X-Fab Mimicked by Fake Parallel Website

Europe's X-Fab Silicon Foundries SE, based in Tessenderlo, Belgium, has recently become the target of a sophisticated operation that has created a false media presence, complete with a website, LinkedIn and Youtube accounts, and press releases, all using X-Fab information. The entity behind this elaborate facade goes by the name BintangChip, and its motives remain unclear as attempts to reach the perpetrator have been unsuccessful.

The fake website closely mimics X-Fab's layout and content, with the only difference being the substitution of the name BintangChip for X-Fab. Shockingly, the website even falsely claims that X-Fab's CEO, Rudi de Winter, is now heading the fictitious BintangChip Group.

Responding to inquiries from eeNews Europe via email, a spokesperson for X-Fab stated, "The shadowy or counterfeit online presence created by BintangChip was done without our knowledge. There is absolutely no affiliation between X-Fab and this entity, which, to our knowledge, does not even exist." The spokesperson further mentioned, "Our IT security team has been diligently working to uncover the individual responsible for this deception, and we have taken measures to shut down the fraudulent site. Legal action is also being considered."

One notable discrepancy between BintangChip and X-Fab is the claim in press materials that BintangChip was established in January 2024. However, a striking similarity lies in the locations listed on the BintangChip website, which coincidentally match X-Fab's wafer fabs in Lubbock, Texas; Corbeil-Essonnes, France; and Dresden, Erfurt, and Itzehoe in Germany, as well as Kuching, Malaysia. BintangChip has even superimposed its name on images of X-Fab's facilities, replacing the original signage.

The press releases issued by BintangChip include links to X, LinkedIn, and Youtube accounts associated with the fabricated entity. Despite multiple attempts by eeNews Europe to reach out to BintangChip for clarification, no responses have been received to date. Interestingly, in Malay, the word "Bintang" translates to star, asterisk, or celebrity, and it is also the name of an Indonesian beer brand, adding another layer of intrigue to this perplexing situation.