Rapid Increase in Downloadable Software Leads to Rampant Fraud

An increasing market share of download and electronic delivery software in the software industry has made the online software market ripe for product key fraud.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, September 29, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ecommerce websites have been caught selling illegitimate software keys to unsuspecting consumers and businesses. Due to this development, thousands of consumers and businesses are in danger of being audited by major software companies and may potentially face steep fines.

"We've been noticing a lot of new competition popping up with extremely low prices." said Jeremy Syddall, Licensing Specialist with SoftwareMedia.com. "After placing some test orders and working with the software manufacturer, we realized that many of these businesses were selling the same 'unique' software key multiple times."

How Do Companies Sell Fraudulent Keys?

Because of loopholes in some key verification systems, customers can go months without knowing anything is wrong with the software they've purchased, but major companies are beginning to crack down. For example, Microsoft is in the process of auditing more than 30,000 businesses that use their software to ensure they possess genuine Microsoft product keys. Companies found in violation are required to get compliant. If they don't, they will be fined. If those fines aren't paid, some companies like Microsoft are threatening to take legal action.

Signs that a Company is Selling Fraudulent Keys

While it can be difficult to know if a company is selling fraudulent keys here are a few signs to look out for that may indicate fraudulent activity.

1. They're advertising a very low price. If a company is selling keys for a price far below the rest of the market they may be selling a single key to multiple customers, allowing them to drastically undercut legitimate businesses in the industry.

2. If a company is selling Microsoft Licensing products, one way resellers defraud their customers is by selling a Software Assurance part number for a product. To determine if the part number is Software Assurance only, search the part number in Google and see what more reputable software resellers are selling that part number as.

"If a price looks too good to be true, try getting in touch with the reseller and ask for proof of authenticity, or get in touch with the manufacturer and check with them" says Adam Norton, Purchasing Manager at SoftwareMedia. "It's just not worth the potential fines or having to repurchase the software. And if you don't want to deal with long customer service wait times, give us a call and we can check for you and probably get you a lower price."

If you suspect that you've been a victim of software download fraud, our Licensing Specialists can run your software key through our product key validation systems.

SoftwareMedia started in 1997 as a small business distributing software and other tech products. We continue to provide discount software, software licensing and software-related services online and offline, coupled with superior customer care from our headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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