Overstock.com Recalls High-Powered Magnet Sets Due to Ingestion Hazards
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall (2013-04-15). Hazards: ingestion. About 539 units in the US.
| Agency | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
|---|---|
| Recall number | 13731 |
| Published | 2013-04-15 |
| Last updated | 2014-05-23 |
| Product category | Magnets |
| Products | Buckyballs high-powered magnet sets |
| Firm named in the title | Overstock.com |
| Firms | Maxfield & Oberton LLC (importer) |
| Manufactured in | China |
| Units (US) | 539 |
| Hazard classes | ingestion |
| Remedy classes | refund, stop use |
| Sold | Overstock.com and retailers nationwide from November 2010 through July 2012 for about $20. |
Description
This recall involves high-powered magnets sets with the brand name Buckyballs. The sets contain 216 silver-colored, spherical rare earth magnets, each about five millimeters in diameter.
Hazard
When two or more magnets are swallowed, they can link together inside a child's intestines and clamp onto body tissues, causing intestinal obstructions, perforations, sepsis and death. Internal injury from magnets can pose serious lifelong health effects.
Remedy
Overstock.com will contact each purchasing customer directly to coordinate the recall. Consumers should stop using the recalled high-powered magnet sets immediately, take all associated individual magnets away from children and teenagers, and contact Overstock.com for a full refund.
Incidents and injuries
Overstock has received no reports of injuries. CPSC has received 54 reports of incidents involving children ingesting high-powered magnets resulting in 53 reports of medical intervention.
Machine access
This record, with every extracted field, the source record (contact text and images withheld) and provenance: GET https://api.data.aroqon.com/v1/product-recalls/cpsc-13731. Look up a model number or UPC with /v1/product-recalls/lookup?code=…. About the dataset · free and paid keys.
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notice (US Government work). Not affiliated with or endorsed by CPSC. Structured by Data Foundry (product-recall-structuring@2); last changed 2026-09-28. Always confirm with the agency notice.