Lifewatch, Inc.

Review: I am filing for my ** year old father who had to have been tricked into giving this company his charge card as in the warning posted on the internet: [redacted]He was sent a medical alert unit and billed for two months service. We sent the unused unit back but the company will not reverse the charges for the two months.Desired Settlement: Refund of $69.90, the two month total for the monthly $34.95 service.

Business

Response:

Good Morning:I spoke with [redacted]'s son in law, [redacted], this morning who registered this Revdex.com Complaint. I explained to him that we are the Medical Alarm Company; not the Sales Agency. We have been in business for 36 years and we are proud of our A+ Rating with the Revdex.com. Customer Service is the most important aspect of our business. Therefore, we are refunding the $69.90 payment back to the Credit Card. It will take 2-3 business days for it to clear.If there are any further questions or concerns, I may be contacted directly at ###-###-####.Sincerely,[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: I am making this complaint on behalf of my father. In October 2014 LifeWatch claims an alert device was left on our doorstep. No product ever arrived or was signed for. We have not received, activated, or used this product. We received a bill for $ 279.60 on 4/**/2015. After researching what this product is, and searching the entire house, we realized we don't have this item. LifeWatch had already charged our credit card three times. We called LifeWatch on 4/**/15 to ask what we were being charged for, and let them know we don't have their product. They insisted it was left on our doorstep. They insisted we received it, and yet acknowledged no one signed for it. After being told there was nothing they could do, we asked to speak to a supervisor. We spoke with [redacted], who told us that we had this product, and we owed them for it. [redacted] offered to settle the matter by charging us $ 300. I became angry! I do not believe we should be charged for something we don't have. No resolution reached.

We called again on 4/** and spoke with the same person. We were told this time that we would be charged $ 700 and in addition would continue to be charging monthly monitoring fees. This is not acceptable. We do not have their product. They insist we need to return the item. We cannot return what we do not have. No resolution.

I have to believe there is a way for LifeWatch to test their equipment to verify we do not have it. I have never made a complaint to the Revdex.com before, and am hoping you can help resolve this problem.Desired Settlement: I would appreciate LifeWatch acknowledging that we have never received or used their product. We would like all charges cancelled.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:I spoke with [redacted]'s daughter, [redacted] on May *, 2015. I gave her the [redacted] Tracking Information [redacted], with proof of delivery in November 2014. I explained that [redacted] will not leave packages outside the home. They hand deliver it to the resident of the home. However, [redacted] stated that they have looked around the home, and there is no unit. There have been no payments made on this account at this time because everything has been charged back/disputed. We are at a $400 loss of our unit at this time, but we are closing [redacted]'s account, in the interest of excellent Customer Service. Sincerely,[redacted]Lifewatch USA

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: I am filing this complaint on behalf of my mother [redacted]. I am her son [redacted].

The problems with Lifewatch are twofold:

First, the monitoring service was never desired.

Second, the service was never provided, yet the company continues to send bills to my mother for $34.95 per month, starting on May **, 2014.

I first became aware of the situation when an unexpected charge appeared on my mother's credit card. I contacted the credit card company, with my mother also on the phone, to find out who had submitted the unauthorized charge. We got the contact information for Lifewatch and called them next. The company representative said that they had my sister's information listed as the emergency contact and suggested that she must have ordered the service (Red Flag - why would their records not have been clear about who ordered the service?). We told the representative that my mother did not want the service, and also explained that no equipment had been delivered. We then contacted my sister who confirmed that she had not ordered the service either, neither had she received any equipment.

We then filed a dispute with the credit card company and cancelled the card so no further unauthorized charges could be made. Lifewatch responded to the complaint with a USPS tracking printout showing that equipment had been sent to [redacted]. However there are three more red flags in their response. First, why would a medical alert service not have sent a technician to ensure proper installation and positioning of the equipment so it can be heard throughout the house? Second, why would they not require a signature for delivery if self-installation was appropriate and had been requested? Third, why would they only insure the equipment for $50 if it is really worth $475 as the company claims in a later correspondence?

The company also sent a "Medical Alarm System Lease and Monitoring Service Agreement" in response to the credit card dispute, but the agreement is unsigned! Presumably they were documenting their cancellation policy, but shouldn't they have a properly executed agreement if either my mother or sister had actually ordered the service?

Lastly, the company sent a printout of an account history showing various employees initiating a shipping request, identifying a unit model number, etc. What caught my eye in the history is that they also show a commission being paid on 5/*/2014. This now makes me think that they used a telemarketing service to contact my mother initially - a very different story than what the first representative told me on that first call. If this was indeed an unsolicited telemarketing call, then it would be interesting to know how they portrayed themselves in order to get my mother to disclose my sister's contact information - assuming that was what happened.Desired Settlement: The company must stop sending invoices and past-due notices.

Their service was never desired in the first place, and since the equipment was never received or installed, they have never actually provided even a single day of monitoring service to my mother. There is no basis for charging my mother for a non-existant service.

We would gladly return their equipment if it had actually been received; it has no value to us without an active monitoring service. However, since it was not received, we have nothing to return.

If the equipment was lost or stolen, then the company should take it up with the USPS.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:

I contacted [redacted] directly and we had a most pleasant conversation. I explained to him that we are the Medical Alarm Company--we ship our equipment and monitor our 200,000 subscribers; we are not the Sales Agency. There are sales agencies across the country that sell the Medical Alarm Service, and we as the Medical Alarm Company, along with all the others such as [redacted], and [redacted] to name a few, purchase those accounts. All calls are recorded; it must be confirmed with the Subscriber during their initial conversation with the sales agent no less than 3 times that they understand what the service is, what their monthly monitoring rate will be, then the Subscriber provides their payment information. In [redacted]'s case she went as far as giving her daughter, [redacted]'s phone number and listing her as a Contact Person if assistance was required. As [redacted] mentioned in his Revdex.com Complaint, USPS confirmed delivery of the Medical Alarm Equipment to [redacted]--on 5/*/14 at 10:22 am (Tracking #[redacted]).

