JLCPCB scam

[gamalot]

They have been purchased and are in their warehouse. they stored them until you needed more boards with these parts.

I'm a bit skeptical about this part. They are part of LCSC or whatever. They can just put parts back to the shelf, if they want. So, they have all the possibilities to resolve the problem.

I believe there was even the procedure for LCSC to return parts. However, checking now they say they don't accept returns. Hmm... Did they change that recently?

UP: I'd also assume they don't really keep a big stock of ordered items. It makes more sense to "reserve" them in warehouse. Because imagine how many things people are ordering, and how many left-overs there. I won't be surprised if most popular components they just supply on-demand.

I've been fighting this recently.  Lcsc and jlcpcb treat their inventory as two separate companies.  It's stupid but they do.  Even a simple transfer is painful and takes many days.

Even though they're closely related, LCSC and JLCPCB are legally independent companies.

[JLC-Blacklist]

I got the same email and my account is locked from placing new orders. This is a major disruption for our business that's used jlcpcb for over five years. I'd have to look at the books, but we've probably spent a quarter million USD there. Thankfully I don't have any parts stored in their warehouse, but we used to.

We do PCBA in smallish batches. As far as I know, we've done nothing wrong, never ordered anything suspicious. Maybe because I logged in while on vacation on a cruise ship via starlink?

So what now? I'm looking at PCBway. Has anyone tried deleting their JLC account and making a new one?

This sucks and we might miss a contract deadline because of JLC surprise closing my account.

[FireBird]

I'm looking at PCBway.

As long as it is not clear if this issue is JLCPCB specific or dictated by the government, you should avoid any Chinese company or you may lose even more time and money.

[mikeselectricstuff]

and after countless emails I have recieved a response that "ban criteria is confidential, if we revoke it we will notify you"

If they revoke it would you ever trust them again ?

[ataradov]

If they revoke it would you ever trust them again ?

I would, but may be make sure that you don't have a lot of money tied up with them at a time. This is a good idea anyway with any service.

It does not matter if you loose $1000 randomly, you are still ahead if you are saving more in the time interval between those loses.

And I would wait until December, there is a good chance others will follow with something like this and JLC is just made this public.

[JLC-Blacklist]

I just spent a couple of hours preparing the BOM and CPL to submit a pcbway order. The price quoted is similar to jlcpcb but I guess i don't know what to expect from them about parts cost. In the notes I put the lcsc part number of each item. I assume they use lcsc?

I don't have time to wait until Dec 13 and domestic vendors are priced out for me.

[aeg]

It matches closely to the grace period given in my link above: "Measure (3) above comes into effect immediately as of October 9, 2025, while Measures (1) and (2) above will have an implementation grace period until December 1, 2025.".

Upon a thorough review by our Risk Control Team, we are sorry to inform you that, your account access will be permanently disabled on December 13th, 2025 due to compliance policy requirements.

 

[ebastler]

IPs and order location? Maybe? I've been using a nearby country VPN, but both are reputable.

I would guess that use of a VPN per se might trigger a red flag. Whether the VPN provider is reputable or not, JLCPCB can no longer see the actual customer IP. Maybe the "enhanced compliance requirements" require them to check that IP address and use it to implement some embargo rules -- so they cannot serve customers who are "hiding" their country of origin.

Edit: Or it might be use of a VPN in combination with other factors, like varying shipping addresses or email accounts? Just speculation, but a plausible one I think.

[ebastler]

My lawer started a process to collect information of people who got scammed and try get the company banned in eu or transactions to that company or something. I dont mind spending hundreds of thousands dor that..its a principle

I can see potential for trouble if this develops further. How many contracts, EU specific, could be affected by such a ban ?
LE: Business contracts, to be more specific.

No need to worry; OP is just rambling and fantasizing. No lawyer and no hundreds of thousands in whichever currency are involved here, I'm sure.

