Lots of people use Fitbits to track everything from their sleep to how many steps they take. But if you're using one, we have a consumer warning.
We first learned about this when we got complaints to our NBC 5 Responds telephone line. The viewers told us their Fitbit was great except when it ran out of juice.
"I sit at a desk job all day," said Erika Echeverria, who loves her Fitbit. "I kind of need that extra push to get up."
But then her Fitbit stopped holding a charge.
"Originally when I called, they blamed it on me and said because I had charged the device into the wall outlet, that would bring down the battery life significantly," Echeverria said.
That was news to her since she said she didn't see that information anywhere in her owner's manual.
We checked the manual. It tells consumers to: "...plug the charging cable into the USB port on your computer or an AC charging adapter and plug the other end into the port..."
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But there's no warning we could find.
"I believe that if there is something that would interfere with the battery life the manufacturer needs to make it clear to the consumer," said Echeverria. "If not, we're just going to be falling into this pit each and every time."
Echeverria said since her unit's out of warranty, she was offered a discount on a new device.
Then the NBC 5 Responds team contacted Fitbit.
They told us.. "delivering a superior customer service experience is a top priority for Fitbit and we are pleased to report that our customer support team was able to connect with Ms. Echeverria."
Echeverria received a new Fitbit.
"I'm extremely happy with the results. I couldn't have done it without Deanna's help and NBC 5's help. I don't think they would've listen to me, just one little person trying to get their attention to fix the situation," Echeverria said.
If you have a Fitbit, here's what the company tells us: The company recommends only charging your Fitbit with the cable provided. Connect to a USB port on a computer. Fitbit says UL-certified USB wall chargers can be used, but they may not have the same performance. Fitbit says USB hubs and battery packs are not recommended for use with Fitbit products.
