[LiveBrianD]

What about:
downloadoffice2010.microsoft.com
www2.downloadoffice2010.microsoft.com

That is just EXTREMELY odd here though...

[Aladar]

No problem with those links. But look, it won't work since my preinstalled Office wizard, which is the same thing as what you get from that page, doesn't accept the key! Microsoft BLOCKED it, so it's unusable, I guess. My only hope would probably to get a new one...

[LiveBrianD]

I'm really not sure what to do. Try posting here: http://social.answer...soft.com/Forums
I think the Microsoft people there might be able to do something about it internally. Sorry I couldn't help you there.

[Aladar]

LiveBrianD, on 19 March 2011 - 12:03 PM, said:

I'm really not sure what to do. Try posting here: http://social.answer...soft.com/Forums
I think the Microsoft people there might be able to do something about it internally. Sorry I couldn't help you there.

I tried that already, Microsoft Answers. It's okay though; thanks for your help, LiveBrian!

[LiveBrianD]

Aladar, on 19 March 2011 - 02:08 PM, said:

LiveBrianD, on 19 March 2011 - 12:03 PM, said:

I'm really not sure what to do. Try posting here: http://social.answer...soft.com/Forums
I think the Microsoft people there might be able to do something about it internally. Sorry I couldn't help you there.

I tried that already, Microsoft Answers. It's okay though; thanks for your help, LiveBrian!

What did they say?

[Aladar]

Not much useful: "Go ask Microsoft", "You should ask a Microsoft technician", "Was your copy genuine", etc. Basically, your posts were much more helpful than theirs.

[LiveBrianD]

Aladar, on 19 March 2011 - 04:16 PM, said:

Not much useful: "Go ask Microsoft", "You should ask a Microsoft technician", "Was your copy genuine", etc. Basically, your posts were much more helpful than theirs.

LOL
You should've asked them "Are you a noob?"...

[Aladar]

LiveBrianD, on 21 March 2011 - 02:18 PM, said:

Aladar, on 19 March 2011 - 04:16 PM, said:

Not much useful: "Go ask Microsoft", "You should ask a Microsoft technician", "Was your copy genuine", etc. Basically, your posts were much more helpful than theirs.

LOL
You should've asked them "Are you a noob?"...

One of them was a Microsoft technician himself (or a moderator, I forgot)! That would have been baaaadd, lol.

[Evildave]

Craigslist? Really? You bought software from Craigslist?

And... you're surprised that you got screwed?

So your next step is probably to report the fraud. Not that the FBI will jump right on it, or anything. They have millions other folks who got ripped off believing they got a 'good deal' on software.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

The seller has probably already moved on with a new email address, and their IP address was probably on a public network. A $20 prepaid mobile phone from a 7-11, with a 60 minute phone card would be well worth the investment to sell 60 illegitimate copies of a software package like Office.

Here's another possible scenario that you could be dealing with: A company bought a heap of licenses, and some IT guy chucked the extra physical copies into a waste basket after doing the walk-around with the one disk he needed, or installing it over the network. In this case, he'd have had a list of activation codes to use, and wouldn't even open the shrink wrap to use them... and you bought the sealed, official version (with used code) that someone dug up from the trash. Or that a crooked IT guy knew would look perfectly legit to anyone until they actually had it and tried to install it.

Marvelous thing, shrink-wrap. The coffee grounds and stuff wipes right off.

Not that there aren't absolutely convincing copies made in China, or even sold WAY cheaper in China (and other markets) by Microsoft that can't be activated in the U.S. You think a hologram sticker can't be faked?


Not that BUYING office software isn't a rip-off. LibreOffice, anyone? Free as in free beer.
http://www.libreoffice.org/download/

[Aladar]

Evildave, on 23 March 2011 - 12:46 AM, said:

Craigslist? Really? You bought software from Craigslist?

And... you're surprised that you got screwed?

So your next step is probably to report the fraud. Not that the FBI will jump right on it, or anything. They have millions other folks who got ripped off believing they got a 'good deal' on software.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

The seller has probably already moved on with a new email address, and their IP address was probably on a public network. A $20 prepaid mobile phone from a 7-11, with a 60 minute phone card would be well worth the investment to sell 60 illegitimate copies of a software package like Office.

