Software pirate caught in sting operation

nicki said:
O do come on, there are separate teams looking at them. Do you support pirates?
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Orlando Pirates?

Actually the software industry does not support me, so while I don't buy or use pirated software - I hate the industry with great tenacity because of the licensing issues they force on users. If pirates screw them a bit, I'm for it.
 
PeterCH said:
Orlando Pirates?

Actually the software industry does not support me, so while I don't buy or use pirated software - I hate the industry with great tenacity because of the licensing issues they force on users. If pirates screw them a bit, I'm for it.
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I have to agree with you to some extent. What I really loathe though are software companies that force you to use local resellers.
 
these guys are such idiots. They need to get a life. Cant catch the big guys and they go after a student tryin to study and make some cash. I have been robbed 6 times and the cops only came after 2 days. Yesterday my dog bit the paper boy. And would you belive cops were there in 15mins. So they ask me to make a statement after i told em "oh so this is what you do. You investigate dog bites." they ask right down what happen and this is what i write. "www.getalife.co.za"
 
“Mr. Li had been distributing pamphlets on campus offering Q Book computers for sale with software already loaded,” said Charl Everton, the anti-piracy manager at Microsoft South Africa.
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So, I guess it was Microsoft who were the ones to alert police. Poor chap's going to be made an example of, with MS now breathing down the prosecutors necks.
Not only will he be punished here, he has to face dishonour returning to China.

Oh well, his bad.
 
Fudzy said:
I would agree with you if the were using the flying squad but as this is the exact type of crime which the Commercial Crime unit was setup for.
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Students selling pirated software?

How about we give the flying squad more money and can the web sherrif idea?

The flying squad do their best to keep me safe from criminals that might actually effect my life negativly. The counterfit cops are there to protect profits .. not people.

While I can see a need for them.. busting students for pirated software is a waste of precious time and resources better spent on crimes where people get hurt.
 
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Stealing other people's products, ideas and hard work might be okay in China, but it's not an example of how I want to build my country and reward it's people. Go back home dude.
 
Poor Dude

Mabe the poor guy was on the down and down <shame>

I hope someone from the Chinese Embassy comes and rescues him.

BIG DEAL -- to arrest a student and a foreigner -

How many hundreds of fake copies of DVD's did he have -- ??????

Rhino Horn -- :confused:

Abalone -- :confused:

Ivory -- :confused:

Diamonds --:confused:

Illegal Gold and Platinum -- :confused:

White Sex Slaves -- :confused:


Ag no shame man -- a couple of computers with some software on --
maybe the guy was hoping he could go up to the Chinese take away
and have enough cash to buy some Chow Mein. :)

I know how he feels

For about TWO years I never went over my cap -- let alone using any so called LOCAL

For the first time I am over -- no help from the "Powers"

Dudes what about all that unused bandwidth that I paid for ?????

PLEASE can I have some back TODAY !!!!!!!


MW
 
well... consider this, South Africans get caught up in Chinese prisons for whatever reason... I suppose the obvious one is Drug trafficking... So now This dude gets busted here... wonder if this may be some twisted 'tid for tat' thing going on...

As stupid as this dude was, I honestly think the police should target "harsh" crime instead of "Soft" crime!
 
Computer shop manager arrested for piracy

Here's one that got caught that all us PE folk now!!!!

http://www.pe-express.co.za/index.p...ested-for-piracy&catid=34:headlines&Itemid=58

Written by Monique Vermeulen
Monday, 27 July 2009 08:53

A LOCAL computer shop manager, who has allegedly sold unlicensed software to unsuspecting customers, is out on bail after being arrested on two occasions.

Vikesh Singh appeared in court last Friday after a software piracy blitz by the SAPS Commercial Crime Unit on PE Technologies in Newton Park in October 2008 and April this year. He will again appear in court on July 31.

According to prosecutor Adv Lionell Kroon a formal charge sheet against Singh, who is currently out on bail, must still be drawn up.

“My client is pleading not guilty,” said PE Technologies’ legal representative, Vinesh Naidu, from Burmeisters de Lange Soni Attorneys.

“All PE Technologies dealings with regard to the goods in question are above board. If it was not the case, they would not have passed through SA customs, who have processed all the goods in question. We are surprised that Singh has been charged at all.

