Medical Guardian Fraud

Hello.  I want to warn AARP members about Medical Guardian, a company that provides a device that detects falls and a button that when pressed will summon help.  My experience with this company has been a nightmare of ineptitude and fraud.  I ordered the device which was taking a long time to arrive so I called Customer service and that’s when my trouble with this horrible company began.  I spoke with 7 reps and one manager.  No one could tell me if or when the device was sent. They said a shipping label was being printed (?) and 3 reps, contradicting each other told me 3 different carriers were transporting the device - USPS, UPS and FedEx. All of the reps were rude or downright nasty. A manager actually hung up on me as did one sales rep. I was polite with all communications, never raising my voice, stating anything provocative, etc.  I was treated poorly by reps who were inept, could not provide accurate answers and obviously had no training in providing respectful, professional service. I decided based on this horrible protracted experience that I didn’t want to literally place my life in the hands of a company who hires these types of people. What if I should need fast and reliable help using their device?  I called again and tried to cancel my order.  I had not committed to any length of service.  I had simply ordered the device which needs to be activated by the user at which time actual service begins. I was directed to the cancellation department (every type of question or service has its own department apparently). Another rude rep after haggling, gave me a return approval number (?) and promised to send a return postage label. The device finally arrived and I sent it back using the label provided. The PO returned it to me for insufficient postage. I called, was promised another return label which I used and the box was returned again for insufficient postage. The PO had written the weight on the box (2 lbs. 3oz.) while the label, in very small print, had covered only enough postage for 1 pound.  I called again and after quite a long time received a correct label followed a few days later by the arrival of a second identical label. Clearly at this company one hand doesn’t know what the other hand is doing.  I sent the box back and tracking showed that it reached Medical Guardian. I thought that was the end of this prolonged and stressful experience but it actually became worse.  I received an invoice for service starting on the day I ordered the device when of course I didn’t even have it yet.  In addition, the owner of the device must go through a process to activate the device (which was no longer in my possession) but Medical Guardian had decided to activate the device I had returned and cancelled service for, on their own.  I called my bank and requested a stop payment for the amount Medical Guardian was demanding for a returned device activated by Medical Guardian, not me.  The stop payment worked but the invoices, now from a collection agency, continued to arrive. With trepidation I called Medical Guardian to try to resolve this absurd problem and I was told that I owed money for 90 days of service!  I began receiving invoices for even larger amounts, once again, for a device I returned, that I had never activated. I began to email Medical Guardian trying to politely (difficult at this point) explain the situation and request that the harassment stop. I had left negative reviews on various sites and the Better Business Bureau (oddly, this company has a good rating but if you read the negative reviews it is clear that other people had experienced similar problems). I threatened to contact the Attorney General’s Office in Pennsylvania where this company is registered. I received a “final invoice” threatening me which I ignored. Then, perhaps due to my threat of contacting the AG and threatening to sue them, I received an email stating that service (which I never had or activated) was being terminated. Sorry this is so long but I’ve actually edited out some other details of this nightmarish and stressful, time consuming exercise in rude ineptitude and possible fraud by Medical Guardian. According to reviews, many people are pleased with this company but the negative reviews echo the experience I had. Just a warning, if you are considering a device like the one I was interested in, avoid Medical Guardian.  Remember, if you fall or need medical attention ASAP, you are placing this most important responsibility in a company whose employees put me through the Kafkaesque experience I have related.