Verizon will divert all calls made from Samsung Galaxy Note 7 handsets to its own staff

Despite the very real danger posed by the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, some users have refused to give up their phones for something less prone to catching fire. US mobile operator Verizon now plans to take a hard-line approach to those who have ignored the device's global recall by rerouting calls placed from Note 7s to its own staff.

Samsung has done all it can to remove its Galaxy Note 7 phablet from circulation after it was found that a defective battery made the handset susceptible to overheating and catching fire. The South Korean manufacturer has offered free replacements and incentivised trade-in programmes for customers who bought the handset, and has attempted to throttle remaining devices by ending firmware support and limiting how much the handset can be charged.

Despite this, some users have refused to play ball. Verizon told Fortune that "thousands" of its own customers were still using a Galaxy Note 7, having somehow bypassed software updates intended to limit the device's capabilities or kill it outright.

A spokesperson from the company said: "In spite of our best efforts, there are still customers using the recalled phones who have not returned or exchanged their Note 7 to the point of purchase. The recalled Note 7s pose a safety risk to our customers and those around them."

The operator revealed that it will now divert all calls placed from Note 7 devices other than emergency calls to its customer services team. It will also bill "hold-outs" for the full retail price of the handset due to the fact that Note 7 owners have already been reimbursed for the cost of the device by Verizon.

Verizon customers who turn in their Note 7 now are still eligible to $100 (£81) credit on their bill and a free upgrade, the company said. While there's no indication that UK operators plan to take a similar approach, no doubt they'll be keeping an eye on the Stateside Telco to see how the scheme pans out.

Despite Samsung's battery woes, the company is expected to report a 50% increase in profits for Q4 2016.