AUGUSTA, Maine (Legal Newsline) - Maine Attorney General Janet Mills warned elderly Maine residents on Thursday about a phone scam related to a fake free Life Alert giveaway meant to obtain sensitive, personal financial information from victims.
Life Alert is a medical alert device product that protects the elderly by providing personal emergency responses when individuals cannot reach the phone. The company that produces the real Life Alert product filed a lawsuit against the alleged impersonators, naming LifeWatch Inc. and ConnectAmerica.com LLC, also known as Medical Alert, as defendants.
"Seniors should always be wary of anyone calling them to tell them that they are eligible for free products in exchange for their personal information," Mills said. "Legitimate companies do not operate like this. This scam is particularly insidious because it trades on the well-known brand of Life Alert which is intended for very vulnerable senior citizens."
Mills' Consumer Protection Division received multiple complaints from Maine seniors about the Life Alert product scam.
Life Alert alleged that the defendants used scam phone calls and lies to manipulate seniors into providing financial and personal information. The defendants allegedly used Life Alert's famous brand name, slogan and reputation, allowing them to scam thousands of senior citizens nationwide and cause significant damage to Life Alert.
The company also named Evan Sirlin, the CEO of LifeWatch, and Kenneth Gross, the chairman of ConnectAmerica, as defendants in the lawsuit.
Maine AG issues consumer warning about Life Alert scam
