San Francisco, Dec 9 (IANS): Tech giant Microsoft is reportedly offering a up to 50 per cent discount on its Office suite to some people who are using pirated versions.

"A new message in the Office ribbon bar is appearing on pirated Office apps, tempting people with a 50 per cent discount on a genuine Microsoft 365 subscription," citing Ghacks, The Verge reported on Thursday.

The message links to an official Microsoft website that claims "pirated software exposes your PC to security threats".

Microsoft warns Office pirates that they run the risk of running into viruses, malware, data loss, identify theft, and the inability to receive critical updates, the report said.

As per the tech website, the discount brings the price of a Microsoft 365 Family subscription down to $49.99 for the first year, or $34.99 for a year of Microsoft 365 Personal.

Ghacks notes users will need to sign in to their Microsoft account to see if they are eligible for the discount. Once a user verify the difference in the price, they may proceed to checkout to complete their purchase.