While customs agents are keeping many of these low quality products out of the market thus preventing these potentially dangerous products from making it to the homes of American consumers, undoubtedly some are slipping through the cracks. Furthermore, the News release by CBP indicates that many of these boards use false trademarks to fool consumers. An earlier seizure of 16,000 low-quality knock-off hoverboards is the still the largest to date. Kennedy Airport in New York on February 19 th. If genuine, these boards would have retailed for $447,000. Customs and Border Protection agents recently seized a shipment of counterfeit hoverboards. Illustrating the scope of the problem, U.S. In other cases, the batteries themselves may simply be defective. These fakes may lack adequate power and overcharge controls making the battery more likely to overheat and explode.

These counterfeits are likely to use lower-quality parts and lithium batteries. One factor that may be exacerbating the fire risk presented by these products is the apparent steady stream of low-quality counterfeits flooding the U.S. Customs Officials Seize More Than 1,300 Counterfeit Hoverboards at Airport And Amazon Accepts Returns Furthermore, the product should only be charged while attended and should be placed away from any flammable materials while charging. Furthermore, users should keep a fire extinguisher on hand should the board malfunction causing the lithium ion battery to catch fire. The agency urges those who will use hoverboards despite the potential risks to always wear safety gear when doing so. In the event that the product is not counterfeit, CPSC warned that the certification would only apply to certain component parts and not the unit as a whole.ĬPSC also warns that while UL and ASTM International will soon begin work on safety standards, no standards currently exist for products of this type. However, the agency does state that appearance on this list does not indicate any determination regarding the board’s safety.įurthermore, CPSC warns that since Underwriters Laboratories (UL) only recently announced that it would begin accepting hoverboards for testing, products currently featuring the UL symbol may be counterfeit. Swagway Hands-Free Smart Board/Swagway LLC.Smart Balance Wheel Scooter/Glide Boards.Smart Balance Wheel/One Stop Electronic Inc.

Hover-way Hands-Free Electric/Digital Gadgets LLC.

DEYA LED/E-Rover Smart Balance Wheel /Shenzhen yuan jia jie Technology Co.

E-Rover-Mini Smart Balance Scooter/LeCam Technology.

However, CPSC has also become increasingly concerned about the fall risk because, “the current designs of these products might not take fully into consideration the different weights of different users, potentially leading to the units speeding up or lurching in a manner that a user would not have reason to anticipate.” According to CPSC, this propensity has resulted in increasing numbers of head and traumatic brain injury reports.ĬPSC Issues New Warnings Against Hoverboards & Lists Boards Under Active InvestigationĬPSC states that Hoverboard safety is a “priority investigation.” It also states that the following boards are under active investigation for fire and other safety risk: The most spectacular and potentially most serious reason is the board’s unfortunate likelihood to catch fire or explode.

The self-balancing boards have been on the radar for safety regulators like Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) an array of reason. However, as most already know, these boards don’t actually hover and furthermore there are very serious safety problems plaguing the product. These days it seems the only thing going for hoverboards is their catchy name.

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