The U.S. safety watchdog, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is urging consumers to exchange or return the device because of a risk of fire [specifically warning that the lithium-ion battery in the Galaxy Note7 smartphones can overheat and catch fire, posing a serious burn hazard to consumers].
The agency says there have been 92 reports of batteries overheating in the U.S. That includes 26 reports of burns and 55 reports of property damage, including to cars and a garage.
Who Is Affected?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the recall covers about 1 million Note7s sold in the U.S. through Sept. 15.
How Do I Confirm That My Phone Is Part of the Recall?
Look for an IMEI number on the back of the phone or on the phone’s packaging. You can also find it in the phone’s settings by going to “About Phone” or “General Management” and then hitting “Status.”
Enter that number at http://samsung.com/us/note7recall or call Samsung’s recall hotline at 1-844-365-6197.
U.S. officials say about 97 percent of Note7s sold in the U.S. are affected.
What Are My Options?
You can ask for a replacement or a full refund. For replacements, consumers can choose another Note7 or a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, with a refund of the price difference. Samsung expects replacement Note 7s to be available by Wednesday, Sept. 21.
Consumers who bought the phone through a wireless carrier or retailer such as Best Buy should contact the merchant directly. Those who bought it directly from Samsung should contact the company.
Online and phone contact information for individual carriers, retailers and Samsung is available at http://samsung.com/us/note7recall.
More Information
Additional information is available from the Consumer Product Safety Commission online at:
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2016/Samsung-Recalls-Galaxy-Note7-Smartphones
© 2016 Associated Press
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