captpackrat: (Microsoft Bob)
[personal profile] captpackrat
My SO needed Office 2003 for his new laptop (because 2007 kinda sucks), so I ordered a copy from Amazon Marketplace. As soon as it arrived I knew something wasn't right. The discs were clearly counterfeit. Very, very good forgeries, but definitely fakes.

We're both really peeved about this, not so much because of the money (which I can get back easily, the purchase is covered both by Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee and I can always dispute the charge with the credit card company), but because we needed this software now.

I've contacted Microsoft and the BSA about this, and left nasty negative feedback for the seller.

Sorry about the reflections in the photos, it's freaking hard to take a picture of a CD-ROM.


On genuine Microsoft discs, the label is embedded underneath the surface of the disc. This disc clearly has an adhesive label.


The wavy edge on a genuine Microsoft disc should be perfectly smooth. This one is obviously a badly cut sticker.


On a genuine Microsoft disc, the text on the underside of the disc should be oriented normally, not backwards like the counterfeit. (This is because it is impossible to make a holographic sticker that has a holograph on both sides)


The sticker is clearly flaking off this counterfeit disc. A genuine Microsoft disc has the label embedded underneath the surface, so there is nothing to flake off. Also note the obvious sticker line around the center hole.

Date: 2008-07-19 03:04 pm (UTC)
deffox: (I see)
From: [personal profile] deffox
I've started to strongly dislike buying from places like eBay. The scams are overwhelming.

I've gotten bootleg DVDs from Amazon marketplace and somewhere else like Half.com. Some of the times that happened I tolerated it since the items were otherwise unavailable. Other times I've had badly playing discs with content that was nothing like advertised.

Date: 2008-07-19 06:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rabitguy.livejournal.com
I've had excellent luck with eBay but they make it much easier to research who you are buying from. A few years back, I bought a CD off of Amazon UK with a credit card that I only used. Some time later, I noticed lots of charges to my bill for UK phone sex services. Maybe things have changed since but I assumed when I entered my credit card number, it was securely handled by Amazon, not sent off to be transacted by some ex-felon in Scotland somewhere.

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Captain Packrat

December 2015

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