Hello,
I'm a producer with CBS News in New York working on a story about this medical alert system scam.
I'm trying to find people, who have been defrauded, to interview about how it works.
If you are in the NY area and potentially interested, please send me an email.
Thanks for your time, Mary
mmmcgeever@cbs.com

Crook.

"I have just read some untrue things about Response Systems on the internet.  This is horrible because Response Systems is a great company and their equipment has saved my life more than one time.   I am not a good writer, but I will make comments and post them every time I find a something bad said about Response Systems.   Here are my comments:"

You're a liar. Go to hell.

Chris,

Please let me know if the NYC Attorney General acted on this.  They did a similar thing to my Mom and I will be filing in both NYC and Mass, as their new mailing address in in Marborough, Mass.  Any help you could provide would be appreciated.  Thanks.

Did anyone report BB Mercantile or Medical Alert Payment to either the NYS Attorney General or the FCC?  I think their predatory practices are in violation of both state and federal laws.  I'd appreciate knowing what has been done to date to stop their practices.

Thanks
Elise

This MUST be a review from Lori, scumbag who calls us in the middle of the night trying to get even MORE money from my 85 year old mom.

Disgusting can't even describe what they have on.

Blow these people off, they are crooks and trying the same thing with my 85 year old mom at this moment.

Same story here.  They ("Response Systems" as it was called then) called my mother a year ago.  I called them back and cancelled it the same day, but they gave me the run around, and told me that I would have to speak with their legal department to cancel.  I was never able to get a cancel confirmation, but they never sent any equipment, or bills, or letters, or notices of cancellation.  I have nothing in writing from them.

Now, a year later, their ("Medical Alert System" now) collections department "John Thomas, 212-726-2299" is calling both my mother and me trying to collect, threatening to call every week, and insinuating they will impact her credit.  He tried to settle for half of the $242 he said we owed for configuring the device.

Here's the new twist I haven't seen posted yet:  He said we didn't cancel within 72 hours of ordering.  He said the order was made on 3/11/11 and my first call to cancel was on 3/31/11.  However, I have documentation that they first called my mom on 3/21/11 and I called back to cancel the same day!  So they are making up dates!

I am filing a complaint with both the NY States Attorney's Office as well as my states AG office.

Also,  if you haven't read info on the "Fair Debt Collections Practices Act" I suggest you learn your rights.  Here is a good FAQ about it:  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

Im dealing with these a-holes! they keep calling my 70 yr old mother threating her & telling her she better get a lawyer. ive called several times & of course you dont get anyone, only answering machine. she hasnt ordered anything or signed anything. Lets just say...i dared them to call again!

The Scam Saga continues!
The company name now appears to have morphed to "Medical Alert Co. / Corp. but it sounds like the same scam.
My wife got a call from these jerks in the first week of the year, and made the mistakes of telling them she was interested and saying it was OK to record the call.  About a week later we got a message on our answering machine and then a call from a woman in their "Legal Dept." about an "invoice".  Very hard to understand - sounded like she was using a poor quality speaker phone.  Was hard to understand name she was using but it appears to be "Ogilvie Wilson".  Were irritated at the whole thing and told her we were no longer interested and to "take us off your sucker list".
Then on 2/5 got a call from "John Thomas" in their "Collections Dept.".  Gave him a piece of my mind and then he called right back leaving a message for my wife on the answering machine demanding a "$242 cancellation fee" and saying it could be paid by "check by phone".
They are using the phone numbers of 212-726-2203 and 212-726-2299 to return calls to.
I called our county Sheriff's Dept. consumer fraud group and after checking they advised that both of these are for cell phones purchased from the same vendor in NY and "have no subscriber info.".
This sounded like a phone pfishing scam to get someones bank account numbers but after reading all of these posts we now realize what is really is.  Thanks to all who posted to expose this to others!!!
The question is why hasn't the law shut this down - it's been going on too long!

Hey Guys,

The people who run this scam are Jason and Caroline Abraham from Brooklyn NY. They used to run a diploma mill company but got busted for it. Years passed, and they created this phony medical alert company.

They harrassed my uncle for money. Their information is all over the web.