“We believe that this is the doings of jealous individuals who have supplied the crime unit with false information.”

Singh was first arrested in October 2008 after a raid on the shop by the SAPS Commercial Crime Unit. He was then released on R5 000 bail.

In the first raid, the SAPS allegedly seized a large quantity of fake Microsoft software, including Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home, Office 2003 Professional and Office 2007 Professional.

According to a statement issued by Microsoft South Africa the counterfeit goods were packaged to look like genuine products and included counterfeit CDs with simulated holograms and counterfeit certificates of authenticity.

However, after evidence was gathered suggesting that PE Technologies was selling computers pre-installed with pirated Microsoft software, a follow-up raid on the shop took place in April.

According to Microsoft SA’s statement, the second raid came after extensive investigation by Microsoft, including an undercover test purchase, and followed complaints by consumers and other genuine computer resellers in the region.

The arrests were confirmed by Insp Elize Kitching of the local SAPS Commercial Crime Unit.

Microsoft is now appealing to all consumers to report any unlicensed software to the company as they are the real victims.

“They don’t realise they have illegal software until they have to validate it online,” said Charl Everton the anti-piracy manager at Microsoft South Africa

Everton said that Singh’s “casual defiance of the pending prosecution highlighted the extent of the challenges that face local law enforcement agencies in clamping down on piracy.

“This case represents a vital step in tackling software piracy. Computer shops like PE Technologies are able to offer unsuspecting customers low prices on counterfeit or pirated software, causing a demand for deflated prices. The livelihood of our genuine retailers’ businesses suffers from the unrealistic price expectations in the market.

“Any action that is taken against resellers like PE Technologies also prevents the funding of more serious crime, particularly as the high-quality counterfeit is produced and distributed by organised criminal syndicates in the Far East.”

“If they have inadvertently purchased illegal software preloaded onto a computer, residents should return to the point of purchase and ask for a genuine copy.”

According to Everton, they can print out a copy of the report provided to them during the online validation process. The report will explain why the system was unable to successfully validate.

Consumers can also approach Microsoft for assistance if they suspect that they have been supplied with unlicensed software. Microsoft can be contacted at their Anti-Piracy Hotline 800 RU-LEGIT. (800 785 3448). Alternatively, send an e-mail to [email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

“In the case of high-quality counterfeit offerings, the result could be the replacement copy of the software and an investigation into the activities of the purported supplier,” said Everton.

“Consumers will need to go through the validation process and complete the counterfeit report at the end. Once completed, they will have to submit their proof of purchase, the counterfeit discs and packaging, a printed copy of the validation report and details of their purchase to the address provided on the validation report.”
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Use Linux.

I blame the universities for using M$ software to begin with.
 
I am going to start a safe haven for Pirates (Not Somalians...), get you off your piracy addiction. I'll make an example of myself by not copying or downloading any copyrighted software for at least 12 hours. (hey its a start :D)
 
w1z4rd said:
What a waste of police time and resources.

Articles like this piss me off. A student is selling preloaded systems? Say it aint so!!!

Lame X 10000000000000

I bet the officer got a hard on for actually making an arrest... even if it was just a student.
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How do you find this lame? He was making money off stolen property, i am assuming you realize selling illegal software is a criminal offence much like breaking and entering?

Do you also think someone breaking into your house and stealing goods is a waste of police time?

I would agree if he was not selling the items. According to your logic police should not investigate petty crimes at all. Wow i am amazed some people think soft crime should not be targeted. So these guys who break into houses and smash and grab okes should be left alone in order to catch murders and rapists? HTF does logic work?
 
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murraybiscuit said:
Stealing other people's products, ideas and hard work might be okay in China, but it's not an example of how I want to build my country and reward it's people. Go back home dude.
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Yes that's right and take y'all investments with you....

Companies such as M$ which have abused their monopoly position don't deserve to be defended in moral debates IMHO. Although, Bill Gates himself said that he'd rather people pirate his stuff than use OSS.

Of course, Microsoft executives prefer that people buy, but theft can build market share more quickly, as company co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates acknowledged in an unguarded moment in 1998.

"Although about 3 million computers get sold every year in China, people don't pay for the software. Someday they will, though," Gates told an audience at the University of Washington. "And as long as they're going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade."
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Source: Los Angeles Times.
 
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