ComplaintsforMedical Guardian, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  02/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I cancelled my father's Medical Guardian service in early November over the phone and was told that something would be e-mailed to confirm. That e-mail never arrived. I was billed again on 1/11/22 for 119.85, called them again and told something would arrive via e-mail to confirm the cancellation, which it did not. The Medical Guardian account number is ******* and I am seeking refund for the January payment and complete cancellation of the account so I do not receive further bills or future run-around with e-mails that do not arrive.

  Business response

  03/16/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us.

  Thank you for brining this matter to our attention. Your account will be reviewed by a manager and will reach out to you shortly. Thank you. 

  Customer response

  04/03/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ************* ****************
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I belong to a community volunteer organization called ********* ********************** of which I was president during this problem. Our group (***) uses money from fund-raisers to support Emergency Medical and related services in our small island community. One of our projects was paying for Medical Guardian units for home bound elders in our community. One of the elders we paid for is named *********************. We had cancelled her service in 2020, and then in an urgent situation over a holiday weekend, I used my family's personal credit card to get her service restarted in early 2021. In March of 2021, the *** began the process of transferring this project to the eldercare organization in our community called ************************. We had no end of trouble getting this done because of Medical Guardian's terrible customer service and disorganization. By August of 2021, despite my efforts and ********** efforts, Medical Guardian had still not taken **************** off my personal credit card and moved her subscription/billing to ********. So, I called Medical Guardian and cancelled the service. **************** does have an active account with ********. MG apparently did not cancel me out as being responsible for her bill despite the transfer of responsibility. My complaint: my husband (first name on our joint credit card) got called by a collection agency about this today. I am so upset. I want Medical Guardian to get the collection agency off our backs. I want a letter of apology and acknowledgement that ***** or *********************** are in no way responsible for ************'s bill and we have not been since at least June 2021 (it was longer than that, but I'm not sure exactly what ************************ did to confirm that they were responsible. By June, I know it was done). And I want them to refund the $29.99 that I paid for June, July and August 2021. The contact person at ************************, *********, ** is their exec director, ***** if you need to confirm. ************

  Business response

  03/15/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us.  You complaint has been logged and will be addressed by the Customer Care Experience manager. Thank you for your patience while we look into the matter. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I before became my great uncles full time caregiver I would be there from 8 a.m - 11 p.m to care for him. I worried he would fall so I reached out to Medical Guardian to see if this would help. In 4 different phone call this is what I got: call #1 1 month free pay as you go or one time for the year cancel anytime no fees, call #2 I tried to cancel was given 2 months free and discount for my troubles so I kept it, call #3 my uncle couldn't get out of bed so I wanted to cancel device didn't reach so I was given an upgrade with a $110 difference to help him use device call #4 Uncle ended up in ICU life support no longer needed device, explained I NEVER activated the device and was barely at the end of the first month that was free. I then was told it was a $50 restocking fee (please see call #1) . I paid some $460 for all the upgrades and deals to try make this work. I returned all devices and later got a refund for $230 so I called back and was told they prorated my refund. Knowing I never activated the account never used anything that was sent. I now cannot get anyone to contact me. When my account pulls up with my number I'm immediately put on hold with no return on the other end. At one point I was on hold for over 30 minutes before I hung up. This company is misleading each representative apologized for the one before them for not disclosing correct information. For never using this service I should!!!! Be getting 100% of my money back. They are avoiding me so this exposes their dishonesty in my eyes. Please if you can help me all I wanted was to protect my great uncle and this was extremely unfortunate. I have proof he was admitted into hospital he is still there in a subacute center for the remaining of his life. Thank you for your time I hope to get this resolved.

  Business response

  03/15/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us.  
  We have now refunded your account in full. You should see that refund reflected on your original payment method. We made a few attempts to contact you by phone and left messages. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do at this time. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Years ago purchased equipment from ******* Never activated. Returned to ****** immediately. Since then Guardian keeps calling me requesting payment info. I keep asking them to stop calling and they have refused. I have never had an account with them. They said they got my info from ******* Please help to make the calls stop! My mom passed away and this is a daily reminder (they call every day sometimes multiple times per day).

