Exactly. I switched to Cypress (CP2102) chips as a response to this, even though I haven't been hit with any of these tactics from FTDI yet. They work just grea

Exactly. I switched to Cypress (CP2102) chips as a response to this, even though I haven't been hit with any of these tactics from FTDI yet. They work just great. Prolific (PL2303) work well too, but I've had some issues with high baud rates there so I avoid them. The fact is, it's impossible for me to know if an IC is genuine or not. Therefore, buying FTDI is now like playing russian roulette. If you got unlucky, you (or your customer) will have a nasty surprise, possibly years down the line. The rational choice is therefore to buy chips from manufacturers that don't do this.