Where are all these cheap Office keys coming from?

Question

Where are all these cheap Office keys coming from?

Anonymous

I understand this might be inappropriate for the forum, although it isn't technically piracy, it could be construed as that.

I've been getting a lot of targeted ads on Facebook from relatively reputable stores, and others previously unknown to me (but with known names), and then completely unknown sites. These ads are namely for Office 2021 Professional Plus keys, either for a single PC, one time use, or a key that binds to your account.

They are quite cheap, and being offered on so many sites it brings up a lot of questions to me. A brief amount of research showed that Professional Plus is only for Businesses, and not a consumer product. These keys should technically be VLK, or some other form of keys acquired, and should be for Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021.

I'm no stranger to the grey market, but the sheer number of stores selling the same keys, which apparently are valid, is making me think if people are somehow generating these keys by creating an enterprise account, are they just adding more keys to the list by the hundreds? Or, are they all done via fraudulent transactions?

If someone were to add one of these keys to their Microsoft account, even if it's not a publicly-facing team, would that key in the backend be connected to each via a parent organization which generated the key, like Acme Ltd? Could they later be revoked by Microsoft?

I know I might not get an answer by posting here, but it's been really bugging me these past few weeks.

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9 answers

Answer 1

Hello JayDMM

I'm Diane, an Office Apps & Services MVP specializing in Outlook, and I’m happy to help you today.

We're not sure where it's coming from - and haven't had word from Microsoft if it is legit (some of us asked). Curious, I purchased a copy. It is not the volume license - it is the retail version. In my Microsoft accounts, the listing looks identical to the entry I got from Microsoft.

Volume license keys cannot be added to a Microsoft account.

Answer 2

This makes it quite confusing now then, perhaps there was a shipping container of valid keys just opened up somewhere?

I'm a bit old school, and don't agree with subscriptions for what should be a standalone app, hence my massive interest in this version. Given I don't use it on a daily basis like most people, and you can see why a subscription feels like I would be forced to use it often.

My current copy of Office 2010, while vastly out of date and unsupported, works fine to this day. However, as you can imagine, it might be time to upgrade it.

Answer 3

I asked the same question last week. The ad was on a reputable magazine site, NOT Amazon!

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MS is not saying anything about these offers.

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I have not been able to find Pro Plus offered as a "retail" license anywhere on MS site. Yet as Diane said, and at least one other user confirmed, apparently these cheapo licenses show up as "retail". It doesn't make sense.

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But frankly I can't imagine that MS is selling Pro Plus to these vendors for under $50 when MS is selling the "legitiamate" volume license for just under $600. So that suggests that the keys are not being sold to these vendors by M$. Are they stolen? Are they being generated some how? MS just isn't talking.

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The problem with these keys is that if/when MS figures out that they were not sold legitimately, MS can simply "deactivate" the key. Then the buyer is out the cash. Because, if you try to get a refund from the seller, they won't give it, even if you can reach them.

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So you have to decide, do you want to gamble $50 for one of these licenses? Do the math.

Answer 4

Anonymous

Off 2010 is proclaimed by many experienced users as the best version. ever.

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Answer 5

Hi Jay, as you say selling Pro Plus Office online is not 'technically piracy'. However, it is in contravention of the Pro Plus licence. Until April 2020 it using the Pro Plus Office purchased from a vendor selling it in contravention of the Microsoft licence conditions did not prevent the user to legally use the Pro Plus Office. https://support.office.com/legal?llcc=en-us&aid=Office_Mac_Use_Terms_2018_en-us.htm

Consumer Customers: To determine which one of the two separate sets of license terms below apply to you, check the product title. This is printed either on product packaging if you purchased the product from a physical retail store or on the page from which you purchased the software if you obtained the software online. If designated Microsoft 365 subscription (e.g., Microsoft 365 Family, Personal) then the “Supplement to Microsoft Services Agreement – Microsoft 365 Consumer Subscription Service and Software” below applies to you. If designated Office software (e.g., Office Home & Student or Office Home & Business), then the “Microsoft Software License Terms – Office Desktop” below apply to you.

Enterprise Customers: If you are an Enterprise customer, the below terms do not apply to you, and your use of the subscription service/software is subject to the terms and conditions of the volume license agreement you agreed to when you signed up for the subscription and by which you acquired the license for the software. You may not use the service/software if you have not validly acquired a license from Microsoft or its licensed distributors. If your organization is a Microsoft customer, it has enabled you to use certain connected services in Microsoft 365. You may also have access to other connected services from Microsoft, which are covered by separate terms and privacy commitments. Learn more about Microsoft’s other connected services at https://support.office.com/article/92c234f1-dc91-4dc1-925d-6c90fc3816d8.

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Where are all these cheap Office keys coming from?

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