I have requested the recording from the Sales Agency to confirm that the correct protocol was followed by the Sales Agent when [redacted] ordered the service. In the meantime, I informed [redacted] that we will make [redacted]'s account inactive at this time, even though we are at a loss for our $475 Unit. There have been no payments made to us because [redacted] disputed them with the Credit Card Company. In the interest of excellent Customer Service, we will not pursue any payment.

If there are any further questions or concerns, I may be contacted directly at ###-###-####.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I very much appreciated [redacted] from Lifewatch calling me over the weekend to discuss the issue at hand.

She sounds like she truly does value her company's reputation and wants to demonstrate excellent customer service practices.

I will be interested to hear whether she finds that the original Telemarketing call did meet her company's standards for sales practices.

Meanwhile, I appreciate that she agrees to not pursue any payments from my mother.

Sincerely,

Review: I signed my parents up for the Lifewatch USA medical alarm system in January of 2014. Earlier this month we found that my Dad who has [redacted], as a veteran, was eligible for a free medical alarm system through the Veterans Administration. I called today to cancel the service with Lifewatch/Medical Alarm System and was told that my Mother had signed a 2-year agreement. I am paying for the system for my parents with my credit card. I cannot find on the Medical Alarm System Lease and Monitoring Service Agreement anything about a 2-year contract. I have not yet returned the system, and perhaps that is the problem, but I wanted to make sure I was following the correct procedure by phoning them and was going to return the system this week. I was told today to get out of the 2-year contract we would owe $569 but they would settle for 50% of that. This company advertises on our Church Bulletin and several of my parents friends have this service as well.Desired Settlement: I want this service canceled upon my return of the system to them and no further charges be made to my credit card for this service.

Business

Response:

Good Morning:

I left a message for [redacted] to contact me, but have not heard back from her. Based on her Dad being a Veteran, the Contract will be Null and Void when the Medical Alarm Equipment is returned to us. The account will be made inactive and no further attempts for payment will be made. I have already discussed this with the Customer Service Representative that [redacted] had spoken with. He completely understands that if any of our Subscribers are able to obtain the Medical Alarm Service free of charge, they will not be held to any type of Contract with us. On behalf of Lifewatch USA, I apologize if this has created distress for [redacted] or her parents.

If there are any questions or concerns, I may be reached directly at ###-###-####.

Sincerely,

###-###-#### Cell

###-###-####, [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

I did not receive a call as stated from [redacted] at Lifewatch, Inc. but accept her message that the contact has been canceled due to my Dad receiving the medical alarm at no charge from the Veterans. Administration. Thank you for your assistance. I do appreciate Lifewatch giving this consideration to our Veterans. In addition, I returned the Lifewatch medical alarm and per USPS Tracking it was delivered to them on June **, 2014, at 9:28 am. My Discover account was charged for $89.85 (for 3 months service) on June **, but I will check to see if at least 2 months can be credited to my account. I am sorry for my delay in responding to you, I cannot open your messages on my laptop and had to find another computer to use.

Thank you again for your assistance.

Review: Consistently calling my 88 year old mother on the phone, even after she has said NO to the product and for them not to call back. Finally she gave in and purchased it just to stop them, but doesn't need the product.Desired Settlement: To accept our return of the product and to stop calling her.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:

Review: My name is B[redacted], and I am [redacted]'s son in law and have been asked to assist her in resolving this issue. The Life Watch USA Company in 2012 contacted [redacted] and convinced her to purchase the life watch service. After the contract ended, [redacted] was contacted again and talked into an extension. She is elderly (85 years old) and lives alone and will sound like she is ok with a sales person even if she is unhappy with the service. [redacted] did not want and does not want the service and is returning the equipment this week.

In addition, [redacted] was told she needed to add a $5.00 charge so that the pendant would work where ever she was. Being elderly, and sweet, and not wanting to cause “friction’ she agreed although she knows she does not need it as she carries her phone when she is out. Even so, LWI has been charging two $5.00 charges each month instead of one.

The complaint is two-fold, firstly, [redacted] does not need nor want the service. LWI says she wanted the service and had no complaint but they are mistaken. This is an elderly person without the ability to say no in these kinds of circumstances. This is evidenced by the hundreds of letters asking for money that come to her regularly, sometimes 15 in one day, she reads every one. [redacted] has been talked into other inappropriate or unnecessary contracts costing thousands of dollars.

Secondly, the service is unreliable. Her pendant has failed a few times and is currently not working. In addition, during some of the monthly tests, the police and fire trucks have been dispatched to her home. It is never clear if the equipment will work or not, causing unnecessary stress. This last month’s failure has escalated enough to be unacceptable. Days before each test, [redacted] becomes upset even ill feeling ([redacted] of each month).

As I have been trying to help her, I have called LWI several times; I have been told I will receive a call back which never comes. I have waited online for as much as an hour before having to drop off. I have been transferred to supervisors and required to leave yet another message instead of a live person and at other times the calls were dropped completely. I was told they were having phone issues. It takes much patience and diligence to finally get a person on the line.

Due to the technical failures and unacceptable customer service I called LWI to cancel [redacted]s service. I was told that she had signed an extension and would have to pay $998 to stop the service. Although, the same extension clearly states that the original contract is valid. In the original contract point number 2 states that:

"This agreement will continue automatically every month after the initial term, providing the subscriber of LWI does not give notice to the other cancelling this contract. No portion of the fees shall be refunded.”

We asked for the process to do this cancellation and LWI says we cannot and will not work with us. [redacted] is not asking for any refunds on anything already paid even the double payments of $5.00 a month she has incurred.