This number is also linked to 718-339-1805. If you go to the Yahoo! search engine, type this number in and read through the search results. You'll learn a lot of information about them. You can even see a dumpy photo of their hellhole in Brooklyn

This sounds like an employee of Response Systems! Nice try! Most of these elderly do not have access to internets and go off a trust when they are called about these things on the phone- then scammed! The people that are making these claims on here are caring for these people to apoint, yet alolowing them to still live on their own. It is when they family member is injured, put in a nursing home or dies that the family members find out that their parents/ grandparents have been scammed!
There is no doubt a lifesaving system is helpful for the elderly, just research your company first, do not take such a lifesaving investment over the phone, do it personally with a representarive from a respected company!

I would really like to now if you ever followed up with anyhthing, and if you got your money back? Out story is the samr as yours!

Thisnis the exact story my father went through! I am pissed!

Very similar story with my father. I am extemey frustrated with them and their threats to extort money from my father, even after they have the machine back they tried to say he owes $542 for the "lost unit" even though they told me they had the machine. It didnt arrive in the 14 days after cancellation, but a few days later and therefore they said he still owed the money. Threatening lawsuits, etc. I filed a complaint with the BBB on the 21st of Nov. 2011 and I still have not heard from them! Surprise!
The have a rating of "F".

TAGS:
Jason Abraham
Robert Abraham
718-339-1805
718-788-5155
718-339-3559  

View this for a hoot:
http://www.powerprofiles.com/people/1/00005143320834/JASON+ABRAHAM-PRINCIPAL-
INSTANT+RESPONSE+SYSTEMS+LLC-Brooklyn-NY-%28718%29+339-3559

Okay so they have a new remit to address in Marlborough, MA which is also just another store offering a mailbox service. DO NOT SEND YOUR MONEY TO THEM, instead, use the stamp to send the letter to the police or fraud dept.

They are also advertising "job opportunities" on craiglist. They are trying to recruit people to do their dirty work:

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/sls/2611613796.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/sls/2611593203.html
http://www.rspcom.info/jobs/jbcl.htm

They make me sick!

MY good friend has been a victim to these people. They are truly a fraud

One of their workers has a tattoo of his zodiac sign on his arm...Was it worth it to you to spend some elderly person's money on a horredous tattoo of a goat?

The internet is a valuable tool.

Today I made a miraculous discovery. There is no such thing as Response Systems. A family of 3 runs the business out of their home.

I have a copy of the bill, along with a 2 page report typed report with all of the discoveries I have made against this scam. I talked to the man (ehem, coward who can?t get a real job) of the house on his cell phone today and he was not happy that I found out so much.

If you would like to see the report I have made please e-mail me:
phineasgage96@yahoo.com

Robert --- sorry dude. Feel free to e-mail me if you want to discuss how awesome I am for getting you to admit that ?Response Systems? is scam. All I can say is ?BUSTED?
www.sadtrombone.com

READ THIS...

New York FBI: 17 Wanted Zeus Criminals
The New York FBI needs your help. Today they announced indictments against thirty-seven cybercriminals involved with Zeus. Ten of these were arrested previously in the recent past. Ten more were arrested today. The other seventeen are "At Large".

I'll let you read for yourself the charges against the many criminals by visiting the FBI's New York Field Office announcement:

http://garwarner.blogspot.com/2010/09/minipost-new-york-fbi-17-wanted-zeus.html

Medical alert firm, distress calls to wire money among scams target seniorsBy Susan Salisbury Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Posted: 8:13 p.m. Friday, June 10, 2011


Marjorie Lindgren has received threatening letters demanding money from Response Systems of Brooklyn, N.Y., a company she says she has never heard of that purports to sell medical alert devices.

The letters demand that Lindgren, a 96-year-old Boynton Beach resident, either sign up for a medical alert system it claims she ordered, or pay a $242 cancellation fee. They are signed by "Henry Thorton, vice president, customer service."

Her daughter-in-law wants other South Florida residents to know the company is a scam and to not send them money.

"My mother-in-law has a medical alert system from a company that I arranged. She certainly would have no reason to contact another company," said Wendy Raban, a former Lake Worth resident.

"I called the company and was told this account is already in the hands of a manager" she continued. "I informed the clerk that she did not order this system, and to stop contacting her. The woman yelled, 'She owes the money, and she has to pay for it.' "

Many other consumers posted similar experiences on various websites and also call the company a scam.

Raban has contacted the New York Attorney General's Office about Response Systems.

