Razer Zephyr was among the products that vendors sought to monetize the COVID-19 pandemic. The American FTC was able to obtain compensation from consumers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the lives of billions of people, while other people sensed big business. Razer also brought an expensive mask onto the market, but advertised it with false promises. The provider now has to pay for this.
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The mask in question is not an ordinary example, as has been worn billions of times in recent years. Rather, with the Zephyr, Razer established an accessory that cost around $100 and was not N95 certified despite the initial advertising promises.
Buyers should be compensated
The incorrect product description brought the FTC into action, which prevailed in favor of the consumers. From one Press release The market watchdog reveals that Razer will face a civil penalty of $100,000.
The company is also expected to pay $1,071,254.33 to the United States, which, according to the press release, corresponds to the revenue generated from the sale of the mask. The FTC “likely intends to use this amount to reimburse defrauded consumers.”
Razer “falsely claimed that its face mask is equivalent to an N95-certified respirator during a global pandemic,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's Office of Consumer Protection.
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References to N95 filters were later removed
According to the FTC's investigation, Razer originally advertised the Zephyr masks as N-95 products, even though Razer never submitted anything for certification and, accordingly, no version of the Zephyr mask could be certified as an N-95 mask.
Razer later backtracked, pointing out that the Zephyr masks did not have the relevant certification: “To avoid any confusion, we are in the process of removing all references to N95 filters from our marketing materials,” the company said in January 2022.
But the original misstatement was apparently enough to get the FTC's attention. “The FTC will continue to hold accountable companies that make false and unsubstantiated claims to consumers who are making decisions about their health and safety,” it said.
The agreement also stipulates that Razer will not be allowed to make any health claims in product descriptions in the future unless certification is actually available.
Razer Zephyr was an expensive treat
Razer Zephyr, consisting of a Zephyr mask and three sets of filters, went on sale for $99.99. Customers could purchase the Razer Zephyr Starter Pack, consisting of a Zephyr mask and 33 filter sets, for $149.99. A Razer Zephyr filter pack, which contains ten sets of filters, cost $29.99.
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