BSA estimates that more than 90% of the software sold on auction sites is pirated, contributing to the $13 billion in lost revenues suffered by the industry annually.
BSA's actions are the result of an investigation by its Online Investigative Unit into the marketing of pirated and counterfeit software on internet auction sites in the Europe and the US.
Coined “Operation Bidder Beware,” the investigation tracked the sale of pirated or counterfeit software from vendors across the US and in the UK and Germany. Thirteen US individuals now face damages of up to $150,000 per work infringed.
“Software piracy on auction sites and the internet as a whole is a growing problem,” said Beth Scott, vice president of BSA Europe. “Through `Operation Bidder Beware,' BSA is sending a strong message to consumers worldwide that auction sites are a dangerous venue for buying software products.”
BSA identified the vendors for its actions through the purchase of software products advertised on auction sites, at a fraction of their retail price. In the US, for example, BSA paid approximately $1600 for programs that retail for more than $50,000.
The Federal Trade Commission recently announced that Internet Auction Fraud is among the top ten on-line scams.