The Better Business Bureau of New York has given the company, which also operates as Instant Response Systems and Response System, an "F" rating, the lowest possible on a scale of A plus to F.

The company did not return calls for comment.

The grandparents scam

Another local resident contacted us about a different scam that's been ongoing the past few years, with callers targeting South Florida's elderly residents.

Readers of The Palm Beach Post have been told about the "grandparents scam" several times. The latest report comes from a Century Village resident in suburban West Palm Beach who said she received a phone call telling her that her grandson was in trouble and needed money to get out of jail.

The victim's daughter-in-law said, "They told her that he (the grandson) was too embarrassed and didn't want his parents to know, so please don't tell anyone. She sent them $2,400 yesterday and was going to send another $2,400 today, but thank goodness for an alert customer service rep at Publix, they did not let her wire the money."

One tactic, the Better Business Bureau warns, is for the caller to say, "It's me, Grandma!" Don't respond with a name, but instead let the caller explain who he is. To confirm it's your relative, ask a simple question such as, "What's the name of your school?" or "What's your middle name?"

If you have fallen victim to the scam, the BBB recommends that you report the incident immediately to police and the Florida Attorney General's Office at (866) 966-7226.

One reader who fell for the scam said that after wiring the money, then finding out the call was not from her grandson, contacted Western Union. The company knew the wire number was associated with fraud, and did not send the money. But it wasn't until she contacted Western Union that she found out and the company returned her money.

The $8.88 oil change

Another consumer alert comes from reader Fran Simms of Boynton Beach, who said she drove to Tech Master at 3333 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth, for an $8.88 oil change the company offered, but was told they were "out of $8.88 oil changes." She went elsewhere.

In a recent call to Tech Master, an employee said, "We are all out of $8.88 oil changes." When asked how that could occur, the employee said, "We ran out of oil." During a second call to Tech Master, a technician said, "Yes, we have the $8.88 oil changes today."

Tech Master, with approximately 10 locations in South Florida, has an "F" rating with the Better Business Bureau due to 21 complaints filed with the BBB in the last three years.

Do your research

The Florida Attorney General's Office advises consumers to research companies before doing business with them and get everything in writing.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don't believe the unbelievable, such as a letter or email saying you have won a large sum of money.

If someone says you must respond immediately, you are probably being deceived. Your strongest power as a consumer is to walk away from a deal, the attorney general's office advises.

~ susan_salisbury@pbpost.com

Medical alert firm, distress calls to wire money among scams target seniors
By Susan Salisbury Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Posted: 8:13 p.m. Friday, June 10, 2011
Marjorie Lindgren has received threatening letters demanding money from Response Systems of Brooklyn, N.Y., a company she says she has never heard of that purports to sell medical alert devices.

The letters demand that Lindgren, a 96-year-old Boynton Beach resident, either sign up for a medical alert system it claims she ordered, or pay a $242 cancellation fee. They are signed by "Henry Thorton, vice president, customer service."

Her daughter-in-law wants other South Florida residents to know the company is a scam and to not send them money.

"My mother-in-law has a medical alert system from a company that I arranged. She certainly would have no reason to contact another company," said Wendy Raban, a former Lake Worth resident.

"I called the company and was told this account is already in the hands of a manager" she continued. "I informed the clerk that she did not order this system, and to stop contacting her. The woman yelled, 'She owes the money, and she has to pay for it.' "

Many other consumers posted similar experiences on various websites and also call the company a scam.

Raban has contacted the New York Attorney General's Office about Response Systems.

The Better Business Bureau of New York has given the company, which also operates as Instant Response Systems and Response System, an "F" rating, the lowest possible on a scale of A plus to F.

The company did not return calls for comment.

The grandparents scam

Another local resident contacted us about a different scam that's been ongoing the past few years, with callers targeting South Florida's elderly residents.

Readers of The Palm Beach Post have been told about the "grandparents scam" several times. The latest report comes from a Century Village resident in suburban West Palm Beach who said she received a phone call telling her that her grandson was in trouble and needed money to get out of jail.

The victim's daughter-in-law said, "They told her that he (the grandson) was too embarrassed and didn't want his parents to know, so please don't tell anyone. She sent them $2,400 yesterday and was going to send another $2,400 today, but thank goodness for an alert customer service rep at Publix, they did not let her wire the money."

