Microsoft scraps controversial anti-piracy programme

Microsoft has scrapped its an anti-piracy programme Office Genuine Advantage.

The programme checked whether customers were running legal copies of Office.

The Office Genuine Advantage program was designed to notify many customers around the world whether their copy of Microsoft Office was genuine. The program has served its purpose and thus we have decided to retire the program, a Microsoft spokeswoman said.

"Given our strong commitment to anti-piracy, we are making several new investments that will allow us to engage with customers and help victims of fraud," he added.

Last year Microsoft claimed that its anti-counterfeiting technologyprompted a six-fold rise in the number of consumers who have reported buying faked Microsoft software, the software firm said.