Unfortunately, there are a number of High Quality Counterfeit versions selling on the Internet today, and some would even fool professionals! While these appear to be legitimate products, they are not - often originating in China and bought cheaply then resold in the UK as genuine - they not only deprive genuine resellers, but for you, the customer, they can be a nightmare and a waste of your hard earned money, and contain viruses and other malware which can compromise your computer system.

They will install, and often, do not require activation, as genuine products do. After activation, and as part of normal updates, (even on non activated counterfeits)your PC will download the Office Genuine Advantage Tool from Microsoft - this will result in messages on your screen, telling you that you do not have Genuine Microsoft Office

After installation, the product, if HELP - ABOUT is selected on Outlook, it will say OUTLOOK 2007 PART OF MICROSOFT OFFICE PROFESSIONAL PLUS 2007 or PART OF MICROSOFT OFFICE ENTERPRISE 2007, instead of the correct Part of Office Professional 2007.

So, how can the average person tell? Below is the only method currently of identifying, before purchase, a Genuine Product - the "Certificate of Authenticity", which is on the top of every retail box.

Below is a Genuine CoA from Office Professional 2007, Retail Box, Full Commercial License

Things to look for: Office Professional 2007 CoA - Part Number, or SKU should be 269-10342 for version intended for use in the UK. Item should say "Office Pro 2007 Win32 English Intl Not To US CD". To the left of the CoA Label, is a hole, with a silver foil strip running through it. The strip itself should have red writing on it, "OUR PASSION", and should appear to run ALL the way through the label width, as above. The hole that the silver strip runs through is there by design, and should be very irregular, with feathered edges, almost like its been torn out, rather than cut out. The package is usually fully shrinkwrapped.

Below is a Genuine CoA from Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007, Full Retail Box, Commercial License

Things to look for: Office Ultimate 2007 CoA - Part Number, or SKU should be 76H-00049 for version intended for use in the UK. Item should say "Office Ultimate 2007 Win32 English Intl Not To US DVD". To the left of the CoA Label, is a hole, with a silver foil strip running through it. The strip itself should have red writing on it, "OUR PASSION", and should appear to run ALL the way through the label width, as above. The hole that the silver strip runs through is there by design, and should be very irregular, with feathered edges, almost like its been torn out, rather than cut out. The package is usually fully shrink wrapped.

SPOTTING THE FAKES:

There are usually several "indicators" of the fake items - Silver strip running through CoA only appears through the hole, not showing under the hole either side to the edges of the label - the hole itself appears to be cut out, and has clean edges, almost as if a scalpel has been used to make the hole. Errors in text on label may be present - In the case below, although it is a UK Part Number, Origin Ireland, it says "Office Pro 2007 Win32 English US On" instead of Office Pro 2007 Win32 English Intl Not To US CD

Another counterfeit, this time, MADE IN SINGAPORE, same issues with the CoA strip and hole

And another: Part number is 269-11094 (correct part number for US VERSION) but text says "Office Pro 2007 Win32 English Intl Not to US CD" and the same indicators exist with regards the silver strip and hole