Raid Class Action Lawsuit Says Insect Fogger is Complete Sham

A recent class action lawsuit claims that Raid Concentrated Deep Reach Fogger is ineffective, fails to stop insects, and is a “complete sham.”

Insect foggers are popular options for pest control, especially for consumers who do not want to pay the high price of hiring a professional exterminator.

The Raid class action cites The New York Times who reported that “in the battle against bugs, it is often low-income neighborhoods that suffer the most. After all, when the choice comes down to a $175 visit from an exterminator of a $3 fogger, the fogger will most often win out.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that around 50 million insect foggers are used annually to combat bugs.

However, the Raid class action says these products, including the Raid insect fogger, are allegedly not effective and a complete waste of money.

The Raid class action lawsuit alleges that Raid Concentrated Deep Reach Fogger is one insect fogger which fails to perform as is advertised.

The Raid insect fogger is advertised as “kills ants, roaches, & spiders,” “penetrates into cracks & crevices to kill bugs where they live & breed,” and “keeps killing for up to 2 months.”

However, these claims are allegedly misleading because the insect fogger cannot reach into the hiding spots where pests and insects live. When the Raid insect fogger is activated, it allegedly released all of the contents into the air. The aerosolized insect repellent droplets then “remain suspended” for a time before settling onto surfaces.

“When applied in this manner, very little insecticide actually penetrates into cracks, voids, and other secluded locations where cockroaches, ants, bed bugs, and most other household pests congregate and spend most of their time,” the Raid insect fogger class action states.

Additionally, the pests targeted by the Raid insect fogger are allegedly resistant to cypermethrin, the active ingredient in the product. Insects allegedly can quickly build up a resistance to cypermethrin and other pyrethrin chemicals.

“Resistance to cypermethrin has developed quickly in insects exposed frequently,” the Raid insect fogger class action claims. “Both agricultural and household pest species have developed resistance.”

These shortcomings allegedly make the product “ineffective and worthless.”

Plaintiff Robert Crespo argues that he and other consumers were tricked into purchasing Raid insect fogger based on false advertisements.

Instead of paying for a useful insecticide product, they allegedly paid for a “complete sham” of a product which doesn’t work at all.

Crespo seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased the Raid insect fogger. He also seeks to represent a subclass of the same consumers who purchased the Raid insect fogger in New York state.

The Raid insect fogger class action lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, statutory damages, punitive damages, prejudgment interest, restitution, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Crepso and the proposed Class are represented by Yitzchak Kopel, Scott A. Bursor, and Alec M. Leslie of Bursor & Fisher PA.

The Raid Concentrated Deep Reach Fogger Class Action Lawsuit is Crespo v. S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., Case No. 1:18-cv-06869, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.