News: Microsoft reports major piracy by Comet Group

Microsoft corporation today accused the Comet Group PLC for creating and selling more than 94,000 counterfeit copies of Windows recovery discs. The alleged counterfeits were sold to customers who had purchased Windows XP and Vista-loaded PCs and laptops.

As detailed in the complaint filed today, Comet produced and sold thousands of counterfeit Windows discs to unsuspecting customers in the United Kingdom, which was unfair to customers. According to Microsoft, the legal action charges Comet with producing the counterfeits in a factory in Hampshire and then selling the media to customers at retail outlets around Britain.

In response to Microsoft’s charges, Comet denies any wrongdoing in this and said that it will consent the contest the case claiming that the discs were just a part of the customer service which hit out back at Microsoft who stop supplying the media.

According to Comet, they believe that their customers were adversely affected by the decision of Microsoft about the recovery discs and had provided this as a service to its customers.
Comet stores were selling recovery discs for £15 when according to a blind buying exercise in 2009, although there’s no evidence to suggest these discs were illegitimately sourced.

Microsoft said customers concerned that software was fake should visit the company’s How to tell website.