I spoke to one service representative that agreed that the language on her contract did say that she could cancel (Howard on 6/**/2015 which they have an audio recording) but that due to company protocol, he would have to defer to the original sales person, [redacted] said that was not what the contract was supposed to mean. That it was only supposed to mean within 30 days after the original contract was signed and then the clause no longer counted, although the contract says nothing about 30 days or anything about not counting later ([redacted] on 6/**/2015). In our opinion it says we can give written notice and cancel at any time as long as it is in writing and the equipment is returned. [redacted] would like to cancel and is giving written notice and returning the equipment this week.

I asked if they would work with us and would understand a contract cancellation fee although the best resolution was a $600 payment. This does not seem a fair resolution under the circumstances. Talking an elderly person into a contract they do not need is simply not fair.

I appreciate your consideration and assistance in resolving this matter. Thank you, [redacted]

Son in law

###-###-####

###-###-####Desired Settlement: A reasonable charge for release from the contract, similar to a phone contract due to unreliable service and pressure sales.

Business

Response:

Good Morning:I had a most pleasant conversation with [redacted] yesterday, and we resolved everything to his satisfaction. By the end of our discussion, [redacted] realized that many of the accusations made in his Complaint were unwarranted. We have been in business for more than 36 years, service more than 300,000 Subscribers Nationwide, and have an A+Revdex.com rating because we are a very compassionate company that tries to handle each Subscriber's account on an Individual basis. We understand the challenges that Seniors and their families must contend with, and that is why I was able to relate to what [redacted], and family are going through. I would like to address a few items that [redacted] had mentioned in the Complaint--at no time was [redacted] forced to pay $5 more per month for her pendant to work wherever she was--the Customer Service Rep offered [redacted] and she accepted, an additional service to her in-home equipment that works outside of the home for $5 per month. It was her choice to have that device sent to her. In regard to the 24-month Contract Renewal that she signed and sent back, she had originally signed a one-year contract that was going to expire, she was asked if she would like to renew her Annual Contract, and she said in a recorded conversation, that she wanted to renew for a longer time period; per her request, the 24-month Contract was sent to her, and she signed and sent it back barely a month ago. Technically, she was bound to that Contract until May of 2017. However, as Bryon discussed in his Complaint and with me over the phone. she is not capable at this time of making those decisions for herself and has a difficult time saying no. Once again because we understand and care for our Seniors, I was able to work something out with [redacted], so that he could return [redacted]'s rental equipment and cancel her account; we willo not hold her to the 24-month Contract. If there are any further questions or concerns, I may be reached directly at ###-###-####.We extend our best wishes to [redacted], and family.Sincerely,[redacted]Sincerely,[redacted]Customer Relations Manager

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: I signed what I thought was a receipt for equipment that was supplied by LifeWatch USA. They told my daughter today that I had signed a two year contract. The equipment did not work so I tried to work with their customer service and encountered unprofessional and negative attitudes. The equipment was not working. I called and the person that answered the phone immediately asked me what I had done to the unit. They told me that they would send me a new piece of equipment in a couple of days; I received 10 days later. After receiving the new piece of equipment, I tried to call their office for help to activate. I wasn't feeling well and really needed to have some kind of medical alert system in case of emergency. I had to leave a message and no one called me back. I was so discouraged that I went and found another company to supply a medical alert system that worked. When I called to ask how to return their (non-working) equipment, I was told I had a two year contract and would have to pay the balance regardless. Again, I thought I was signing a receipt. My daughter explained to them that we wanted to return the equipment and did not feel that I should be bound by a contract that I did not know I was signing, and regardless, their equipment did not work and their customer service was non-existent. They, of course, included language in their "receipt" that payment would be deducted from my credit card each month, which makes it very difficult to "cancel" monthly charges for equipment that I do not have. I would like to be extracted from any type of agreement with LifeWatch, USA as I feel their tactics were taking advantage of a senior citizen, their equipment does/did not work, and their customer service was not there when I needed it.Desired Settlement: Complete cancellation of any agreement paperwork that LifeWatch says they have. I did not knowingly sign a contract. I am 90 years old and feel that I have been taken advantage of. This company was not amenable at all on line to resolving this issue. I do not feel it is fair to expect me to pay for equipment that does not work and has been returned to the company.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:In response to this Complaint, it is unclear as to why [redacted] would have thought she was signing a receipt for the Medical Alarm Equipment that was delivered to her in May of 2014, when our Customer Service Representative, [redacted], spoke to her two months later on July **, 2014 regarding the benefits of signing a Contract. He explained to her that if she signed and sent back the Contract that her monthly rate would never be increased as long as she remained our Subscriber. She did sign and send back the 24 Month Contract on August **, 2014. There is nothing misleading in terms of the wording of the Contract. It states, "24-Month Contract for $29.95 per Month."In terms of the equipment not working, [redacted] had called in on 3/**/15 to say her Medical Alarm Button did not seem to be working, and it did not take 10 days for her to receive the replacement. It was delivered to her five days later on 3/**/15 per [redacted] Tracking #[redacted]. It is electronic equipment, and that is why we recommend to our Subscribers that they test their devices on a Monthly basis to make certain that all is working fine. We would be happy to issue her a free month of service for the inconvenience of those few days it took for her to receive the replacement button.In response to [redacted]'s comment that we take advantage of Seniors, we receive calls every single day from our Subscribers and their family members thanking us for assisting them in Emergency, many times life-threatening, situations. We are proud to be in business for 34 years, are a Revdex.com Accredited Agency with an A+ Revdex.com Rating, and serve 200,000 Subscribers Nationwide. Thousands of our clients come to us through Client Referrals because our Subscribers are so pleased with their service.As [redacted] informed her daughter, [redacted] committed to a 24-Month Contract at $29.95 per month. [redacted] offered her a Contract Buyout for a reduced fee of $250. In the interest of excellent Customer Service, I would like to offer [redacted] a free month of service to continue our service. Otherwise, if she does want to cancel, she must return our Medical Alarm Equipment and I am willing to accept a Contract Buyout fee of only $100. I may be reached directly at ###-###-####, if [redacted] or her daughter would like to further discuss this.Sincerely,[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here] In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

The initial complaint as submitted was written as clearly as possible. I thought I was signing a receipt for equipment because that is what I recall I was told. The discussion that was referred to with [redacted] in July is one I don't recall. I signed and sent back the document because I was told that I had to send it back to ensure I had received the equipment and keep the same rate.

The date that I called to report the equipment was not working to the best of my recollection was 3/*/15 (I tried on 3/*/15, the company was not open since it was a weekend). Since that is the date that I tested it, I cannot say for sure that it was working prior to that. So I don't know if I had working equipment the entire time that it was in my possession. No one told me that it was recommended to test on a monthly basis. Since I believe I called on 3/*/15 to report the equipment was not working, and didn't receive a replacement until 3/**/15 (according to the company's records) that would mean I was two weeks without working equipment. Since I received the replacement on a Saturday (3/**/15) and knew the company was not open on weekends I called on Monday 3/**/15 for assistance to activate it. I had to leave a voice mail message, and no one returned my call.My daughter researched this company and found complaints that were very similar to mine. The equipment did not work, customer service representative was rude, the customer service hours are limited so they cannot be reached 24/7, etc. I feel that they did not provide the services that I understood I was paying for. It is a frightening experience to realize that if something happened, I would not have a medical alarm within reach. I have returned the equipment to the company (my daughter discussed with [redacted] on the phone). I had to find another company to supply me with working equipment for medical alarm. My health has been poor and I was not comfortable at home with no working equipment for medical alarm equipment. I have a history of stroke and have not been feeling well. I am 90 years old, after all. I have advised my credit card company that they are not to pay this company after April 2015. I believe they have misled me and taken advantage of me with all of the above. Since I have paid for all of the months that I had the equipment, whether it worked or not, I do not feel that I owe anything further. Also, their comment that the "contract" terms were very clear are not true. Looking at the document, there is a space filled in with the monthly rate / 24. Yes, I should have had someone review the document for me, but did not feel that it was necessary as I didn't think it was a contract. Once again, my daughter has assisted me in writing this response.I request they close my account and [redacted] the balance paid in full. I appreciate your assistance with this matter.

Business

Response:

Good Morning:We do not want [redacted] to be stressed or upset in any way, so at this time, we will make her Contract null and void. The equipment has been returned, her account has been made inactive, and there will be no further billing attempts.I must address a few points--no one would ever have told [redacted] to sign a receipt for the equipment--I have been here 13 years and never have heard or instructed any of our Representatives to say that. The tracking # is our confirmation that a Subscriber has received their Medical Alarm Equipment. [redacted] is the Customer Service Representative that sent the Contract to [redacted] in July 2014, and explained to her that was a "Price Protect" Agreeement--that would guarantee her rate could never be increased upon signing and returning the Contract.Our Customer Service Hours are not limited. They are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 8:00 pm, and we are here on Saturdays from 8:30am to 1:00pm. In terms of [redacted]'s daughter finding Complaints about our Company-- we have been in business for more than 34 years, and currently have 200,000 Subscribers, so while we strive for 100% customer satisfaction, it would be completely unrealistic for there to be not a single complaint. Once again, in terms of when [redacted] called in to us, we spoke with her on 3/**/15 and she received the replacement on 3/**/15--with a weekend being in that time frame. Besides the recommendation to test on a monthly basis noted on many parts of the paperwork that [redacted] signed and returned, every Customer is reminded each time they call in to us to test their units on a monthly basis.At this time, we wish [redacted] and family all the best, and as stated, she can rest assured that her account is closed.Sincerely,[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: Ordered then cancelled 24-48 hrs later. Medical Alert. Nothing received. They have lied about this. Want Amex credit asap.

I called with difficulty to reach and cancel order. Told not to worry and it would be don within 24 hrs or so. Amex did not get the cancel notice. When AMex contacted them they lied and said I had the device and should return it. Since I have nothing I have nothing to return. If they make $39.90 by being dishonest this is a problem. Amex has been contacted again and with their help I am writing you. This is a very bad company. Thank for your

help. [redacted]Desired Settlement: I want a refund of $39.90 for cancellation.

Business

Response:

Good Morning:

Review: My 84 year old mother recently has started having balance issues and I told her I would start researching a medical alert system for her. On Saturday, 8/[redacted] she received a call telling her a "family member" had ordered a medical alert system for her and they needed her credit card information to proceed with processing. "[redacted]" then transferred her to a woman at a call center who took down her information. My mother immediately called me and I told her I never ordered any system for her. I called them within 5 minutes of my mother speaking with them and got a recording that their office wasn't open until Monday. I then left an emphatic message about this being a form of elder abuse and to NOT send anything to her or charge her credit card. I ended up cancelling her credit card and speaking with the Fraud Department but not before they charged her card $35. My mother said she has received solicitation calls from med alert systems in the past and told them she was not interested. She would usually would not give out her credit card info but because we had discussed the possibility she thought this was legitimate. Oh, and by the way, they mailed the system to her.

Mother's Name & Address: [redacted]Desired Settlement: Desired outcome is that they remove any liability on her part: 1) remove the $35 charge and 2) provide me with a label to return their system.

Business

Response:

There are outside Sales Organizations across the country that sell the Medical Alarm Service, and we as the Medical Alarm Company, like all the others such as Connect America and Lifeline, purchase those accounts. All calls are recorded. The information that was submitted to us was that [redacted] had a 25 minute conversation with the Sales Agent, confirmed 3 times that she understood what the medical alarm service was, and provided her payment information. Her account was charged, and the equipment was delivered on 8/**/13. Before orders are expedited, the charges are put through to insure that future payments will clear. However, her billing cycle would not have begun until 10 days after the equipment was shipped. In this way, [redacted] had ample time to connect the unit, test it, and send the paperwork back to us.

