Think Twice Before Buying Cheap Software Licences: Here’s Why
Risks of purchasing software licences from illegitimate sellers
Tempted by ultra-low prices for software licences? You’re not alone. Many users fall for deals that seem too good to be true – only to discover hidden risks later. Choosing legitimate software isn’t just about compliance; it’s about security, reliability, and peace of mind.
While it's possible to find great deals, it’s crucial to be mindful of what you’re actually buying. Sellers who clearly specify the type of licence and offer detailed information are more likely to be trustworthy. The deals that seem unrealistically low often lack the necessary qualities of a reputable seller.
As a trusted provider of genuine software licences, carefully tailoring our offering to meet customer needs, we’ve seen the consequences of buying from illegitimate sources. This article will help you understand the risks, spot red flags, and make informed decisions that protect your business and personal data.
What are the alert signs to be aware of when spotting too good a deal to be true? What to look for when buying software licences? How to distinguish the legitimate merchants and distributors?
Let’s dive in!
The Hidden Risks of Illegitimate Software Licences
Please think twice before you do it! Cheap licences often come with costly consequences. Here’s what you need to know:
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Unreliable Performance
Although sold cheaply, stolen or misused company licences can stop working at any time due to technical or administrative issues. -
Activation ≠ Legitimacy
Just because software is activated on your device doesn’t mean you’re licensed. In audits, this can lead to legal and financial penalties. -
Wrong Licence Type
Be aware whether the licence you buy is intended for personal, business, government, educational, or non-profit use. The licensing comes with its specifics, and using one meant for a different purpose may not work for you. Be cautious of misleading advertisements! -
Controlled by Third Parties
Volume licences sold online at attractive prices are often tied to organisations. Typically, these licences are delivered to you with just your email and password as part of some organisation's admin centre. Unfortunately, their admins can revoke access at any time without warning, leaving you locked out. -
Security Risks
Unreliable sellers may provide download links from unknown sources (rather than official vendor channels), exposing you to illegitimate software, and more importantly, to viruses, malware and data breaches. -
No Updates, No Support
Due to corporate policies, cheap volume licences often lack access to security patches and feature updates, putting your system at risk. Additionally, it falls short of providing the complete functionality that the product promises. -
Fake Websites
Many impostors exploit the reputations of trusted merchants. Often, websites that sell cheap software licences fail to provide complete company information, raising questions about the legitimacy of these companies and whether they are truly connected to the products they sell. -
No Liability
Many sellers hide behind anonymity, with no legal company details or valid Terms and Conditions. If something goes wrong, you have no recourse. Remember, there must always be someone liable behind the seller.
How to Spot a Legitimate Seller of Software Licences?
TL;DR Checklist
- ✅ Listed as an official vendor partner (verify on the vendor’s website).
- ✅ Clear licence type and purpose stated upfront.
- ✅ Realistic product price that matches what you're looking to buy (Good deals can be found – but shouldn’t be unrealistically low).
- ✅ No requests for personal email or shared login credentials.
- ✅ Full legal company information on the website, including Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
- ✅ Trusted payment processors and secure checkout.
- ✅ Positive reviews on credible platforms like Trustpilot or Google Reviews.
- ✅ Authorised to sell in your region.
Before you buy, always check these essentials:
1. Verify if the company is in the vendor partners list
Most, if not all, of the companies claim on their websites to be vendor partners, but it's important to verify this information. Always check the software vendors' partner lists, partner locator pages, or other reliable official sources to confirm the partnership.
Ex: This verifies we are Mircrosoft partners:
2. Always make sure to know the full story behind the ridiculously low prices
a. What is the type of licensing being sold?
Knowing the type of licence you are purchasing is crucial. Here are all the commonly available types of licences.
While an OEM licence for Windows or a retail licence for Office can be provided cheaper than the officially listed ESD licence on the Microsoft website, those still have a realistic price. What do we mean? While you can get an OEM-licensed Windows for 50€, you can't get a legit licence for just 10€.
Let’s be real! Licences sold at unrealistically low prices compared to the official vendor price lists, without any information regarding their licensing type, are a red flag! Such licences are often misused corporate licences, MSDN licenses (intended for development and not for resale), or misused government and educational licences. That means they have their own specifics, risks and limitations – and are not intended for personal or small business use!
