Medical Alarms
Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc.Headquarters
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 203 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 73 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
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Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/04/2025
Type:Order IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
They won't help me because they say their is a *** due on my account...I pay thru my ***** **** pay system which sent a check on the 3rd...but until that check clears they won't send out a new power cord and told me to leave the main unit off till then which leaves me unprotected...this company doesn't really care about their customers safety, all they want is the money...Their contracts are REDICULOUS!Business Response
Date: 01/16/2025
Thank you for reaching out to us. We understand your frustration and weve been working with you regarding your concerns. We were also able to assist you financially to help with your situation. Please know that we are always ready to help you in any emergency, 24/7. If you have any other questions, please call **************, we are here to help.
Sincerely,
Life AlertCustomer Answer
Date: 01/19/2025
Complaint: 22768481
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
****** *******Customer Answer
Date: 01/24/2025
T hey refused to give me any help with my equipment until my check cleared...
Told me to turn off equipment and when the check cleared they would make arrangements to send a new power cord...this left me unprotected for days...they are not a good company
Business Response
Date: 01/28/2025
Thank you for reaching out to us. We understand your frustration and weve been working with you regarding your concerns. We were also able to assist you financially to help with your situation. Please know, we are always here and ready, 24/7, in case you have an emergency. If you have any other questions, please call **************, we are here to help.
Sincerely,
Life AlertCustomer Answer
Date: 01/28/2025
Complaint: 22768481
I am rejecting this response because: this company is ridiculous, their contracts are deceiving and unless you die you cannot cancel this service...they should not be allowed to operate nation wide...I am NOT KEEPING THIS SERVICE when this REDICULOUS contract is up...I will never re commend this company to anyone!
Sincerely,
****** *******Initial Complaint
Date:01/03/2025
Type:Order IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Same as every other complaint below. LifeAlert is an absolute scam on a national scale. Almost every one of their responses claims their recordings prove all the complainants were wrong or that their representatives were calm and friendly, yet they refuse to release any recordings when requested. Unable to cancel. Not even allowed to return the equipment (and keep paying them). Literally stuck with these scam artists for 3 years or until my mother in law dies. What an absolute disgrace this company is.Business Response
Date: 01/23/2025
We welcome this opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings that you may have. Customers call us when they want to know more about our lifesaving services. Confirmation calls are made before we ship our equipment, for free. Our recorded calls show that your mother-in-law contacted us to learn about our lifesaving services and that both she and you were notified verbally and in written format of our *********************** Agreement. We do have a cancel clause in our agreement, but posting false complaints about us does not qualify for cancellation. Please feel free to contact our friendly ******************* at ************** X-6400, so that we assist you further. We are here to help.Customer Answer
Date: 01/23/2025
Complaint: 22764997
I am rejecting this response because: I have already spoken with that department on more than one occasion and no efforts have been made to mitigate this fraud or cancel our contract. Your company commits theft and fraud against the elderly. You are an evil company which profits off the innocent.
Sincerely,
******* *****Business Response
Date: 01/31/2025
We respectfully disagree. If you have further questions please contact our ******************* at ************** X-6400.Initial Complaint
Date:12/14/2024
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I contacted Life Alert only to get pricing for my mother. When I received this information, I informed them that I would have to talk to both my Mom and my brother before we make any decision. I received a call a few days later asking me if I talked to my family members. I explained that I had not. Today (12/13/24), I discovered that Life Alert contacted my Mom and had her sign up for service after I had already ordered from a different company. I called back and tried to cancel and was told that she could not talk to me as my Mom was the person who placed the order. I feel that this is a very predatory practice. Taking advantage of an elderly person!To begin with, I was the contact person for this service. She (the salesperson) should not have contacted my Mom at all. All I want is to cancel the service and return the device(s) without any charge to my mom's account.Business Response
Date: 12/19/2024
Life Alert has been saving lives for almost 40 years. Therefore, we know the dangers in waiting to get loved ones protected, as a terrible accident can occur at any time. We spoke with you and your mother during our initial call, and we were following up with both of you. We have already contacted you regarding this matter.Initial Complaint
