Microsoft Gulf announced that it had filed criminal complaints which led to five anti-piracy raids on resellers in the UAE last month. Raids were conducted in Dubai and Sharjah; resulting in the confiscation of pirated software CDs and personal computers and laptops loaded with pirated copies of Microsoft software.
As an active member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the international association established by the global software industry to promote a safe and legal digital world, Microsoft continues to educate customers and partners about the negative effects of software piracy on the local economy and to increase awareness about the risks of counterfeit to consumers using counterfeit or hacked software, such as exposure to security issues like viruses, identify or credit card theft. By partnering with local government bodies, Microsoft has also stepped up its regional efforts to take legal steps against those who manufacture and distribute illegal software.