Razer must refund a total of $1.1 million to US customers who purchased the company’s Zephyr face mask. According to the market regulator FTC, the company misled buyers by claiming that the mask used filters that meet the N95 standard.
Razer must transfer the entire turnover it has earned from the Zephyr face masks to the FTC, the regulator writes. That amounts to approximately $1.071 million. The FTC will use that money to refund all American customers the full purchase price. The company will also receive an additional fine of $100,000. The FTC prohibits Razer from making unsubstantiated health claims about its products in the future, whether Covid-related or not.
Razer launched the Zephyr RGB face mask in 2021, during the corona pandemic. Initially, Razer claimed that the masks were equipped with an N95 filter. Such a filter removes 95 percent of the particles from the air. However, after a review by YouTuber Naomi Wu, the Zephyr turned out not to meet the N95 standard. The FTC says Razer never had the masks tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The company also only stopped ‘false advertising’ after the media reported negatively about it, the regulator said.
The Zephyr face masks cost $100 in the United States. The face mask was equipped with active ventilation and a sterilization function via UV light when the mask was charged. In addition, the two air filters were surrounded by RGB LEDs and the inside of the mask could glow in the dark, so that users’ mouths were visible in the dark.
Tags: Razer refund Americans bought RGB face masks due deception Image sound News
