Auction sites can be
fun, exciting sources
for unusual and
hard-to-find treasures.
The vast majority of
individuals who use
online auctions are
honest people conducting
legitimate business.
However, buying software
from auction sites can
be an extremely risky
proposition. Here are
some tips for purchasing
from auction sites:
Trust your
instincts.
If an offer
sounds too good
to be true, it
probably is.
Check the price
from a reputable
retailer. If
there is a
substantial
difference, then
there’s a good
chance the
seller is trying
to sell pirated
or otherwise
illegal
software.
Do your
homework.
Check the
feedback section
on the auction
site to find
comments about
the seller based
on their
previous
transactions.
Look for a trust
mark from a
reputable
organization,
like BBBOnLine,
which signifies
the merchant has
agreed to a code
of business
practices. Also,
get the seller's
address, phone
number, or URL
so you can check
for a
Reliability
Report with the
Better Business
Bureau (go to
www.bbb.org,
look for the
Check It Out
box, and click
Business).
Beware of
backups.
Take special
care to avoid
sellers offering
"backup copies."
This almost
always means
you’re not
buying properly
licensed
software.
Download only
from InforDesk.
Only the
InforDesk Store
is authorized to
sell downloads
of InforDesk
software — any
other retailer
is required to
ship you
physical media.
Make sure
it's authentic.
Be suspicious of
software
products that
don’t come with
some proof of
authenticity.
Examples of
proof include
original disks,
manuals,
license,
warranties, and
so on. Authentic
InforDesk
software CDs
have
silk-screened
artwork with
corresponding
trademarks,
patent
information, and
part numbers.
InforDesk does
not ship
software on CD-R
and never has.
If the product
has a
self-adhesive
label on the top
face of the CD,
it is not
authentic. If
you receive
something that
is not
authentic, try
to get your
money back, and
be sure to
provide negative
feedback on the
seller.
Make sure
it’s
transferable.
If the software
has already been
registered and
the license
holder cannot
provide you with
a transfer of
ownership, don’t
buy it, as you
will not be able
to legally use
or register it.
Learn how to
legally transfer
an InforDesk
software
license. After
reading the
license transfer
information and
contacting InforDesk
customer
service, you can
enter into a
transfer of
ownership by
submitting this
form.
Unfortunately, a pirate
will tell you anything
it takes to sell their
illegal software. The
best way to avoid
pirated products is to
purchase from
authorized, reputable
resellers. Find a list
of Adobe Authorized
Resellers.
What is software piracy?
