Bay Alarm Medical

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/12/09) */
Bay Alarm Medical offers different styles of paymentThis is detailed on our websiteCustomers can pay month to month, every months, or every monthsThe longer the payment plan, the less expensive each month becomesCustomers
may cancel at any timeThere will be no further charges to the account once the equipment is returned back to usPlease note that if a customer chooses to purchase a Semi-Annual or Quarter plan, no refunds or pro-rations are issued after the initial day trial periodAll payment plans auto renew at the end of their term unless the medical equipment is returned prior to the next bill date

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/05/29) */
Bay Alarm Medical appreciates this matter being brought to our attentionWe apologize for any inconvenience this has caused
Our in-home monitoring devices are loaned out to our customers at no additional costThe only requirement is that
it is returned to us in undamaged, reusable condition once service is no longer needed, in order to avoid the equipment feeThis is detailed in the Service Agreement that was signed and returned to us by our customer on 2/26/
We did some further investigation regarding the damage to the equipment and found that the device was definitely tampered with before making it to our facility on 1/28/However, due to the delay in our returns process at that time, we will waive the equipment feeWe will be issuing a refund to our customer's credit card for $on 5/29/This may take up to business days to post with the credit institution
If our customer has any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at X-XXX-XXX-XXXX
Thank you for helping us resolve this
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/06/13) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
It has been confirmed that the unit WAS NOT tampered with by the Customer
The unit was PACKED BY A UPS EMPLOYEE for return
If the unit had been taken apart, as shown in the emailed pictures, the UPS employee would not have packed it with loose screws and removed coverUPS definitely would not have insured the package as they didUPS WILL NOT PACK ITEMS AND INSURE THEM IF THEY ARE IN THAT CONDITION
If a component part is needed for another monitoring unit I suggest that it be obtained in an ethical manner
If more revenue is needed by your business, do it in a legal mannerDo not continue to CHARGE CUSTOMERS FRAUDULENTLY to bring in more money
If your company took or takes a component part from a Customer returned unit then charges the Customer a sum of money for that component part it is ILLEGAL and UNETHICAL
The Problem with your business may be in one or more of the following areas:
COMPANY WITH NO ETHICS and ENGAGING IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES
Not storing Customer returns in a locked and secure area to prevent tampering with or scavenging parts from Customer returns
Management or owners are not aware of what is going on in the businessThis will lead to the company receiving more complaints from the Revdex.com because of inattentive leadership
GET YOUR BUSINESS IN ORDER SO THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY, TARGETING THE CUSTOMER, CEASES
Also, I received another statement in the mail today stating that my account balance was still in default for the fraudulent chargeCommunications between your billing and returns department needs to be improved

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/05/29) */
Thank you for bringing this issue to our attentionWe apologize for any inconvenience this has causedWe did some further investigation regarding the damage to the equipment and found that the device was definitely tampered with before making
it to our facilityIf customer suspects any foul play during shipping, we kindly request that she contact the shipping company to file a claim
We do confirm that the equipment was returned within the 14-day trial periodBecause our customer purchased a warranty at time of order, that covers the equipment replacement feeWe apologize for the oversight on our partOur customer is entitled to a refund in the amount of $146.75, which is the total amount paid, less warranty and shipping costsThis will be processed to our customer's credit card on 5/29/and may take up to business days to post with the credit institution
If our customer would like an itemized description of the refund or has any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at X-XXX-XXX-XXXX
Thank you for helping us get this resolved
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/06/01) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
We accept the refund offer as we purchased the warrantyThank you for intervening in this matter

