Legal CS6 educational version got revoked, is it safe to purchase subscription on cs chatboard?

[ChristinaWoo]

I would like to know if there is another user's CS6 serial number has been invoked because of using it in different region. And is it safe to purchase the subscription with the customer service on chatboard?

I was a student in an Adobe authorized IT school to study CS6 design and creative suite for building website at 2012 in East Asia Pacific area. I got the Adobe's offical certificate from this school after studying this expensive course. As it is an authorized school partnering with Adobe, they offered a legal version of CS6 free of charge (of course the price has been added in the course fee) for every student.  We needed to submit our proof of study as a student for this school to East Asia Pacific Adobe and claim a serial number for this education CS6 version from Adobe. I have no reason to question this school will buy their copy from illegal way as they are partnering with Adobe to provide course for over 15 years now, even nowaday they are still providing courses for up to date creative cloud version. 

5 days ago I suddenly got a pop up on my desktop,  without a close button,  said my serial number is invalid and will not be able to use in 5 days. I think i got hacked. I checked my anti-virus software (legal purchased version), it said my computer is fine. So when next day I saw the same pop up but the count down said 4 days left, I take my chance to click the learn more button on that pop up.  Then it linked to Adobe. 

I contacted customer service and want to know which software has this serial number problem,  as I know all my software is a legal purchased and legal copy. At that time I still think is it some hacker get to my computer and cause that problem. But after I talked with them, they told me my serial number is invoked. 

I asked the reason. They said it maybe the school bought those education version in a illegal reseller. I said it is impossible. They asked me to provide the invoice,  which is my class' invoice in a paper format 12 years ago. They knew I won't be able to give them an invoice so said they can't do anything about it and ask me to purchase the subscription version instead.

I had the long distance call with school that night and they said it is impossible the copy has problem.  And if I need a reprint record,  they are happy to provide it if I can bring my ID and a reprint fee to them. I don't blame them charge me as it is a 12 years ago record, I'm lucky they still have my school record. 

Before I paid that, I want to make sure if I provide the invoice can I really get my legal version CS6 back. I also look up my old emails, I found out the serial number was provided by Adobe. So I contacted customer service again.

This time they said even I can provide the invoice,  I won't be able to use it. Their new reason is, my school copy is East Asia Pacific region version,  I can't use it in USA.  

Lucky I didn't pay for reprint that invoice yet....and they keep asking me to provide billing address to purchase the subscription version.  

I didn't have my installation package with me anymore.  I downloaded the installation files from adobe website when I bought a new computer in USA, and with the help from Adobe support, they help me install it on my window 10 new computer.  So the installer file are provided by Adobe as well. That was around 4 years ago, no one told me I can't use it in USA. 

And suddenly,  just 5 days notification,  I can't use my legal copy again. No one let me know I can't use it in USA, no warning at all. As a school copy, who will ask the school if I can use this software oversea? It is an super old product,  no updates, but good fit for my hobby use. It supposed to be a lifetime product if your computer still supports it. Well, I have to no way to proof they have small prints on limitation for region use,  just I can just trust their words they said it is a region limited version.  They even didn't let me keep this software to use in East Asia Pacific region. Just invoked the serial number that Adobe east Asia Pacific  gave me. No refund at all. My friends told me I should look for a lawyer. 

I want to say, I'm really disappointed on this big company 😔 I always bought legal version software for my computer. Adobe subscription is good for commercial use to keep all things up-to-date,  but for us these old school home users? Cs6 is our last version that can buy off to use on our own time, their simple functions are good enough for our home use. We don't use it daily but with the subscription,  we need to pay daily.  Soon or later all the Adobe user will become commercial user only, as that is the price that only a company can afford it. We can't have a tax deductible for this software but a company can do it. As a hobby, it is an expensive hobby.

Can Adobe release one version that we can buy off for lifetime again? Like Microsoft Office after they found out the 360 version makes them lost a lot of customers,  they released a home and student use version,  no need to pay subscription.  

