Microsoft plans to file more than 50 lawsuits worldwide against online merchants who allegedly peddle counterfeit software on popular auction sites.

The actions include 15 lawsuits in the U.S., 10 in Germany, 10 in the Netherlands, and five each in France and the United Kingdom, Microsoft said. Additional cases are being filed in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Korea and Poland, the company said.

“This is a worldwide enforcement against sellers of counterfeit software on online auction sites,” said Matt Lundy, a senior attorney at Microsoft. “We’re finding more and more that auction sites are becoming a popular way for counterfeiters to distribute counterfeit software to consumers.”

Posted: 11|17|06 at 9:34 am. Filed under: UK News.