Microsoft filed suit against more than two dozen
companies charged with loading pirated software on computers they
sold.
The company said it filed the 26 U.S. lawsuits this week, spanning seven states, to protect consumers, partners and software rights.
“We are committed to finding unscrupulous dealers of pirated software
and making piracy a business model that doesn’t work,” according to
a statement from Mary Jo Schrade, senior Microsoft attorney.
Microsoft said most of its software is sold through businesses that
do consulting or recommend the software giant to companies.
Schrade
said those partners cannot compete with businesses providing
unlicensed Microsoft software.
Microsoft uncovered evidence against the 26 accused software pirates in
what it called its own spin on the “secret shopper” concept.
After purchasing hardware and software from computer sellers across
the country, Microsoft said in a statement it checked the items to
determine authenticity.
The company then sent letters to the companies
alerting them to the illegal items and informing the firms and
inviting them to use genuine versions. Only after the companies ignored cease-and-desist letters did Microsoft sue, according to the spokesperson.
One plaintiff, Sales International LLC, already faces a federal
indictment for selling Microsoft’s certificates of authenticity
identifying hardware or software is legitimate, according to Microsoft.
The lawsuits were called an integral part of Microsoft’s Genuine
Software Initiative, launched earlier this year.
Along with
educating the public, ways in which to identify pirated software enforcement is
also a goal of the initiative.
Microsoft recently was the defendant in a lawsuit revolving around
its efforts to ensure only genuine versions of its Windows products
are used.
In 2005, Microsoft sued eight software resellers charging them with
providing customers pirated Windows software.
Earlier this month, the Business Software Alliance (BSA), an industry
trade group, awarded more than $15,000 to individuals who
reported instances of piracy.
Twenty-one percent of software in the U.S. is unlicensed, according to IDC.
BSA earmarked up to $200,000 to
pay tipsters leading to investigations and prosecution. With 21
percent of U.S. software reportedly unlicensed, the practice cost the
industry $6.1 billion in 2005, according to the BSA.
“Microsoft is not looking to close any businesses down,” said a
spokesperson. “Our intention is to raise awareness.”
