SINGAPORE:  , Gaming technology firm Razer will have to pay more than US$ 1.1 million ( S$ 1.5 million ) to deposit customers in the United States after it misrepresented the efficiency and effectiveness of supposed N95- level face masks known as Zephyr.  ,
Under the proposed settlement, it must also pay a civil penalty , of US$ 100, 000 along with its affiliated entities involved in the development, marketing and sale of the masks, said the , Federal Trade Commission in a news release on Monday ( Apr 29 ).
” These businesses falsely claimed, in the midst of a global ( COVID- 19 ) pandemic, that their face mask was the equivalent of an N95 certified respirator”, said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.  ,
The Zephyr masks were labeled as N95-grade by the FTC,  , despite never submitting them for testing to the FDA or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ( NIOSH). The faces, which were launched in 2021, were likewise always certified as N95.
According to the FTC,” The complaint alleges that Razer just stopped the false advertisements after negative press coverage and customer outcry against the false claims.”
Following alert and recommendation from the FTC, the US Department of Justice filed the event.
In response to CNA’s questions on Tuesday, a Razer director said:” We disagree with the FTC’s claims and did not admit to any crime as part of the negotiation.
It was never our intent to deceive anyone, and we chose to settle this dispute to minimize the strain and disturbance of litigation and keep our efforts to produce excellent items for gamers.
At the time, the Zephyr was conceived to” offer a unique and innovative encounter- covering opportunity for the community”.  ,
FTC’s statements against the firm concerned” minimal portions of some of the claims relating to the Zephyr”.
” More than two years ago, Razer actively notified buyers that the Zephyr was hardly a N95 mask, stopped profits, and refunded clients,” the spokesperson said.  ,
Razer is twin- headquartered in Irvine, California, and Singapore, according to the organization on its site.
During the COVID- 19 crisis, Razer set up a production line for mouth faces, including biodegradable people, in Singapore.
But the Zephyr, according to a product evaluation on , Singapore- based technologies website HardwareZone in 2021, was touted as” the country’s smartest mask”.  ,
It had supposed N95- level filters, which were interchangeable, on each part of the respirators and below the helmet. The enthusiasts under the respirators can be configured to rewrite at various speeds.  ,
By definition, N95 respirators may filter at least 95 per cent of ambient air molecules between 0.1 and 0.3 micrometres in length, with even higher filters amounts for larger allergens.  ,
Razer never sought or received NIOSH’s permission to use the term N95 in marketing and selling its goods, according to the FTC.  ,