Razer fined $1.1M by FTC over Covid-19 claims involving glowing ‘N95’ mask.

Federal Trade Commission hit Razer a $1.1 million wonderful was imposed on Tuesday. The ruling found that the gaming accessory manufacturer misled consumers by claiming that its eye-catching Zephyr mask was N95 certified.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, these companies falsely claimed that their face mask was equivalent to an N95-certified respirator,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Projections, noted in an announcement. “The FTC will continue to hold accountable companies that use false and unsubstantiated claims to target consumers making decisions about their health and safety.”

Predictably, Razer countered the committee’s claims.

“We disagree with the FTC’s allegations and have not admitted any wrongdoing as part of the settlement,” an organization representative said in an announcement to TechCrunch. “It was never our intention to mislead anyone, and we have now decided to settle this matter to avoid diverting attention and disrupting legal proceedings while continuing to deal with creating great products for gamers. Razer cares deeply about our community and is all the time committed to delivering technology in recent and relevant ways.

The company then suggested that the criticism had been upheld, adding that it had done every little thing in its power to refund customers and end sales of the Zephyr.

“The Razer Zephyr is designed to offer the community a different and innovative face covering option,” it notes. “The FTC’s claims against Razer related to limited portions of certain statements about Zephyr. “Over two years ago, Razer proactively notified customers that the Zephyr was not an N95 mask, stopped sales, and refunded customers.”

The FTC also officially bans the sale of masks and “making COVID-related false health claims or unsubstantiated health claims about protective health equipment.” It goes a step further: “prohibits (prohibits) defendants from presenting the health benefits, performance, effectiveness, safety, or side effects of protective goods and services (as defined in the proposed order) unless they have competent and credible scientific evidence to support the claims made.” “

The filing suggests that Razer intentionally deceived consumers by telling them that a $100 mask would protect against Covid-19. The virus was definitely highly regarded when the product first launched in October 2021.

The ordinance is currently awaiting approval and signature of a District Court judge.