So, the Nikon D7000 I bought, brand new in early 2014, is a fake. Unbeknownst to me until very recently, of course. Let's start at the beginning -- it being the most logical and traditional place to start.
Canon has been putting a date code on its lenses since the 1960's, but ever since 2008 the company has been transitioning to a 10-digit serial system, sans date code. At first this caused quite a stir, as many a conspiracy theory began popping up; but not to worry, the code is there, it's just been incorporated into the new 10-digit system.
Looking for a lost camera on the web by searching for its serial number in uploaded photos is nothing …