Date:12/13/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I called Life Alert a few months ago inquiring about their device for my 91 year old Mother. I was kept on the phone for over *************************************************************** what their monthly cost would be. I politely told her ..no thanks..we will find something less expensive. ( which we did !! ) But since that initial phone call... I have received 23 calls and 17 text messages from this company !! I had to block them from my phone..but they were still leaving voicemails. I FINALLY called them weeks ago and told them to QUIT calling me..as I consider it harrassment. ( they simply refuse to be told no). Was told they would remove me from the call list. It didn't happen. So I called them again today and told them it was to STOP as I was turning them in.Business Response
Date: 12/16/2024
Hello, thank you for reaching out to **. When people inquire about our services, we know that they are dealing with life and death circumstances, so we take all the inquires seriously, and wanted to make sure you have the full information. Since we offer different plans, the customer representative had to learn about your family's needs, and explain what we offer in details. Please note that until you asked us to stop calling, we were not aware you did not want us to follow up. Upon your request,your phone number was placed on our Do Not Call list.Initial Complaint
Date:12/11/2024
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I Purcahsed a life alert system for my mother. I informed the salesman that she lives in an area with little to no cell phone coverage. He misrepresented the product and told me it was satellite based and not dependant on cell phone towers. He also stated that if I was not happy or if it didn't work I could return it for a full refund. I received the equipment today and it is not satellite based, it is clearly marked as LTE. It will not function reliably. I contacted life alert to inform them we do not accept the contract/monitoring agreement (which we refuse to sign and return), and we want to return the devices for a refund. I called and spoke to several people at life alert and to date I am unable to get a refund or even receive instructions on how to return this equipment.A further note: it is very disappointing that a company who base their reputation on helping the elderly seem to do nothing but lor to them and take advantage of them.Business Response
Date: 12/24/2024
Hello,and thank you for this opportunity to clear up any confusion regarding our cutting edge equipment. Our GPS device is satellite based. Having been saving lives for almost 40 years, Life Alert is well aware of the different types of locations and housing structures our subscribers have, that is why our main unit and emergency pendant can be either cellular or landline compatible.We attempted to assist you in the matter, and had management reach out to you, as well.Customer Answer
Date: 12/24/2024
Complaint: 22671966
I am rejecting this response because:
I am aware that some of your lte/celluar equpiment has a gps chip, in order to determine the location of the device.There is a big difference between that and the satellite based communication system your salesman represented he was selling me.
He stated I would receive a satellite based system with an external "tower" that he guaranteed to work in my celluar challenged location, and if not, he guaranteed me a full refund of the funds I paid.
(further note, landline service is also not available in my location.)
Once again, as your agent misrepresented your product and refund policies, and I did not agree to your terms or sign a contract at any time, I demand a return of my funds.
None of your equimpment will function properly without cellular connectivity or a landline.
That is a fact you cannot dispute.
Sincerely,
***** *******Business Response
Date: 01/03/2025
We respectfully disagree with this review. If you have any further questions, please contact our ************* at **************.Customer Answer
Date: 01/07/2025
Complaint: 22671966
I am rejecting this response because:
I informed the salseman that I live in an area with little to no cell phone service. He promised me a system that was "satellite based" and did not in any way rely on cell phone service.They shipped me an LTE system that was unable to obtain a signal.
He misrepresented the product.
Your company does not offer any type of satellite based system.
End of story.
It was prompty returned, following your own company's procedures.
I demand a full refund. And you should train your representatives to not spew lies and falsehoods.
Tell me, how does an LTE system operate when I was promised that "even if the cell phone towers are down, or you can't receive a signal, our system will still work"?
(your salesman's exact words to me)
Sincerely,
***** *******Initial Complaint
Date:12/10/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My problem is with life alert. I purchased life alert in March 2022. I feel the system did not protect me. My system had been unplugged without my knowledge for seven months. No one within that time contacted me to check on my welfare such as life alert, emergency personnel, nor my two contact emergency people listed on my contract. The supervisor I did speak to after being told a day before someone would call me and they never did was very rude. cut me off as I was speaking And basically told me it was my fault and nothing that they could do to help me and even though I do not feel protected by a service that I purchase for protection will not let me out of the contract.Business Response
Date: 12/13/2024
Thank you for allowing us to clear up some confusion. Life Alert is one of the only medical alert companies that has a dedicated **************************** that monitors our equipment. If there is a power outage due to a storm or something like that, then it sends us a signal. This feature becomes vital for our subscribers who are on oxygen. In your situation, you had turned off and unplugged the equipment. That does not register as a power outage. A technical service agent explained the difference, and we tested your equipment and found it responding as normal. Were sorry you felt someone was rude to you. We reviewed the calls and found our agents were friendly and informative. We hope this clears up any misunderstands.
