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Is the BSA "Grace Period" a Scam?

Posted by Cliff on from the examining-shady-practices dept.

An anonymous reader asks: "I work at a small non-profit that has 18 employees plus a 13 seat computer lab. We received a form letter from the Business Software Alliance (BSA) telling us to do a self audit and if we find any unlicensed software to report it during our 'Grace Period' because 'if you organization's software is not licensed, it could become to focus of a BSA investigation'. Now this is obviously a method to scare up some business for the BSA members. If we ignore this, how likely is it that we will be 'investigated'. I know that I cannot produce the original CD's and/or documentation for some of the software that we HAVE paid for."

11 of 794 comments (clear)

  1. Lemmie get this straight... by ajuda · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you stole from them, and you admit it in the near future, they promise not to sue you. Yep, sounds like a scam to me.

    Step 1: Promise not to sue people
    Step 2: ????
    Step 3: Profit!!!

  2. Low Key by thedbp · · Score: 4, Funny

    y'know, if you're trying to keep your warez on the down low, its not a good idea to post a slashdot story about it.

  3. More Confusion... by Smelly+Jeffrey · · Score: 5, Funny

    I got confused when I read about the BSA and software. I was wondering what the Boy Scouts of America had to do with is. My best advice: Be Prepared.

  4. Has to be said by stendec · · Score: 5, Funny
    knock knock

    Who's there?

    BSA: (mumbles)

    Who?

    BSA: Unicef.

    Oh! Why didn't you say that before?

    BSA-landshark attacks pirate who opens the door.

  5. Me and the Boys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Me and the boys would really hate for something to happen. We can sell you insurance to prevent, say, that vase that Frankie is leaning against from getting broken. Oops, like that."

    Actually, this campaign was going on two years ago. In the fall, I think. Same scam.

  6. A friend's solution to BSA, lawsuit threats, etc. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    A friend of mine owns a very small niche vertical intergration software company. He has a canned response for all threats of lawsuits, BSA investigation, etc. The only people he doesn't use this on is the government, since they don't need any help getting any more fucked up.

    "Can I please have your lawyers contact number, I have a fax machine, and will send all information I have to your lawyer." He then sends one piece of information (a page, one liscence, etc) at a time, every hour on the hour, to said lawyer, to cause their clients legal bills to explode. Considering that he logs everything he does and has backups dating back for the last 15 years, he has a lot of information that he can send. Legal bills are quick ways to empty someone's pockets.

  7. Letter from the NSA by m00nun1t · · Score: 4, Funny

    FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND 'TOP SECRET'.

    WE ARE TOP OFFICIAL OF THE GOVERNMENT REVIEW PANEL ("BSA") WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PIRATED SOFTWARE INTO OUR COUNTRY. IN ORDER TO BECOME COMPLIANT WE SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ENABLE US TO AUDIT YOU.

    HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR POSITION AS BSA COMMITTE MEMERS, WE CANNOT ACQUIRE THIS SOFTWARE IN OUR NAMES. I HAVE THEREFORE, BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY COLLEAGUES OF THE BSA TO LOOK FOR AN UNDERLICENSED PARTNER WHO WE CAN AUDIT. HENCE WE ARE WRITING YOU THIS LETTER. WE HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE MONEY THUS; 1. 20% FOR THE BSA 2. 80% FOR THE UNLICENSED SOFTWARE VENDOR 3. 2 - 5 YEARS FOR YOURSELF.

    PLEASE,NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% SAFE AND WE HOPE TO COMMENCE THE AUDIT LATEST SEVEN (7) BANKING DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIOM BY TEL/FAX; 234-1-7740449, YOUR COMPANY'S SIGNED, AND STAMPED LETTERHEAD PAPER THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL ENABLE US WRITE LETTERS OF THREAT. THIS WAY WE WILL USE YOUR COMPANY'S NAME TO INTIMIDATE YOU WITH QUASI-LEGAL LETTERS.

    WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS BUSINESS WITH YOU AND SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSATION. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER USING THE ABOVE TEL/FAX NUMBERS. I WILL SEND YOU DETAILED INFORMATION OF THIS PENDING PROJECT WHEN I HAVE HEARD FROM YOU.

    YOURS FAITHFULLY,

    DR CLEMENT OKON

    --
    Read reviews of shopping cart software
  8. Fix the question by rknop · · Score: 4, Funny

    Remove "Grace Period" from the question.

    Then the answer is a resounding "yes".

    -Rob

  9. Oh that reminds me by jsse · · Score: 5, Funny

    one of my client did return the audit form with a letter saying that the only license they got is GPL and a copy was attached for their reference.

    Then Microsoft sales came the other week and offered an attractive 'switch' packages. How Microsoft knew he need a switch is a mistery.

  10. Dear BSA by Ducon+Lajoie · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dear BSA, following your letter suggesting a self audit of our compagny, I am glad to inform you that we did indeed complete the required process.

    As you suspected, it was impossible for us to account for every software package and updates/sidegrades we acquired over the last 10 years.

    We carefully considered the cost of a complete research of archives and archeological search at the municipal dump, as well as the cost of re-acquiring the missing licences.

    We therefore advise you that your audit letter prompted us to move to a mostly open source and free software environement. We thank you for being the catalyst in that switch, the proverbial "last straw".

    The few worksations still running software from BSA members are fully licenced and these licences are available for your viewing pleasure if you so desire.

    Yours trully,

    me

  11. This is BULL comma SHIT period. by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 4, Funny
    If any son of a bitch shows up at the door to any property of yours, included but not limited to your business, your home, or any other property, and says they're there to perform an audit of your computer software, you firmly but politely tell them that you will not allow any such thing to take place. If asked why, answer that you cannot let non-company personnel in due to trade secrets and nondisclosure agreements with customers. And show them the door. Nobody can compell you to show them ANYTHING of yours without a search warrant. You're not a public company. You have committed NO crime. And if they claim that you have agreed to such a search in the license agreements of software you have purchased, tell them it's bullshit and good day gentlemen. Let's see these scamming sons of bitches PROVE that you have entered into any such agreement. No warrant. No probable cause. And they don't have your permission. Just like the police: If an officer pulls you over and your entire trunk is full of cocaine with a street value of $1,000,000,000.00 (one billion dollars and 00/100), and the officer says, "May I search your trunk," and you say, "No, thank you," then unless the aforementioned officer can produce a search warrant or prove probable cause, he CANNOT look in the friggen trunk. If a friggen PO-LICE officer can't look in the damn trunk when it's overflowing with cocaine, what makes you think some geeky-faced piece of shit Associate Engineer Fuckup Specialist from the BSA has any right to bring his ugly ass into your fucking business?

    Oh, and if any idiot from the BSA has a problem with what I'm saying, my name is Robert Q. Campo, and my address is 881 West Harrisville Lane, Cleveland, OH 64113. Come and get me, asshole.