Dahua, Hikvision & Lorex: Refunds Coming? What Installers & Sellers Need to Know
Cincinnati, OH – February 18, 2026
Not legal advice. We're sharing this so installers and integrators can prepare. Talk to your lawyer. Read the court filing.
What's happening
State AGs are suing over fraud and deceptive trade practices—not just the old NDAA/FCC bans. Nebraska AG Mike Hilgers has sued ADI/Resideo (largest U.S. CCTV distributor) and Lorex. Texas AG Paxton is suing Lorex too; he's asked for $10,000 per transaction. More states may follow.
No avoiding this now: What started as state-level suits is now national news—Fox News framing it as a serious consumer and security threat—with restitution for misled buyers and penalties per violation making these risks impossible to overlook or downplay anymore. This Dahua/Hik situation is now potentially financially alarming for ALL CCTV professionals that installed or sold Dahua/Hik made products. It appears this will also implicate white lable OEM sellers/installers.
What the lawsuits demand
- Restitution — restore to every person any money acquired by defendants from the violations.
- Civil penalties per violation of state consumer protection and deceptive trade practices laws.
Who ends up on the hook for refunds is a question the courts will decide.
Why: intentional backdoors + deception
- FCC banned new approvals for Dahua/Hikvision gear (Nov 2022) due to hardcoded backdoors—not "oops" bugs. Experts call them intentional.
- Criminals have used these to access cameras and networks; in one case, child abuse material was sold online from hacked Hikvision cameras.
- AGs allege deception by omission: sellers didn't disclose bans, security risks, or true manufacturer (e.g. white-labeled Dahua as "Capture" or other brands).
If that's proven, consumers paid for products they wouldn't have bought had they known— which is the basis for restitution.
Who's at risk
- Distributors and sellers of Dahua/Hikvision (including white-label and OEM brands).
- Installers who sold or installed this equipment without disclosing the risks.
- Hundreds of brands rebadge these products; the AG's filings call out white labeling to conceal manufacturer. ADI/Resideo may be the template—others could face similar suits.
What you should do
- Read the court filing. Nebraska AG — Court Filing (PDF)
- Get legal advice. If you sold or installed Dahua/Hik/Lorex or rebadged product, talk to your attorney about exposure and documentation.
Where we stand
Nearly a decade ago, when the 2016 Mirai botnet exposed severe risks in Dahua and Hikvision products, we were the only U.S. company to immediately stop shipping those lines and educate the market on the dangers. That stand for security and ethics cost us a great deal of business, but we've never wavered. We ended our relationship with Dahua BEFORE the govt sanctions.
A key reality in these lawsuits: under the Consumer Protection Act and Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, omitting material facts about known risks—like the FCC ban, backdoors, or Dahua ties—can constitute deceptive practices or fraud by omission, even without active lies. Failing to disclose these can mislead buyers and trigger restitution or penalties per violation.
We're not here to blame installers—we're here to keep you informed and protected as these issues unfold.
A key reality in these lawsuits: under the Consumer Protection Act and Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, omitting material facts about known risks—like the FCC ban, backdoors, or Dahua ties—can constitute deceptive practices or fraud by omission, even without active lies. Failing to disclose these can mislead buyers and trigger restitution or penalties per violation.
We're not here to blame installers—we're here to keep you informed and protected as these issues unfold.
Contact: Gen IV Technology — 1-800-814-4364
Visit: www.g4direct.com
References
- Nebraska AG: Hilgers Sues Lorex
- Fox News: Baby monitors lawsuit
- Fox News: Smart home cameras security risks
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