[rteodor]

My lawer started a process to collect information of people who got scammed and try get the company banned in eu or transactions to that company or something. I dont mind spending hundreds of thousands dor that..its a principle

I can see potential for trouble if this develops further. How many contracts, EU specific, could be affected by such a ban ?
LE: Business contracts, to be more specific.

No need to worry; OP is just rambling and fantasizing. No lawyer and no hundreds of thousands in whichever currency are involved here, I'm sure.

Nah, I'm not worried about that. jeschris is too emotional a.t.m.

I am worried that in the short/medium term more domestic PCB makers (of which I try to use when I can) will get too much business and get away from the small clients. Manufacturing time will increase for sure. What will happen with prices ? Quality ?

[ebastler]

I am worried that in the short/medium term more domestic PCB makers (of which I try to use when I can) will get too much business and get away from the small clients. Manufacturing time will increase for sure. What will happen with prices ? Quality ?

Well, we don't know whether the compliance-induced contract terminations affect large or small customers. In the case of the OP it was certainly small order volumes; moving a few of those to European suppliers should not create capacity problems there. Maybe being a large customer, and using always the same corporate shipping address, email address and internet access, already minimizes the risk of triggering a false compliance alert?

On the other hand, JLCPCB themselves are not immune against the same risk of deteriorating quality -- maybe due to an overload in order volume or lack of skilled staff. We have seen several unexpected issues recently. Actually I would be more concerned about quality and potential price hikes if PCB manufacturing becomes a "mono-culture" dominated by just a couple of large suppliers.

[idnihus]

Interesting, I never received an email but when trying to place an order I got the following message:

[mtwieg]

This is quite extraordinary. Many more anecdotes popping up on Reddit as well, including some who claim to move large volumes of PCBAs . No clear pattern with regards to nationality, or nature of the PCBAs or parts used. Some report being told specifically by JLCPCB it's related to export controls, but most report getting zero clarification at all. So far I don't think anyone who only purchased PCBs (not PCBAs) has been affected.

I doubt it's related to the rare earth restrictions. Maybe related to the Nexperia takeover?

But it's clearly not a "scam" by JLCPCB. JLCPCB surely does not gain anything from this.

[squadchannel]

I doubt it's related to the rare earth restrictions. Maybe related to the Nexperia takeover?

I think this is an issue about Nexperia, but there is no clear reason to BAN.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/chinese-owners-kicked-out-of-nexperia/msg6070849/#msg6070849

https://www.nexperia.com/about/news-events/press-releases/update-on-company-developments

October 14, 2025
Nexperia says:

On 4 October 2025, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce issued an export control notice prohibiting Nexperia China and its subcontractors from exporting specific finished components and sub-assemblies manufactured in China. Nexperia is actively engaging with the Chinese authorities to obtain an exemption from these restrictions and has deployed all available resources to that end. Nexperia is in close dialogue with all relevant national and local government authorities to mitigate the impact of this measure.

was there really a need to ban over the Nexperia issue?

[ebastler]

We do PCBA in smallish batches. As far as I know, we've done nothing wrong, never ordered anything suspicious. Maybe because I logged in while on vacation on a cruise ship via starlink?

It seems plausible that the remote login was related to the problem. "We can't be sure who/where that customer actually is" might be the overarching issue -- triggered by some combination of logging in via VPN or from varying locations, using multiple email or shipping addresses, using multiple payment channels?

JLCPCB are probably required to introduce these checks, and are probably also obliged to keep quiet about what they are actually checking for. But if you have a specific suspicion what might have caused the red flag in your case (like with the cruise ship login), maybe it is worthwhile to try and send them an explanation of that event and ask them to keep serving you?

[Bud]

Noone is going to explain you anything. In fact ,there are explicit rules not to tip off customers on the reasons of non-compliance. Employees and companies face prosecution if they would do this.

If this has to do with Nexperia then maybe the banned people should look if they used Nexperia products in their assemblies.

Frankly, this topic has to be renamed.

[temperance]

The Trade Wars would be an appropriate topic title.

