Is software-codes.co.uk legit?

[Jayparm]

Wanting to buy an office key 

 

Is it legit? 

https://software-codes.co.uk/products/microsoft-office-2021-home-and-student-pc

 

And can you get it cheaper or better?

[demonix00]

Considering that neither the site or the company is based in the UK (and their site shows a fake company number as it doesn't turn up any results on the companies house site) I wouldn't trust it.

[Jayparm]

Just now, demonix00 said:

Considering that neither the site or the company is based in the UK (and their site shows a fake company number as it doesn't turn up any results on the companies house site) I wouldn't trust it.

Do you have any suggestions on where I should look?

[manikyath]

canned response:

 

they're probably keys that work, but if they're cheaper than microsoft's pricing by a notable margin, there's *something* fishy about the keys.

 

something fishy being:

- keys that are not suitable for retail sale (volume licensing keys, dreamspark keys, etc.)

- selling the same key multiple times (because they'll work to activate several times.. i assume that's a thing for office keys the same as windows keys)

- selling keys intended for a different region (keys for less wealthy regions are cheaper than those for more wealthy regions.)

- and past that we start to delve into the potential for minor crimes all the way to money laundering. because software keys apparently are *the* way to launder money these days.

 

in all of the above, none of that matters to you, what does matter to you is this:

- all of the above break the EULA, so you essentially cannot rely on MS to support you if there is ever problems.

- you have no certainty that the key you get was sold only to you, so there's always the chance the key will randomly bounce, at which point you have nothing.

- there is a moral consideration, because your money doesnt go to microsoft, you are essentially "privateering" the key. microsoft is rich enough that they wont feel it, but the only difference between one of these keys and software piracy is that you have plausible deniability.

 

analysing the site itself:

 

- claim to be a UK website / yet their listed address is in norway

- more than 15k satisfied customers banner up top.. is something so shady even chinese rebadge stores dont do that.

- their trustpilot reviews.. already hint at fishy #3: people reporting that the keys install as a different language (office is annoying AF to change language, for this reason)

- there's a fun crossover between WHOIS data and trustpilot reviews:

the domain was registered 09-2022 (EDIT: should add, this checks out with when the business was registered)

the first trustpilot review was 10-2022

the review reads this:

Quote

Excellent support and Amazing customer experience
Excellent support, Initially i was bit skeptical to order as i was not sure about this website. Read few reviews and decided to order, i was so surprised how easy and quick it was to get software.

I was even more surprised and happy when they followed up to check if everything is all right. Very professional.What a amazing customer experience i had with this company. Will definitely recommend this.

Date of experience: 08 October 2022

- read a few reviews: where? which platform? you're the first review on the website the store tells you to review at.

- i somehow dont believe this 'experience', it's that generic i'd believe the OP is a bot.

 

something that's not really tangiable evidence of much, but internet archive only has cached versions of this site going back a month.

 

the company itself:

it is listed in the norwegian business register, as a tutoring company, not a webstore. even if you disregard everything posted above, this in itself is probably the biggest AVOID i can post here.

 

i tried to google the name listed as the owner of the business, but conclusion is that this man either has no social media presence, is from new york, or is from serbia.

 

another interesting detail is that their business address appears some sort of lakeside holiday home.

 

as for where to buy your key:

i'm of the opinion that if you bother buying a key, you buy it officially and legit, from the source.

[Jayparm]

4 minutes ago, manikyath said:

canned response:

 

they're probably keys that work, but if they're cheaper than microsoft's pricing by a notable margin, there's *something* fishy about the keys.

 

something fishy being:

- keys that are not suitable for retail sale (volume licensing keys, dreamspark keys, etc.)

- selling the same key multiple times (because they'll work to activate several times.. i assume that's a thing for office keys the same as windows keys)

- selling keys intended for a different region (keys for less wealthy regions are cheaper than those for more wealthy regions.)

- and past that we start to delve into the potential for minor crimes all the way to money laundering. because software keys apparently are *the* way to launder money these days.

 

in all of the above, none of that matters to you, what does matter to you is this:

- all of the above break the EULA, so you essentially cannot rely on MS to support you if there is ever problems.

- you have no certainty that the key you get was sold only to you, so there's always the chance the key will randomly bounce, at which point you have nothing.

- there is a moral consideration, because your money doesnt go to microsoft, you are essentially "privateering" the key. microsoft is rich enough that they wont feel it, but the only difference between one of these keys and software piracy is that you have plausible deniability.

 

analysing the site itself:

 

- claim to be a UK website / yet their listed address is in norway

- more than 15k satisfied customers banner up top.. is something so shady even chinese rebadge stores dont do that.

- their trustpilot reviews.. already hint at fishy #3: people reporting that the keys install as a different language (office is annoying AF to change language, for this reason)

- there's a fun crossover between WHOIS data and trustpilot reviews:

the domain was registered 09-2022

the first trustpilot review was 10-2022

the review reads this:

- read a few reviews: where? which platform? you're the first review on the website the store tells you to review at.

- i somehow dont believe this 'experience', it's that generic i'd believe the OP is a bot.

 

something that's not really tangiable evidence of much, but internet archive only has cached versions of this site going back a month.

 

the company itself:

it is listed in the norwegian business register, as a tutoring company, not a webstore. even if you disregard everything posted above, this in itself is probably the biggest AVOID i can post here.

 

i tried to google the name listed as the owner of the business, but conclusion is that this man either has no social media presence, is from new york, or is from serbia.

 

another interesting detail is that their business address appears some sort of lakeside holiday home.

 

as for where to buy your key:

i'm of the opinion that if you bother buying a key, you buy it officially and legit, from the source.

Wow that was a big reply, just quick read it. 

 

Thanks, yeah and I agree and then you have no problems but the price is high  

Would there be any way of getting it cheaper while still being from source?

[manikyath]

Just now, Jayparm said:

 

Thanks, yeah and I agree and then you have no problems but the price is high  

Would there be any way of getting it cheaper while still being from source?

nope. every alternative source is shady for the same reasons in the <canned response segment>. 

 

there's places like G2A and kinguin, but they suffer from the exact same problems, at least there you are somewhat sure you arent just throwing money into a void, i suppose.

 

but if you want your key to work, and want your key to work for an extended amount of time... buy it from microsoft. i'm still using my office 2007 box, and i'm happy with it.

[LogicalDrm]

On 5/22/2023 at 12:42 AM, Jayparm said:

Thanks, yeah and I agree and then you have no problems but the price is high  

Would there be any way of getting it cheaper while still being from source?

Does it absolutely have to be Office? Online version is free, but with limitations. Alternatives, like LibreOffice will work for most of your needs. For me the only thing I missed in LibreOffice vs MS Office was being able to make tables in spreadsheets.