A press release issued yesterday announcing a recall on the Vax V124 Dual V carpet cleaner due to a fire hazard has been revealed as a fake.

The floorcare brand made it clear that the press release did not originate from Vax and it did not endorse its contents.

“It appears to refer to the experience of a single customer whose carpet cleaner has been returned to us for inspection,” said a Vax statement. “We are currently investigating this matter thoroughly to determine the cause of the problem.”

The statement continued: “The Dual V is one of our most popular carpet washers, has an excellent safety and quality record and is backed by a market-leading six-year guarantee.

“It has been approved by the Good Housekeeping Institute and has won a number of product awards including a Which? ‘Best Buy’ in September 2008.”