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this responseMy mother was admitted into the hospital in the beginning of AprilShe had not even opened the box when she was admittedWhen we discovered she was getting reoccurring charges from Bay Alarm I spoke with them and explained what was happeningBay Alarm said once we returned the unit they would refund the money for the unit and stop the monthly feeI explained that my mom was put on hospice and I lived in another stateMy mother was never going to use their servicesI was not going to leave my mother to get their unit and return it until she diedShe died in JulyI have attached the link to the obituary
***
I have returned the unit and they did not refund the cost of the unitThey billed my mother for numerous months of monitoringThey know she never activated the unit as she received a letter stating this and she was not being monitored unless she contacts themI am amazed that they claim to help peopleIf they really cared about people, they would refund all of my mother's moneyIn all of my correspondences with them, they never even expressed sorrow for my motherI run a business in the health industryI would never treat my clients the way Bay Alarm has treated usI am requesting they refund all of the charges
Sincerely,*** ***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2014/09/29) */
This matter has been resolved with our customerAccount balance has been credited in fullThank you
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2014/09/30) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the
business.)
I would like an apology from the company for the way they tried to accuse me of frying the unit when *** spoke to my daughter regarding the letter they sent It was absolutely very poor customer service to start with and I cant believe they would allow a person to represent their co and speak to a customer as she did accusing me of frying the unit! I accept the fact that they will no longer bother me but I do not think this matter was handled in an appropriate way and I would like other consumers to know this as well Thank u M ***
Final Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2014/10/17) */
We apologize for the misunderstanding over the damaged unitIt is the customer's responsibility to ensure that the leased equipment is returned to us in functioning condition, this includes any mishaps that may happen during shipping and it is recommended that any returns are tracked and insured by the sender
This unit was determined to be damaged between the time it was unplugged from our customer's wall and while shipping to our facilityHowever, we did remove the equipment fee as a courtesy
Thank you and if you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us
Customer Accounts
Bay Alarm Medical
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 15, 2014/10/21) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The unit was returned in functioning condition and the return was tracked and insured by me I paid xtra money for that as I sent IT TO U AND STILL HAVE copy of the fee I PAID TO HAVE IT RETURNED so not necessary to tell me what I already did U can take that up with the post office if u claim it happened then during shipping I DIDNT APPRECIATE HOW kELLY TOLD MY DAUGHTER IT WAS OUR PROBLEM AND ACCUSED ME OF FRYING THE UNIT HOW ABSURD TO TELL A CUSTOMER THAT WEN SHE HAD BEN PAYING U FOR SERVICE ALL THAT TIME THAT I HAD FRIED A UNIT I WAS PAYING U FOR AND WOULDNT HAVE HAD ANY HELP IF INDEED IT WAS FRIED SO DISGUSTING U HAVE PEOPLE WORKING FOR UR CO THAT MAKE ACCUSATIONS LIKE THAT

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because: the unit was NOT damaged when packedI have no idea how the antenna became unattachedUnfortunately, I did not take any photos prior to shipping, but I sent it back as receivedI cannot help what may have happened or not in the US mailTherefore, I am not paying the supposed "damage" costIn addition, this company did to tell me that I was not receiving coverage until they told me to close the account because I was not receiving coverage and to return the equipmentI did so, however, it appears I did not have service for several months
Sincerely,*** ***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2015/11/03) */
Bay Alarm Medical offers different styles of paymentThis is detailed on our websiteCustomers can pay month to month, every months, or every monthsThe longer the payment plan, the less expensive each month becomesCustomers
may cancel at any timeThere will be no further charges to the account once the equipment is returned back to usPlease note that if a customer chooses to purchase a Semi-Annual or Quarter plan, no refunds or pro-rations are issued after the initial day trial periodAll payment plans auto renew at the end of their term unless the medical equipment is returned prior to the next bill date
Thank you
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 11, 2015/11/04) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
It appears from Bay Alarm's response that they are not bending one bit with their return policy, which compared to others, is clearly unfair against the elderlyI think it is telling at no "good faith" compromise or even "partial reimbursement" was offered, which I believe exemplifies their unethical business practices against senior citizens, their prime marketI am very disappointed with their lack of an attempt to find a resolution to my grievance and will be seeking further protection from the Revdex.com and possibly their means as well so that my mother and other senior citizens do nothing themselves at the mercy of this company which seems to be fleecing them of their money
Final Business Response /* (4000, 23, 2015/12/10) */
We stand by our initial correspondenceThank you
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 25, 2015/12/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I have contacted the California Department of Consumer Affairs to help resolve this issue and am prepared to take this case to the small claims court if this business stands by thier policy which promotes the financial abuse of senior citizens

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to meBUT what they say and what they do - do not agree. I just received my third bill for the same amount this week. They need to stop billing as they said there is no balance due!Sincerely, *** *** ** *** ** *** *** * *** ** ** *** *** *** ***

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because: First exceptions should be made if there is an illness in the family and second I was the one that called. I wrote down all the information and no where was I told that the equipment had to be there when the contract was done. If my mother would have died before the contract the was up for renewal does this mean the estate would not have been reimbursed for the money that was pre-paid for services not used?
Sincerely,*** ***

Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 6, 2015/07/22) */
Hello [redacted]
Case Number XXXXXXXX
I was just contacted by Bay Alarm Medical regarding my complaint with the Revdex.com. The person who contacted me was the manager and she apologized for problem I had with Bay Alarm. She wanted the complaint...

resolved as much as I did, so she said if I amend my complaint she would return my $200.00. As soon as she sees its been amended she will immediately cut and mail me the refund.
Honestly she was very professional and apologetic to me and she offered her condolences to our family who just lost a loved one.
So if you would please update my complaint to "resolved" status and mention how professional this manager was and how eager she was to make things right I can return the money to the estate. The Bay Alarm manager's name is [redacted]
Thank you so much for accepting my word and processing the complaint. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
[redacted] Drive
[redacted] XXXXX
(XXX) XXX-XXXX

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing Bay Alarm Medical the opportunity to address your concerns.. After looking into the account we have confirmed that our equipment was sent to Mrs. Wendell in proper operating condition; this was confirmed by successful internal testing...

with our technicians on 2/5/2016 prior to the equipment being shipped. Once received in the home, our customer was able to successfully test the equipment on multiple occasions which include recorded tests completed on the dates of 2/15/2016, 3/2/2016, & 3/15/2016. Our equipment is also tested on a weekly basis through the phone lines and we received normal weekly tests while in the possession of our customer. Detailed in the terms and conditions of our Service Agreement, that was signed and agreed to by our customer on 2/5/2016, upon cancellation of services, our equipment must be returned in as good condition as when received. Upon return of the equipment a non-removable button was not attached to the unit as it was when sent. This is a vital button used in the programming process of the equipment that must take place prior to the shipment of the device. At this time the account has been closed and a bill was sent for the damaged equipment that will stand.
 
Thank you, Bay Alarm Medical

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: I will wait until confirmation of UPS return deliveries and resolution with credit card company have been resolvedSincerely,[redacted]
 
Update since 10 March 2018 when the complaint was filed on 09 March 2018:
 
11 March: Received cancellation information letter by email indicating original device, replacement and unordered merchandise was returned by UPS, using Bay Alarm Medical's mailing enclosed form, on 20 February (UPS Tracking #[redacted] and [redacted]) and un-ordered unit was returned to Bay Alarm Medical on 12 March (UPS Tracking #[redacted]) AND a letter by US Post was sent on 11 March indicating "Your account remains active and continues to incur charges until the equipment is received by us. As of today (16 March) I have yet to receive confirmation that Bay Alarm Medical has received any of the returned units.
 
14 March: By email UPS Delivery Notification, Tracking Number [redacted], indicated that "Your package has been delivered on Wednesday, 14 March at 11:21am. Be advised that I live in a small 24 hour staffed gate community. In fact, this item was not delivered.

During any current term of our monitoring services, an account may be cancelled for any reason without penalty or fee. The length of the renewal term is based on the customer's choice and once the renewal takes place, we do not refund for unused time. All plans automatically renew at the end of the term unless the equipment is returned to us by the renewal date.
 
Thank you, 
Bay Alarm Medical

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:  as I explained my mother is home bound.  I was in the hospital for 5 days at that time period and could not return the equipment.  none of what they are saying has anything to do with the fact that we are paying for a service that we do not have.   This is just plain bad business.
 
Sincerely,[redacted]

Bay Alarm Medical offers many different auto-renewing payment options at time of order: monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. Customers select the payment options that fit their needs. The longer the payment term the customer selects, the higher the monthly discount is. Customers get 14...

days starting on the date the equipment is delivered to try out the service and see if it works for them. We do offer a full refund for the monitoring service if the equipment is returned to us within the 14 day trial period. There is no refund after the 14 day trial period. All plans automatically renew at the end of the term unless the equipment is returned to us by the renewal date. This is detailed in the service agreement that was signed by our customer on 7/2/2016. 
 
Thank you, Bay Alarm Medical.

Bay Alarm Medical offers our customers 14 days starting on the date the equipment is delivered to try out the service and see if it works for them. We do offer a full refund for the monitoring service if the equipment is returned to us within the 14 day trial period. There are no refunds after the...