One tactic, the Better Business Bureau warns, is for the caller to say, "It's me, Grandma!" Don't respond with a name, but instead let the caller explain who he is. To confirm it's your relative, ask a simple question such as, "What's the name of your school?" or "What's your middle name?"

If you have fallen victim to the scam, the BBB recommends that you report the incident immediately to police and the Florida Attorney General's Office at (866) 966-7226.

One reader who fell for the scam said that after wiring the money, then finding out the call was not from her grandson, contacted Western Union. The company knew the wire number was associated with fraud, and did not send the money. But it wasn't until she contacted Western Union that she found out and the company returned her money.

The $8.88 oil change

Another consumer alert comes from reader Fran Simms of Boynton Beach, who said she drove to Tech Master at 3333 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth, for an $8.88 oil change the company offered, but was told they were "out of $8.88 oil changes." She went elsewhere.

In a recent call to Tech Master, an employee said, "We are all out of $8.88 oil changes." When asked how that could occur, the employee said, "We ran out of oil." During a second call to Tech Master, a technician said, "Yes, we have the $8.88 oil changes today."

Tech Master, with approximately 10 locations in South Florida, has an "F" rating with the Better Business Bureau due to 21 complaints filed with the BBB in the last three years.

Do your research

The Florida Attorney General's Office advises consumers to research companies before doing business with them and get everything in writing.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don't believe the unbelievable, such as a letter or email saying you have won a large sum of money.

If someone says you must respond immediately, you are probably being deceived. Your strongest power as a consumer is to walk away from a deal, the attorney general's office advises.

Everyone,
The past page of posts were on June 5th 2011. All consecutive posts from cheap made up names. It's the scam artists trying to trick more people or guilt them into paying these stupid invoices.

It is because you are one of the few people who is in on the plan.... obviously. No one in their right mind would defend your crap company unless you were involved in it. Get a real job like the rest of us normal people. How do you sleep? Your website is the most unprofessional thing I have ever seen!

Hey everyone! Check out their website and see how terrible it is:
www.rspcom.info When you are done with that, you should check out LifeAlert.com. A real website with real credentials and a REAL REPUTATION. http://www.lifealert.com/index.html

Wouldn't "trust" you to save a family member's life...especially because one of you morons told me to "jump off a bridge".

And for the record. My uncle is a mute and has not been able to speak since 1999. How the hell did he verbally bind a contract to you morons in 2008. It's a miracle. Scum bags.

Ohh so you must be one of the scum bags involved. Scum bag.

This company is really something and completely without morals. They will stop at nothing including creating some of these obvious fake testimonials. I can tell they are fake simply on the basis of the same poor grammar they use in their harassing letters where they prey on their elderly target customers. Also, some of their fictitious customer names are unbelievable. Stay away from this company at all costs - unless you want your elderly relatives victimized.

Write to State of New York, Office of the Attorney General, 55 Hanson Place, STE 1080, Brooklyn, NY 11217

I have gone through a disturbing situation with these people also.  I was cleaning out my deceased Uncle's house when I found this piece of equipment.  I called to find out how to return it.  I too was called back by the "legal" department.  To make a long story short, I was bullied by the office legal department.  I wrote to the State of NY, Office of the Attorney General, 55 Hanson Pl, STE 1080, Brooklyn, NY 11217, and filed my complaint.  I did not expect a resolution "at all" but I did hope to let NY know of their unscrupulous business practices and have them, at the very least, have Instant Response have to answer the letter.   They did answer the letter with what appeared to be a form letter that I found to be offensive with intimidating language.  It had a signature block for Henry Thornton!  Hopefully there is a file on Instant Response or whatever they call themselves now  and if more people complain maybe eventually something will be done about these people preying on the frail elderly.

This bogus company bilked my mother a couple of years back she did receive some equipment but after consulting with me she returned the equipment unopened. Last spring this bogus company made an unauthorized withdrawal from my mother's bank account. The bank determined fraud closed the account and redeposited the 'stolen' funds in her new account. A few months back she received a call from a woman in their 'legal department' I took the call and this woman became abusive and theatening, I hung up she called again and once again she was abusive and threatening. I hung up and she immediately called back I yelled into the phone to stop calling. Now today we receive a threatening letter. This is all so wrong.