These are some common guidelines to verifying the authenticity of Microsoft Software.

- Certificates of Authenticity

   Or COA in industry terms is a “money-like” square of paper, peel-off sticker, incorporated sticker, or front of a manual, which is embedded with security features that verify authenticity of a product. In an OEM software package, the COA will contain product ID and product Key code numbers. These numbers will activate the product and also will be the numbers used to register the product. In a retail software package, the COA is usually incorporated into the package itself, and will not contain a key code because retail software is activated by a key code that is on the back of the product’s jewel case. The following are security features found in COAs which can easily determine if it is authentic.

-By using a fluorescent Black Light, a COA can be determined legitimate by the appearance of “hidden” fluorescent words and lettering. Usually, but not all the time, the appearance of a repeating “Microsoft” will appear under black light. Also interwoven fluorescent threads will appear under the black light. It should be noted that the “Black Light Test” will only work on COAs and newer EULAs (End User License Agreement.)

-Microprint incorporated within the COA will almost always allow you to verify the authenticity of the COA when incorporated with the “Black Light Test”. Generally, “Microsoft” is repeated continuously throughout the COA to form what appear to be solid lines from a distance. An example of this on almost all COAs is around the Product ID box. The line around it is actually the repeated Microsoft logo, which can be seen under a magnifying glass. All the microprint should appear clean and easily readable under the magnifying glass.

-The thermal heat sensitive strip located on some COAs should read “Genuine” when the strip is heated. This however is not the best method of testing for authenticity as this feature has become easily counterfeited. 

-Holograms

    Holograms have been in use since 1994 on the “Little Boy” COA. Since that time holograms have become the standard measure of authenticity for Microsoft Media. Since 1997, holograms have been incorporated on the inner-hub ring of most products. Some Microsoft server media did not have the full hologram on the inner hub, rather a designation made of letters and numbers. The hologram should be clear to read, and flip from “Microsoft” to “Genuine” very easily. Holograms have been counterfeited with more accuracy over the past two years, but there are certain distinctions that can be made between counterfeit and authentic. The first of which is the font in the hologram. Most counterfeiters have not yet achieved exact replication of the Microsoft font, so by comparing an authentic product hologram to a suspicious hologram, it is not difficult to determine if the hologram, and consequently, the media is authentic. The second measure of hologram authenticity is how vivid the hologram appears. An authentic hologram should almost jump out at you. Fake holograms are dull in appearance and do not flip as easily from “Microsoft” to “Genuine”. Microsoft has now implemented full-hologram technology in the new media that they are producing. Full-hologram can be best described as an “edge-to-edge” hologram that identifies the software. It is important to understand that the full-hologram media is only on new media, and that there still is surplus and older media around that has older hologram technology.

-Print

   One of the easiest ways to identify Microsoft product as either authentic or counterfeit is by the print. Since Microsoft has not moved entirely to electronic media, it still uses printed material in every product they create. By examining the print on the product and knowing what to look for, this may be your best defense against counterfeit Microsoft software.

-         Copyright Symbols can be found somewhere on virtually every Microsoft product, whether it be media or paper. The copyright symbol is quite small, thus making it hard for counterfeiters to duplicate well. Authentic copyright symbols are clean, have crisp edges, are complete, and totally legible. A counterfeit copyright symbol will look something like an ink drop with a white spot in the middle. It is very difficult without very expensive printing presses to duplicate the copyright symbol, and therefore makes it one of the easiest print features to spot when examining suspect product.

-         Microprint, which is present in COA technology, is also found on most Microsoft packages, either on the jewel case, manual, retail box, COA, registration card, and any other packaging in a Microsoft product. Specifically what to look for in terms of microprint is what appears to be a line on the product, generally in the lower left hand corner, which is supposed to read “MICROSOFTMICROSOFTMICROSOFTMICROSOFT…” repetitively. From a distance it may look like a dotted line, but upon inspection with a magnifying glass or jewelers glass it should read correctly. Counterfeit product will look like a dotted line from a distance as well as under the magnifying glass, or look like uneven blobs of ink in a line, and will not be legible.

-         Words and letters that are printed on media and manuals should have clean edges, and be complete. Counterfeit printing will have edgy, almost fuzzy lettering on not all, but most of the letters. This goes hand in hand with the microprint and copyright symbol. If the print does not meet all of these guidelines there is a good chance that the product may be counterfeit.

 - Common Sense

Home    Company Info    Contact    Policy    Authenticity    Publishers

Macintosh    Educational    OEM    Downloads    Affiliates    Clearance