It's not only from eBay and amateurs that get caught. Plessey Semiconductors
stopped making the SL521 logarithmic amplifier in 1997 (having made it large
quantities from 1963!) and a South African manufacturer needed some in about
2000. They found some from a 'stockist' in Hong Kong and bought the whole stock
of 500 at some outrageous price - I think it was something like $50 each. The
'stockist' disappeared, the parts didn't work and were found to be out of spec
rebranded 741 op amps - with a 1998 date code! Of course, the South Africans
came back to Plessey, and were most upset when told that they had been well and
truly duped...It's getting quite common with older devices that scams like this
are happening.
73 es HNY
Peter G3RZP
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