Windows 7 How do I **** ?

[brkkab]

How do I turn in a software pirate to Microsoft? I have a roommate that has a pirated/unpaid for version of Windows 7 Ultimate on his pc. Person, is starting to be a pain & and payback is a bitch.
Especially, when it comes from a non-thief, that pays for everything he has.
I let him on my network, just long enough to get his computer name on my Windows 10 Pro pc and my router's website. I then booted his pc off and blocked it. I let him know that he needs to get his own network service.

 

[Neemobeer]

Protect Yourself from Piracy

 

[brkkab]

That doesn't help me that much. I tried the form they have, but it ask's for seller information. I don't have any seller information.A past roommate gave him the pirated Windows 7 Ultimate and the pirated product key.
I don't know the ex-roommates last name. I kind of avoided him & the roommate I'm reporting.
I'm a black belt and have problems when someone else thinks there a badass, when they can't fight there way out of a paperbag.
It's not worth proving them wrong and going to jail. I'm smarter than that.

 

[holdum333]

Hey friend! I can see your upset, but these things happen. MS doesn't have time to worry over one pirated copy of windows and there are many out there like your room mate. My advise is just live a life that you can be proud of and you will be fine.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi brkkab,
Long time since we talked. I suggest a better course of action would be to report the individual to the SPA/SIIA (Software Publishers Association), which Microsoft is a charter member of, but, they are more closely tied to Law Enforcement, and have hundreds of members who are vested with catching and prosecuting software pirates. They have been around since the 80s, and I was a lifetime member when I had my own consulting business many years ago, and they raised their membership dues to rates I could no longer afford. Primarily large software companies such as Oracle, Microsoft, Apple, Corel, etc. belong to this. Here's the link to their reporting form:
Report Software Piracy at Your Company
As a corporate IT manager and licensed network engineer, I worked with them closely over my career. They are a completely legit non-profit agency and work closely with Law Enforcement as local, state, federal, and even International levels. They work with FBI, Homeland Security, NSA, and other major government agencies. I've been involved with the reporting of many companies pirating software in the business world and a few individuals as well as part of my job.

The main reason they would prosecute this guy is if he works for a company, and is stealing media or license keys (retail, OEM, enterprise) and reselling the media, or keys in an underground channel and making a profit from it. If he has 1 or 2 computers and has stolen software from his office, university, etc. it's unlikely he'll be prosecuted even if reported. The SPA/SIIA's goal is to really stop BIG pirates, in other words the big fish, and the little ones are much harder to find. If the guy is just using it for his own personal computers and not selling it to make cash somehow, you can report him, and they will keep him in the database, but unless he's selling over state lines or internationally, or he's terrorist related, not much you can do. If he's selling laptops all over town and on the internet with pirated OSes (Windows) and apps, and making money from it; you can expect a follow up call from Law Enforcement. And he can expect an in-person interview as well, if you catch my drift.

Hope that helps.
Best,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>