Best Wishes,
Life Alert.Initial Complaint
Date:11/16/2024
Type:Order IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased Life Alert, over the phone, on 09/30/2024, because I, previously, had an episode of vision loss and became frightened. I thought that I was having a stroke and couldnt reach my phone to call 911. I am 75 and have Glaucoma. Recently, my eye *** had changed my eye medication drops because my eye pressure level had become elevated and the new medication costs $300.00 a month and I also pay for other medications and pay $89.50, every month for my ********** RX coverage.I live on my Social Security check, as my only income.If I do not pay my portion of the eye drops, I will go blind, because the pressure in my eyes , untreated, will rise and once I am blind, I cant regain my sight.I telephoned Life Alert on 11/14/2024, to explain my financial situation, and I spoke with a lady named *******.******* was quite rude and she refused to let me cancel my services and send the equipment cost, even though I offered to pay a cancellation fee.She basically told me too bad. How sad. She told me I signed the contract and it is binding.I did not need to pay the extra $300.00, every month, when I signed the contract, and ******* refuses to help me, even though my circumstances have changed.******* said that I would have to pay the entire amount even if I returned everything, less $20.00 a month.I hope anyone who needs this service reads this because $ appears to be all that this company cares about, not the elderly folks who need help.Business Response
Date: 11/21/2024
We are very sorry to hear of your health concerns. Life Alert understands the challenges our subscribers go through and their immediate response to cancel their lifesaving services with us, when in fact, they actually need us more. Case in point, your poor eye sight can leave you vulnerable to accidents and a serious fall, and not having Life Alert in the event of an emergency can actually result in more medical bills. We reviewed the call you had with our agent and found that she was very friendly, informative, and concerned. She presented a few options that would help you, but you did not accept any of them. Please call our ****************** at *********************, so that we can work with you further.Customer Answer
Date: 11/21/2024
Complaint: 22566885
I am rejecting this response because: I will go blind without using the expensive medication and the debt of it is more than I can afford , with my monthly Life Alert expense. I need the $ to pay for my eye medicine, every month. Why is this so difficult for you to understand? I am happy to pay a cancellation fee, for my inconvenience and pay for the return of the unused equipment. Your response to this,is making me feel like you dont care if I go blind, as long as I pay for the Life Alert, every month.
Sincerely,
******* *********Business Response
Date: 11/25/2024
We are here to help you. Please call our ****************** at *********************, so that an agent can assist you further.Customer Answer
Date: 11/25/2024
Complaint: 22566885
I am rejecting this response because:
I have called your customer service twice and been refused help. My daughter spoke with them as well, and she was refused any help. I know I have inconvenienced you and I am sorry about that. I would be happy to pay a cancellation fee and pay to have all the equipment returned. The equipment is unused.I have documented proof that I need this eye medication, or I will go blind, and the cost is very high for me. This need for the medication came after my contract with Life Alert. I wouldnt have gotten it if I had known that I would soon afterwards, change my medication to very expensive ones.
Please tell me, in writing, how you can help me because Im asking for my contract to be terminated due to the unforseen circumstances of this need for a new medication to keep my eye pressure low enough to keep some sight and you are telling me, basically, that there is nothing that can be done.
Sincerely,
******* *********Initial Complaint
Date:11/15/2024
Type:Order IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My health has declined in the past year, and my daughter is now assisting with the majority of my care. She previously lived five hours away and therefore was not able to help in an emergency situation.We contacted Life Alert and they will NOT stop the subscription. They said since my daughter is not a registered health care worker that she doesnt count. They continue to charge me every month, and I am not using the system since I have my daughter now. I cannot afford an in home health care workermy daughters services are free. We cannot understand how Life Alert denies this family care option. We understand that a contract was signed three years ago, but my circumstances have drastically changed. We would like the BBB to investigate the company. It is disappointing and frustrating that Life Alert takes advantage of the elderly. I am 85 years old.Business Response
Date: 11/20/2024
Thank you for reaching out to us and for allowing us to explain just how vital we are, not just for you, but also for your family members. When signing up with our lifesaving services, we explained multiple times the terms of our service agreement. We love that your daughter has moved in with you because she can provide you with companionship and help with chores. However, having been in the business of saving lives for almost 40 years, we also knowall too wellthat she cannot be with you 24/7 like we can. Moreover, accidents can occur when your daughter is at the grocery store or running errands. We not only protect YOU but we provide Peace of Mind for HER, so she doesnt have to worry about you. We strongly recommend reading the almost ****** lifesaving testimonials at ******************************************************** from grateful customers and family members, many who write about living with their elderly loved one and never knowing there was an emergency that occurred in the middle of the night until they heard us calling. Lastly, our lifesaving service can be used by anyone in the home for any emergency. We see that we have already been in contact with you and have provided some financial assistance. We wish you the best of health, Life Alert.Initial Complaint
