Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Life Alert Automatic Charge Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: A consumer launched a class action lawsuit against Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc and 10 unnamed defendants.
- Why: Andrews claims Life Alert continues to charge customers’ bank accounts after they have requested to cancel its services.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.
Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc continues to issue charges on customers’ bank accounts after they have requested to discontinue its services, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Lead plaintiff Phyllis Andrews claims Life Alert—which sells products and services used to contact emergency services—misleads consumers from the get-go about the terms of its automatic renewal policy.
Andrews wants to represent a nationwide Class and California subclass of consumers who—within one year of the filing of this complaint nationwide and four years for California—had their bank accounts charged by Life Alert following a request to cancel its services.
Life Alert Keeps Charging Consumers Despite Cancelations, Warns Class Action
The plaintiff says she believed she was entering a month-to-month agreement with Life Alert when she signed up for the company’s services in June of last year.
The month-to-month agreement was purported to require her to pay $89 each month, with the money automatically being taken out of her account via an automatic debit charge, according to the class action lawsuit.
What Andrews actually entered into was a “negative option” agreement that required her to inform Life Alert and return its equipment if she ever sought to cancel the company’s services, the class action lawsuit alleges.
Andrews claims that, in February, after trying to cancel her agreement with Life Alert and returning its equipment, the company, without authorization, debited her bank account once more for $89 in March.
“Defendant did not provide to Plaintiff, nor did Plaintiff execute, any written or electronic writing memorializing the final automatic payment made in March,” states the class action lawsuit.
Andrews alleges further that Life Alert never explained its automatic renewal or continuous service offers in a “clear and conspicuous manner” and never got her affirmative consent to implement them.
Andrews claims Life Alert is in violation of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, and California’s Unfair Competition Law and Automatic Purchase Renewals Statute.
Plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting damages, injunctive relief, and any other available legal or equitable remedies for themselves and all Class Members.
Life Alert was ordered to pay $750,000 earlier this year after an investigation by attorney generals in New York found evidence the company was violating consumer protection laws.
Have you received a charge on your bank account from Life Alert after canceling its services? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Todd M. Friedman, Adrian R. Bacon, Meghan E. George, and Thomas E. Wheeler of the Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C.
The Life Alert Automatic Charge Class Action Lawsuit is Andrews v. Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc., et al., Case No. 5:21-cv-01769, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Don’t Miss Out!
Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!
Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
23 thoughts onLife Alert Continues Automatic Charging After Its Services Are Canceled, Says Class Action
Tried canceling Life Alert as the service is no longer needed and they won’t cancel. I specifically asked before getting the service if I can cancel at any time as I knew it was only needed for maybe a year and was told yes by the representative. Now they won’t cancel. My mother doesn’t need the service as she will be living with family and will be cared for by family. They won’t cancel. Outrageous! Didn’t know this company was in the practice of stealing people’s money, which is what they’re doing if a customer doesn’t require the service and they won’t cancel it and continue charging the credit card. Terrible
I tried to cancel my Life Alert account on 12/22/23. I no longer needed their services. They refused my request, and will continue to charge my bank accout $79.00/mo (which I can no longer afford).
Same thing with me. Life Alert is the WORST! My brother passed away in 2021 and I’m still being charged the annual rate. I was charged again today after cancellation of service. Please add me to the list.
My sister signed my mother up for life alert. When she could not pay I gave life alert my banking information to make the payments. When I advised Life alert to stop automatic payments from my account they refused even though I never signed any kind of contract with them. They say I took over the contract. They will not accept the documentation that says my mother is now in an assisted living facility. Sign me up.
My mom hit the panic button, life alert called both my sister and I. The calls were at 10:30 at night and did not come across as life alert. They contract out people to call us on the emergency list. Since it was 10:30 pm both my sister and I thought this was a scam call coming from Los Angeles. Being an emergency company, shouldn’t the calls come across as Life Alert so people answer them. My mom ended up being ok, she accidentally hit the red button. But it cost my mom $2,000 to get the doors fixed that the fire department had to break to get into my moms home. All that could have been avoided if this company calls came across Life Alert. Especially since they are an emergency company. Fast forward, now we are trying to cancel this as my moms going in an assisted living facility. Life Alert makes you jump through hoops and still it’s not cancelled. Would not recommend this company.
My brother in law Michael J Tuttle set up this service for my mother and even after sending the death certificate, they continue charging.
I am adding him as he is currently in the hospital.
Life Alert continued charging my uncle, who has intellectual disabilities, for 6 months after he moved out of his apartment and into a host home where he no longer needed services. His host called to cancel for him, they said they needed a letter. The letter was sent – twice – and they still charged. They finally stopped when I mailed back his device, but not before charging ANOTHER $150 for “missing equipment” – some GPS device and the necklace that comes with the device. Such an awful company to take advantage of vulnerable people and their families this way.
I’ve been trying to get out of contract for my Mother for 2 years. We switched to a different service when life alert didn’t deliver on their service. My Mother passed away 5 months ago. They’re still charging her account. Please add.
I’ve been trying to get out of contract for my Mother for 2 years. We switched to a different service when life alert didn’t deliver on their service. My Mother passed away 5 months ago. They’re still charging her account.
Please add me also. I wish I read this before calling Life Alert.. It seems as though “unfair and deceptive” is their actual business model they follow. My experience was the same. Before purchasing, I asked the sales rep about cancel His answer was not a misrepresentation, it was a flat out lie. I was told the service was month to month and I could cancel at any time. After signing the contract, I saw the itty bitty fine print about 36 months for total of almost 4 grand. I immediately called. to cancel numerous times. and they transferred my call to the same sales rep who always said he would notify the accounting dept. Of course they did not cancel and continued to charge $89 monthly fee. Their contract does not provide a way to cancel, and after I showed copy of federal code regarding right to cancel for 3 days, they ignored me. I would love to get in on class aCtion. Don’t say Life Alert is deceptive, they are 100% crooks.
Please add me