Diane Goins, a Richmond Hill resident, recently was slapped with a judgment for producing and selling counterfeit computer programs. The Southern District Federal Court of Georgia hit Goins, 55, with a $250,000 fine for selling bogus versions of Corel software on eBay.
The Business Software Alliance, which, as part of its mission to maintain the integrity of technology, monitors online auction sites such as eBay for exactly
this purpose, was the first
to notice the questionable activity. SBA started investigating in January.
Jenny Blank, senior director of legal affairs at the BSA, says people need to be aware that this kind of activity is very risky business.
“It’s serious business and there are serious consequences,” Blank said.
Blank also said it’s important for consumers to be cautious of what they’re buying online. She encourages buyers to look for red flags.
“The most obvious thing to look for is the price,” Blank said. “If an $800 program is being sold for $50, you can bet it’s counterfeit.”
According to his secretary, Goins’ attorney, Christian Steinmetz, is out of town and unavailable for comment.
The Business Software Alliance, which, as part of its mission to maintain the integrity of technology, monitors online auction sites such as eBay for exactly
this purpose, was the first
to notice the questionable activity. SBA started investigating in January.
Jenny Blank, senior director of legal affairs at the BSA, says people need to be aware that this kind of activity is very risky business.
“It’s serious business and there are serious consequences,” Blank said.
Blank also said it’s important for consumers to be cautious of what they’re buying online. She encourages buyers to look for red flags.
“The most obvious thing to look for is the price,” Blank said. “If an $800 program is being sold for $50, you can bet it’s counterfeit.”
According to his secretary, Goins’ attorney, Christian Steinmetz, is out of town and unavailable for comment.