Legitimate Offer?

[HighNoon]

Received email about the one year anniversy of Vista and as a participant in
the beta/rc1 program, that if I purchased a retail copy of Vista ultimate,
either from a retailer or by download, and activated it within a set time
period, I would be entitled to a free upgrade key for another Vista Ultimate
(must already have XP or Vista installed on that machine).

Purchasing the Ulitame is not the issue, the question relates to the site
where you claim the free upgrade, you have to enter the Product Id (not
serial number). It appears to be a Technet site, but easy enough to fake.
Again is this legitimate or a phishing activity to obtain Product ID?

 

[Jimmy Brush]

Can you post the site that asks for the product key?

 

[HighNoon]

The url is:
http://www.windowsvistaevalcomp.com/?wa=wsignin1.0

What makes me suspect about the site is quite often there is .NET error when
you try to access it, may have to try several times.

 

[HighNoon]

Thanks for your response

While they are not solicating the purchase of anything from them, can be any
retailer or download, the business about providing the Product ID sounds
somewhat suspect.

 

[BChat]

I went to the site, signed in, and was re-directed to this site - never got
there. Who knows???


https://login.live.com/ppsecure/pos...&lc=1033&cb=lcid=1033&id=252567&bk=1198360341





Thanks for your response

While they are not solicating the purchase of anything from them, can be any
retailer or download, the business about providing the Product ID sounds
somewhat suspect.

 

[Jimmy Brush]

This is a legitimate offer. See:

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2587776&SiteID=17

 

[HighNoon]

Thanks greatly for your time. It has been a great help. Your link has just
about convinced me that it is legitimate offer.

I was interested because I am planning on build new machine after first of
year - shooting for 5.9 rating>) Currently have Vista Business on this
machine. Thought if legitimate offer, it would be a good way to end up with
Ultimate on both machines, new Ultimate on new machine and upgrade this
machine to Ultimate. Since I can get full Ultimate from one of the better
known online retailers for $319 plus free shipping, the prorated cost per
machine would be $160 which is less than the OEM price with its restrictions.

 

[BChat]

Good Luck with the offer AND the new machine.


BChat

Thanks greatly for your time. It has been a great help. Your link has just
about convinced me that it is legitimate offer.

I was interested because I am planning on build new machine after first of
year - shooting for 5.9 rating>) Currently have Vista Business on this
machine. Thought if legitimate offer, it would be a good way to end up with
Ultimate on both machines, new Ultimate on new machine and upgrade this
machine to Ultimate. Since I can get full Ultimate from one of the better
known online retailers for $319 plus free shipping, the prorated cost per
machine would be $160 which is less than the OEM price with its
restrictions.

 

[DP]

I note that when I try the link Bchat's message, it shows a padlock icon in
the address bar next to "Microsoft Corp." and says it was "identified by
Verisign." I don't know if it's possible to spoof that.

However, if I go to the link in HighNoon's message, I don't get the padlock.
http://login.live.com/login.srf?wa=...?wa=wsignin1.0&lc=1033&cb=lcid=1033&id=252567

 

[HighNoon]

I have found that Microsoft does some strange things. They often offer free
copies of some of their software as promotions. So far I have received the
following free items by participating in some of their promos:
1) Vista Business on another machine - during the RC1 time period, if you
watched 3 webcasts - you qualified for free copy of Vista Business - this
went quick as it was limited to first 100,000
2) Office 2007 Professional - same as above, also free copy by attending one
of their free "rollout" tour events in Dallas
3) Visual Studio Standard - watched 3 webcasts.

Currently signed up to receive free copy of Vista Ultimate - all I had to do
was allow MS to monitor activity and receive useage info on that machine for
90 days plus complete a 5 minute survey periodically. While I normally do not
like to have things reported back, the machine I used to sign up on is a
"play" machine so do not care what is reported back on it. I chose Vista
Ultimate as my bonus for participating, but there were others available such
as the super-duper version of Office (whatever it is called)

These items were not trials or oem versions, but full versions.