Ian Field wrote:

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Counterfeiting is less jail time than drug running - electronic component
isn't the only thing affected.

Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fashion, electronics - I can't think of
anything
that isn't.

A few years back; a reputable supplier got lumbered with hundreds of
thousands of state of the art CPUs that turned out to be all package and
no
silicon.

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** My colleague Rod Elliot ( of ESP ) and I spent considerable time
investigating numerous fake transistors that were being sold over the
counter here in Australia. Initially it was Motorola MJ15003s & MJ15004s
used in amplifier kits and sold folk doing repairs.

I first saw examples back in 1980 from "Dick Smith Electronics" - who sold
thousands of counterfeits that way - some to me. And again in 2000,
purchased from a different source. The internet was put to good use by me
and a friend to embarrass the company out of continuing.

DSE is no longer in business and so too are a couple of others that
imported and sold fakes - however they are still on open sale here and all
over eBay.

This article was prepared from information gleaned by myself and Rod.

http://sound.whsites.net/fake/counterfeit-p1.htm

http://sound.whsites.net/counterfeit.htm

For a long time now, it has not been safe to buy power BJTs from ANY small
supplier or on line dealer - cos their stock consists MOSTLY of fakes.


Big trusted suppliers get stung too.


** Responsible companies ( like Farnell, Digikey and RS Components ) make sure that all stock is traceable back to the factories that made them.

Semiconductor makers have networks of authorised dealers in each country and advise that you must buy from one of them to be certain you are getting genuine stuff.

Businesses who's semiconductor stock is full of fakes have no idea where any of it really came from and don't give a damn.

Grey market semiconductor dealers find Ebay accommodates them happily.


..... Phil

..... Phil