Right now if I want to keep my simple website updating,  I need to purchase the subscription. I already paid for my hosting for this year,  so before i found other replacement software,  i need Photoshop and Dreamweaver.  Is it safe to purchase it by customer service? They keep asking me give them the billing address on the chat board...

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

Legacy CS6 is 12+ years old.  I'm guessing you've exceeded your activation limit and the software license was dependant upon you being enrolled in a training course; it was not a forever license.

Do not purchase software from untrusted sources.  Whenever possible, buy directly from Adobe or a certified reseller in your region who is authorized by Adobe.  The Internet is filled with pirates and malware infected products.  Buyer beware.  See links below for reputable sources.

https://adobe.my.salesforce-sites.com/PartnerSearch?

FREE Acrobat Reader -- view, comment & print PDF.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/pdf-reader.html

Paid Acrobat Pro DC -- the complete solution for creating and saving PDF.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/acrobat-pro.html

Photoshop Elements or Premiere Elements (no subscription needed).
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html

Creative Cloud Photography Plan (approx $10/month for 12 months). Includes the following:

• Photoshop CC and Photoshop on iPad
• Camera Raw
• Lightroom on desktop, mobile and the web
• Lightroom Classic
• Portfolio website + hosting
• Adobe Express (free starter plan)
• Bridge
• 20 GB cloud storage (upgradable to 1 TB).
• Free upgrades for paid subscribers

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Premium Adobe Express ($10/month). Mobile & web-based graphics & video apps for social media content creators.
https://helpx.adobe.com/express/using/express-overview.html

Creative Cloud Apps (20 + pro apps & services) and Single App Plans
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

Hope that helps.

[Moderator moved this topic from Using the Community forums to Account, Payment & Plans.]

[Nancy OShea]

Beware of fake Adobe reps who may contact you privately offering to sell you software or take control of your computer. It's a scam, run away! Real Adobe employees will never reach out via Outlook, Yahoo, Gmail or Skype.
=============
3 Easy Ways to Identify Genuine Adobe Staff
https://tinyurl.com/10791730

[kglad]

please don't post duplicate threads. you can see you're going to repeat information you've already posted elsewhere.

[ChristinaWoo]

@kglad Please check my subject line, my MAIN purpose of this post is asking the community, is it safe to purchase the subscription through customer support chat board.  As not everyone know why I need to ask that, I should tell my whole story so they will know why I ask this question and give me the correct answer.  I think you are the only one who knows my story as we have conversation on someone else post.

So do you think it is safe to purchase the subscription on the customer service chatboard? If you know the answer,  please let me know. I didn't purchase subscription before so I'm not sure how to do it and what kind of sensitive information I can give on the chatboard.  As people always said, don't give out sensitive information on the chatboard, so I hope the community who purchased from customer service chatboard before can tell me what's the steps to purchase it and I can compare what the customer service tells me, so I will know it is a trusted way to do the payment or not. 

[kglad]

yes, it's safe to purchase via adobe support.

but you can also purchase via adobe's website, https://creative.adobe.com/plans

[ChristinaWoo]

@Kevin Stohlmeyer Are you sure 12 years ago, education version was only for student one year use only? As at that period, we all needed our student ID to submit to adobe at that time to get the cs6 serial number from adobe for education version, no time limit like nowaday(subscription version ask you to submit a proof of student every year), as it is an one off buy out product, we never get a request from adobe to ask us submit student proof again.  Just like our old Microsoft office software,  once you bought the full version student version (not nowaday's subscription one), you can use it at home for non commercial use as long as your computer operation system supports it. As your one off product won't upgrade like nowaday subscription one, there is no meaning to request you stay as a student to use it.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@ChristinaWoo it was never for one-year use but you did have to validate your status when purchasing. I've never gotten confirmation from Adobe but my suspicion is if you have 12-year old student software, being purchased in another region, etc. etc. could have raised flags. As of yet, Adobe has not ended the activation servers but they are not releasing/restting/adding license key installs to existing CS software.