Microsoft’s
piracy-busting Keep IT Real crackdown has uncovered a
further raft of illegal traders that the software giant has claimed is
‘destabilising the reseller ecosystem’.
Since the launch of Keep IT Real last year, Microsoft has carried out undercover
investigations, surveillance, forensic testing and joint raids with the police
and Trading Standards.
The latest culprits include nine employees from market operator Wendy Fair
Markets Ltd who were convicted at St Albans Crown Court of distributing
unauthorised goods including Microsoft software.
In separate cases, VARs including Page Computers, System-IT.com, Corby Computers
trading as Easy2pc, Twin-UK, Euro Computers and Phase 4 have all been found
guilty of hard disk loading and trading in counterfeit software.
Speaking exclusively to CRN, Michala Wardell, head of anti-piracy at
Microsoft UK, said: “The Keep IT Real team continues to catch those who abuse
the channel.
“Working with Trading Standards, Microsoft has taken part in various business
raids and has provided forensic evidence in court. Each case is treated the same
as a police investigation and all evidence is sent for analysis in our
laboratories.”
Wardell added that she was glad to see government agencies taking piracy
seriously and the small claims court helping with smaller cases to speed up the
process. “The team is really starting to stamp piracy out, not just the big
companies but the smaller ones too that think they cannot be caught,” she said.
Dave Simpson, commercial director at Microsoft Gold partner
Softcat,
said: “It is a difficult line that Microsoft has to tread when waving the stick
of enforcement. It gives us full support in creating awareness for firms and end
users about piracy.”
Microsoft
keeps it real in fight against pirates




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