The Federal Trade Commission fined Razer $1.1 million on Tuesday. The order claims the gaming accessory maker misled consumers by claiming its flashy Zephyr mask was certified as N95 grade.
“These companies falsely claimed, in the midst of a global pandemic, that their face mask was the equivalent of a certified N95 respirator,” noted Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Projection, in a statement. “The FTC will continue to hold accountable companies that use false and unsubstantiated claims to target consumers who are making decisions about their health and safety.”
Predictably, Razer objected to the commission’s assertions.
“We disagree with the FTC’s allegations and have not admitted any wrongdoing as part of the settlement,” a company representative said in a statement to TechCrunch. “It was never our intention to mislead anyone, and we have chosen to settle this matter to avoid the distractions and disruptions of litigation and continue to focus on creating great products for players. Razer cares deeply about our community and is always looking to deliver technology in new and relevant ways.
The company later suggested the complaint had been cherry-picked, adding that it had done everything possible to refund customers and end sales of the Zephyr.
“The Razer Zephyr was designed to provide a different and innovative face covering option to the community,” he notes. “The FTC’s claims against Razer related to limited portions of certain statements relating to the Zephyr. More than two years ago, Razer proactively informed customers that the Zephyr was not an N95 mask, stopped sales, and refunded customers.
The FTC also officially bans the sale of the mask and “COVID-related false health claims or unsubstantiated health claims regarding protective health equipment.” It goes even further, “prohibiting defendants from presenting the health benefits, performance, effectiveness, safety or side effects of the protective goods and services (as defined in the proposed order), to unless they have competent and reliable scientific evidence.” to support the assertions made.
The filing suggests Razer intentionally misled consumers into believing the $100 mask would protect against COVID. Certainly, the virus was a priority when the product was first released in October 2021.
The order is currently awaiting approval and signature from a district court judge.
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