The global semiconductor shortage has opened the door for criminals who want to cash in on the scarcity of these valuable components. According to the Wall Street Journal, this has pushed some buyers to take risks that they may not have even considered before.
“Dubious sellers are buying ads on search engines to lure desperate buyers. Sales of X-ray machines that can detect fake parts have boomed,” the publication reports. “It is a quality-control crisis created by the world’s scramble to land hard-to-find semiconductors at any cost. Without those essential parts, makers of products as varied as home appliances and work trucks are stuck in neutral as the global economy ticks back to life.”
