# Buying very inexpensive software, rip-off? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 21, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503 "2011-08-21T03:23:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503/1 "2011-08-21T03:23:50Z")
This site says they offer only copies of licensed software. Is this even legal? What is the Straight Dope on companies like the one below selling $999.00 software for $119.00? [http://www.salleurl.edu/~st18187/store/Adobe-Premiere-Pro-CS5-5.html](http://www.salleurl.edu/~st18187/store/Adobe-Premiere-Pro-CS5-5.html) If there was a problem, couldn’t I just get my money back from my CC Company? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503/2 "2011-08-21T03:30:10Z")
Did you look at the FAQ section? Number 1 indicates that they are only selling licenses, not physical media, and you cannot register the software online with the original company. They claim to have obtained the licenses by buying them from out of business companies and the like, I would be very wary of this, to say the least. Doubly so since, if you strip it down to just the username in the URL, it’s a student page. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503/3 "2011-08-21T03:32:36Z")
Obviously bogus. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503/4 "2011-08-21T03:59:50Z")
Yes, it’s a spam site selling counterfeits. The student page was hacked. I’d report it to the university, only they don’t seem to provide an email address or contact form. Bad policy. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503/5 "2011-08-21T07:08:13Z")
I did this one with a cheap license for Kaspersky off eBay. They were selling licenses for valid OEMs blah blah . Worked for about 3 months then got a note on an update it was invalid. Once burnt was enough. ---
**Author:** ![TonKa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9f8e36/32.png) [@TonKa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonKa)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503/6 "2011-08-21T08:54:07Z")
If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-very-inexpensive-software-rip-off/593503/7 "2011-08-21T10:05:42Z")
In the case of any licensed software contacting the software company to ask if the licenses are legitimate is always going to be fine. They will be happy to say yes or no thanks for reporting these people.