generating windows 10 product key reddit

Beyond the column, he wrote about everything from Windows to tech travel tips. He founded PCWorld's 'World Beyond Windows' column, which covered the latest developments in open-source operating systems like Linux and Chrome OS. He also wrote the USA's most-saved article of 2021, according to Pocket.Ĭhris was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Beyond the web, his work has appeared in the print edition of The New York Times (September 9, 2019) and in PCWorld's print magazines, specifically in the August 2013 and July 2013 editions, where his story was on the cover. With over a decade of writing experience in the field of technology, Chris has written for a variety of publications including The New York Times, Reader's Digest, IDG's PCWorld, Digital Trends, and MakeUseOf. Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times-and that's just here at How-To Geek. An especially bad website might even steal the credit card number you use to buy the key and use it to start the credit card fraud game anew.Ĭhris Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. On really sketchy websites, you may just be purchasing a completely fake key or an already-known key that was used to pirate Windows on multiple systems that has been blocked by Microsoft. Other keys may be 'volume license' keys, which are not supposed to be resold individually. Some keys may be education keys intended for students but obtained fraudulently. When the credit cards are reported as stolen and the chargebacks occur, Microsoft deactivates the keys, and those Windows installations are no longer activated-but the criminal gets away with the money people paid for them. A criminal acquires some credit card numbers, purchases a bunch of Windows keys online, and sells them through third-party websites at a cut rate. Other keys could have been purchased with stolen credit card numbers.

For example, Windows keys were once much cheaper in China. They may be legitimate, but they were sold for cheaper in other countries. These are referred to as 'gray market' keys. Some of these keys just come from other countries where Windows licenses are cheaper.

Generating windows 10 product key reddit