  Business response

  02/17/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us.  
  Our deepest condolences for the loss or your mother. I will personally make sure this is addressed as soon as possible and stop those calls. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On December 29th I paid my annual service payment of $383.40 with my bank checking account. As you see they decided to take another $383.40 also. They have been promising me a check refund which I never got. They stopped responding to my emails and phone messages. One copy is my bank statement and the other copy is their invoice. I switched the payment method from my bank account #**** to prevent more thievery to my credit card

  Business response

  02/17/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us.  
  Your checking account has been removed from your account and the refund check was delivered. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This is a complaint against Medical Guardian's predatory billing practices. I had ordered medical guardian for my elderly father and on Dec 7 2020 I cancelled the service and returned the equipment and asked them to refund him the annual fee they had just charged. I returned the equipment with a tracking code and proof that it was delivered. They did not refund the $400 so I had to file aa dispute with credit card company./. As soon as I filed the dispute, they charged his card again, so I filed another dispute on the new charge, and then they charged his card AGAIN. I had to cancel the card. The dispute took 3 months. The credit card company **** **** found in his favor on April 9th and sent an email to that effect. My father passed away late in the year. He just received a note from Medical Guardian saying his account is 75 days past due and that he will be sent to collections unless he pays the $400! This is predatory billing practice. My father at least had me to look after his affairs and advocate for him. What about all the elderly people who do not and who fall prey to this practice.

  Business response

  02/17/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us.  

  We take this complaint very seriously and it was escalated to the Collections manager. He has assured me that the account has been completely canceled and there is no balance on the account. He is currently investigating how that balance appeared on the account even after the equipment was received and the credit card dispute settled. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

• Initial Complaint

  01/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I filed a fraudulent billing complaint with the BBB against this company in December of 2019. The company president responded to my complaint through the BBB, and indicated that my account had been cancelled and all charges rescinded. The BBB sent me an email in January 2020 asking me if I was satisfied with the company's response, which I didn't reply to since my account status with the company still showed "Pending Cancellation". The BBB then sent me another email indicating that the BBB considered the matter resolved even though my account status with the company was still "pending". Last week, on Monday, January 3, 2022 I received an email from the collections department of Medical Guardian, indicating that they feel I still owe them $239.70 ($119.85 x two), for service charges from May 2019 and August 2019. And guess what? My account status with Medical Guardian still indicates "Pending Cancellation"... more than two years later since my last complaint with the BBB. Furthermore, the email goes on to say if I don't pay up within 15 days, they will send my account out to a 3rd *********************** and my credit report will likely be negatively affected. Well, this is clearly a bunch of **** I believe Medical Guardian does this on purpose since they understand that most of their clients are elderly and many would rather just pay up than fight the charges. It would be nice to assume positive intent... but, my experience with Medical Guardian indicates that they know exactly what they're doing to their customers. The BBB website has over 200 similar complaints against Medical Guardian on file that tell stories much like my own. After three years of getting the run around from Medical Guardian, I want a personal written apology letter from the company's CEO, *********************, sent to me by registered mail, indicating that my account is actually cancelled, all charges rescinded, and a promise to leave me alone from now on. Thanks So Much!

  Customer response

  03/02/2022

       On January 10th, as per the BBB website instructions for Medical Guardian, I called the listed number, **************, for their CEO ********************* and left a voice mail message asking for someone to return my call.  Never happened, so I filed my follow up complaint with the BBB.  On **************************** Day, January 17th, I called again and directed my call to their billing office through their automated call system.  I spoke with a very nice customer service representative who apologized and told be that the billing I received was a mistake and to ignore it.  I asked for a certified letter acknowledging that my account was completely closed to be mailed to me in short order.  She indicated that she would request an official email would be sent instead.  Never got the email, and never saw a letter.

       On February 2nd, 2022 I received a spoof phone call from a local number, that according to the resulting voicemail message was from Medical Guardian's collections department.  The man who left the message asked me to return his call to a specific number to clarify my account status.  Instead, I Googled the number he asked me to call and it turns out he really was calling from ********** Systems which is one of the biggest debt collection companies in the *************.  So, guess what?  Medical Guardian really did turn my account over to collections as they originally threatened to do on January 3rd.  I didn't call ********** Systems back since my head was about to explode at this point.  And, what is the point.  Medical Guardian has failed to follow through on every promise they have made to me for over three years now.  And, my Mother's account status is still "Pending Cancellation".  Good Grief!  What a bunch of jerks.

  Business response

  03/16/2022

  Thank you for brining this matter to our attention. I can assure you that your account was not turned over to a third party debt collection agency. A member of our internal collections team did attempt to call you on 2/2/22 to confirm that your account is in fact cancelled. 

