Joint Effort Stops ALLDATA Software Pirate

ALLDATA LLC, the leading provider of manufacturers’ automotive repair information and solutions for the professional automotive service and collision repair industries, announced the successful arrest and prosecution of a software counterfeiting operation. The company has a long-standing program dedicated to tracking down illegal sales of ALLDATA products, an effort which routinely results in prosecution.

In the most recent case, William Edwin White, III, was arrested in December 2012, following a five-month investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff Department and Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. The two law enforcement agencies worked with the ALLDATA Antipiracy team to investigate the illegally copied ALLDATA products that White had advertised for sale.

“We aggressively pursue software piracy,” said ALLDATA President Jeff Lagges. “It’s theft, and it hurts our customers by driving up costs. But it’s not the same as downloading a pirated song—it’s potentially a consumer safety issue because counterfeiters don’t care if the information is correct. We do care, because incorrect information should never be used to repair vehicles. People who don’t realize they bought pirated software often call us to complain that the product isn’t working correctly, which is why it’s so important to purchase ALLDATA Repair through our sales team or our company website.”

ALLDATA licenses vehicle repair, diagnostic and maintenance information directly from manufacturers and provides it to customers through a secure, Web-based portal. “Manufacturers often add, remove and change information,” said Lagges. “Offering our products through online subscriptions allows us to get changes to our customers quickly. So buying counterfeit ALLDATA products not only wastes money, it’s a risky business that we’re working hard to stop.”

Following the investigation and December arrest, White was found guilty, sentenced and ordered to pay restitution to ALLDATA.