"www.genuinekey.com" - Is it legit?

[BCHOWDHURY]

I have recently come across this website, www.genuinekey.com. Is the site really selling genuine keys? How can they be selling for a few bucks Microsoft product keys, which retail for hundreds of dollars? Please, check the site and give your opinion. Their offers are really tempting.

[Deozaan]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's illegal.

Especially since their "feedback" link is to a warezforum.

[Josh]

If it sounds too good to be true...Often times it is.

[Bamse]

Opinion is wishful thinking You can always check WOT for such sites with no contact info http://www.mywot.com...ecard/genuinekey.com In some months may be also Norton, Mcafee...

[40hz]

Dunno.

I'm a Microsoft Partner. One of the things that Microsoft duns into the partner channel is how their licensing works and what licensing options are available for its customers. I'm not aware of any MS licensing arrangement that even vaguely resembles what these guys are implying they're allowed to do.

Then there are a few other things about the website:

• No contact info, phone, or or mailing address...
• All domain registration info hidden behind ProtectedDomainServices.com (an organization that doesn't have the most stellar record...)
• And PayPal only? (Actually that makes sense. You can't get a credit card merchant account without a published and verified street address.)

Soooo...I'm suspicious. Way too invisible a company - and way too cheap a price tag for what they're selling.

I also find it interesting that at no time do they say these licenses are legal. (Saying something is "legitimate" is not the same thing as saying it is "legal" BTW.) And just because a key will clear WGA doesn't necessarily mean it's a genuine copy either.

Caveat emptor!

Just my two cents.

[KynloStephen66515]

These are most likely MSDN keys. The poster has either an MSDN or technet account , which gives you 10 , 1 time use keys per edition of Windows 7

If Microsoft catches which keys are being sold here , they will look up what account the keys below to and black list all of them!

Regards
hacker1993

Seems like a plausible idea. Perhaps they received OEM keys or something and are selling excess ones.  Legit and Working keys, but by no means legal for resale.

[Bamse]

Strange place to advertise for Genuinekey.com http://www.buy-in-gz.cn/ At the bottom there is a Skype address so try call and ask what the deal is! Chinese tricks perhaps http://www.myiptest....se-IP/genuinekey.com

[mwb1100]

Given that the prices on that site are lower than what even very large OEMs likely pay Microsoft for each copy of Windows (http://arstechnica.c...-copy-of-windows.ars), I think you can be confident that the keys are not legitimate.

I recently visited the MS Company Store, and my recollection is that the prices on the "genuinekey" site are even a bit lower than what MS was charging their employees. MS Company Store purchases include media, which might account for a bit of a bump in price, but "genuinekey" doesn't even include a software download - another sign that the offering is not legit.

[KynloStephen66515]

Given that the prices on that site are lower than what even very large OEMs likely pay Microsoft for each copy of Windows (http://arstechnica.c...-copy-of-windows.ars), I think you can be confident that the keys are not legitimate.

I recently visited the MS Company Store, and my recollection is that the prices on the "genuinekey" site are even a bit lower than what MS was charging their employees. MS Company Store purchases include media, which might account for a bit of a bump in price, but "genuinekey" doesn't even include a software download - another sign that the offering is not legit.

-mwb1100 (March 03, 2010, 02:35 PM)

They ARE offering the ISO's but not direct from their site, saw the link for the ISO's on their home page, near the comments.

[mwb1100]

They ARE offering the ISO's but not direct from their site

-Stephen66515 (March 03, 2010, 02:40 PM)

I see - I was working off of this item in their FAQ:

Q:  Will you send me a copy of the software?
A:   No, this listing is not for a copy of the software. You need download install files by yourself, we only offer genuine keys.

So either I'm misunderstanding the FAQ or they've changed to offer some sort of download somehow.

Even so, there are far more than enough red flags on this to be certain that this isn't a legit offering.

[KynloStephen66515]

You are buying a legitimate, unique, and genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Product Key. A download link with a ISO/DVD file for installation will be provided. These keys are strait from Microsoft and are 100% guaranteed to work.
31 Comments
Windows 7 download
Filed under: Windows 7; Tagged as: Untouched Windows 7 download, Windows 7 home premium download, Windows 7 Professional download, Windows 7 Ultimate download

Firstly, you need a free download manager to handle the download. I strongly suggest you using the free one from http://www.gigaget.com

Some people said they have no file error report by direct download, but using this download manager, it’s all good.

Secondly, Untouched Windows 7 ISO files download Link:
Windows 7 Ultimate
32-bit Windows 7 Ultimate x86 ISO


**link removed by Stephen66511 due to not knowing if its legal or not**

From the home page bout 4/5 of the way down

[40hz]

Hmmmm...

Domain Whois record

Queried whois.cnnic.net.cn with "unionstars.com.cn"...

Domain Name: unionstars.com.cn
ROID: 20040406s10011s00493997-cn
Domain Status: ok
Registrant Organization: 上海星联信息技术有限公司
Registrant Name: 朱源民
Administrative Email: [email protected]
Sponsoring Registrar: 北京新网互联科技有限公司
Name Server:dc-us01.unionstars.com.cn
Registration Date: 2004-04-06 13:05
Expiration Date: 2012-04-06 13:05

Not to be too judgmental, but: "Think China - Think 'Red' Flag" when it comes to this sort of thing.

[parkint]

but: "Think China - Think 'Red' Flag" when it comes to this sort of thing.

I always appreciate a good pun!
Thank you