With the return of tight component supply has come the problem of counterfeit ICs, with desperate manufacturers, short of product, being exploited by fraudsters. Christos Papakyriacou, managing director of distribution firm Alpha Micro Components (UK) has warned the industry that some counterfeit components are so credible they are not exposed until actually assembled on a PCB.
"The increase in demand for electronic components goes hand-in-hand with the increase in counterfeit components, as firms drop their guard, or are in too much of a hurry," stated Papakyriacou. "Component manufacturers have tried to prevent counterfeiting through strategically placed logos, alphanumeric marks and bar codes, only to have these markings reproduced on substandard components and sold as original equipment."
Papakyriacou suggested a six-point plan to avoid getting defrauded: when buying from China, use only trusted sources; do not pay up-front unless you are 100-percent confident in the supplier; build relationships with trustworthy suppliers; ask for trade and financial references from suppliers you do not know; categorize suppliers as A-list, B-list, C-list or D-list, fast-tracking goods from A-list and putting stringent checks on goods from D-list firms; and walk away from any deal if you are nervous.
Buyers ahould also watch out for any tube of components with different dates codes and batch numbers; and any batch of components that appear to be different in color and any marking around the trademark or serial code, which may indicate that the original markings have been removed.
