“Like most industries the embroidery market is not immune from software piracy. Hundreds of businesses use illegally pirated software and by doing so are committing punishable crimes,” it says. “Unfortunately there is even a darker side to software piracy.”

According to Wilcom, investigations by various organisations, including the ELSPA (Electronic and Leisure Software Publishers Association), have shown links between software piracy and organised crime activities, as noted by Terry Anslow, chief investigator at the ELSPA crime unit.

"It (software piracy) causes job losses and economic decline by stealing honest trade,” says Anslow. He also notes that by purchasing pirated software, consumers are "lining the pockets of criminals, and probably very serious ones”.

Of raids conducted by the ELSPA, 80% discovered evidence of other criminal activities. These range from drugs and fraud to gun running and child pornography.

Fighting software piracy

Recently a number of companies, including Wilcom and Wing System, have conducted raids and investigations on pirate software users and distributors in countries such as India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.

The raids have resulted in arrests and charges, and have also uncovered extensive lists of customers who have purchased or downloaded pirated software.

A spokesperson for Wilcom explains: “We have been very pleased with the recent success the Australian Federal Police and their overseas counterparts have had. It continues to surprise us that a business owner would put themselves and their employees at risk by choosing to use illegally pirated software.”

Protect yourself

Using pirated software is a crime. The only way to protect yourself from possible prosecution is to do the right thing and buy and use legal software.

But how do you identify pirated software? Most embroidery design software is protected by a device called a security key or dongle, says Wilcom, and the software will not run unless the security key is present. “If your software does not have a dongle there is a chance it might be a pirated copy. To confirm the validity of your software or to report software piracy, contact the original software vendor.”

Email: sales@wilcom.co.uk

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