Festive shoppers warned over fake software

Shoppers need to use caution when buying software on the net this Christmas, as experts report a increase in the sale of faulty or inferior counterfeit products.

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) says its members, which include Adobe, Microsoft, Macromedia and Symantec, have received an increasing number of complaints from auction users that have unwittingly bought counterfeit and illegal software.

Criminals peddle fake software through auction sites, email promotions and internet shopping sites. But according to the BSA, consumers are often unaware that buying illegal software can leave your computer vulnerable to viruses and means you won't qualify for technical support if the software fails.

"We are regularly contacted by unhappy consumers who have innocently bought illegal Macromedia products from an auction site or web retailer, and therefore aren't eligible for our support services," said Deanna Slocum, anti-piracy director at Macromedia and BSA UK committee member. "Frequently they've paid nearly the full price for a counterfeit product that is full of bugs that damage their hard drive."

According to the BSA, consumers don't often realise that they've been ripped off until the software never arrives, they discover the CD is blank or a virus on the CD damages their hard drive. In some cases, the CDs contain spyware that let the vendors of the software spy on a consumer's hard drive and capture personal information.

The BSA has produced a guide to buying software online to help people spot and avoid illegal software offered to them. Click here for the guide.