  Customer response

  03/31/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

       Once again, Medical Guardian refuses to send me a paper letter notifying me that our account is completely and finally closed!  Why is this so hard?  Another phone call will not safisfy my complaint, especially a phone call from a spoofed phone number.  Why wouldn't that make me suspicious?  I have received no less than a half dozen verbal assurances from this company that our account is closed.  Yet, it remains in limbo.  We've been dancing around this issue for more than three years now.  Please... once and for all... send me an account satisfactorily closed letter... and I will stop complaining.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Business response

  05/16/2022

  This consumer wanted a letter confirming his account is cancelled. Please see the attached document. 
  
  ***** *****
  Training Manager

  Customer response

  05/17/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was told when setting up card would be charged one time. Called to let them know grandmother was put into assisted care in November 2020 . Trusted them that it was canceled and never checked my credit card statements until they sent me a new device. To my surprise they have charged around $1000. I have contacted ****** to let them know how this company is predatory. Talked to a rude customer service representative named ******, tried calling the number listed on bbb site before making a complaint, but just leads back to their regular customer service.

  Business response

  02/17/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us.  
  Our deepest condolences for the loss of your grandmother. We have credited off your most recent annual invoice and issued a refund for $479.40 via **** ending in ****. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My grandmother passed away on August 31 2021 I called to cancel the servers I mailed the device back and they told me they would send a refund check out. Well as of today they are still automatically charging the checking account when I call they keep telling me they are sorry it happened and they have discontinued the service and a check would be in the mail. I need them to stop charging the account and send the money back. The address on the account is ************************ bloomsdale MO*********. But the account is in my name

  Business response

  12/31/2021

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us. 
  
  It looks like you were able to speak to a customer care manager on 12/29/21. Once your cancellation letter is processed and account is cancelled please refund back to 08/31/2021. We will first attempt to refund back to the original payment method but if we are unable to will send refund check to ************************ Bloomsdale MO******. Thank you. 

  Customer response

  01/27/2022

  I'm sorry, I did not see the first reply. i just got off the phone and they are now telling me they will only refund 10 days not but to august 2021. I don't know why they are telling you one thing and then telling me something else's. can you help with this?

  Business response

  01/28/2022

  Its looks like the billing department has just processed a check refund in the amount of $241.80. This is a refund back dated to August as originally agreed upon. Sorry for the delay! Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  12/23/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Sometime in 2018 my mother's alert button stopped working and the provider said it would take 10 days to ship the replacement. As she was 98 at the time, I looked around for a company that would overnight equipment. I called Medical Guardian and the salesperson promised to overnight a machine. When it did not arrive, and I was told that the salesperson lied to me in that they never overnight equipment, and I canceled the service. I as told the 'account' was closed, never received the equipment and found a provider the local police recommended. Medical Guardian nevertheless charged my credit card. I disputed and won. Two years later they charged again and it took months to resolve as they kept re-charging until I brought my complaint to the corporate office of my credit card company. They researched it, said Medical Guardian was committing fraud, refunded my money, apologized and said they would watch my account carefully. I closed the account as I was fed up. Yesterday, 1.5 years later Medical Guardian has sent me an email once again demanding payment of the $584.50, or they will send this to a Third-Party Collection agency, and that my credit rating (850+) will be at risk. I lost my mother in January of this year. I am demanding that they remove my 'account' and never contact me again or I will be forced to take them to court to protect myself from their fraud and harassment, pain and suffering. I will also once again seek to have their business practices investigated by the Attorney General for Consumer Affairs. Supporting my law suit will be corporate staff of the bank that serviced my credit card and denied Medical Guardian their claim. Remember - I never received their equipment, never received any service - and three+ years later, they are still trying to bill me. They are relentless. Buyer beware. We have lost many seniors due to covid; they must be 'hard up' for business so they are billing dead people.

  Business response

  01/28/2022

  Medical Guardian apologizes for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line Customer Care and hope you accept our apology for any experience that was not reflective of that. Our Customers and their families are of the utmost importance to us. Our deepest condolences for your loss. 

  Please be advised that your account is cancelled and the balance on the account has been written off. We did make contact with you on 1/12 to review the last few billing transactions. Thank you. 

  Customer response

  02/03/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  There was never any 'balance' in the account as I never received any equipment or services from this company.  I am offended at their 'apology'.  Their 'apology' reaffirms my claim that they are scammers targeting our vulnerable aged population.  They are fortunate that I did not elect to sue them for harassment, pain and suffering, as I am confident they would both lose any defense,  expose themselves to greater reputational risk, and perhaps an federal or state mandated investigation of their billing records.

  Thus, I am asking for a complete apology that admits they charged my account multiple accounts and that I never received any services for them.  If they do not do this, I may take legal action against them to protect our seniors.

  Regards,
  
  ******* ********

*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. ↩