Ex: Table with licensing types and their specifics, provided on a product page
b. Is the website selling at low prices, only offering volume Office packages?
Office Standard and Professional Plus licences are usually intended for larger organisations and are the only ones available as volume licences with multi-activation keys (MAK). Volume licences are meant to be deployed and managed within an organisation, which results in some limitations for outside users. That's an outright red flag! As ESD, Retail and OEM licences cannot achieve such low prices due to their commercial designation, the seller can only achieve such an extremely low price by selling volume licences.
c. Be very wary of unrealistically cheap subscriptions from websites requesting personal email or delivering login credentials!
You should be really concerned if you purchase subscription licences at unrealistically low prices, and then the shop asks you to provide your personal email address or send your login information for order delivery.
Due to the nature of subscriptions and their distribution chain, which is very rigid and margins are narrower, there is less opportunity for substantial price differences between legitimate offers. There is just less space for price variations.
But more importantly, providing your email address or using credentials provided by the reseller hides many risks. Why never to do it?
Many of the potential risks are obvious. When using the provided account, your subscription will be fully under the control of either the reseller or some unknown third party, managing a vendor admin centre. This means that all your personal information, e.g. pictures and other personal data, is exposed to the person responsible for the admin centre and possibly the reseller.
The additional risk is the same as with volume licensing; if the account was maliciously created under an existing organisation, the administrator of that organisation will eventually identify your account, stop the availability of your licence, and you will lose access to all the programs and your data.
And remember: Microsoft and Adobe don't offer lifetime plans for their subscription products, MS 365 or Adobe CC. If you see a lifetime product, that's a scam!
Ex: Such a product doesn't exist! It's a scam!
d. Is there a company behind the website?
Always make sure there is a “Privacy policy” and “Terms and conditions” with the actual company information written in those pages or in the footer. Avoid resellers that only list the website name, but not the official legal company name on those pages. Legitimate businesses looking to resell software would have all their legal information listed on the website and not hide it behind anonymity.
Ex. Our Terms of Service page with the legal company name
3. Check if the website is authorised to sell in your region
When purchasing software, ensure that the website is based in Europe. Many low-cost software key platforms operate outside this region, and the licences they offer are not valid for our area. This is especially crucial for subscription products! Avoid buying from questionable websites located in Asia, Latin America, or Africa that claim to provide services for European countries. This should raise a red flag.
4. Be wary of websites that use shady, unknown payment processors
Be cautious of websites that utilise suspicious or unfamiliar payment processors. Some payment screens may be set up for data theft, putting your financial information at risk. Don't let scammers take advantage of you! Trusted payment providers and secure checkout are a must!
Ex. Secure checkout with trusted payment options (Licencedeals.com)
5. Always check reviews
When evaluating a business, be sure to check trustworthy review platforms like Trustpilot and Google Reviews. It's also important to pay attention to the timing of the reviews; if they all seem to have been posted at once, that could raise a red flag. Additionally, verify that the business has been around long enough to establish a credible reputation.
Ex. LicenceDeals Google reviews
Why Choose Verified Providers?
If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Approach offers with a healthy dose of scepticism. Preventative measures are the best way to sidestep potential issues down the line.
Buying genuine licences from a legitimate source ensures:
- Security: Official download links and regular updates.
- Compliance: Peace of mind during audits.
- Support: Access to vendor assistance and troubleshooting.
- Longevity: Licences that won’t disappear overnight.
Protect your business and personal data by choosing a trusted provider. Don’t risk your security for short-term savings.
At LicenceDeals, we go the extra mile to ensure every product we deliver is fully compliant and sourced through trusted supplier channels. By leveraging both official and authorised alternative routes, we secure competitive pricing without compromising on quality or legitimacy. Our commitment doesn’t end at the point of sale – expert after-sales support is part of our promise. With over 8 years of industry experience, we provide guidance that helps customers make informed decisions, not just based on price, but on the right product for their specific needs. From pre-sales consultations to ongoing assistance, we’re here to simplify the licensing process and deliver confidence every step of the way.
We pride ourselves on delivering genuine software licences backed by vendor partnerships, transparent pricing, and dedicated customer care. And we can prove it.
Ready to secure your software?
Contact us today for verified licences and expert guidance.