CCC PPPPP U U CCC N N EEEEE W W W SSS C C P p U U C C NN N E W W W S S C P P U U C N N N E W W W S C PPPPP U U C N N N EEE W W W W SSS C P U U C N N N E WW WW S C C P U U C C N NN E W W S S COC P UUUU CCC N N EEEEE W W SSS California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 5301 San Francisco, CA 94102 CONTACT: Armando Rendon September 7, 1995 CPUC-086 415-703-1366 CPUC ALERTS CONSUMERS ABOUT MEDICAL BRACELET SCAM The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) advises consumers that they or others they know may have been sold a phony bracelet assuring them of medical assistance through a telemarketing scam using an 800 number. Under investigation for this scam are Mark Sugarman and Betty Waschkowski, doing business as "Medical Alert" out of Studio City, California. The pair sold imitation "MedicAlert" bracelets from about November 1994 to March 1995 to people all over the country. The CPUC has had disconnected the 800 number used during the scam, and is conducting its investigation of the couple in conjunction with the Los Angeles City District Attorney's office. The CPUC Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is also trying to contact as many persons as possible who may have been victimized by the couple. Many people may still be relying on the phony bracelets for emergency medical assistance. "Medic Alert Response Service" is a valid service provided by the Medic Alert Foundation in Turlock, California. The Foundation sells bracelets bearing its toll-free number, 800-423- 6333, so that in the event of a medical emergency, someone can call that number and obtain appropriate medical information on the enrolled person. The Foundation is at 2323 Colorado Avenue, Turlock, CA 95382. Sugarman allegedly often represented himself as a doctor, used several aliases in soliciting money for a nonexistent service, and often never delivered the bracelet, or other goods. Many people who registered with Sugarman first contacted the phony service when they called 800-number directory -more- assistance and got the listing for the phony Medical Alert instead of the real Medic Alert Foundation. Sugarman and Waschkowski may also face trademark infringement charges. Both Medic Alert and Medical Alert are registered trademarks. The couple allegedly also took money for other medical supplies and equipment and signed up customers as "processors," persons who would do data entry for the medical information supplied to Medical Alert. Using names obtained from Sugarman's records and the real Medic Alert's own investigation, the CPUC has sent letters nationwide to alert purchasers to the telemarketing scam and advise them not to rely on the bracelets. Any persons who believe they are victims of this fraud, or know someone who might have been victimized, or have any additional information to assist in this investigation, should contact Stormy Maddux, SIU Investigator, 505 Van Ness Avenue, 2nd floor, San Francisco, CA 94102, or call 415-703-2854. ###