FTC warns three PC tech companies of potential warranty violations

Personnel would additionally be “worried” if the firms in fact rejected guarantee insurance coverage based upon the declarations by the 3 companies. While the language is somewhat passive-aggressive, the FTC also plainly specifies that the violations may cause legal action.

While the details problems differ by business, the FTC advised the 3 companies that they can’t, for instance, place stickers on a laptop that warn customers that opening or fixing the laptop computer violates guarantee plans. Neither can they state or imply that their products can just be fixed by means of an authorized service from the company.

Especially in the PC room, the FTC sent letters to firms ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac, advising them that they may remain in violation of the Magnuson-Moss Guarantee Act, the government act that looks after consumer service warranties and is administered by the FTC. They have thirty days to examine their plans and conform.

He has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering Computer microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has created for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science and Electronic Buyers’ Information, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news.

The FTC sent out comparable letters to vendors of air purifier devices, specifically to aeris Health and wellness, Blueair, Medify Air, and Oransi, plus the treadmill company InMovement. Asus, which was the subject of a series of video clips by GamersNexus for its own service warranty methods, was not named.

In the letter sent out to Gigabyte (PDF), the FTC said that its staff is “concerned” by the Gigabyte written warranty, which includes the expression: “If the manufacturing sticker inside the item was gotten rid of or harmed, it would certainly no more be covered by the warranty.”

ASRock’s warranty plan is more particular, yet the FTC’s letter to the business (PDF) took issues with it also: “Maker’s guarantee will certainly be void and null if items are modified, damaged or otherwise tampered with, for instance, the outer case is opened or additional optional parts/components are installed/removed.”