Where to report pirate software found on eBay for instance?

F

FeuFollet

Registered User
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I recently bought software off ebay and received a home-made CD, obviously a pirate copy of the software I was looking for.

Who do I report this to? How long do I have?

As soon as I had my doubts I contacted the seller who became very aggressive and ignorant, and initiated a complaint through PayPal which didn't get me anywhere. However, eBay's VERO programme points that I should report the pirate software to the relevant authorities.

Any help appreciated. My loss is only about €10 but at the end of the day I can't use the CD if it is illegal, can I?
 
Not sure if this is any good but this is the link for FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft)
[broken link removed]

You could also email the software company with the ebay auction number and I think fakes can be reported to ebay as well but not sure for the link on that one!
 
d2x2 said:
and initiated a complaint through PayPal which didn't get me anywhere.
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What do you mean? That PayPal didn't process your complaint or that they did not find in your favour? I used the PayPal complaints process once to claim against a vendor when the goods never turned up and PayPal processed the claim within their stated timescale, found in my favour and refunded the money.
 
Try [broken link removed] - Did you really think you were getting legal software for a tenner?
 
ClubMan said:
What do you mean? That PayPal didn't process your complaint or that they did not find in your favour?
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PayPal asked me to return the CD to the seller via registered post (to the UK).

Having already spent €10 on a CD worth about €0.50, I explained I was not going to spend another €5 to get a refund of €6, the refundable price of the pirate CD if PayPal eventually ruled in my favour.

There is no mechanism to report fraud to eBay.
 
Ah - I see. My situation with the PayPal claim was different in that I never received the goods. In your case you received them but they were allegedly illegal and not satisfactory to you so the process was obviously different. Were PayPal guaranteeing that you would be refunded both the purchase price and any incidental return charges by the retailer or PayPal themselves?
 
sam78 said:
Not sure if this is any good but this is the link for FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft)
[broken link removed]
Click to expand...


Thanks for this link too which wasn't appropriate for software but pointed me in the right direction. I have now reported the fraudulent seller to Microsoft Piracy team and to another organisation.

Thanks to all for your advice and pointers!
 
ClubMan said:
Were PayPal guaranteeing that you would be refunded both the purchase price and any incidental return charges by the retailer or PayPal themselves?
Click to expand...

No, PayPal's position was that I might be entitled to a refund of only the cost of purchase (which did not include the p&p back and forth) provided I returned the goods to the seller.
 
BSA only concern themselves with investigating businesses alleged to use illegal software. They don't seem to care about those who procure the software in the first place.
 
Contact the seller ... say that the software you received is a fake. If he or she does not issue you with a refund or the original software report him/her to ebay.
 
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