ANTI-PIRACY NEWSLETTER Custom Seizures: Importers of counterfeit Microsoft software sued In January 2009 Microsoft filed 2 civil cases in the Federal Magistrates Court against individuals who imported commercial quantities of counterfeit Microsoft software between December 2008 and January 2009. The shipments of counterfeit Microsoft software were seized by Australia Customs Service and were imported from China. The respondents in these cases, Ian Fleming, Tanya Fleming and Global Research Associates and Troy Chivers were also supplying counterfeit copies of Microsoft software through eBay . Together they imported at least 210 copies of Microsoft ® Office Professional 2007. The court ordered the defendants to pay Microsoft a total of $116,010 in damages and permanently restrained them from any future infringement of Microsoft’s copyright or trade mark rights. Victorian business pays Microsoft for copyright infringement Amexcom Pty Ltd (“Amexcom”) operates a business selling computer systems in St Albans, Werribee and Melbourne City in the state of Victoria. Its directors are Tam Tran and Binh Dien Tran. In January 2009 Microsoft settled its Federal Magistrates Court proceedings against Amexcom and its directors (“the Respondents”). The Respondents agreed to damages in the sum of $65,464.00 in respect of past infringement of Microsoft ’s copyright. The orders made noted the Respondents’ admission that Amexcom had made infringing copies of Windows XP ® Professional and Microsoft Office Professional 2003 and permanently restrain the Respondents from any future infringement of Microsoft’s copyright. Microsoft’s Online Blitz: Ten sellers pay more than $38,000 for selling high quality counterfeit Microsoft software online Jordan Andrews trades on eBay as “thebigcoos” and he resides in Victoria. On 7 March 2009, Mr Andrews supplied a Microsoft investigator with two (2) high quality counterfeit copies of Windows XP ® Professional. Nicholas Todd Courter trades on eBay as “hardpunter” . He has been trading on eBay from 6 January 2009 and he resides in New South Wales. On 9 March 2009, Mr Courter supplied a Microsoft investigator with high quality counterfeit software comprising a copy of Windows XP ® Professional. Rania Elbadar trades on an auction website, Oztion, as “bargain-buys4u” and resides in New South Wales. She has been trading on Oztion since 26 August 2008. On 20 January 2009, Ms Elbadar supplied a Microsoft investigator with high quality counterfeit software comprising copies of Microsoft ® Office Professional 2003 and Microsoft ® Office Professional 2007. Jack Koncewicz trades on an auction site Oztion as “big-mucho” and “matts-coins” . He resides in Victoria. In December 2008 and January 2009, Mr Koncewicz supplied to Microsoft investigators high quality counterfeit software comprising copies of Windows XP ® Professional and Microsoft ® Office Professional 2003. Nessreen Omar traded on eBay from 6 November 2008 until recently as “ameila007” . Ms Omar resides in Victoria. On 27 January 2009, Ms Omar supplied a Microsoft investigator with high quality counterfeit software comprising a copy of Windows XP ® Professional. Kelly Gilham traded on eBay since 7 May 2008 until recently as “Kellymgsheba” . Ms Gilham resides in South Australia. Ms Gilham supplied a Microsoft investigator with a high quality counterfeit copy of Windows XP ® Professional on 27 January 2009. Timothy Inman trades on eBay as “in.dvd” and “red.tech” . Mr Inman has been trading as “in.dvd” on eBay since 22 September 2008 and as “red.tech” since 10 February 2008. He resides in New South Wales. In January and March 2009, Mr Inman supplied to Microsoft investigators two (2) high quality counterfeit copies of Windows XP ® Professional. Matthew Stephen Anderson traded on eBay since 17 November 2008 as “quickseller1982” until recently. He resides in Victoria. In January 2009, Mr Anderson supplied to Microsoft investigators on two occasions high quality counterfeit copies of Windows Server ® 2003 and Microsoft ® Office Professional 2007. Continued overleaf July 2009