Original Windows 10 – key used already

[OneMoreFarang]

Recently I installed Windows 10 on a few PCs.

The owner bought PCs and Windows 10 Pro OEM licenses from a shop.

Basically the package looked like any other Windows 10 I saw before, except it was easy to open without destroying the seal or paper.

And when I tried to use it I saw a message similar to: this license was used already...

I suspect that someone opened that package to see the license key and they used or sold that key and then sold the resealed package to a customer.

That's just a guess but living in Thailand long enough I wouldn't be surprised if that is what happened.

Does anybody of you have similar experience or heard about this kind of scam?

(I told the owner and I let him handle this problem with the shop or MS or whatever)

 

 

 

[Pib]

Just to confirm, you said he bought several PCs...did he also buy an equal number of Windows licenses?   For example, say he bought 2 PCs...then he also bought 2 licenses.  

 

For an OEM license it can only be installed on one PC; not two or more.

[OneMoreFarang]

Just now, Pib said:

Just to confirm, you said he bought several PCs...did he also buy an equal number of Windows licenses?   For example, say he bought 2 PCs...then he also bought 2 licenses.  

 

For an OEM license it can only be installed on one PC; not two or more.

Yes, several PCs (Intel NUC) and several licenses. I saw the original packages (see picture above) for several licenses. The person who bought them told me he did not open the licenses before. So they should be brand new and unused.

[Pib]

Well, it should have worked.  Time to call/online chat with MS.  Over the last 15 years or so I've personally had two incidents where a Windows OS license would not activate.   I called MS on one license and did an online chat in another case....in both cases they issued me a new license number....good to go.     In one of those cases it was an OEM license and the other a full retail license.  In both cases I was the original purchaser of the licenses....purchased in the U.S.

 

But regarding could someone have opened the package, got the license number, and used it first?   Sure.  But I haven't seen on social media any threads saying such...not that I have really looked....however, there is always a thread somewhere on worldwide social media claiming this or that. 

 

I would contact MS first to see if you can get the licences activated with their assistance.   "In my past cases" I found them more than accommodating. 

 

If that fails, then it's time to go back to the store the licenses were bought at but that's probably going to be pissing in the wind exercise.

 

Good luck.

[ArnonK]

I suppose that licenses are Retail and Non-VL Licenses.

 

If those licenses were used already to activate Windows, there would be an HWID exist at MS Activation Center/Server and could not be activated again the normal way. The only way to come around that is to call to the related Activation Center and talk to them for to explain the problem. The user may need to provide some documents like Invoice etc. to MS for to get those Licenses back in order to use. 

 

Just the first step should be to go back to the Seller of that those Licenses and request a change to new an unused Licenses. Next step, if the seller didn't change or payback, is to file a report with the Police against that Seller. I would also inform the next BSA Office about that 'deal'!

[OneMoreFarang]

Thanks for your feedback.

 

I am pretty sure we will get that sorted with Microsoft. In my experience they activate it by phone after answering some questions. I had this some time ago with retail licenses which were used on old PCs then then later switched to new PCs. No problem for MS.

 

My idea for this thread is to check if other people, especially in Thailand, had the same experience. I see this problem the first time but mostly I buy from one trusted supplier. There might be a used license scam going on i.e. with some shops and maybe other forum users had the same problem. This is why I started this thread.

[ArnonK]

Years ago I bought an 'Upgrade' DVD for Windows 7 Ultimat from Acer Thailand for a Laptop which had XP Mediacenter running. That supposed Original was nothing more than a maybe pirated version of W7U with inserted 'Loader' for to autoactivate the OS with a bogus Product Key! TiT! I got back the money I paid for that 'Upgrade' DVD after offering a Report to the Police! 

 

Sellers, especial those who running an official business and service company and selling counterfeit or already used and activated software, should be reported to the government/police.  

Edited May 5, 2018 by ArnonK