A scam to bill senior citizens for medical alert device service is gaining steam in Kansas and other Midwestern states.
The Better Business Bureau says there’s been a significant increase in calls about the scheme. A prerecorded message claims that someone has purchased a medical alert device for the person as a gift. Then, the recipient is asked to verify his or her identity with a bank account or credit card number.
Jim Heagarty with the Better Business Bureau says after that point, the recipients begin seeing a charge around $35 each month on their credit card. "And they have a very difficult time reaching anybody at the company to stop the recurring charges on their credit card.”
Hegarty says simply hang up on these robo-calls. He says to never give out sensitive information, credit card information, or Social Security numbers unless you absolutely are certain to whom you are speaking.