More like digg.com

Just to confirm this hoax I called MS and got this responce:

"Thank you for contacting Microsoft Online Customer Service. I understand you wish to varify the web-site (http://www.powertogether.com/) as being a real or genuine Microsoft link or a phishing web-link. I realize the importance of your issue. The web-site link that you have forwarded is indeed a hoax. Unfortunately, there are many such hoaxes and frauds being sent through e-mail."

Pity - it was a nice idea

Here's what Office Watch says:

OFFICE 2007 FOR FREE?

Microsoft is offering free copies of Windows Vista and Office 2007 to people who watch some promotional videos - cool deal but there are the usual catches.

It's already too late for VISTA, all are GONE.

And GUESS WHAT, you get to pay INCOME TAX on it because it's more than $600 so they are sending a tax slip to the IRS. So it will cost you what $300 in TAX maybe.

I was tempted by this offer but never felt comfortable about the ambiquities in the details. My interest was in Office 2007, but I won't be returning to this web site, real or not.

Hm. Okay, MH's post seems to conflict a little with Coursedesign's. The latter suggests that this is a Microsoft-supported promotion in which Microsoft is being less than fair. The former suggests that Microsoft isn't involved in it at all.

If it is indeed a hoax, which I'm inclined to believe, it's rather disappointing that a site called "Office Watch" would be so quick to criticize Microsoft (on this point, anyhow) without doing some research. As we can see from MH's post, all it took was a quick e-mail to learn they're not even involved.

And if it's not a hoax, did the CS rep lie to MH or did MH lie to us? <g>

Rob

I don't expect to get the final truth about what a large company is doing from a customer service rep, because they are not usually kept informed about everything that is going on (and in a large company that may be impossible).

Certainty is hard to come by in these cases. I don't consider this case closed, other than for myself (I'm not sticking my nose in there... :O).

There have been similar hoaxes with just about every major software release by MS. My suspicion is that this is also one of them. Imagine, someone with an axe to grind against MS manages to create a lot of ill will for that company (not that they need external help for that).

Have there been any this elaborate? Most of the MS-directed hoaxes I've seen were little more than an e-mail forwared around that says, "Microsoft will pay you X dollars if you forward this to everyone you know."

Whoever put this one in motion (according to a whois look up, allegedly Philip Colebrook of London) went all out. I would not be surprised to see a lawsuit develop.

Y'know, if it is a hoax. ;-)

Rob

So, it wasn't a hoax, after all. Just another real bad joke from MS:

http://news.zdnet.com/Microsoft+reaches+limit+on+Vista,+Office+giveaway/2100-9595_22-6140100.html?part=netscape-zdnet&tag=mynetscape&subj=technews

I, like everyone else, tried, but was never able to get past the first screen. 30,000 copies in a day. Sounds like a cheap way to make millions of people mad at MS.

This is strange because I have it in writing from MS that this IS a hoax. See MS mail to me following.

MS Ref: RE:'RTCProd=013-890-223'

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Online Customer Service.

I understand you wish to varify the web-site (http://www.powertogether.com/) as being a real or genuine Microsoft link or a phishing web-link. I realize the importance of your issue.
The web-site link that you have forwarded is indeed a hoax. Unfortunately, there are many such hoaxes and frauds being sent through e-mail.

The link you forwarded is most likely a "phishing" attempt. Phishing is a type of deception designed to steal your money or your identity, by tricking you into disclosing information like credit card numbers, passwords, or other confidential personal information. Online scam artists do this by sending fake e-mail that appears to come from a source you would normally trust – like your bank or credit card company. As a general online practice, we strongly recommend that you do not respond to requests for personal information via e-mail.

The above link leads to a third-party Web site. Information at these sites may change without notice. Microsoft is not responsible for the content at any third-party Web sites and does not guarantee the accuracy of third-party information.

The Microsoft link for information on Windows Vista is available from the link below:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/

The Microsoft link for information on Office 2007 is available from the link below:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/default.aspx
For more information about phishing and how to help protect yourself and your PC, please visit:

http://www.microsoft.com/safety
http://www.microsoft.com/phishing
http://safety.msn.com/phishing

To help you identify e-mail hoaxes, here is some additional information:

- Microsoft does not send unsolicited e-mails or information that include attachments. If you ever receive an unsolicited e-mail with an attached executable claiming to be from Microsoft, it is best to delete it immediately.

- To verify that an e-mail message that claims to be from Microsoft is genuine, visit the following Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/verifymail

- If you have already opened the attachment, suspect that your system is infected, or want information about viruses, visit the following Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/

- For information about this and other hoaxes, visit the following Web sites:

http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/ (CIAC is the Computer Incident Advisory Capability, a United States Government organization.)

http://www.snopes.com

http://www.f-secure.com/virus-info/hoax/

Note: The links in this message may lead to third-party Web sites. Microsoft provides third-party resources to help you find customer service or technical support resources. Information at these sites may change without notice. Microsoft is not responsible for the content at any third-party Web sites and does not guarantee the accuracy of third-party information.

I hope the above information help you with your concern.

Thank you for using Microsoft products and services.

Sibir
Microsoft Online Customer Service Representative

If you have any feedback about your Online Customer Service experience, please e-mail my manager, Shirley Oommen Mookodil, at managers@microsoft.com