Software pirates face legal action

Large software comapnies are losing money when pirated copies of their goods are sold.

A worldwide sweep of internet auction sites has ended with legal action being taken against dozens of people who are accused of selling pirated and counterfeit software. The BBC's Mary Gahan reports.

If they are found guilty, those who sold the computer software could be ordered to pay damages of up to $150,000 each.

The legal action is being taken in the UK, Germany and the United States, on behalf of the world's major software companies, who want to clamp down on a crime which they say is damaging to their business and to customers

These days counterfeiters prefer to sell their goods via internet auctions rather than at market stalls, with many of them choosing sites such as Yahoo, eBay and QXL to sell their goods.

At a solicitors office in London's West End, a team has been hard at work on an investigation known as Operation Bidder Beware.

The aim - to crack down on software pirates.

Now vital evidence has been collected ready for legal proceedings in the civil courts.

Evidence

The people who have gathered this evidence work for the Business Software Alliance.

BSA say crime is damaging to business and to customers

It represents the major software companies such as Microsoft and Adobe which lose money when pirated copies of their products are sold.

The investigators found counterfeit software for sale on auction sites run by Ricardo, Yahoo and eBay as well as QXL.

Graham Arthur, who is responsible for taking action against those who've committed software fraud in the UK, says that when suspected illegal goods are up for sale the internet companies should withdraw the auctions.

Customers

The company, QXL, said it was doing everything it could to deal with the problem and was working closely with the Business Software Alliance.

That organisation now estimates that nine out of ten software packages sold through internet auctions are counterfeit.

Those accused of selling counterfeit software through internet auction sites should have their cases heard in the civil courts within the next couple of months and will face claims for damages.

But that might not be enough to deter others when it is estimated that anyone selling such pirated programs can make as much as £10,000 a week in profits.