14 day trial period.
After looking into [redacted] account activity, we found that upon ordering services with us in July 2014 she was able to successfully test her alert system in her home on the confirmed dates of 7/26/2014, 8/14/2014, and 8/20/2014 without any issues from the cellular network or the equipment. It is required that our customers test their equipment on a monthly basis, which is stated in Section 12 of our Service Agreement. This was signed by Mrs. Dugan on 8/1/2014 and a customer copy was provided as well with the equipment. If any issues arise we can troubleshoot and assist at that time. We do not see any successful tests performed by our customer other than the dates listed above. As an added feature of our services, that is not listed in our Service Agreement and not required on our part, we will silently attempt to connect with the system on a regular basis. If we are unsuccessful in doing so, our automated dialing system will call to notify the customer and emergency contacts that they need to perform a test and to call Customer Service for assistance.
Cellular network is provided by AT&T 2G-3G services and may change at any given time, which are beyond our control as listed in the Service Agreement.
We performed an inspection of the equipment at the time it arrived in July 2016 and confirmed that the equipment was damaged due to an unattached antenna. At this time the account has been closed and a bill was sent for the damaged equipment.
 Thank you, Bay Alarm Medical.

Thank you for providing your feedback and allowing us to look further into the account. As there are no upfront equipment fees charged to our customers, in order to cancel an account, the Medical Alert equipment is required to be returned. A tracking number would be required for cancellations, but...

the purpose of it is to assist our customers with the cancellation process as anything can happen with the shipment of items. This is detailed in the service agreement that was signed and returned to us by our customer on 4/21/2017. We received notification via email on 6/14/2017 that information was requested for how to cancel services. In response an email was sent and written correspondence were sent to our customer outlining our terms for the cancellation process which included the request for a tracking number with the return shipment.   At this time, the lack of returned equipment will result in an equipment fee due to the equipment not being returned for cancellation. This fee is not the result of a lack of tracking information. We will be glad to assist you in getting the account closed for the time being with a written request from our customer, but the fee for lack of returned equipment will stand. We would recommend filing a claim with the shipping company used as they should be held responsible for the loss of your shipped package and can possibly assist in covering the cost of the loss. The original receipt of purchase when shipping or the tracking number the company provided would help you with your claim to prove your purchase of shipment through the chosen shipping company. To better assist you, please give our Customer Service line a call at [redacted] Thank you, Bay Alarm Medical.

Thank you for giving Bay Alarm Medical the opportunity to address your concerns. We offer many different auto-renewing payment options at the time of order: monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. Customers select the payment options that fit their needs. Customers get 14 days starting on...

the date the equipment is delivered to try out the service and see if it works for them. We do offer a full refund for the monitoring service if the equipment is returned to us within the 14 day trial period. There is no refund after the 14 day trial period. All plans automatically renew at the end of the term unless the equipment is returned to us by the renewal date. This is detailed in the service agreement that was signed and returned to us by our customer on 1/30/2013. 
 
We do see that contact was made with us on 8/29/2016 to inquire about our cancellation process. At that time all information was given on how to proceed with cancellation of the account prior to the next billing date. A hard copy of this information was also provided via standard mail and sent via email.
 
As a courtesy to our customers who are no longer in need of the service, but might still be in the middle of their service term, we also offer the option to transfer service to another family member or friend without additional transfer fees. We are willing to return the equipment so that the remaining service can be utilized by our customer. Simply give us a call at [redacted] and we can help set this up.
 
Thank you, Bay Alarm Medical.

In order for us to ship our equipment for any new accounts, we do require the terms and conditions in our Service Agreement to be agreed to by signature. When placing an order online, an electronic signature is allowed and the customer will need to review the terms at that time and agree prior to finalizing the order. The Service Agreement is then also sent as a hard copy with the equipment so that it can be kept with your records in case you did not print the Service Agreement at the time you agreed to it online. If there are any concerns at the time the equipment is received, we also allow a 14 day trial period from the time the shipment arrives to return the items for a refund.
 
Thank you,
Bay Alarm Medical

Hello [redacted],
We thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We have reviewed the account and at this time the account is closed and there is no further standing balance due. The most recent check you have sent to us, we will return to you to ensure that the money has not been received on...

our end. We apologize sincerely for any confusion or miscommunication on our part. We thank you for your efforts in resolving the account. If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to contact Bay Alarm Medical. 
 
Sincerely, 
Bay Alarm Medical