Xbox Stealth Headsets May Hold Stealthy, Unhealthy Mold

By Admin on October 21, 2015 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Stealth headsets are stealthy indeed. They might make you sick. Xbox headset maker Turtle Beach is recalling Ear Force XO Four Stealth gaming headsets manufactured between April and June of this year for mold spores.

Gamers with chronic health problems are particularly at risk for respiratory illnesses or infections caused by the mold spore, the company states on its website. The recall is partial and voluntary and Turtle Beach is cooperating with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on it.

Serial Number Says It All

The company is calling for a limited series of headsets sold online and at retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada to be returned. "Here at Turtle Beach, our customers' safety and satisfaction with our products is of the utmost importance to us, so we are voluntarily recalling certain Ear Force XO Four Stealth headsets in an effort to prevent any potential adverse effects."

The recall seeks headsets with production date codes C16 through C25 in the serial number. You can find the serial number printed on the inside of the device's headband or on the bottom flap of the packaging box. According to the company, "Recalled units contain these production date codes but do not have a green dot under the windscreen of the microphone."

The model number for the recalled headset is slightly different in the US and in Canada, however, all of the other applicable information appears to be the same. American headset owners should check for the model number TBS-2320-01 and Canadians should look for TBS-2320-03.

How to Handle the Recall

If you find you have a unit with a recalled serial number but no green dot under the microphone windscreen, stop using the headset immediately. "Place the headset in a bag along with the audio accessory and the retail box if you still have it. Tape or seal the bag shut," Turtle Beach instructs.

The company is requesting that consumers contact them directly online. Do not return your headset to the store where you bought it. Go to the manufacturer's website and fill out the form -- you will receive a pre-paid shipping label and, shortly thereafter, a replacement stealth headset, hopefully mold-free.

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