Some folks think it might be a good idea to try to save a few bucks and buy Adobe software off of eBay, Craigslist, Amazon Marketplace, or from any vendor who is unfamiliar. It could be CS6, Photoshop, Lightroom, Acrobat, Elements, or any other item – in a retail, student, full or upgrade version… or sometimes it’s the “OEM” scam, or the “extra” volume license.
But it’s actually not a very good idea at all. Why?
The first problem is that Adobe does not recognize these venues as valid or authorized resellers. So as a result, it’s like Adobe will not officially recognize any of those buyers as actually owning their software. Yes, you read that right.
Meaning, you think you own the genuine article but effectively you don’t. You can’t provide an accepted proof of purchase – so you can’t formally prove you own the products, can’t ever legally transfer the software to someone else, may not be able to get technical support or upgrade to the next version, and so on… You also aren’t able to return the software to get your money back from Adobe like you normally can.
Why doesn’t Adobe recognize the people that go through those places? Doesn’t that seem unfair? Can’t these software vendors who you’ve never heard of be trusted?
No, because in this area, reputation matters… a lot. The simple reason is – and the real problem is – that 90% of the software sold on places like eBay is counterfeit! Yes, it’s true. And it’s not a new problem.
Adobe states, “Purchasing from known and trusted sources is the best way to avoid risks. Avoid all online auction sites — they’re rife with counterfeiters. The only safe way to purchase genuine software for download is through the Adobe Store.”
So you can be pretty sure that what someone’s getting on those auction and vendor sites is not legitimate, not able to be legally transferred, and possibly even quite unsafe.
That last part is the real kicker. A great deal of the hacked and pirated Adobe software out there now is embedded with malware. These infections include viruses, worms, and trojans that can do significant harm to your computer, personal data, and privacy (like quietly stealing your sensitive information such as logins, passwords, and credit card numbers).
Or put another way, you dramatically “increase your risk of exposure to viruses, spyware, or adware that can destroy (or, worse, publish to criminals) valuable data.” But unfortunately, many people don’t learn about this until it’s too late. Often they do this unknowingly – and are essentially paying someone to do it to them.
How prevalent is malware in illegal software? Well, just one example: China reportedly has a piracy rate of 79% – and a corresponding computer infection rate of nearly 70% – both are the highest in the world.
Yes, there can occasionally be exceptions – but there are many more headlines over the years: “Adobe Creative Suite Crack Harvests Zombie Computers” … “Malware Writers Target Would-Be Pirated Software Users” … “Bootlegged Mac Photoshop Delivers New Trojan Horses” …
The second Trojan was discovered Sunday, hidden inside torrented copies of Adobe Systems’ Photoshop program. Once installed, the software lets someone else take remote control of the computer and sensitive data upon it.
The risk seems obvious for older or used/secondhand copies, right? But even advertised “new in box” (NIB) items in seemingly original packaging can easily be fake – and it’s often very difficult to tell the difference from the outside, or even from the inside. As Adobe says, “… it can come with sophisticated-looking cases, manuals, and even registration cards. You’ll only discover software is pirated when you try to register it and can’t, often rendering the software unusable.” Or worse.
But even if the software within is authentic, it’s still breaking the law. Per the SIIA, “As this prosecution demonstrates, it is both a crime to create counterfeit software and a crime to sell authentic software without authorization.” So in any event, these buyers still face all the other issues above.
And if anyone ever offers a download or serial number that’s coming from anywhere else other than Adobe – it’s definitely not genuine, or legal.
The old advice applies here: anything that sounds too good to be true probably is, in pricing or otherwise… (note that Adobe’s true Student & Teacher Editions at up to 70% off including the $19 complete Creative Cloud are exceptions to this)
So what’s your best bet?
The only safe and legal place to instantly download any of these products (either trial or full versions) is directly from Adobe’s servers.
And only safe and legal place to buy any boxed retail software is directly from Adobe itself, or through their officially authorized resellers/retailers.
They put all this in place to protect customers – not only from harmful or counterfeit software, but also protecting your rights as a legitimate buyer and recognized licensee of the products – fully able to receive technical support, important updates, and future upgrades.
See all the recommended tips on how to avoid Adobe piracy. And if the regular product prices are out of reach for you, see if you qualify for Adobe’s deeply-discounted education versions, or check out their affordable Creative Cloud offering including the successor to CS6 — the new “CC” release — which is guaranteed to be the genuine article.
See Also
Adobe CS6 vs. Creative Cloud: Which is best for you?
Don’t need full Cloud? Get PS + LR for $10/month
Download free Adobe books (choose over 20 titles)
What are the differences between Adobe CC vs. CS6?
Free Adobe CS6 Tutorials – 30 hours of video training
The 10 most common myths about Creative Cloud
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