[SOLVED] Are eBay Windows 10 and Office keys legitimate?

[jtsnyder]

I'm looking to build myself a brand new PC and naturally I came across the listings on eBay for both Windows 10 and Microsoft Office. They are super cheap, but I am questioning the legality/legitimacy/usability of them for that price. Will these work, are they safe to use or will the provider have access to anything, and am I legally on the hook for any issues? Should I use them or stay away?

Examples:

• Office (link 1, link 2, link 3)
• Win10 (link 1, link 2, link 3)

 

[USAFRet]

Are eBay Windows 10 and Office keys legitimate?

No.

 

[USAFRet]

Would you be asking the same if you saw 32GB DDR4 RAM for $10?
No.

You'd run away laughing, knowing it was a scam.
Licensed software is no different.

 

[punkncat]

Put simply, they are grey market keys. They come from various means and Microsoft will actively track sellers down and shut them down, which is why you typically don't see that same username before or after. In some cases the key is actually good long term and in others they can be enterprise keys that go unregistered a short while after purchase, if they work at all.

In my own opinion and for long term support you are FAR better off purchasing your key from a licensed reseller or Microsoft direct.