Its a long story, and ongoing via Trading Standards but I bought a copy of Microsoft office from a pc support company who installed it for me. BUT they used software I know the name of but cant mention it here to produce a key. They are refusing to reply to my emails and I have spoken to MS but had no reply from them. Does anyone know the UK contact number? It reports as inactive - see image. I need to speak to MS UK please?
I contacted MS UK on that number, they were very helpful, obtained a remote access and said, dont worry, we can activate it for you BUT, it will cost you £50. I said no thanks, its not my fault office is inactive and will have to go through the other channels of Trading Standards. Damn!
On the advice of Hounslow Trading Standards I wrote a signed for letter to Micro PC Support, they have not replied. I have informed TS.
From what I'm reading, it seems to me you do indeed have a counterfeit copy of Office that was most likely a "volume license" purchase by a corporation. It could be that you need to connect to the corporate network of the company that installed Office for you. I would rather think that than that you have a counterfeit copy.
However, the second paragraph leads me to be very suspicious:
What further tips me off is that it seems that a key generator was used by the "pc support company" to get the key.If this software was not purchased for corporate or institutional use, it may be counterfeit. Using counterfeit software exposes your computer and data to increased security resks, including viruses.
Here in the US (and I suspect anywhere else), when you purchase a copy (full or upgrade) of any Microsoft product, the key comes with the software and a key generator isn't necessary to get the key.
If it were me, I'd inform the "pc support company" that I want a full and immediate refund or that a complaint will be filed with Microsoft, my local police department, Trading Standards, and anyone else you can think of, such as the US Attorney General and my home state Attorney General. Of course, if you have an attorney, it would be good to have this information imparted to them on his/her letterhead.
It's my understanding the OP wanted first to try to get his legitimate copy from the company that installed it on his computer.
I wouldn't pay £50 if I thought I had a chance to get either reimbursement for money spent, or a legitimate copy,
However, Microsoft did add one more nail in the coffin for that company as to their honesty.
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