Charge 2 setting off store anti-theft

[drewblase]

I've seen quite a few posts from last year but no real answers.  I recently purchased the Charge 2 and have noticed that it sets off the theft alarms at the entrance of most stores.  It is super annoying/embarrassing and, yes, I have trouble shot it down to the fitbit itself.  I've heard that it has an NFC/RFID that works well with Android, but if there is nothing I can do to keep my watch from setting off alarms, I'm sending it back.  Has anyone heard of an actual solution to this issue? 

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @drewblase!  Thank you for your suggestion. We're constantly striving to improve Fitbit products and services, and we very much appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. The best place to make your voice heard is the Feature Suggestions board on our community, which our product development teams consult regularly to ensure we're delivering on what our customers need and want. 

Our product team looks forward to reading and incorporating your suggestions into future versions of Fitbit trackers and apps. 

Have a great week! 

[Odyssey13]

Hello @drewblase

I'm wondering if it's a fluke. My Kmart boots always set off the alarms at Walmart, which happens every winter.

Does it do it all the time at one particular store?

[Rich_Laue]

@Odyssey13 if you go to a Home Depot, wearing the boots, ask them to deactivate the sensor in them. They have a hand wand that can do it and are use to deactivating customers shoes. 

@drewblase the new trackers do not have NFC or RFID's, NFC should not cause the alarm to go off. My thought, have you removed the tracker then walked through to confirm that it is the Fitbit? 

[USAF-Larry]

@drewblase, I wear my Fitbit Charge 2 into and out of every store I go to, and it has never set off one of the security alarms. Though I did set off the alarms at the Outlet Mall Reebok store when I went out with a new pair of hiking shoes that the clerk forgot to deactivate....

Wonder what would be unique about your Charge 2?

[Maltie]

Fitbit replies with the same response no matter what it seems. Does tend to make you feel like it matters not

[drewblase]

I noticed that reading through other threads on this and other issues.  Not a great way to inspire confidence that they actually read these.

[drewblase]

It happens at every store that has the tall scanners at the door.  Just verified it again at Staples this time going in and leaving.  

[drewblase]

I've read that for some reason it doesn't affect all of them and that fitbit usually ends up offering a replacement.  Not sure why it would be some but not all, but its definitely mine.

[drewblase]

Yup, as stated in the original post, trouble shot it down to the fitbit itself setting off the alarm.  Spent about five minutes with the security guy at Best Buy trying to figure it out.  And I just set off the alarm at Staples on the way in by simply putting my hand between the scanners with my fitbit on my wrist. 

As for not having NFC, there's a gentleman on here who took his apart and confirmed that there are NFC chips in these despite all of the literature and most of the technical staff saying otherwise.  Most are guessing it's either an android specific thing for phones with NFC or something they'll potentially unlock later.  Who knows.  Don't particularly care.  At this point I just want it to stop doing it.

[WendyB]

@drewblaseTake it back and exchange it were ever you got it or contact support.

Use the Help link at the top of the forum

[Rich_Laue]

Sorry @Drew blase, but store security systems use RFID or EAS technology, not NFC. What is triggering the Arcturus, I have no idea. 

Now when it comes to the Charge 2, it does not have an NFC chip. This is easy to confirm without taking the tracker apart. Samsung has had an NFC reader in their phones for a long time, my Galaxy S3 had it, The Apple ios betel 11 now has an NFC reader. 

Take one of these phones, tap it to the face of a Blaze, Charge HR, or Charge you will notice that the Fitbit app opens up. Take the same phone and tap it against the Charge 2 and you will notice that the phone will not respond, this is because there is no NFC Chio in the Charge 2.

[C3Gom]

I've had my charge 2 for a week and it is also setting off shop alarms.  Three shops yesterday.  I think I'm going to return it.

[justcruisin]

I've had my Fit HR for over a year now and never had this problem untill recently...It sets off the store anti-theft alarms almost everywhere i go now.

[Rich_Laue]

Have you removed the Charge 2 from your arm and tried walking through a door without it?

Did you recently by a pair of new shows, their security sensor is buried in the heal.

[drewblase]

Just a quick update on mine, after an extensive back and forth trying to troubleshoot it and Fitbit claiming that they've never heard of this happening to anyone else, they had me send it back to them since it was out of the return window for Amazon where I bought it.  They sent me a new one once they received it and so far so good, no issues.  I still cringe a little bit going through the scanners, a little Fitbit PTSD, but so far none have gone off that did before, so woohoo!  

Overall, happy with the customer service despite the "we've never heard of this issue before" and it being in several forums that are easily searchable and of which several were on here with responses from Fitbit.  In the end, as you'll hear those above say, do double check that its not something weird like your shoes setting it off and the security guy at the store was helpful enough in helping me trouble shoot by passing just the watch through the scanner.  Good luck to all!

[Korny09]

It absolutely does sometimes. I have tested my FB hr2 on door security systems and it sets off SOME alarms.

[C3Gom]

Thanks Korny09.  I had to get a replacement fitbit about 6 months ago as it had failed under warranty and the new one (at the moment) is not triggering alarms, so maybe Fitbit have fixed the problem.  I am still very uneasy walking out of stores though, in case it does!