The Chinese-made “N95” respiratory masks were advertised online as having been certified by U.S. safety regulators — an important claim amid the global coronavirus pandemic, as front-line workers scramble for life-saving protective equipment.
But the masks were fake. And following an investigation by Global News, the counterfeits were pulled last week from websites in India, Pakistan and a half-dozen other countries. “Thank you for bringing such counterfeit items to our attention,” Kashif Ali, vice-president at the Toronto office of Midas Safety, said in response to questions about the masks from Global News.
The Valpro Ranger 821 and 821V masks were promoted on Midas Safety websites in eight countries, including China, as having been