Fortress Safe recalls 61,000 biometric gun safes because they can open without paired fingerprints

Fortress Safe has recalled about 61,000 biometric gun safes because they can unlock without the authorized fingerprints, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.

The recall comes after 39 incidents were reported of a Fortress Safe being opened without fingerprint credentials, including one death alleged in a recent lawsuit that says a 12-year-old boy died in connection with a gun accessed from one of the safes. “Consumers can believe they have properly programmed the biometric feature,” the announcement said, “when in fact the safe remains in the default to open mode, which can allow unauthorized users, including children, to access the safe to remove hazardous contents, including firearms.”

People who use the safes for firearms or other potentially dangerous products should take out the safe’s batteries and only use the key to open the safe. Fortress Safe will replace the safe at no charge.

The Illinois company is recalling nine models under the brand names of Fortress, Cabela’s, Gettysburg and Legend Range & Field. The products include portable lock boxes, personal safes, pistol vaults and gun cabinets. They were sold from January 2019 through October 2023 for $44 to $290 at stores nationwide including Amazon, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Ebay, Scheel’s, Sportsman’s Guide, Optics Planet, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gander, Rural King and Lowe’s. The safes were imported from China by Xpedition LLC, doing business as Fortress Safe. Consumers can go to Fortress’s recall website, or call toll-free 833-588-9181.

Consumers who have difficulty getting resolution
for any recalled product
should file a complaint with the CPSC. 

 

Consumers who would like to file an incident report about any product, or look up incidents reported to the CPSC can go to saferproducts.gov.