FTC Threatens Legal Action Against Sony, Microsoft and others
That sticker on the back of your console or hardware that says "warranty void if removed". You'll usually find similar messages at the ends of user agreement licenses, essentially, meant to keep customers from getting third-party repairs, voiding their warranty if they do. Well, that's not okay, illegal even.
The FTC have sent out six letters to six major companies in the US warning that this practice is illegal. According to the statement given by the FTC on their website mentions dualshockers:
Unless warrantors provide the parts or services for free or receive a waiver from the FTC, such statements generally are prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a law that governs consumer product warranties. Similarly, such statements may be deceptive under the FTC Act.
Thanks to the folks over at Motherboard who obtained copies of the letters, we now know these letters were sent to Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Hyundai, HTC, and ASUS. The agency's associate director of marketing practices Lois Greisman sent out the letters on April 9 and gave each company 30 days to change its official warranty policies under threat of possible legal action against the companies. While there's still no word yet on how the companies have responded to the FTC's allegations, it may mean changes to warranty policies from these companies coming soon.
Senior Member
Posts: 960
Joined: 2009-10-14
Yeah, some companies like those little stickers a little too much.
I had to break one on my MSI gaming laptop so I could upgrade it's SSDs and RAM for example...
A little research online found some responses from MSI in various forums regarding that issue amounting to "don't worry about the sticker, your warranty will be fine."
They should just not bother with them, than worry & waste people's time.
Senior Member
Posts: 578
Joined: 2015-05-03
Note that this only applies to the USA. It's actually been illegal for years in some other countries.
Senior Member
Posts: 495
Joined: 2017-02-04
Wish this covered, or maybe it does, the car companies. Ever look under your hood and see all those mysterious yellow dots, and lines and such marked all over the engine and the parts? I was told at the car dealership garage that's the equivalent of the void warranty stickers.
Senior Member
Posts: 1115
Joined: 2011-01-11
I guess if it is a vehicle that kinda makes sense if the warranty is still in place. Why would you take it to anywhere else than the dealership? Or a "certified" place to get them there services done.
Senior Member
Posts: 9688
Joined: 2006-02-14
About time. Now if it only gets enforced.