Adobe Revoking License

[AdobeSTOLEmy_software]

Adobe revoked my license after 6 years of use because it is saying I did not buy it legally.  They now want me to find a receipt from 6 years ago, even though I have the software and box, before they will help.  Adobe has cost days of work and stolen from me.  If this is also happening to you, make sure Adobe knows their policy (business marketing decision) is wrong and should be illegal.  They are more than willing to give me a discount on a new subscription to Adobe DC.  Social media should hear all about this!  BAD ADOBE!!!

[John T Smith]

Invalid Serial Number https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2359923

-and revoked volume number https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2477259

-Problems with software validation https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2273259

-Warning that software is not genuine http://www.adobe.com/genuine.html

[AdobeSTOLEmy_software]

Obvious scripted answers.  I know, since I was on the phone with India for over 2 hours.  They were apologetic yet ended up giving the same garbage response.  Adobe STOLE software that I owned legally and have used for years and then are ransoming me to buy a "subscription" to their new service.  How could you possibly think your response was helpful?  If you want to help, publicly announce that Adobe is going to make this right without stupid expectations from it's customers.  Show me a receipt for the computer you bought 7 years ago, let alone software you bought for that ancient computer.  Adobe is using a marketing campaign to get users, LEGAL USERS!, to jump through hoops that almost nobody could in a real world.  Google adobe license revoke.  Please respond with real things that will help.  And see what Facebook and twitter is talking about.  Pirate software needs to be gotten rid of, I agree.  This is owned software bought through a partner of Adobe, Insight.  MANY small people like myself are being forced to deal with this issue since Adobe enacted this horrible business practice.  ADOBE! needs to make this right and stop attacking it's end users.  Expecting us to bear the burden of proof is unrealistic and they know it.  How about Adobe pony up and show me how my serial number is not legal?  Did I mention this is impacting a law office?  Not that that matters.  I'm sure many people are being attacked like this that just make PDF's out of old invoices or whatever their need.  Now, they are told their spent money is pointless.  Pay more to get "legal".  If you must respond, please respond with something helpful.  Myself, and I am sure many others have already looked at all the links.  Convince support to make our license valid again.  We aren't criminals.  We are customers!  Try some old fashioned good customer support.

[try67]

I agree the response above was not very helpful, but you need to understand that almost all the people responding here don't actually work or represent Adobe and therefore don't have access to your records, so we can't really help you with this issue.

I'll bring this post to the attention of some Adobe Staff on the forum and hopefully one of them will reach out to you and help you get this issue sorted...

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

AdobeSTOLEmy software, I am sorry to hear that you are facing problems retrieving your serial number for Acrobat.  What version of Acrobat are you attempting to install?  What is the specific error message that you received while installing Acrobat and on which operating system?

[AdobeSTOLEmy_software]

This for Acrobat XI.  Adobe is saying my license is not valid.  I get the error message license revoked.  After a 2 hour call with Adobe India, I was told there was nothing further to do but buy a new subscription.  My software is legal, my license number was valid.  I am being blackmailed by Adobe to spend more money or suffer.  It is horribly unfair and terrible business practice.

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Thanks for the update, AdobeSTOLEmy software.  Do you have a case number from your interaction with our support team that I can review?  Information on how to locate your previous support cases can be found at View Adobe Support cases .

[AdobeSTOLEmy_software]

- Case number: ADB-5121740-H0P0

On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 12:17 PM Jeff A Wright <forums_noreply@adobe.com>

[Jeffrey_A_Wright · Accepted solution]

Thank you, AdobeSTOLEmy software.  It appears case ADB-5121740-H0P0 is still open and pending your response. 

I reviewed the serial number you offered in support case ADB-5121250-X2S8 and can confirm that the serial number for Acrobat 11 Professional was flagged for piracy.  The serial number itself was a volume license serial number that was not designed to be resold to individuals.

I am sorry, AdobeSTOLEmy software that this occurred to you.  If you do decide to proceed with the process listed in Invalid or revoked serial numbers, then please make sure to include any details you have regarding the organization/reseller you purchased Acrobat 11 Professional from.  

[AdobeSTOLEmy_software]

They are requesting I find my receipt from 6 years ago for the software.

Impossible task.

On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 2:47 PM Jeff A Wright <forums_noreply@adobe.com>

[try67]

Why is it an impossible task? If this software belongs to a law office surely they have an accounting department that is in charge of keeping records of such things? I think that for tax purposes alone you are obliged to keep it for more than that, even.

Even a private person would likely keep some record of a purchase of something that expensive if it's important to them.

Do you at least know who it was purchased from? Was it ever registered with Adobe?

[Dov Isaacs]

To provide a bit more context, Adobe does market its products both for individual use as well as volume licenses for use strictly within an organization which purchases such volume licenses.

Volume licenses cannot legally be unbundled and sold to individuals. Unfortunately, there are numerous unethical (to put it mildly) individuals and organizations that do just that. They buy or steal a volume license and then “resell” that volume serial number with either copied disks or by providing a download link for the software. And ironically, you cannot always tell such a “deal” by a too-good-to-be-true price. Such software is often priced low enough to be attractive but not too low to attract suspicions. And unfortunately, it is all too easy for a counterfeiter to provide a box and disk that looks like the real thing. When Adobe encounters such unbundling (based on use of particular serial numbers), the serial numbers associated with such licenses are revoked.