Date:11/13/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased the services of Life Alert back in 2023 for my mother. My mother passed away in September 2024. I called Life Alert in October to cancel the services and was told that I needed a death certificate. My mother's wake was literally 5 days before the monthly charge and so I did not have a death certificate. I emailed a copy of it when I received it in October 2024. I called again and was told that after they receive the equipment, that they would give me a refund for the month of October. I was told to call a week after I sent the equipment and that they would handle it. I called and now they are telling me that they cannot process a refund because I sent the death certificate AFTER my bank account was charged on October 3rd. There was simply impossible for me to have a death certificate so soon after her death and prior to her cremation. If Life Alert would've been truthful from the beginning, I wouldn't be filing this dispute but for them to deny the refund for the month of October after telling me they would after they received the death certificate is dishonest. I have 2 other family members using their services and I will do everything within my power to cancel their services and switch them to another honest company. Do not use Life Alert.Business Response
Date: 11/15/2024
We are very sorry for your loss and we understand your frustration. We investigated your concerns, and per our recorded calls, we advised of various different paperwork that could be used to expedite the cancellation of your mothers account, if you did not have a death certificate. Per our service agreement, billing continues until we receive our equipment, as many families tend to just throw our expensive equipment away while it is on loan to our subscribers. When you called in October to cancel, the billing had already gone through for that month, but we did place a billing hold on the account. Although we didnt received our equipment until mid-November,after the billing cycle, the account was not charged that final month. Again, we are sorry for your loss and we hope you can find peace during this time.Initial Complaint
Date:11/04/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased life alert for my aunt and paid a monthly contract fee of $69.90. On 9/7/2024 my aunt passed away. I notified Life Alert on 9/9/24 (or that week) that she had passed. I asked what would I need to do as they charged me for September but she passed the day after they billed me. I did not have a death certificate at the time, and was told someone would call me back. I never received a call. I contacted them again to see what I needed to do, they requested a death certificate which I did not have yet. As soon as I received the death certificate I sent it to them. which was on 10/08/2024. They charged me for the month of October anyway. I asked them to stop charging me, they said they would continue until they received their equipment. I asked what do I need to do again and said I will gladly give them their equipment back, I don't need it and I have all of it. On October 20th I sent their equipment out as they requested and *** picked it up. They then sent a letter to my deceased aunt stating that her account was terminated. I called to find out when I would be issued a refund and was told they would only refund October as I did not send them the death certificate until October which means its to late for me to get a refund for September. I received the death certificate from the funeral parlor on 10/01/2024 and emailed to life Alert on 10/08/2024. They are now telling me a manager will have to approve my request for the refund in September even though my aunt passed away the day after they billed me 9/6/2024 (she was not in her home, she was hospitalized on 9/5/24 and passed on 9/7/24). They have all their equipment and all the documentation. I should be refunded for September and October for $139.80.Business Response
Date: 11/14/2024
We are very sorry for your loss and we understand how difficult of a time this is for you and your family. We investigated your concerns, and per our recorded calls, when you called us the first time in September, we advised of various different paperwork that could be used to expedite the cancellation of your aunts account, if you did not have a death certificate. Per our service agreement, billing continues until we receive our equipment, as many families tend to just throw our expensive equipment away while it is on loan to our subscribers. Once we received the equipment, we cancelled the account and issued a refund. Again, we are sorry for your loss and we hope you can find peace during this time.Customer Answer
Date: 11/19/2024
Complaint: 22512053
I am rejecting this response because:
I was told I had to provide a death certificate as soon as I got a copy of the death certificate it was provided to life alert at no other time. Did they tell me any other document was acceptable until I asked for a refund after being charged for monitoring after her death. If they had told me at the time, I could have used another form of paperwork aside from the death certificate, which they specifically asked for I could have produced it. They are extremely dishonest. I will never recommend them or use them in the future. I should be refunded for the month of September and October 2 months I was charged for monitoring after my aunt was deceased, and they were notified
Sincerely,
******* ******Business Response
Date: 11/25/2024
We're sorry you feel this way. Per our recorded calls, we did advise that we could use either a death certificate, funeral home receipt, or cremation receipt to cancel the account. You have our sympathy for your loss and we hope you find peace during this difficult period.Customer Answer
Date: 12/04/2024
Complaint: 22512053
I am rejecting this response because:
This was told me in October and in the same conversation I was told it was too late since I did not send the information in September. Since the calls are recorded I would like to hear the multiple conversations that I had in September in regard to the account and my Aunts death. No one ever said I could use another document. I explained I did not have a death certificate due to the STATE being behind (out of my control) In October I was told for the first time I could have sent something from the funeral home, which I would have done had they of stated that in September. They also never told me I would not receive a refund for September because of a time line, or time constraints until October.
Sincerely,
******* ******
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