This is one of the many companies selling in-home alarm systems that are supposed to help the elderly and disabled summon help in an emergency. Some of these systems work better than others; all of them are expensive and, in many cases, the contract terms are objectionable. For example, LifeAlert customers tell us that the company holds them to the three-year contract even if the elderly individual dies before the term is up.
A few recent complaints ...
Lee of Houston, TX March 5, 2007
Lee of Houston TX (03/05/07)
My mother informed me that a woman at the emergency response company she had signed up with, Life Alert, insulted her when she called up to inquire about quitting the service. It had occurred to her that if she lost consciousness, the alert would do her no good. She was, up until then, completely unaware of the 3-year term she had apparently signed up for. My mother stated to the woman that she had no such knowledge of this 3-year contract. The female customer service (term used loosely in this case) representative commmented back to her in a rude and insulting manner Well, you can 'read', can't you?
Apparently they, (Life Alert), cloak this 3-year term/requirement in the 'fine print', hoping that poor elderly seniors won't notice it. In my mother's case, her eyes are going fast and she really CAN'T read that well any more, and since it was never mentioned at any time, she trusted that the terms were covered. Poor trusting soul.
First off, I'm mad as hell at this company for employing someone that talks down to seniors and verbally abuses them. Secondly, I'm outraged that they practice such underhanded deception (terms hidden in the fine-print) on those that can least afford the consequences. After reading some of the other complaints about them here, I'm ready to go after these crooks full tilt. I once fought a supposedly free software claim and won. I mentioned to a gentleman at the FTC that I realized it was probably small potatoes to him, and that it probably didn't constitute what he considered to be deceptive trade practice (hiding the real terms in the fine print).
The guy at the FTC asked me a simple question. Were you deceived? My answer was yes. He said Well, then it constitutes deceptive trade practice. And there it is. Bottom line, I'm not going to let these ****** get away with talking to my mother in this manner, or in scamming her into something she doesn't think she needs. They don't know it yet, but they just scammed the wrong customer this time.
Tammy of Hollywood, AL February 2, 2007
Tammy of Hollywood AL (02/02/07)
My mother purchased the Life Alert System at a cost of almost 400.00 for the system and a rate of 59.95 per month. My mother was put in the hospital two days after the system was installed and then was sent to a nursing home facility permanently. I contacted this company in October letting them know this. It is now February and the product has been returned but they stated that the smoke detector was not returned, yet one was never installed.
The guy requested a fax be sent to him from the nursing home, the nursing home facility faxed him that very same day. I have called this guy numerous times he will not return my calls and I have faxed him twice and he has not responded to my fax until I opened up a dispute with my mother’s credit card company. Then he finally called saying the smoke alarm was not included in the returned product.
I got in touch with another man by the name of Glenn who spoke to me very rudely, he was talking so loud to me on the phone my husband could here every word, he worked in the same office with this Marc but proceeded to tell me he could not pull up my mom's file until Monday. I told him I was going to turn them into the Better Business Bureau and he said good, go ahead, it did not matter to him.
John of Dallas, TX January 18, 2007
John of Dallas TX (01/18/07) My wife had bought Life Alert with the understanding that the services would stop and auto billing would stop once she faxed over to them in April '06 that her great grandmother moved to a facility that had an emergency response button. They continued to bill her checking account until she closed the account. They then called my house and threatened my wife. She gave me the phone and I tried to explain. The collection guy just wouldn't let me talk. I hung up.
He repeatedly called back my phone and her cell phone constantly harassing us for over and hour and wouldn't talk to us about anything. Oh my God who do they get to do this stuff. He wouldn't tell us his name other than he was with Life Alert from Bend Over, California. Well they picked the right city. Beware of this company unless you want to deal with the jerk from Bend Over.
7 months auto bill # 49.95 = 349.65 credit hit on a 500,000.00 mortgage cost at least 1 point over a thirty year term 100,000.00 Any future purchases that rely on credit where this account is posted .
Heather of Plymouth, NH November 5, 2006
Heather of Plymouth NH (11/05/06) I called Life Alert after seeing their ad on TV, and spoke with Mr. Bill Blackwell, who sent me info. re: the company. After a follow-up phone call, he called me again before an agreed-upon time of contact. This happened twice. After the second time, I explicitly told him I would call HIM, and asked him not to call me. Needless to say, Bill perservered. At one point, I became annoyed by the pushiness, explained that he was being way too pushy for me and asked him not to call my number again. He has persisted in calling me, although I've hung up when he calls. When I hang up on him, he immediately calls back, at which point I don't answer the phone and he leaves a message.
It's easy for me not to speak with him, but here's what bothers me: I am a very strong person, not easily intimidated, merely seeking information for my elderly father. What is this man, and other salespeople in his company, doing to the elderly and more easily intimidated population they're speaking with? I consider his repeated calling, after my request to not do so,harrassment, and I have notified his company to this effect. His actions are badgering,unprofessional, and totally unethical, to the point of which I, as a baby boomer, would be interested in participating in a movement to protect the elderly from having to deal with the bullying of any such group.
James of Evart, MI November 4, 2006
James of Evart MI (11/04/06) I signed my mother up for the Life Alert system last December. At that time I was told that the contract was for three years but could be terminated if she died or left her home. The contract says skilled nursing facility. She as moved into an assisted living facility that has medical help and people checking hourly on her.
When the arrangements were made for my mother to move I called Life Alert to cancel the contract. I was told that assisted living did not meet skilled nursing facility. Their only solution was for me to pay for an additional 6 months for a service I don't need. I see that other people have had similar problems with this business.
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