Firm pays Microsoft millions for counterfeiting software

A FRENCH FIRM will pay Microsoft millions of dollars after it confessed to replicating thousands of server software disks illegally.

The MPO Group, an "authorised disk replicator" with branches in Ireland and Thailand, made 20,000 counterfeit copies of Exchange and SQL Server products in July 2003, breaching a licensing agreement it had with the Vole.

The Thai branch made the disks relying on forged papers and Microsoft recovered some of the disks by using search warrants and test buying.

After MPO's HQ discovered the scam, it fully cooperated with Microsoft investigators.

In a statement, Microsoft said buyers should beware of prices that are too good to be true. It did not reveal the status of customers who presumably bought the illegal copies in good faith. µ