Is it a legit CS5 or CS6?

[monkeybliz]

Hi guys. I'd like to buy a Photoshop CS5 or CS6 for Windows from eBay.

There are several offers there currently, but something in description makes me feel a bit nervous:

First, these products are not sealed.

Second, sellers claim that it's a standalone version that can't be registered and it has internal license which will be automatically applied during installation.

Here are this listings:

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended Full Version | eBay

Adobe Photoshop CS6 Extended | eBay

Both listings ended, but there are still others very similar.

So I wonder what does it mean a "standalone version"? Is it a pirated software? If it can't be technically registered does this mean it uses some random S/N or Key that was already used previously many times?

In other words is it a legitimate item or probably not?

What do you think?

Thanks!

[Bani Verma]

Hi Sergey,

Adobe is no longer selling any Creative Suite products directly.

However if you want to purchase CS 6 i would recommend you to please find an Adobe Authorized re-seller from the following link: Find an Adobe reseller

Let us know if this helps.

Regards,

Bani Saini

[monkeybliz]

Bani,

Thank you for your reply, but it doesn't help since all of your eight US retailers (including online retailers) sell only current Adobe products and CC plans. I checked all of them.

But I guess you should have some data on products which you were selling directly or your resellers were. I mean exactly one product - Photoshop CS5 or CS6. Extended or not. Doesn't matter. Please could you post here your opinion or maybe some information about such listings on eBay.

Again my question was about that particular listings on eBay or similar ones. I wonder what does it mean a "standalone version which can't be registered, but can be automatically activated"? As far as I remember Adobe only sold Photoshop CS5/6 in US which required online activation, right? Then how is it possible they sell standalone versions which can't be registered? Is is pirated or counterfeit? Or what? I hope my question is simple and clear.

[Bani Verma · Accepted solution]

Standalone version means the products that are purchased outright and are not subscription products.

Adobe product needs to be registered under your Adobe ID account in order to Activate it.

eBay is not an Authorized re-seller of Adobe hence we cannot say if these products are pirated or counterfeit.

Please refer to the following links as well :

Adobe Genuine software | Adobe

FAQ | Adobe Genuine software

Protect Yourself From Pirated and Counterfeit Software | Photoshop Blog by Adobe

Regards,

Bani Saini

[monkeybliz]

Ok, thank you.

eBay doesn't sell anything. It provides a platform which can be used by sellers all over the world.

I see eBay has a policy regarding pirated or counterfeit items:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/replica-counterfeit.html

So I guess either that Photoshop standalone software is legit or eBay doesn't know what is being sold there. So at least if I buy a software I'll be able to check.

Anyway it's really interesting that on one hand "Adobe product needs to be registered under your Adobe ID account in order to Activate it" and on the other hand that sellers claim that it will be activated automatically during installation.

[John T Smith]

>sellers claim that it will be activated automatically during installation

That is a 100% indication of HACKED software, since Adobe has NEVER offered a version that "self activates" like that

As far as eBay and fraud... eBay has no way to know what is valid or not until someone REPORTS fraud... so if you see items that claim "self activation" you need to report to eBay