FTC swats anti-mosquito band maker's marketing claims
The company that distributes Mosquito Shield Bands, a repellent you wear on your wrist or ankle that is supposed to create a protective barrier, was charged with deceiving consumers, the Federal Trade Commission said on Friday.
Viatek Consumer Products Group, Inc. and company president Lou Lentine were accused of having no basis to make claims about what the product could do. To make matters worse, the FTC said that those allegedly deceptive claims violate a 2003 order "barring him from making deceptive claims about any product he markets."
"The defendants said that their wristbands would protect you from mosquito bites, but their claims weren't backed up by scientific evidence," Jessica Rich, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. "Those claims violate the law and a 2003 FTC order against the defendants."
Mosquito Shield Bands, which were sold nationwide, contain mint oil that the company claims is "scientifically proven" to create a five-foot barrier that can last four to five days. But, the FTC said, the company has no science to support its claims.
The bands sell for under $20 for a box of five and have been sold by such retailers as Home Depot, Walmart and the Home Shopping Network. Some consumers have said they noticed a benefit from wearing them or even just having them around, while others have complained the bands do nothing.
