- Software pirates can now get their hands on the original Office 365 at a 50% discount rate.
- By pirating the software you risk the chance of identity theft, file corruption and malware attacks.
- Users that take advantage of the discount might still get errors, Microsoft suggests that you should uninstall the old pirated version and install the genuine one.
Microsoft is offering its cloud-based collaboration suite, Office 365, to pirates at a heavily discounted price. According to Bleeping Computer, Microsoft is offering a 50% discount on its Microsoft 365 package (which includes Office) to users of pirated versions of the software.
Pirates who use Office software have spotted a notification at the top of the menu in some programs advertising “GET UP TO 50% OFF. For a limited time, save up to 50% on a genuine Microsoft 365 subscription.
If the user clicks on the link, they are taken to a Microsoft 365 landing page where they can sign up for a subscription but also learn about the dangers of using pirated software.
Potential risks of using a pirated software
Besides the potential for exposure to malware, pirates also risk identity theft and file corruption, with Microsoft adding that pirates are denied access to critical updates.
Anyone who signs up will receive a 50% discount over the first year of an annual subscription to Microsoft 365 Family (currently priced at $99.99 per year). The deal applies for up to six users and includes 6TB of cloud storage.
A discounted subscription is also available for Microsoft 365 Personal subscribers ($69.99 per year), providing a license for one person and 1TB of storage.
Get rid of the errors
Some pirates who have paid for their subscriptions may still see the notification, reports claim. To remove all traces of a pirated version of Office, Microsoft recommends that these users should completely uninstall the program and then install a clean, legitimate copy.
Microsoft has announced a change to the way it charges corporate customers for Microsoft 365.
Although the company has not made any official statement about the charge, it seems that for customers who pay by the month, the fee will increase by 20%, essentially forcing them to sign up for a year-long subscription.
Furthermore, canceling your subscription would not save you money. Even if you canceled the subscription, you would be charged for the remainder of the year.
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