(Credit: Razer)
Those who purchased Razer's controversial Zephyr air purifying mask can expect a refund after the company agreed to pay over $1 million to settle deceptive marketing charges.
The US Federal Trade Commission says it's now sending full refunds to 6,764 US consumers who bought the discontinued Razer mask, which ranged in price from $99.99 to $149.99 depending on how many filters you purchased. The median refund has been pegged at $150 per person, according to an FTC website, and affected consumers can expect to receive payment through a check or PayPal.
Razer first introduced its LED-powered mask in January 2021 when COVID-19 was still raging. The company claimed the Zephyr was N95-certified, enabling it to filter out most airborne germs, but an FTC investigation later found that Razer never submitted the mask for any N95-related testing. In addition, a company consultant told Razer that the product "would not provide a level of protection equivalent to a disposable N95 mask."
(Eric Griffith/PCMag)Razer stopped the N95 marketing claims in January 2022 following negative press coverage and some consumer backlash. Although the company agreed to the $1 million settlement with the FTC, Razer does not admit any wrongdoing.
“More than two years ago, Razer proactively notified customers that the Zephyr was not an N95 mask, stopped sales, and refunded customers,” the company told PCMag in April.
However, the FTC says Razer refunded less than 6% of US Zephyr-related purchases. So it allocated more than $1 million or a $1.1 million settlement to refund all buyers.
“Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Simpluris, at 1-833-285-3003 or visit the FTC’s website to view frequently asked questions about the refund process,” the agency says.