Fitbit Account Hacked? How Scammers Commit Warranty Fraud

You use your Fitbit to track your steps, your sleep, and your personal health goals. It holds a lot of your data. But is the account itself secure?

A sophisticated scam is targeting Fitbit users. It doesn’t just put your data at risk; it uses your good name and your product’s warranty to get free devices, leaving you with a compromised account and a voided warranty. It’s a scheme that combines account hacking with clever social engineering, and it all starts with your password.

The First Breach: How Scammers Get Into Your Account

The scammers aren’t master hackers breaking through Fitbit’s servers. They are exploiting a much simpler weakness: password reuse.

The process is called credential stuffing.

1. Data Breaches Happen: Over the years, countless websites and apps have been breached, leaking huge lists of usernames and passwords onto the dark web.
2. Scammers Buy These Lists: They acquire “combolists”—massive text files containing millions of email and password combinations from these old breaches.
3. They “Stuff” the Credentials: Using automated software, scammers take these lists and try the same email/password combinations on other popular websites, like Fitbit.

If you used the same password for your Fitbit account that you used for a different website that was breached years ago, a scammer can get into your account as easily as you can.

Once they’re in, they take it over. They will immediately go into your settings and change the email address and name on the account to their own. Just like that, you’re locked out, and they have complete control.

The Scam: Abusing Goodwill for a Free Device

With control of your hijacked account, the scammer moves to the next phase: defrauding the company through social engineering.

They will check your account details to see when your Fitbit was purchased. If it’s less than a year old, it’s still under the manufacturer’s warranty. This is what they want.

The scammer then opens a Live Chat with Fitbit support, impersonating you. They follow a script:

• They claim the device has suddenly stopped working (e.g., “it won’t turn on,” “the screen is black”).
• They play dumb when asked for details, often saying, “it was a gift, so I’m not sure of the exact purchase date.”
• When the support agent provides troubleshooting steps, the scammer pretends to follow them. They’ll say things like, “Sure, let me try that,” wait a minute, and then report, “I tried, but it’s still not working.”
• Throughout the process, they are polite and patient, building rapport with the support agent who is genuinely trying to help.

After a few failed “troubleshooting” attempts, the support agent, believing they are helping a legitimate customer with a faulty device, offers to send a free replacement under warranty. The scammer provides their own address for shipping.

A brand-new Fitbit is shipped out, and the scammer gets it for free. They then sell this new, sealed device on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or other sites for a quick profit.

The Fallout: What This Means for You

The consequences for the real account holder are serious.

• Your Account is Compromised: A stranger has access to your profile and potentially your activity data.
• You’re Locked Out: You may have to go through a difficult process to prove your identity and regain control of your account.
• Your Warranty is Gone: The scammer has already claimed the one-time warranty replacement for your device. If your Fitbit actually breaks in the future, you’ll be told a replacement has already been issued, leaving you with a broken device and no recourse.

How to Protect Your Fitbit Account Right Now

You are not powerless against this. A few simple security steps can make your account practically immune to this type of attack.

1. Use a Unique, Strong Password. This is the single most important step. Do not reuse your Fitbit password on any other site. If you do, a breach elsewhere becomes a threat to your Fitbit account. Use a password manager to create and store unique passwords for all your accounts.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). Fitbit accounts are now Google accounts, which offer excellent security. Turn on 2FA (or 2-Step Verification) in your Google account settings. With 2FA enabled, even if a scammer steals your password, they can’t log in without a second code from your phone. This effectively stops credential stuffing cold.
3. Be Wary of Phishing. Never click on suspicious emails or links asking you to log in to your Fitbit or Google account. Always go directly to the official website yourself.

This scam thrives on weak and reused passwords. By taking a few minutes today to create a unique password and enable 2FA, you can ensure your fitness data—and your identity—remain safe.