Scam artists continue to rip off residents of our Morongo Basin. Reporter Sara Snyder warns about the “Medical Alert” scam…
A new twist to the telemarketing scam. With promises of a “free” medical alert system, the scam targeted seniors and caretakers and claimed to be offering the system free of charge because a family member or friend had already paid for it. In many cases, seniors were asked to provide their bank account or credit information to “verify” their identity, and, as a result, were charged the monthly service fee. The system, of course, never arrived and the seniors were left with a charge they had trouble getting refunded. The Sheriff’s Department says be wary of “free” offers that require your personal information upfront and always verify with the supposed friend or family member that the caller says paid for the service.
