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Wisconsin seniors hit with medical alarm scamMay 12, 2013 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Scammers are trying to get Wisconsin seniors to pay for medical alert systems that they initially indicate are free, officials warn. State consumer protection officials say they have seen an increase in complaints about robocalls from "Medical Alert System" and "Senior Safe Alert." So far, the companies have mainly targeted consumers in the 608 area code and in the Green Bay area. "In each of these robocalls, seniors were told that a piece of emergency alert equipment was going to be delivered to them, free of charge," the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said in an alert Friday. "Most seniors hung up on the calls (as we advise), but at least one spoke to an operator who told him that the equipment was free but would cost around $35 per month to operate. The message told the seniors that they could hit '5' to be removed from their call list, but taking any action like this may just validate the number for the company and lead to additional calls to the consumer in the future." State officials said the scammers use different names. The Better Business Bureau issued its own alert Friday, saying the company identified itself as "Medical Alert of Wisconsin" and that no such company appears to exist in Wisconsin. The state has logged 45 complaints since March against an entity calling itself "Medical Alert System." The first complaints came in from seniors in Appleton, Green Bay and just north of Green Bay, and some of the seniors fell for the sales pitch. When state officials first issued an alert in mid-April, they had received at least a dozen calls. The BBB alert said some robocalls told the complainants that the alarm was prepaid. "Inquiries from all over the state tell the BBB that phone calls are purportedly coming from phone number 920-636-4415," the BBB alert said. "The caller states, 'I'm calling to confirm your order' and 'I'm attempting to install an alarm' or 'This is a state of emergency. Seniors have been falling down in their homes.' " The phone number is listed as a cellphone, the BBB said. "When the Wisconsin BBB called the phone number, the company identified itself as 'Senior Medical Alarms' company, and stated it was located in upstate New York," the BBB alert said. "It gave an address of 519 Springfield St., 9th Floor, Albany, NY. It said that it markets a bracelet with a button that, when pushed, 'sends an immediate alert to the local police station or ambulance.' The BBB of upstate New York has no information on this company, and tells us the Albany address does not exist." The caller typically says to expect delivery of a piece of medical or alert equipment the same afternoon. The call claimed the equipment was paid for, although the seniors never ordered it. The calls were made to sound "live" with sounds of shuffling papers and other call agents in the background. State officials remind people who receive a call to hang up immediately and not press keys to verify information or speak to an operator. Do not give out personal or financial information. You can file a complaint with the department's hotline at (800) 422-7128. ___ (c)2013 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Visit the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at www.jsonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |