Every year thousands of pounds worth of illegal software is sold in the United Kingdom, at car boot sales, markets, through the internet and online auction sites by unscrupulous traders. These traders sell pirated and counterfeit software at a fraction of the price of the genuine article and yet pay no taxes or business rates. All earnings are cash in hand, pure profit, while you lose out on sales, suffer from reduced profits and still have overheads to pay.

The software sold by these traders has been illegally copied without the approval of the manufacturers and distributors, comes with no money back guarantee (even if you manage to trace the trader) instruction manuals or packaging. The only attraction is that it is cheap, often only at a fraction of the cost of the same item in your premises right now.

Can You Help Us To Help You?
The ELSPA IP Crime Unit requires your help to catch these pirates.

All you need to do is tell us of anyone selling pirate or counterfeit software that is affecting your business and we will investigate.

Simply contact the IP CRIME UNIT HOTLINE - 0870 5133405

or complete this form, and let us do the rest.

Help us by informing us of any pirates operating in your area and in turn this could help your business to survive.

 

All information is treated in the strictest confidence and may be left anonymously if you prefer.

 

If you wish, you can contact your local Trading Standards Department, who have a statutory duty to investigate your complaint. You can find the contact details of your local department by visiting http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk