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Medical Alert Scam Calls Recorded

Updated On: October 10, 2019
Amie Clark Amie Clark - Author

After receiving several medical alert scam calls this week from fraudulent medical alert scam robo-callers, we decided to do some hunting around to capture audio from the call.  Perhaps this captured medical alert scam recording will help educate the public (including national/local agencies) to put an end to this madness.

These sickos are targeting seniors with an offer of a “personal medical alert system at no cost to you”.  The call goes on “Since you've already been referred by a medical professional, your package is ready to be shipped”.  The scam doesn't end there… “By receiving the package today” the recording states, “you're now eligible to receive $1000 dollars in grocery saving coupons that can be used for products you already buy and use”.

This scam has been going on for over a year now.  Federal and state agencies need to get a better handle on these calls targeting aging adults, kids, and the unsuspecting public in general.  Our advice is to hang up immediately (do not press any key), note the number you received the call from, and notify the appropriate authorities.  Your notification should include the FCC complaint page, as well as the Do Not Call Registry.

Medical Alert Scam Call Recording

Ironically The Senior List received has received calls from these medical alert fraudsters, the latest coming just this week.  The numbers that were captured through our caller ID was 212-660-5351 and the other number we captured was 516-435-7389.  The script went just as the recorded call noted, but one of the calls also added a 75% prescription discount card.

If you're interested in what the FTC says about robo calls, see the video below. Have you received a robo call for a free medical alert system?  What did you do?  How do you feel about these kind of calls being directed into people's homes?  Let us know in the comments section below.

Special thanks to John's recorded SPAM calls for the original audio feed

Written By
Amie Clark

Amie has been writing about senior care products and services for the last decade. She is particularly passionate about new technologies that help improve the quality of life for seniors and their families. Seeing her parents and grandparents age made Amie ask herself, “Would this be good enough for my loved ones?” In her spare time, Amie enjoys outdoor adventures and spontaneous road trips. Learn more about Amie here

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31 Comments

  3. I actually answered a call today and it was a live person calling from Senior Care. He said he was calling because I had Medicare and to check on me. He had my name and age, and wanted to know if I was in any discomfort or pain. He would not say where he got my info and did not seem phased when I told him I was on the DNC list. Caller ID showed 469-270-1494. Surprisingly, when I called it back, I got someone with the same spiel. He gave me their number as 876-534-5581, but I didn’t call it. I am extra not happy that either someone has hacked my info, or one of my health providers or insurers has shared it. His customer service skills were lacking, but his repetition, intimidation attempts, insults, and avoidance to my questions were rampant.
    Reply
    1. They’re actually fishing for information. I get calls from Senior Medical nearly every day. They throw a bunch of random info at me, hoping I’ll confirm. They will ask for Medicare number, which should never be given. They do not actually have your medical information.
      Reply
  5. Today (Sat. July 13, 2019) I did not screen calls because scammers seem to be mostly dormant on weekends. At the other end was an actual, aggressive man (with what suggested to me perhaps a Jewish accent), calling about a “medical alert system”; I asked what his scam was, at which point they usually hang up and leave me alone; but he threatened to sue me for suggesting that he was a scammer, said I was on a recoded line (old scamming trick, they want to record a “yes”). He refused to give his name, address and any other information, claims he was not obligated to provide this, so he seems to have researched laws and loopholes well; though I could call him back at 800-360-0399 (“Garden Dochterman”, according to an internet search, but no such party found on the net; looks he may have spoofed the number a bit). I am on the non-call list and had never had any contact or dealings with any medical device place, so at the very least the non-call list was violated. Am wondering if other seniors had similar encounters with this or similar outfits.
    Reply
  6. These calls come in a about 4-5 times per day. I do have the complete call in recordings. Have been able to do reverse contact a few times in which I advise them my services are not free as I pay for the phone and charge for my time at the rate of $199 per hour with a minimum charge of 1 hour per contact. at this rate 4 contacts per day x 6 days per week x6 months of recording. (most recorded)
    Reply
    2. I get 4 or 5 of these calls per day from various locations. As soon as I hear them say “on a recorded line” I hang up.
      Reply
  7. I get the calls from Senior Care Specialists as well – they used to come from a number, but I blocked the number and asked the politely to take me off their call list. They have either always hung up on me, or said something inaudible at the end and hung up. Now they are calling from “unknown” numbers and I can’t not answer those, because I work with high-profile clients who commonly have “unknown” numbers. I wonder if it would work to play along with them in order to get more information about their company? Seems like that worked for those who did it with the IRS fake calls – hundreds of call centers in India recently got busted for that. Any help would be greatly appreciated – now that they’re calling from an “unknown” number it’s throwing me off entirely.
    Reply
  8. Hey, I got a pendant from the same call that you got and it works.. Im not sure why everyone says its a scam. Im glad they called cause I got it cheap.
    Reply
    1. These good companies have been helping save seniors lives for 30 years and it is disgusting that younger people who are not elderly use nasty language to these real medical alert teams who at the push of a button reach a real dispatcher to emergency services. While these angry people get offended for being called as if they are insulted that they are thought of as seniors – these legitimate telemarketers are verbally abused by them -and some of the calls answered are not even who medical alert is actually calling to speak to. My grandmother’s life was saved by the button which detected her fall. Without her wearing it no one would have know she was on the living room floor helpless. They saved her life and she lived another 20 years.
      Reply
      1. there are good and not so good medical alert systems. the scam is these callers are not offering actual free anything making it fraud. My mother is dying in bed im all for alert systems but they do not need to cold call people legit or not. I dont know ANYONE who wants cold telemarketing calls. We get these daily and causes stress to my mother. If people need one they can look it up and call and get one. These are scams. Just like if i want religion i can go look for one i dont want nor need them at my door.
        Reply
        1. Not all are legit. Telemarketers is not an intelligent way to buy products that require your Medicare numbers . Also is not free u still have to pay a monthly fee of over 40.00 a month plus if u can’t pay it they require the product back or pay $300.00 if not sent back .
          Reply
  9. When they call to ask specially who referred you. And when they say it was a relative or friend get all “cranky” and yell ” I bet it was my Aunt Shanahan !” who doesn’t exist off course. And just go on and on about what a cheapskate she is to order the medical alert without fully paying for it herself. Then you say you are hanging up to call your “aunt” to give her a piece of your mind. Don’t let them get a word in but keep ” venting”. As you are hanging up, continue to go on about “Aunt Cheapo”. Like that first episode of Cosby Show where Clare comes downstairs and she is talking to know one in particular about the children’s behavior. So funny! That won’t stop the calls but at least you will be wasting their time.
    Reply
  10. They have even called me and my home tel number showed up on caller ID. Twice today they have called. Once on cell and once on home phone. Between these jerks and calls to lower my interest rate on credit cards I’m getting very frustrated. I report calls every now and then, I used to report most of them but now only when I’m ready to blow a gasket. There are days when I’ve gotten up to 5 calls.
    Reply
  11. Stop wasting your time or breath complaining because no one is going to do anything about it. I have been receiving these calls for 10+ years and have reported them time and time again to no avail. These people ignore the “do not call” list and I have reported the same numbers to them at least a dozen times each. You would think in that amount of time that some authority would be able to trace the real phone number down and find who is calling so we, as the annoyed, can call back and harass these people back. Personally, I’d love to call back and tie them up for a day and talk about what I want to talk about.
    Reply
  12. Buzz Hooker is correct in his comment that telecommunications companies could stop these scammers but won’t because of the revenue stream they get from these crooks. The credit card associations/companies, e.g., Mastercard, VISA, American Express, that process the scammers credit/debit card charges against your accounts could stop them since they not only know who they are but send them your money. The credit card companies profit from the revenue stream of several percent of every charge so they are reluctant to stop them. The only thing that will stop these scammers is legislation that requires the telecommunications and credit card companies to stop facilitating these scams. Write to your congressmen and demand it.
    Reply
  13. If you want these to stop then write to your congressional representatives . He or she has the ability to stop the annoying calls but have chosen not to. The perpetrators of these hoaxes rely on a technology called VOIP or “Voice Over IP. It is what allows users to make calls via their internet service providers. Because calls are initiated from a computer the caller has the ability to alter the information associated with originating phone number. They can make the call appear to come from any phone whatsoever. I got one that came from my own phone. There is a way to prevent this from happening. Internet service providers could easily check the number assigned to the VOIP caller against what is in the packet information and if they don’t match drop the call. Instead they choose not to because they are relying heavily on this revenue stream. We need congress to force them to do so with legislation. Call your congressman every time you get one of these calls and let them know you’re not happy.
    Reply
  14. Looks like these robocalls have started up again, The script has changed a bit, they say that a friend has recommended you the system is free and you get money saving coupons. I’ve received 3 so far from the following numbers: 970-944-2315 509-982-4532 928-638-4527 I have reported them, but also want to help spread the word.
    Reply

      1. Hi Elizabeth – We give guidance in the article body above. Here’s what it says: “Our advice is to hang up immediately (do not press any key), note the number you received the call from, and notify the appropriate authorities. Your notification should include the FCC complaint page, as well as the Do Not Call Registry.” (links are provided)

        Reply
        1. My mom received one last week. She fell for it. Gave them her checking account number and Social Security number! What to do to protect Soc Sec? Any ideas? Help!
          Reply

          1. First make sure you notify your mom’s bank, and have her account #’s changed/protected. Here is some advice from Kiplinger.com on what to do if you social security number is compromised:

            If you discover that someone has opened accounts or acquired services with your Social Security number, notify the account or benefits managers. Check your credit reports, and place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus. If you’re a victim of ID theft, the credit bureaus must block fraudulent information from your reports, and the businesses involved can’t ask you to pay any debts. File an identity theft police report, and send a copy of it to the credit bureaus along with any correspondence you have with the bureaus, the government and businesses. It’s also helpful to include the Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft affidavit. – Kiplinger.com

            Best of luck – Let us know how it goes. I’m sorry you have to go through this…

  15. I get these calls all of the time. They are from Senior Care Specialties. I am on the do not call list. I have pressed 6 to opt out from the calls. I have pressed 1 to speak to a representative and tell them to take me off of their list. Some reps say they’ll take my number off then hang up on me. Others just hang up on me. They claim to not have a callback number. I found a web site for them with info about why we should use their services, but there is no contact information to be found anywhere.
    Reply
    2. Do not ever pressed or talk to anyone cause then they know they have a good working number that they can pass along to telemarketers or even sell Same with unsubscribing from a email this only lets them know the email got a response These marketing scammers use so many ways to collect info and when they a good list of people with correct information the list becomes very vauble . I use to work in marketing for a short period and everyone harps on the idea the money is in the list of good working emails,phone numbers and addresses . When I left I was offered big money from people in the business that wanted to buy my list . There are so many techniques used to collect this info that are not ethical So it’s best just to hang up or delete the email without a response
      Reply

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