Earlier this year, I told you that the FTC and the Florida Attorney General (AG) acted to temporarily halt an Orlando-based operation that not only used illegal robocalls to pitch so-called “free” medical alert devices to older consumers, but also lied about the cost and quality.
I’m now pleased to report that a settlement obtained by the FTC and the Florida AG has permanently shut down the operation. In addition, the defendants are banned from making robocalls and participating in other telemarketing activities.
No matter your age, you may know someone who has been scammed by phone fraud. They may not talk about it, but the statistics do. The good news is, you can do something about it. Become an FTC ambassador. Share what you know by passing this blog post on to your friends, family or neighbors. Tell them to hang up the phone when they get a robocall. Don’t press “1” to speak to a live operator, and don’t press any other number to get off the list. That will probably only lead to more robocalls. And tell them to report their experience to the FTC online or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
If you or someone you know is interested in buying a medical alert device, please read and share our free publication, Personal Emergency Response Systems: Health Information for Older People.
