FTC Refunds $14M to Lights of America LED Consumers

Nearly 500,000 consumers who purchased Lights of America LED bulbs were sent checks from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The checks are being sent as a part of a court order requiring Lights of America Inc., Usuman Vakil, and Farooq Vakil to pay $21 million over allegations the company falsely advertised their lighting products.

More than $14 million in checks will be mailed to consumers who purchased Lights of America LED bulbs from 2007 until 2011, according to the FTC.

The FTC brought charges against the company after consumers complained about the Lights of America LED bulbs. According to the agency, the Lights of America LED bulbs were falsely compared to traditional bulbs.

The agency alleged that the Lights of America LED bulbs were also deceptively marketed as lasting longer than traditional bulbs. While LED bulbs have been advertised as a more environmentally friendly, long-lasting alternative to incandescent bulbs, Lights of America LED bulbs were shown to last a much shorter time than advertised.

According to the FTC, independent labs tested the Lights of America LED bulbs and found that they did not measure up to the marketing claims on their packaging.

While a higher cost LED light can last longer and use less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb, the Lights of America LED bulbs were deceptively advertised, claimed the agency.

The falsely advertised Lights of America LED bulbs were sold between 2007 and 2011 and include the following model numbers: 2001LED10-65K, 2001LED53IN-65K, 2001LEDE53OUT-65K, 2001LEDE26-65K, 2002LEDP30-65K, 2002LEDR30- 65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2004LEDDL-35K, 2025LED-30K, 2025LED-65K, 2025LEDE12-30K, 2025LEDE12-65K, 2026LED-30K, 2026LED-65K, and 2035LED-30K.

According to the court order, the Lights of America LED bulbs that were deceptively advertised were produced in a factory in Shanghai, China. They were sold at major retail chains throughout the United States and Canada, including Amazon, Walmart, Ace Hardware, Costco, and Kroger.

According to the FTC complaint against the company, the Lights of America LED bulbs were advertised as producing 90 lumens of light; however, tests revealed the bulbs only put out approximately 43 lumens.

Additionally, the company made deceptive claims about how long the Lights of America LED bulbs would last, advertising 30,000 hours of light when the bulbs were found to dim at only 1,000 hours of use.

Consumers who purchased Lights of America LED bulbs between 2007 and 2011 and have not already received a check from the FTC can apply for a refund online by Oct. 26, 2018.

The Lights of America LED checks will amount to approximately $28.86. Checks must be cashed within 60 days.

Additionally, as a part of the court order over the Lights of America LED bulbs, the defendants are prohibited from deceptively advertising lighting products, including brightness, how long the product will last, energy cost and consumption, as well as the performance of the bulb.

Further, the makers of the Lights of America LED bulbs must meet record-keeping requirements for two decades as a part of the court order.

Questions concerning the Lights of America refund checks can be directed to the settlement administrator Analytics Consulting LLC at 1-800-419-4695.