by Peter K. Han, Microsoft Vice President of U.S. OEM

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Counterfeit and pirated software are major global issues, impacting consumers and businesses alike. The fact is, illegitimate software puts users at risk for spyware, malware, and viruses that can lead to identity theft, loss of data, and system failures. Often, people don’t even realize that their purchase has put them in danger.

On March 6, Microsoft will celebrate Global Play Fair Day, an initiative designed to raise awareness on the issue of counterfeit software. In the spirit of education and in anticipation of Global Play Fair Day, I’m excited to announce that Microsoft is hosting a “Find the Fake” scavenger hunt on Twitter.

For the next two weeks, Twitter users can enter to win* an Xbox 360 with Kinect by answering simple “scavenger hunt” questions. It’ll be a lot of fun, and we promise, no trick questions!

How to play

  1. Follow Genuine Microsoft on Twitter at @msusgenuine. Starting Friday, February 22, a new question will be posted each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon between Noon and 1:00PM Pacific Time, through March 8.
  2. Find the answer to the question by doing a quick search on Bing or by following a provided link.
  3. Submit your answer by replying to @msusgenuine and including #FindTheFake in your tweet.

Sample Question: What day is devoted to raising awareness of the dangers of counterfeit software? #FindtheFake
Answer: @msusgenuine Global Play Fair Day #FindtheFake

Selecting the winner

Each question you correctly answer will count as one entry into the contest, with a maximum of six possible entries. On March 11, we will select a winner randomly from the pool of entries.

Remember—the more questions you answer correctly, the more chances you have to win. Good luck!

 

* No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia or Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 years or older. Contest ends March 8. Official rules.

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Resources to help you ensure your customers are using properly licensed, genuine software: