Accountants pay £47,000 over software
Watford-based accountancy firm, JSA Services Ltd, has agreed to pay £47,000 to the Business Software Alliance over use of copyright software on its company network.
JSA had confirmed that it did not have enough user licenses after a call had been made to the BSA’s confidential hotline. The BSA said the informant would collect a reward of £4,700 under its reward scheme.
A spokesman for JSA said: ‘As soon as JSA became aware of the issue it it entered into negotiations with the BSA to resolve the matter. The sum paid to BSA was the appropriate price for the shortfall in licences. There was no penalty element in the payment.’
Mike Newton, campaign relations manager for BSA UK said: ‘Companies which don’t have enough user licences or which make illegal copies of software run an ever-increasing risk of prosecution. BSA receives on average one lead every working day on UK organisations suspected to be using software unlawfully.
‘The damage can be huge, with defence or settlement of legal cases costing over £100,000. The cost to the company’s reputation is potentially even greater when the case becomes public knowledge.’
The BSA hotline is 0800 510 510 and its website is http://www.bsa.org/uk.