Review: My father passed away 09/**/15. I contacted life watch about a month later to cancel account, see how I was to return equipment and if there was anything owed on his account, per represenitive, "nothing is owed and we will mail out a return label to you to send the equipment back." Well I just found out (02/**/16) that for the past 5 month life watch has been taking $29.95 a month for services. I called life watch twice. First time spoke with a rep. who was very helpful and stopped electronic payments and switched me over to paper because I guess they can't cancel an account until equipment back in warehouse, very odd operations and she gave me the name of a manager that may help with money recovery. I placed a call to a Kevin ext [redacted], who right off the bat was defensive and after explaining what was going on to him told me, "we will not refund your money, there is no more to do and ..."well I hung up on him because I do not have to be spoke to or treated that way. So now I am bringing this complaint to you and hopefully will see some justice on my part, well at least for my dad (rip). Thank you.Desired Settlement: Refund money taken out by the company. Alert other potential people to watch very carefully how this company is ran and hopefully elderly people have family that help them out with companies like this.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:I spoke with [redacted] this afternoon, and I explained that it is not our policy to send a return label when someone wants to cancel an account. I have been here for 13 years and the protocol has always been that it is the responsibility of the Subscriber/and or a family member to ship the equipment back to us. We are unable to cancel his account until we are in receipt of our rental equipment. She had mentioned that her dad ordered other items, so perhaps it was one of the other companies that informed her they would send a return label. I asked [redacted] if she had the paperwork and the actual unit, and she did. I further explained that it is explained on the paperwork and there is a yellow label on the base unit that states, "Property of Lifewatch. Return to [redacted] is going to send the equipment back, and in the interest of excellent customer service, we will refund 3 months of payments when we receive the equipment.Sincerely,Pam C[redacted]Customer Relations Manager

Review: currently being billed for product never ordered or used by elderly parents. for the past 20 months, $34.95/a month has been billed to their credit card. credit card info obtained fraudulently. medical alarm system was never ordered or activated. elderly parents unable to review billing statements due to vision problems. credit card recently cancelled. lifewatch, inc. has been recently contacted about this issue, but no action has been taken by this company at this time.Desired Settlement: would like refund of approx. $700 for elderly parents and no further contact from lifewatch, inc.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:As I explained to [redacted] today, the equipment was ordered on May **, 2013. It was confirmed no less than 3 times that the Subscriber understood what the service was, the monthly monitoring rate, and [redacted] provided the Credit Card Information. There would be no way for the Outside Seller to obtain [redacted]'s payment method, unless it was given to them. [redacted] stated that the equipment was returned to us; however, could not provide the method of return, the date of return, or give me any tracking details. We show that the unit was never returned to us, so I did some research to see if the unit that been assigned to [redacted] was re-deployed to another Subscriber, and it was not. It is rental equipment and when a Subscriber returns their equipment, their account is made inactive immediately, there are no further payment attempts, the Unit is refurbished, and sent to a new Subscriber. Each unit has a specific ID# on it. Our records indicate that the Specific Unit ID# had only been assigned to [redacted]. Therefore, we are at a loss of our medical alarm equipment which is valued at $475. In addition, every unit is activated with a Monitoring Center from the day it is shipped; in this way, the Monitoring Center has the Subscriber's name, address, and phone number in order to assist them if they press their button. We have been paying a Monitoring Center all these months because we had activated that unit with [redacted]'s information and never received the unit back to cancel the account. [redacted] disputed a number of the monthly monitoring payments, as well. Once again, we are at a loss for our unit and the Monitoring Fees at this time. Finally, it is unclear as to why no one would have noticed the charges on the monthly Credit Card Statements and inquired about it until recently. At this time, we will extend the courtesy of cancelling [redacted]'s account. There will be no further payment attempts, although we never received our Rental Equipment back and a number of the monthly monitoring fees have been disputed.Sincerely,[redacted]Lifewatch USA

Review: I used this company for over 2 years and I returned the equipment on May **, 2013 the usps tracking code is [redacted] Then they charged me for the service again on June [redacted] I have made several calls to them and they go unanswered. I want my June money back and they have the tracking code and still not replying to several phone calls that I have left. Please help me get my june payment backDesired Settlement: The june cost of ther service that was not used.

Business

Response:

We did not have the USPS Tracking #. I am glad that [redacted] provided that info in her complaint. It is confirmed that the unit was returned on 5/**/13. I have contacted [redacted] and told her that we will process her refund immediately.

Review: On 12/* my wife [redacted] was told that a $100 gift card would be sent to her no later than 12/**. Well, it's 12/** and no one knows anything about it. Talked to a supervisor who claims that the idea for the gift was via telemarketers(so much for the Do Not Call list working) and his company does not do the gift cards, which was one of the reasons my wife selected the serviceDesired Settlement: 1-A letter of from both the company and the lying telemarketers

2-Not only to expedite the $100 gift card, but also a $1,000 gift card be Fed Ex'd to us as a show of good faith

3-Evidence that the lying telemarketers have been terminated from their positions

4-Entry on the company website that this event took place

5-refund of purchase price

6-Payment of return postage

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:

Review: I am writing this for my elderly Mother who is unable to deal with this situation due to her health. Service was terminated 6/*/15 and written 30 day notice was given per contract agreement as well as all products were returned via [redacted]. I have called the company several times, 7/*/15 left message on their voice mail about billing problem. Message states call will be returned by next business day and was not. Recalled after no return call and spoke to Jack on 7/**/15 who stated we still owed money. I asked for which month and his reply was from the month you did not send in. I asked him which month he said June, I told him I had cx check, he then said May, again reply was I have cx check. It was clear to me that this is a scam that is preying on senior citizens memories and this is elder abuse.When I asked for a complete billing statement which includes Feb- July he couldn't send it to me.I have all canceled checks as well as [redacted] Tracking record of delivery signed on June *, 2015 at 12:37 pm by [redacted].Desired Settlement: My account is resolved, no further contact by this company. I request her name not be used due to violation of protected health care information act.I have also filed claim with Federal Trade Commission.

Business

Response:

Good Morning:I left a message for [redacted] to apologize if Jack gave her incorrect information regarding her mother's account. In reviewing Janice's account, I see that we received the equipment and made the account inactive on June [redacted]. We are unable to make an account active until we are in receipt of our rental equipment. The equipment was delivered to us on June [redacted] and it took a day for the information/the cancellaton to go through the company channels. However, the Billing Department had sent the monthly invoice out on the same day on the day Janice's account became inactive. It was simply a crossover--we cancelled the account and the bill had already been sent out. [redacted] and Janice should certainly disregard the invoice, and should be assured that the account is closed at this time. There will be no further billing attempts.Once again, my aplogies for the confusion, and all the best to Janice and family.Sincerely,Pam C[redacted]Customer Relations Manager

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

I have not been able to make contact with Ms C[redacted] as we have been playing phone tag.I see where she has made the reference to the June bill crossing over in the mail as well as receiving the equiptment back.However I need to understand the continual billing of August and Sept statements if account was closed in June.Until I see this has been resolved and we will no longer receive billing statements from her company I consider this open file.I will continue to try to reach Ms. c[redacted].Thank you for your underdstanding in this matter.[redacted] for [redacted]

[Your Answer Here]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:I completely understand [redacted]'s frustration, and I apologize. We have converted to a new billing system. In transferring hundreds of thousands of customers from the old system to the new system, there was a discrepancy with her mom's account, where she did continue to receive invoices, although the account had been made inactive. It has been confirmed by the Bookkeeping Department that the account is inactive, there will be no further billing attempts made, and [redacted] and Janice should disregard any invoices they have received.I left another message for [redacted], and she can reach out to me at ###-###-####.Thank you.Sincerely,Pam C[redacted]Customer Relations Manager

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:I would consider this matter to be resolved after I receive a a billing statement from Life Watch showing that my mothers account has a zero balance and the account has been closed.I will be looking for it very soon to arrive via USPO.Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

[Your Answer Here]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: My Mother ([redacted]) is diagnosed with [redacted]. She is **. I believe she was contacted in her home because I have received calls in her home since she has fallen ill. A monthly charge of $34.95 has been billed to her account of which I also belong. I discovered a medical alarm device still in a box. The packaging was undisturbed and never used. I returned the device. They have refused to reimburse any charges. I explained the conditions and it does not matter. I have power of Attorney for both my mother and father. I know I nor my siblings asked for this service. My mother can not tell me. She says she does not know. She was initially billed June ** for $34.95 for Life Watch. She was billed July ** for $34.95 by Life Watch. She was then billed by [redacted] in August, September, and October for $34.95. October is when I returned the device. My mother should be reimbursed $174.75. The Account is under [redacted] with the account under her home phone number of ###-###-####Desired Settlement: full reimbursement in the amount of $174.95

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:I tried to reach [redacted] this afternoon, but the phone rang and rang, and I was unable to leave any type of message. We sympathize with [redacted]'s family for what they are going through at this time. We are the Medical Alarm Company, not the Sales Agency. We ship our rental equipment and monitor our 200,000 Subscribers Nationwide. A certain criteria must be met for us to purchase accounts from the Sales Agency. All Sales Calls are recorded. [redacted] had a lucid 25 minute conversation with the Sales Agent where she confirmed no less than 3 times that she understood what the service was, how much she would be paying, and she provided her payment information. She placed the order on 6/*/14 and the rental equipment was delivered on 6/**/14. From the day the equipment is shipped, it is activated with the Monitoring Center and we are paying the Medical monitoring, so that anytime the Subscriber or a family member connects the unit, they are being monitored immediately. The next billing date is 40 days after the equipment is shipped, giving the Subscriber ample time (at least a 10 day period) to receive and connect the unit, test it, and use it for a 30 day period before they are charged again. In [redacted]'s case, the initial charge of $34.95 was put through on 6/*/14, and her next billing date was 7/**/14.[redacted] held onto the equipment for more than four and a half months before it was returned. Once again, the unit was delivered on 6/**/14 and not returned and made inactive until 11/*/14. From a Company point of view, if the equipment had been returned in a reasonable amount of time--a month or two, we could have leased the unit to a different Subscriber. In this situation, neither [redacted] or anyone else involved with [redacted] noticed the unit sitting in her home for almost a 5 month period nor did they view the charges on her credit card statement that were being put through every month. That is clearly not our fault. However, in the interest of excellent Customer Service, we will send a refund check for two months payments, totaling $69.90 at this time. That is certainly fair and reasonable. We will accept our loss for the monitoring fees incurred for the remaining months.If there are any future questions or concerns, I may be reached directly at ###-###-####.Sincerely,[redacted]Lifewatch USA

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

I would like to respond to their letter. I will not dispute the information given. I have no knowledge of the sales call. First, I did receive a call without a company name on [redacted] December[redacted]. Since it was [redacted] and I did not recognize the number and know no one in [redacted], I did not return the call. I have to assume that the sales agency is directly linked to the Medical Alarm Company since they have access to the call. I can believe all that was said. My mother can be lucid or appear to be lucid. The fact remains that I became aware of the situation in October. When I did I called to see how to return the device which was unopened with shrink wrap in place not cut or torn, I gave them notice that I was requesting a full refund. She said she does not do that. I said I would give them 30 days to reimburse before calling again. My mother did not seek out this equipment. The company calls saying that they are entitled or qualify for a free monitor. I now know because they still call. Maybe they are trying to get my father to sign up. There had been no need for me to check up on my mother financial affairs until she was hospitalized in September and then twice in October. Sorry, I didn't poke around for a plain brown boxer earlier. I had other things on my mind. Their "excellent customer service" told me flat out that they will not under any circumstance refund. The first one said "We don't do that". A supervisor told me flatly no without much concern to circumstance because we had the equipment. No services were rendered. They did not care. I said but it was never used and is in the original packaging. They still did not care. I said I would be contacting the Revdex.com and asked if the [redacted] and Medical Alarm Systems which I was looking at on the internet was the same address I was talking to. She confirmed and still was happy to say no refund. My position remains the same. My parents are out $174.75. I have Power of Attorney for my parents. I have cancelled my mother's Debit card to which they were charging. My parents are ** and**. They should not be receiving calls in their home from companies seeking business for things they did not ask for. If the company is totally honest and do not want to take advantage of the elderly or appear to, then I know that they will refund my parents the full amount of $174.75. Thank you, [redacted]

