AG warns of free medical alert device phone scams

Attorney General Beau Biden warns Delawareans to be on the lookout for phone scammers promising free medical alert devices to consumers.  Over the past several weeks the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit has received multiple reports from consumers who received unsolicited phone calls from individuals claiming to be representatives of a medical device company.

The callers have offered consumers a medical alert system at supposedly no cost.  However, in order to accept the offer for the “free” product, the caller demands that the consumer provide personal information and pay money to cover related costs.

“Always be wary of unsolicited phone calls, letters, or visits to your home offering free products or lottery prizes,” Biden said, noting that if an offer sounds too good to be true it probably is, and reminding the public that if you didn’t purchase a ticket you can’t win a lottery.

“Defend yourself against becoming a victim of fraud by independently verifying the identify and legitimacy of any company making an offer and never provide your personal information over the phone to an unsolicited caller.”

Investigators believe that these solicitations, which have also been reported to authorities in other states, are part of a phone scam that appears to be targeting senior citizens.  Phone scammers commonly employ robo-calling and “spoofing,” in which the fraudster hijacks the name or phone number of a legitimate business and imitates the company on Caller ID and in its solicitations.

Biden’s office is not aware of any Delaware consumers who have been victimized by the scam, but urges consumers who believe they have been the victim of this or other solicitation scams to contact the Consumer Protection Unit at 1-800-220-5424 or email consumer.protection@state.de.us.