In addition to what may be available to you via the link that Jeff provided in his response, you may wish to pursue the vendor of that software (assuming that they are still in “business”) for a refund. If it was an eBay or Amazon Market vendor, you may have recourse via either eBay or Amazon respectively.

          - Dov

[ruengere]

I had the same experience even though I sent Adobe my invoice for the Photoshop & Acrobat products that I had purchased as a faculty member of the University of Wisconsin and currently have emeritus status.  

Your Adobe Case ADB-9083176-P9Z2

They are stealing the legally purchased products under the guise of claiming "pirated" software.

Can we get a class action lawsuit?  I plan to file a complaint with the Consumer Complaint | Wisconsin Department of Justice.

[Ahistory]

I think something like this may have happened to me this morning. I bought Photoshop Elements in April 2015 (not a subscription) and today (over 4 years on) I cannot access it. I have to sign up for a new trial period or buy. There was no warning or explanation. I am in the UK.

[RandomUsernameRandom]

This same thing just happened to me, but for the entire Master Collection CS6. I contacted support back then explicitly to verify if the license was genuine and it was confirmed to be so. I probably still have screenshots of this. It will take me a few months to find them probably, then I will sue Adobe for this. Their confirmation made it impossible for me to pursue action against the supposedly fraudulent seller, so this is on Adobe.

If you are going to do a Class Action Lawsuit, I'm in on it, if possible. I'm in Germany however, I'm not sure if there are restrictions on it being international.

[sprinkle@uidaho.edu]

I am a faculty member at the University of Idaho and had the same thing happen. I have a legitimate receipt for when my Adobe DC Pro Version 12 was purchased from our University software provider. It was installed on my new computer prioor to receiving it. If you have a receipt the Adobe response is the same as if you don't. Without my knowledge, Adobe revoked my serial number in 2019 shortly before I upgraded to Windows 10. Apparently, they don't want to honor their software customers and want to scam us into a monthly subscription of Adobe. When I tried to reinstall my version of Adobe after the Windows 10 upgrade, I got the message about the revoked serial number. I tried Customer Support and after several hours, all I heard was "Pirated, Pirated, Pirated", which was absolutely not true. I talked to another person in our community who bought boxed Adobe products and had the same thing happen.

[Nancy OShea]

I'm sorry but unless you purchased directly from Adobe, you have no way of knowing what's pirated and what's not pirated.  The fakes were every bit as real looking as the legit copies.  Even experts couldn't tell them apart.  I think it's fair to say that you and a lot of other people got ripped off by whoever supplied you with the license.  When Adobe discovered the violation, they did what any software maker would do and revoked the pirated license to stop further abuse. 

Best advice, get a student/teacher plan directly from Adobe.  If possible, avoid using a middle man.

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Beware of fake Adobe reps offering to sell you software or gain remote access to your computer.  It's a scam.  Run away!

[Jeremy5C1C]

My suggestion to everyone is to tell adobe to go jump in the lake and use other software. I got the same error message telling me that my legally purchased copy of acrobat 11 was not valid. I for one am done with adobe period personally and professionally which has saved my company over $40,000 a year in extortion fees. Both my company and I have moved to Kofax which is just as good at much less cost. I also move to Corel draw several years ago and have never regretted it. So, so long adobe we don't need you and your sorry business practices.

[Andrew5E76]

Just recieved the "your adobe software is not genuine" and rang the number. Call centre in India told me that if I bought my software from any unathorised reseller it is illegal. So if you purchased a boxed copy that a previous person had never used, on ebay, it would be illegal. Even if the license was legal at some point, as soon as a non authorised reseller sells it, it becomes ilegal. THIS IS A SCAM by adobe to get people to sign up to the cloud service. They are using very dubious techniques to revoke "valid" licenses. I believe this activity is wrong and in itself ilegal. I also believe if anyone did challenge it in the courts, Adobe would lose. My advice, class action law suit - I also think we should find alternative products to use. Problem is, Adobe has bought up the competition, giving them a monopoly, which allows them to act in such a discusting manner. Maybe we need to get the European Parliment so sort this out.

[Nancy OShea]

Nobody in their right mind buys "new" software on e-Bay.  It's a den of pirates, thieves and counterfeit copies.  I'm sorry to say this but you and your computer deserve whatever happens (identity / credit theft, trojans, malware, ransom ware, etc...)  The risks are too high and the rewards too low for this to be considered for even one second.

If you want to buy used software, you and the current owner must submit a transfer of license form to Adobe first. Educational and OEM versions are not eligible.

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/transfer-product-license.html

Transferring ownership allows the buyer to ensure the license is legitimate BEFORE they purchase.  If you bought used software and didn't follow these procedures, Adobe can't help you. 

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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! Creative Suite has not been sold since 2017.  It's not legally sold by any vendor, retailer or country. 
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3 Easy Ways to Identify Genuine Adobe Staff
https://tinyurl.com/10791730