BBB Warns Seniors of Deceptive Telemarketing Calls Offering Free Medical Alert Devices

BBB is alerting area seniors and caretakers to be wary of phone calls or voicemails from a company offering a “free” personal alarm system. BBB Serving Greater Cleveland has reported an influx of inquiries in recent days about a company using a variety of different names such as “Medical Emergency,” “Medical Alert Company,” “First Alert Company,” “Life Alert USA,” and “Medical Alarms Hewlett.”

The company claims to be offering a “free” medical alert system and tells the listener that the system will be provided to them because a family member or a friend believes they should have it, and that the system and shipping is already paid for. In many cases, seniors who have provided their bank account or credit card information to “verify” their identity have found they were charged the monthly service fee, usually around $35.00, then the system never arrived or they had trouble returning it and obtaining a refund.

These companies, use so many names and they all sound alike, Medical Alert, Alert Services, Medical Life System, Alert USA…It’s confusing and they know it. The use of names that are similar to well- known marketers of medical alert devices is a problem. So much so that Life Alert, the California company made famous by its “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” advertising, is suing two businesses it says are using its name in “robo-calls” to gain new customers. The lawsuit charges LifeWatch USA and Connect America with impersonating Life Alert through fraudulent “robo-calls” and other telemarketing to obtain new customers.

BBB advised consumers to watch for these red flags:

  • “Free” Offers – Be wary of “free” offers that require you to pay a handling charges or other fees. In the case of medical alert systems, ask if there are additional monthly charges
  • Scare Tactics – Being trapped in your own home with no way to call for help can be a scary situation for anyone, but for many seniors, it can be a realistic scenario. However do not fall for high pressure “scare tactics”.
  • Calls for Immediate Action – Listen for language like “this offer is good for today only!”
  • Refuses to Answer Questions, Provide Banking or Credit Card Information - Tell the caller you will not provide any information or make any decisions until you get all details in writing.

Greater Cleveland Better Business Bureau

2800 Euclid Avenue, 4th FloorClevelandOhio44115

216-241-7678 ●

The BBB Foundation thanks Dominion East Ohio Gasand many generous BBB Accredited Businesses for their support of the Senior Awareness Initiative