Here's another possible scenario that you could be dealing with: A company bought a heap of licenses, and some IT guy chucked the extra physical copies into a waste basket after doing the walk-around with the one disk he needed, or installing it over the network. In this case, he'd have had a list of activation codes to use, and wouldn't even open the shrink wrap to use them... and you bought the sealed, official version (with used code) that someone dug up from the trash. Or that a crooked IT guy knew would look perfectly legit to anyone until they actually had it and tried to install it.

Marvelous thing, shrink-wrap. The coffee grounds and stuff wipes right off.

Not that there aren't absolutely convincing copies made in China, or even sold WAY cheaper in China (and other markets) by Microsoft that can't be activated in the U.S. You think a hologram sticker can't be faked?


Not that BUYING office software isn't a rip-off. LibreOffice, anyone? Free as in free beer.
http://www.libreoffice.org/download/

I'm quite aware the FBI will not jump on my case, thank you. I don't think they work cross-border, now do they? Well, I consider it a lesson paid for; I mean, I never thought of joining PCWorld before this and now I've learnt a lot from the guys here.

I'm actually surprised I got scammed since I just recently bought a genuine, working, flawless copy of Sibelius 6 off craigslist. What's shrink wrap?

[Evildave]

Shrink wrap is the plastic on the outside of most of these products. Some people believe it makes things 'tamper evident', but in reality, the equipment to replace shrink wrap is pretty cheap. Just get the shrink wrap plastic, and a heat source.

One of the more primitive 'DIY' methods...


Some retail stores even re-seal customer returns and put them back on the shelves as 'new'. Stores like Home Depot or Lowes just tape or staple it shut and put things back on the shelf with parts missing.

Of course you can get 'good deals' on Craig's List. You can be ripped off, too. You are just rolling the dice. For instance, if the given software had 'two activations' (desktop + notebook), and only one were used, you might have successfully activated, even if it was activated once already. Your activation is still 100% illegal, and you probably won't ever be able to register or 'upgrade' the product, but you might not find out you were soaked for years, or until the summons appears at your doorstep for software piracy.

It's VERY possible to buy software, then return it 'unopened' for a full refund, or (as probably happened to you) just sell it onward. As long as your shrink wrap is similar to the original. With a little practice, you could probably get pretty good at lifting, dissecting and transferring stickers and other seals, too.

And yes, the FTC does 'across border', as long as one half of the crime happened in the U.S.

And if both halves happened in Canada or Mexico, there are similar organizations, there.

Report it.

[Aladar]

Evildave, on 23 March 2011 - 09:19 PM, said:

Shrink wrap is the plastic on the outside of most of these products. Some people believe it makes things 'tamper evident', but in reality, the equipment to replace shrink wrap is pretty cheap. Just get the shrink wrap plastic, and a heat source.

One of the more primitive 'DIY' methods...


Some retail stores even re-seal customer returns and put them back on the shelves as 'new'. Stores like Home Depot or Lowes just tape or staple it shut and put things back on the shelf with parts missing.

Of course you can get 'good deals' on Craig's List. You can be ripped off, too. You are just rolling the dice. For instance, if the given software had 'two activations' (desktop + notebook), and only one were used, you might have successfully activated, even if it was activated once already. Your activation is still 100% illegal, and you probably won't ever be able to register or 'upgrade' the product, but you might not find out you were soaked for years, or until the summons appears at your doorstep for software piracy.

It's VERY possible to buy software, then return it 'unopened' for a full refund, or (as probably happened to you) just sell it onward. As long as your shrink wrap is similar to the original. With a little practice, you could probably get pretty good at lifting, dissecting and transferring stickers and other seals, too.

And yes, the FTC does 'across border', as long as one half of the crime happened in the U.S.

And if both halves happened in Canada or Mexico, there are similar organizations, there.

Report it.

This is bigger than I thought. So there could be a whole organization working behind this?

[Evildave]

Nah. Could be one joker with some shrink wrap who's trying to recoup his loss for buying an office suite.

Or, could be you typing the key in wrong. '8' and 'B' can look the same unless read in excellent light.