E-bay has been charged with selling counterfeit products by the SIIA (Software & Information Industry Association), according to a news report in the Washington Post. The SIIA has filed eight new lawsuits against e-bay, adding to the nine lawsuits filed this February. In all, the SIIA has filed more than 25 lawsuits against eBay sellers in the last two years and consequently, has reached many settlements. A few recent lawsuits were filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of Adobe Systems. It accused eBay sellers in Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Florida and Arizona of illegally selling copies of Adobe PhotoShop CS3 and other software properties.

eBay has been often approached by trade groups for cutting down on the sale of counterfeit software products and has also been asked to end ‘one-day and buy-it-now’ auctions of software by the SIIA. However, eBay has rejected their claims and suggestions. It’s estimated by SIIA that about 90 per cent of software sold on eBay are illegal. When SIIA files lawsuits against an eBay seller, the trade group runs a periodic plan wherein customers who have purchased counterfeit software can turn it in for a rebate.