Cheap software thanks to licensing: these are the risks
The origin of cheap Microsoft product keys varies widely: from used software from discarded PCs to unused corporate volume licenses to non-refundable OEM versions, everything is included – and can be offered cheap due to negligible purchase costs.
According to Microsoft, OEM keys are only for sales with new hardware, but the Federal Court of Justice has declared hardware separation legal in a ruling (Federal Court of Justice, July 6, 2000 – I ZR 244/97). However, Microsoft is not a big fan of the booming OEM business – and from time to time they block such licenses in bulk or associate them with other hardware.
This is probably one of the reasons why our readers are constantly telling us that the product keys they purchased are not working. Although software merchants are not acting illegally, they are in conflict with Microsoft’s license terms. Although you cannot be legally prosecuted for purchasing this product key, you have to take the risk that your cheap software will require a valid license from day to day.
