Need $500, Report a Software Piracy Scam

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is currently offering a plan that will pay consumers up to $500 if they turn in a software counterfeiter. According to the SIIA, this plan applies to anyone who unknowingly buys counterfeit software someone online.

The SIIA is hoping this plan will help slow down software piracy, especially from sites like eBay, where software counterfeiters sell fake software in auctions to unsuspecting consumers. They also said that this plan is "a way for unsuspecting buyers to get even with auction sellers who rip them off."

According to the Vice President of SIIA, Keith Kupfershmid, they are having to put this plan in place because online auction sites, such as eBay, are not providing support to help put a halt to online software piracy. He said, "These sites are unwilling to take the actions necessary to reduce the high-volume software piracy taking place on their sites."

It will be interesting to see just how successful this program is, and to see if online software piracy is even remotely affected by it. I have a feeling it will not make much of a difference, but I guess every little bit helps.