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Microsoft License Verification Process??
Hi Experts,
I have been getting quite a few voice mails from a representative from Microsoft. I ignored them at first.
Now this person e-mailed me and wants to do a audit on our company and go over our licensing and have given me until December 2 to do it?
I did a quick google and others have received this as well, does anyone know anything about this, it doesn't seem legit. How can we just stop everything to comply we are a small company?
Here is the text, how can I verify this?
Hello Karen,
Further to my recent telephone call, the purpose of this email is to explain that Microsoft would like to engage with your organization for the purpose of a License Verification process. This process is designed to review the Microsoft software you have deployed, comparing that to your corresponding license documentation. We will also draw your attention to some key licensing topics and benefits such as the Office 365 information sheet attached. It highlights the risks of unknowingly using non-genuine Office software and the benefits of ‘going genuine’ with Office 365 via the cloud.
We also recommend that you refer to this website as it contains important information regarding software management policies, guidelines and procedures - http://www.microsoft.com/sam
Thank you, Karen
Thank you
I have been getting quite a few voice mails from a representative from Microsoft. I ignored them at first.
Now this person e-mailed me and wants to do a audit on our company and go over our licensing and have given me until December 2 to do it?
I did a quick google and others have received this as well, does anyone know anything about this, it doesn't seem legit. How can we just stop everything to comply we are a small company?
Here is the text, how can I verify this?
Hello Karen,
Further to my recent telephone call, the purpose of this email is to explain that Microsoft would like to engage with your organization for the purpose of a License Verification process. This process is designed to review the Microsoft software you have deployed, comparing that to your corresponding license documentation. We will also draw your attention to some key licensing topics and benefits such as the Office 365 information sheet attached. It highlights the risks of unknowingly using non-genuine Office software and the benefits of ‘going genuine’ with Office 365 via the cloud.
We also recommend that you refer to this website as it contains important information regarding software management policies, guidelines and procedures - http://www.microsoft.com/sam
Thank you, Karen
Thank you
Hovering over the website here, it is legitimate and Microsoft does audit companies.
Call the person back and determine the arrangements you need to make.
Call the person back and determine the arrangements you need to make.
I'd contact your MS rep, if you have one to confirm the validity or if you don't have a rep, you should be able to hook up with one in your area. The email may or may not be real, as David asks, having the sender's email address is helpful.
However, we have an EA agreement with MS as a company and reps that we work with every year to make sure we are licensed correctly. Still I get email after email that I think are real from MS partners that want to "help" us go through a SAM engagement (confirm our licenses) and mostly I ignore them because we're already working with a VAR. If you've never done a SAM type thing before and do not have an EA, this email may very well be real and you should probably work with MS to check out your licensing so you are compliant. But, as I said, confirm with MS before engaging with this person.
However, we have an EA agreement with MS as a company and reps that we work with every year to make sure we are licensed correctly. Still I get email after email that I think are real from MS partners that want to "help" us go through a SAM engagement (confirm our licenses) and mostly I ignore them because we're already working with a VAR. If you've never done a SAM type thing before and do not have an EA, this email may very well be real and you should probably work with MS to check out your licensing so you are compliant. But, as I said, confirm with MS before engaging with this person.
ASKER
thank you, how can I verify them and yes the person had a very strong accent. I ignored his calls because I could hardly understand him.
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Ask for them to contact you by U.S. Mail, on official Microsoft stationery, from Microsoft headquarters. Any telephone call is suspect these days. As an example, phone lines can be held open without your knowledge for up to 3 minutes after you hang up, causing what you think is a follow-up call to Microsoft to go right back to the criminals.
The website posted is entirely valid (Microsoft Software Asset Management).
So I would not wait long to call as you now have limited time in which to act.
So I would not wait long to call as you now have limited time in which to act.
This is an Office 365 Sales call. ALMOST CERTAINLY. You should contact Microsoft as suggested above - NOT through reply to or calling this person or any number THEY give you.
Since we got such a mail lately, please be aware that those mails are digitally signed with a MS certificate. Your mail program will show a flag of some kind when it's signed.
ASKER
We were able to contact Microsoft and confirmed it was legit but were also able to put this off to 2017. Thank you very much for your help. - Karen
Thanks for following up.
And this looks genuine
When you spoke with the person on the phone, did she sound like a person from India ?