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon:The Sales Agency is in no way "linked" to our Company. There are hundreds of sales agencies across the Country that sell the Medical Alarm Service. It is a business practice in the Medical Alarm Industry that Medical Alarm Companies, such as [redacted] and [redacted], to name a few, purchase those accounts from the Sales Agency. Once again, as stated in the previous response, all calls are recorded, the Subscriber must confirm no less than 3 times that they understand what the service is, what the monthly rate is, and they provide their payment information. We shipped the equipment, and it was held onto for almost a 5 month period. At this time, we will refund 2 more months totaling $69.90. We have already refunded 2 prior months; therefore, the total refund will be $139.80. We are keeping the first monthly payment of $34.95 for shipping fees, administrative costs, and our loss of paid fees to the Monitoring Center. Therefore, we are sending another check in the amount of $69.90 to [redacted]. There will be no further negotiation at this time.Sincerely,[redacted]Lifewatch USA###-###-#### Cell###-###-#### Work

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: I am trying to reach the company to correct THEIR billing problem on behalf of my mother,s account, but have not been able to speak to anyone other than the answering service people. The phone calls are return DAYS later, if ever, when I am not home, and messages are left on my answering machine, and the whole process begins again. There was one call last week, returned after 4 days, when for a brief moment I actually spoke to someone from the company. Unfortunately, I did not get her name, she put me on hold, and then the call was disconnected. Why this person didn't,t have the decenceny to call me right back, I don,t know. I am waiting at home right now for another call back from them. I called at 11:00 this morning. It is now 12:52 PM, and still no call back. I am totally fed up with this company.Desired Settlement: I need to speak to someone from the company who can resolve my mothers billing issue. She was charge twice on her credit card for this year's service and is due a refund. They must issue a check, because her credit card is no longer active. I WANT TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE FROM THE COMPANY, NOT THE ANSWERING SERVICE, AND I WANT A PHONE NUMBER OF THAT PERSON, SO I MAY REACH THEM DIRECTLY UNTIL THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED.

Business

Response:

Hello:

Company continuously preys on elderly people with dimensia. Gets them on the phone, with a cold call, and convinces them to purchase the product/service. As an advocate for my parents, I keep calling the Lifewatch office to cancel and they never answer the phone.
This is the second time they engaged my parents into purchasing a product they did not need. We cancelled the first time, letting Lifewatch know we did not need the services. They called back and tricked my parents into purchasing the service again.
I've been trying to reach this crooked organzation for weeks, leaving messages on the answering machine. No returned calls, just bills coming to the home.
What's worse, they're convincing people to auto pay through there checking instead of using credit card. Therefore it will be harder to contest the service! Most unethical organazition I've ever come across. Can't beleive Revdex.com has them listed as an A+.

Review: SOMEONE FROM LIFEWATCH CALLED MY 81 YEAR OLD MOTHER AND TALKED HER INTO THIS SERVICE SHE ALREADY HAD MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS LIFEWATCH AGREEMENT UNTIL RECENTLY I AM HER DAUGHTER [redacted] THIS SYSTEM HAS NEVER BEEN CONNECTED TO ANY PLACE IN MY MOTHERS HOUSE BUT THEY HAVE BEEN TAKING 34.95 OUT OF MY MOTHERS CHECKING ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, WHAT WAS SHE PAYING FOR? I CALLED THEM DIRECTLY 10 DAYS AGO AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND SAID I WANTED TO CANCEL THIS SERVICE ,THEY SAID ITS THE CONSUMERS RESPONSIBILIITY TO CONNECT IT THEMSELVES , RIGHT MY 81 YEAR OLD MOTHER WOULDNT UNDERSTAND AND AFTER CANCELLING BY PHONE THEY PROCEEDED TO TAKE OVER 100 DOLLARS OUT OF MY MOTHERS ACCOUNT 10 DAYS LATER WHEN I ASKED IF THIS WOULD BE REFUNDED THEY WERE NASTY AND GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ELDERLY .Desired Settlement: REFUND MY MOTHERS MONEY THEY CHARGED HER FOR A SERVICE THEY NEVER PROVIDED

Business

Response:

Good Morning:I left [redacted] a message this morning to call me regarding this Complaint. I wanted to explain to [redacted] that we are the Medical Alarm Company; we are not the Sales Agency. We ship our equipment and monitor our Subscribers. There are, however, Outside Sellers across the Country that sell the Medical Alarm Service, and we as the Medical Alarm Company along with the other Med Alarm Companies, purchase those accounts. There is a criteria that must be met before the shipment is expedited. All Calls must be recorded, it must be confirmed no less than 4 times by the Subscriber that they understand what the service is, what the monthly rate will be, and the Subscriber provides their payment information. In addition, before we ship the equipment, we contact the Subscriber to confirm they do want the Service. On April **, 2014 [redacted] confirmed that we should ship the Medical Alarm Equipment to her. That was approximately 15 months ago. From the day the equipment is shipped, it is activated with the Monitoring Center, so that any time a Subscriber connects the unit, or presses their button in an Emergency, the Monitoring Center has their pertinent information in terms of their name, address, and phone number if assistance is needed. Therefore, we have been paying the Monitoring Center all this time. In addition, since it is rental equipment, if [redacted] would have returned it in a reasonable period of time, it would have been refurbished and sent to another Subscriber. As with any rental equipment, a Subscriber is charged until the rental equipment is returned. For example, with a Cable TV Service, the Service cannot be canceled until the Cable box is returned, whether the Subscriber watches television or not. It is perplexing that the $34.95 monthly charge was never noticed on [redacted]'s credit card statements all this time. In terms of [redacted] mentioning that she cancelled the service on the phone, it is always explained that we are unable to cancel the Service until we are in receipt of our Medical Alarm Equipment. Once the equipment is returned to us, [redacted]'s account will be made inactive, and there will be no further billing attempts. As a courtesy, I have sent a Return label to her today, so that we are responsible for the payment of the unit return, not [redacted]. In the interest of excellent Customer Service, we will also refund 1 monthly payment, if the unit is returned by August **, 2015.If there are any further questions or concerns, [redacted] may contact me at ###-###-####.Thank you.Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here] THIS BUSINESS CONTACTED MY 81 YEAR OLD MOTHER TALKING HER INTO THIS SERVICE THAT SHE DOES NOT NEED, THEY TALKED TO HER FOR TWENTY FIVE MINUTES ACCORDING TO THEM.I NEVER WAS CONTACTED OR TALK TO I DIDNT EVEN KNOW SHE HAD IT UNTIL SHE RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING SHE DIDNT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN HER ACCOUNT TO PROCESS MAYS PAYMENT IN THE MEAN TIME AFTER SHE RECEIVED THE LETTER AND I READ IT I CALLED AND SAID I WANTED IT CANCELLED BUT AS SOON AS HER SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK CAME THEY PROCEEDED TO TAKE THREE MONTHS 104.85 OUT OF HER ACCOUNT AND THEY STILL REFUSE TO REFUND IT SHE IS ON A FIXED INCOME AND ALREADY HAS A MEDICAL ALERT I WENT ON THEIR REVIEW WEBSITE AND SAW MANY COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE SHE SAID THIS IS NORMAL FOR ANY COMPANY AND THEY HAD AN A+ RATING FROM THE Revdex.com I DID NOT SEE THIS WHEN I CHECKED THEIR RATING I CONTACTED THEM ON MAY ** AND THEY TOOK THE MONEY ON JULY * . THEY SAID THE UNIT NEEDED TO BE RETURNED BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE UNIT AND MY MOTHER SAYS SHE DOESNT REMEMBER GETTING IT, I ASKED IF THE UNIT HAD TO BE SIGNED FOR WHEN DELIVERED AND THEY SAID NO SO HOW DO I KNOW IF IT WAS EVER RECEIVED? THIS COMPANY IS CHARGING ELDERLY PEOPLE FOR A SERVICE THEY DONT HAVE AND THEY SAID IN THE LETTER THEY MIGHT REFUND THE 31.95 FOR ONE MONTH , MY MOTHER IS CHARGED 34.95 A MONTH ,AND TOOK 104.85 OUT OF HER ACCOUNT I AM GOING TO CONTACT THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE AND A ATTORNEY THANK GOODNESS MY MOTHER HAS MEDICAL ALERT BECAUSE IF SOMETHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED LIKE SHE WOULD HAVE FALLEN THIS COMPANY WOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE KNOWN SHE WOULD HAVE LAID THERE WITH NO HELP AS THEY CLAIM TO WANT TO HELP ELDERLY . THEY JUST WANT TO TAKE THEIR MONEY.WHEN I TOLD [redacted] I WAS GOING TO RECONTACT THE Revdex.com AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HERE REPLY WAS THEY WONT DP ANYTHING. I KNOW THERE HAS TO BE OTHER ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING CHARGED FOR A SERVICE THAT THEY THINK THEY HAVE BUT DONT THEIR REVIEW SITE HAS MABY COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Review: WHEN I FIRST CALLED I TOLD THE PERSON I DID NOT HAVE A LAN LINE - THEY SENT ME PART THAT REQUIRED A LAN LINE - I CALLED AND ASKED FOR A RETURN LABEL AND WQAS TOLD IT WAS ON ITS WAY - NEVER GOT - THEN I ASKED FOR A REURN LABEL TO REURN ALL - WAITED W=WAITED NEVER RECEIVED. JUST WAS TOLD I HAD TO RETURN AT MY COST. WAS TOLD I WOULD NOT BE GIVEN CRDIT FOR SOMETHING I DID NOT USE????????????????????????????

Business

Response:

Good Morning;

I spoke to [redacted] on 4/** and she confirmed that she is possession of 2 of our units--an In-Home landline unit and a Cellular In-Home Unit. The first was delivered on 2/**, then [redacted] contacted us that she did not have a landline, so we sent the Cellular Unit out which was delivered to her on 2/**/14. She does have a return label for the units, which we had sent her with the 2nd unit. As long as the units are in a Customer's home, we charge for the service. I explained that she has been in possession of our equipment for two and a half months; we must have our rental equipment back in order for her to cancel her service. I contacted her again today (5/*/14) to inform her that at this time we still don't have either unit back.

[redacted] informed me that she will ship both units back to us this coming Friday. I explained that once we receive our equipment, her account will be made inactive and there will be no further charges. She is satisfied with that.

I can be reached at ###-###-#### if there are any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Lifewatch USA

Review: On August *, 2013 I ordered a medical alert system from this company, the next day, August *, 2013 I cancelled the order. I have called several times giving them my confirmation number([redacted]) and I hsve not received my refund.

I spoke with [redacted] in customer service at ###-###-#### on August **, 2013. It takes them less than a day to take your money out of your account and it shouldn't take this long to refund my money.Desired Settlement: I would like my refund as soon as possible

Business

Response:

[redacted]'s refund was processed on 8/**/13. She cancelled the order on 8/*/13 and the refund was processed within 12 days.