental pirates," people who unintentionally bought fake software from resellers only to find out later they had been cheated.

 

"In doing so, they expose themselves to a plethora of risks, which in the long run can prove extremely costly for individuals, and often disastrous for businesses," he said.

 

Also, he said honest resellers who sell only genuine software are put at an unfair disadvantage, "and ultimately the whole economy feels the effects."

 

He said they are "actively working to ensure our customers and partners are protected from unscrupulous suppliers."

 

"When they come to us for help, we make sure they receive the necessary support and collaborate with local law enforcement authorities to take appropriate enforcement action against resellers who are supplying counterfeit software," he said.

 

Fake holograms

 

Yucedag said the fake software currently being distributed in Bahrain included fake hologram CDs and fake certificate of authenticity labels that look like the real thing.

 

The counterfeit software is being sold as complete software packages.

 

Microsoft Bahrain country manager Tareq Hijazi described the scope of the piracy problem in Bahrain as immense.

 

"We are working with Bahraini authorities to make a measurable impact on the piracy rate," he said.

 

He added they are providing the necessary support and resources to our resellers who are committed to selling genuine software.

 

Also, he said they are urging victims of software counterfeiting to report violations so that other consumers are protected from the risks posed by counterfeit software.

 

Microsoft urged anyone who suspected they had purchased a counterfeit Microsoft product to report it online at www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/. — TJD, GMA News