Meet the COVID-19 mask that is as “beneficial” as it is “visible.”
KW Tech, the company behind the “1 Virus Buster Invisible Mask,” was sued by the Federal Trade Commission, according to a statement from the FTC released on Oct. 24.
The four defendants named in the suit created the mask using false claims that it would protect against variants of COVID-19 as well as 99% of viruses and bacteria, according to Popular Science. In a statement, Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, “The defendants’ claims that their products can stand in for approved COVID-19 vaccines are bogus.
“The FTC will use every tool it has at its disposal to stop false and unsubstantiated health claims that endanger consumers,” he continued.
Customers who purchased the mask paid $29.99 and received a false “certificate of registration” with a stamped FDA logo. However, the FTC said the mask never received FDA approval.
According to the outlet, KW Tech promoted its mask by saying it was designed using “IBM’s Quantum Computer.” The misleading statements made by the company described the masks as able to create an invisible 3-foot gaseous barrier that used “ion exchange science.”
The company described the science as “lighter than air; this gas collects in a tight area close to your face and neck. When this thin layer of gas gets in contact with floating elements like common germs, viruses, and pathogens, it kills them before they are able to get into the nose, mouth, and eye.”
According to the FTC, this scientific jargon does not accurately represent the mask’s capabilities.
This is not the first time the FTC has advised KW Tech to stop selling its product. On July 28, 2020, the company received a warning letter from the FTC. Still, the company has received at least $100,000 in revenue, according to the outlet.
The FTC said three defendants in the case have agreed to stop “advertising, promoting, or selling any product claiming to prevent or treat COVID-19 unless the claims are true and supported by scientific evidence.” The defendants must also pay a $150,000 penalty and vow to never again falsify governmental approval of any of its products.