Voluntary Safety Recall of Fitbit Ionic Smartwatches

[FitbitCommunity]

Fitbit, in conjunction with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced a voluntary recall of Fitbit Ionic smartwatches, which the company introduced in 2017 and stopped producing in 2020. The battery in the Ionic smartwatch can overheat, posing a burn hazard.

The health and safety of Fitbit users is our highest priority. We are taking this action out of an abundance of caution for our users. We will offer a refund to Fitbit Ionic customers.

This voluntary recall is specific to Fitbit Ionic devices. It does not impact any other Fitbit smartwatches or trackers.

If you have an impacted Fitbit Ionic device, please stop using it and visit our webpage where you’ll find:

• Answers to common questions
• Information on how to receive a refund 
• Access to a special discount on select Fitbit devices, bands, and services, if available in your region, for a limited time.

[iyonik]

@ben_lee - Yes this is the real payment email. If you put in the card code it lets you access your pre-paid Mastercard.

[greenlane]

Started process in UK mid March, got verification and Ionic was disabled. Call support centre who said call Fitbit to verify reference number, they said it’s already verified. Called back support who said escalated to Fitbit, still wait 8 weeks since device was disabled, really not customer service from FB team or recall centre. 

[SebMW]

Hi does anyone else have an issue where the reference code is not found when trying to verify?

I have not even received the reference code email and it has nearly been 24 hours

[Ajsibs]

My watch was delivered last weds, May 11th. Haven’t heard anything since. Looks like I’ve got a bit to wait from reading some posts on here. 

[iyonik]

@SebMW - Same with mine. It took 2 days to be found on the system, instead of the quoted 'Up to 90mins'

[manishgarg2010]

Hello Team,

I am facing issue since last 2 months to get my refund, but your customer support is not helpful and not providing positive response. Can you tell me where I can escalate my case to get refund. I am from India. Your customer care number which published on your website is not working for me and my friends. Kindly provide support and refund my amount ASAP.

Regards

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[SunriseRun504]

Hi guys, I would like to share my experience,

4 March, applied for the recall

5 March, watch got desynced and was told my email I need to wait for 3-6 weeks.

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21 April, still haven't received anything, I called the Australian hotline, was told they would escalate the case.

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18 May, still haven't received anything, I called the Australian hotline again, was told they would escalate the case.

whole experience makes feel like a scam!! 

[Mike2qc]

My discount is 40% when i go on the site to buy another Fit Bit. But when comes time to check out the total is in US dollars, and I come from Canada. When i make the conversion, not such a big deal as it looks (when i compare to amazon...) Do you have this problem also?

[SunsetRunner]

Hi Mike. Please check the bottom, right of the store page. It sounds like it may be set to the wrong country. Tap on United States and check to see if you can change it to Canada. Let us know if that helps.

[ben_lee]

Once we get the virtual Mastercard I presume we can spend it at any retailer and we aren’t restricted to only spending it at the Fitbit online store?

[SunsetRunner]

Apparantly some have reported problems spending it online as the retailer they used didn’t recognise it. 

[ShaunOR]

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@ben_lee wrote:

Once we get the virtual Mastercard I presume we can spend it at any retailer and we aren’t restricted to only spending it at the Fitbit online store?

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Make sure that you go into the login area of the B4B Payments site and check your address is correct and add your UK mobile number (use the country code of + 4 4) and also drop the first zero of your mobile number. This will allow B4B Payments to send you a text message to confirm that you are the valid owner of the card. They will send a text message with a code to you too during an online transaction to again validate that you want to make the purchase with the online retailer. 

I added my virtual card within PayPal and then used it to send a payment of the balance to my Buisness PayPal account as a Friends and Family payment so as to avoid any PayPal transaction fees.

[ParasM]

Call to customer service from Skype with paid subscription

[klmalcolm2001]

Here is the only email I have received from Fitbit about the recall.  There is link in the email that says to "click here" to access the discount.  The link is a loop about registration.  When I click on the link it tells me I have already registered.  It won't let me answer the next two questions. It doesn't work and Fitbit has not responded to my inquiry.

When I click on the embedded link, this is what I get.

[Tclav71]

Has anyone actually received their refund??? I've had many phone conversations, emails, replies, more emails, more phone conversations and after months of waiting, still no refund and no understanding of where my refund is! I can no longer use my Ionic, I've bought a new fitbit so I'm now out of pocket, and no one seems to be able to give me an answer. 

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I couldn't agree more!! No one seems to know where the actual refund money is! They were quick to offer the discounts so their sales would have soured, yet getting the promised money back, or the ability to talk to a human that actually knows what's going on is seemingly impossible. I'm beyond frustrated and annoyed! But what can I actually do about it? Nothing! Good one fitbit, all the cards are in your favor!

Moderator edit: format

Moderator edit: all-caps

[Mmayllewellyn2]

This whole recall process is a shambles ! It has been over 8 weeks waiting and i have been call weekly to no avail! They all read from the same script and are absolutely useless. I can never get a straight forward answer - so angry 😡 

[Andykiz]

Week 11 update: rang Sedgwick this morning and spoke to a helpful chap named Tim. After receiving an email earlier this week from fitbit (the fitbit Ionic Recall Account Verification email) stating my refund will be issued in 3-6 weeks it seems my refund is now 'in process' - I was advised by Sedgewick on average its taking up to 10 days to issue refunds once the refund is 'in process' and mine seems to have been put in the process yesterday. Seems like im finally getting somewhere i guess we will see.

Just as a note please check the reference number in the email that states 3-6 weeks - mine was completely different from the one i've been quoting to sedgewick previously.

Im told the email will come from service@paypal.com (for refunds where you picked Paypal refund) and will contain a button that says claim your money so keep an eye out for this everyone.

[JaniceEver]

Unable to get code for40% off new fitbit after sending in my Ionic per recall. My Ionic was recieved by Fitbit on 4/29/22, I was notified I would receive the debit card and my "device was impacted", but the automated program to request the discount code tells me at "Step 3" there is no impacted device on my account. All info has been erased- all history of my workouts, all proof my Ionic was registered in my account. But my emails from Fitbit say I had one! I have talked to at least 8 people and called 2 different phone numbers. I can't say this is good PR - or tolerable technology, as I am guessing there is some glitch in the computer program. I am frustrated! Anyone else have this problem?

[delphi287]

Registered on May 2

Fitbit received May 10

Called Sedwick 30x after the 2 month period and they state payment is sent and maybe in spam.  I am very profecient in understanding spam and its not there and never has been.

Keep calling and they state its escalated and you will get a call.  Nothing ever happens and the same people say we will escalate and nothing

Tried both the fit bit regular support and then the upgraded special ionic line where they said they can look into it more.  NO answers, NO call back, and its absolutely terrible

My discount code at this point no longer works, no refund and Fitbit has more or less stolen my watch! I have tried non stop to be polite and follow the process and in the end Sedgwick is terrible as is Fitbit

[shakshar]

I have not. Having same experience as yours.