[JLC-Blacklist]

We also used plenty of Nexperia chips, mainly jellybean 74HC stuff. My order at PCBWay seems to be going through OK.  I made sure to spec all Texas Instruments parts in the BOM 

Hopefully pcbway can provide me similar service without disruption. Our business would fold without access to China. If they wanted to inflict pain on western companies, cutting off access would work.

I suspect JLC likes my money and wants to keep serving me, but... Trade wars. I expect this blows over, but kinda scary.

[rteodor]

We do PCBA in smallish batches. As far as I know, we've done nothing wrong, never ordered anything suspicious. Maybe because I logged in while on vacation on a cruise ship via starlink?

It seems plausible that the remote login was related to the problem. "We can't be sure who/where that customer actually is" might be the overarching issue -- triggered by some combination of logging in via VPN or from varying locations, using multiple email or shipping addresses, using multiple payment channels?

JLCPCB are probably required to introduce these checks, and are probably also obliged to keep quiet about what they are actually checking for. But if you have a specific suspicion what might have caused the red flag in your case (like with the cruise ship login), maybe it is worthwhile to try and send them an explanation of that event and ask them to keep serving you?

I find it hard to believe that suspicion about IP addresses. Nexperia is seems a much better explanation. Even better than rare earth minerals one:

In a judiciary document American officials would have indicated to the Dutch officials that maintaining Zhang Xuezheng on the lead of Nexperia would compromise any possibility of eliminating [Nexperia] from the naughty list.

That naughty list was recently expanded by the Department of Commerce and now includes any subsidiary owned over 50% by an already sanctioned company.

[ebastler]

I find it hard to believe that suspicion about IP addresses. Nexperia is seems a much better explanation.

Why would JLCPCB refuse pure PCB orders in that case? No Nexperia parts involved.

[squadchannel]

I find it hard to believe that suspicion about IP addresses. Nexperia is seems a much better explanation.

Why would JLCPCB refuse pure PCB orders in that case? No Nexperia parts involved.

checked reddit too, the people facing this issue are either ordering PCBA or being vague about it.

BTW, some Japanese people also received this notification, and they were using Nexperia too.


but:

I doubt it's related to the rare earth restrictions. Maybe related to the Nexperia takeover?

I think this is an issue about Nexperia, but there is no clear reason to BAN.

[squadchannel]

Hackaday

https://hackaday.com/2025/10/19/jlcpcb-locking-accounts-mentions-risky-ip-addresses-activities/

[rteodor]

I find it hard to believe that suspicion about IP addresses. Nexperia is seems a much better explanation.

Why would JLCPCB refuse pure PCB orders in that case? No Nexperia parts involved.

No idea. Maybe somebody who is not being banned can tell more on those assumption(s) ? Anybody ?

[ebastler]

No idea. Maybe somebody who is not being banned can tell more on those assumption(s) ? Anybody ?

"I have not been banned, and I have neither used dubious IP addresses nor ordered any Nexperia parts from JLCPCB."

That didn't help much... Maybe someone can confirm that they did order Nexperia parts and their order is being fulfilled. Conversely, the OP here had clearly stated that their most recent order before the ban announcement was about unpopulated PCBs and a stencil, i.e. no components at all.

I would very much expect that the Nexperia ban would be implemented by telling the customer "sorry, we can't sell you those components". Which would still be very annoying if it means an incomplete PCBA, or parts you already own being locked in stock at JLCPCB.

But it is very different from no longer serving a customer at all. The latter is much more likely prompted by something "suspicious" related to the customer himself -- like their location, the type of products or business they are involved with, or JLCPCB's lack of ability to assess one of these aspects. Using varying or untraceable IP addresses or email addresses still sounds like a plausible trigger to me. 

[ealex]

Banned as well, no reply to my emails to support.

I've never used their assembly service or access their webpage via VPN - I don't think that's a pattern.
I'll restart using European manufacturers, even if they're significantly more expensive / get back to DIY for simple stuff.