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Microsoft Singapore urges consumers to be wary of illegal
software
Posted: 11 September 2009 1859 hrs
SINGAPORE : Microsoft Singapore has urged consumers to be careful when purchasing computers to ensure that they
do not unintentionally buy systems preinstalled with illegal software.
The warning came after police raided a retailer suspected of selling laptops loaded with pirated software at the
COMEX 2009 computer and IT exhibition on Friday.
The police seized 55 China-made Losang-branded laptops installed with unlicensed Microsoft Windows XP Professional
software worth an estimated S$31,240.
The laptops were affixed with recycled Certificates of Authenticity (COA). A COA is a label intended to help buyers
determine whether the software they are purchasing is genuine and should not be sold independently of the
software.
The raid followed a tip-off received through the Business Software Alliance (BSA) anti-piracy hotline on
Thursday.
Jonathan Selvasegaram, Corporate Attorney for Intellectual Property, Microsoft South East Asia, said swift action
was important to ensure that consumers are protected.
He said: "Our concern is that consumers may be duped into buying computer systems that appear legitimate but are
instead preloaded with counterfeit software. Pirated software can pose a serious security threat, and consumers may
unwittingly be using computers with illegal programs that can lead to a corrupted system, loss of data, and even
identity theft."
S-Mall Pte Ltd sell only Genuine Windows
software
Furthermore, counterfeit software does not provide users with access to important Microsoft security upgrades,
technical support, and special offers.
Mr Selvasegaram said investigations revealed that several hundred units of the Losang laptops containing unlicensed
software may have been imported into Singapore for sale during COMEX.
"Consumers should inspect the COAs on new PCs before purchase to ensure that they are buying systems with genuine
software, and be wary of suspicious looking COAs. They must also ensure that the systems come with accompanying
product collaterals such as the software CD-ROM, manuals, and end-user licensing agreements," he added.
Under Singapore's Copyright Act, parties found guilty of selling counterfeit software can face a fine not exceeding
S$10,000 for each article, up to a maximum fine of S$100,000, or a jail term not exceeding five years, or both.
According to a study by the Business Software Alliance and IDC Global, Singapore had a PC software piracy rate of
36 per cent in 2008, with losses amounting to US$163 million.
Source : Channelnewsasia.com
S-Mall Pte Ltd sell only Genuine Windows
software
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