Hearing Aid Rip-off of a Senior Citizens by Richard Kirk Has anyone had a problem with Beltone hearing aids or any other manufacture? Enclosed is a letter I sent to the Attorney General of New York State regarding Beltone hearing aids. At this point in time, Beltone has managed to take $7,000.00 out of my 84 year old Aunt's pocket and labeled it health care. Read the letter and respond to me at archsite@dreamscape.com. Richard Kirk takes full responsibility for this posting. 2728 Shamrock Road Skaneateles, New York 13152 Dennis C. Vacco, Attorney General New York State Department of Law Consumer Frauds & Protection Bureau 615 Erie Blvd. West, Suite 102 Syracuse, New York 13204-2465 Re: Complaint Against Beltone Hearing Aids of Queensbury, New York. Dear Sir: I am representing my Aunt (Edna Olsen) in the following complaint. The following is a schedule of the events that led up to this complaint: May 13,- Eighty-four year old Aunt (Edna Olsen) sees an advertisement for Beltone Hearing Aids. Beltone salesman comes to Olsen's house, tests her hearing, and persuades Aunt to purchase a set of Beltone hearing aids. My Aunt's hearing is impaired slightly but not to the extent that the Beltone salesman indicated. According to other medical audiologists, one hearing aid would have been sufficient at that time. Also, salesman uses monthly payments as an inducement to purchase hearing aids. She only has to pay $75 per month. What he neglected to tell her was that it would take 7 to 8 years to pay off the hearing aid at a cost of almost double the purchase price of $3120.00. In addition, the salesman did not give her a copy of the finance agreement. The only copy that she received of the transaction was Exhibit A. Equally important, the Beltone salesman did not explain the Return Policy or Medical Waiver in Exhibit A. She was not told that it would be in her best interest to be examined by a licensed physician before purchasing a hearing aid. She was required to deposit $200.00 on the hearing aid and place her signature next to the x marks. August 15,- On or about this time period Edna Olsen went in to Beltone for extra hearing aid batteries. The salesman was not there. At that time, Olsen told the salesgirl that she was not happy with her hearing aids, for whatever reason, and the salesgirl said she would forward the message to the salesman ( Dick ?). The salesman called Olsen back and asked her to come back to the store. September 1,- Edna Olsen goes back to Beltone and the salesman shows Olsen another set of hearing aids that were more petite than the previous set she had purchased. At that time, he gave her another hearing test and told her that her hearinghad deteriorated such that she needed another set of hearing aids. She thought about what he said, decided that she wasn't interested in the new hearing aids and started to leave the building. Immediately, the salesman walked up to Olsen and told herto take the hearing aids home and try them. He told her, "If you are not happy with the hearing aids you can return them and you won't be under any purchase obligation." When she was told that she could return the hearing aids, she accepted the salesman's invitation and went home with them. September 7-21, - Olsen tried the hearing aids for one week and decided that she did not like them. She tried to return them on four separate occasions but was told each time by Dick's secretary, " You will have to bring them back when Dick is here, I cannot accept them." Finally out of desperation, Olsen made an appointment with the secretary to see the salesman (Dick). The morning of her appointment, the secretary called and said that Dick was unavailable but that he would contact her later to set up another appointment. He never called. December, - Aunt Edna tells me about the situation at Christmas time and asks for my advice. The salesman at Beltone would never return her calls and she was billed for a second set of hearing aids on 10/10/95 for $2500.00 (Exhibit B). Olsen never signed a finance agreement for this amount and her credit limit with Beltone was conveniently increased at this time from $3000 to $5000 to cover the new hearing aids. If Olsen had purchased, as Beltone claims, the hearing aids on September 1 (Exhibit B, Transaction Date), why wasn't the transaction posted on the September 9, 1995 invoice (Exhibit C)? According to Beneficial Finance, a week was more than enough time to post the amount to their account. Could it be that at this time there was no agreement between Olsen and Beltone. It was only at a later date that the salesman decided to finance the second set of hearing aids in my Aunt's name without my Aunt's permission.. My Aunt never wanted the hearing aids, did not sign or receive a finance agreement nor sign or receive an agreement similar to Exhibit A. - Talked to Jeff Bloom at the main Beltone Plant in Chicago, Illinois. I told him about the situation and that the owner (John Tolbert) of their franchised office in Plattsburg, New York would not return my calls. Bloom contacted the owner and Tolbert told him that he had talked to me two hours ago and that there was nothing he could do for me. I told Bloom that the owner had never contacted me and that if they couldn't help me I would pursue the matter with the State Attorney Generals Office as well as the local District Attorney's Office for fraud. - I was contacted by John Tolbert. Tolbert told me that this was all my Aunt's fault and there was nothing that he could do to remedy the situation. Conclusion: The bottom line on these transactions is that my Aunt, Edna Olsen, does not need two sets of hearing aids. Her hearing is such that if you call her on the phone, you will not have to raise your voice to speak to her; she will understand everything you say to her and will respond in kind. This dialogue is all without the benefit of her hearing aids. She does not wear them. Other audiologists confirm the fact that she does not need a full set of hearing aids. She would be fine with one hearing aid and could easily manage without it. Also, the salesman sold her one of the most expensive hearing aids that they manufactured. She was charged $3120 for the first set and $2500 for the second set. The model that she purchased was a lower power level ODES hearing aid. This same model can be purchased at another Beltone dealer in Rochester, N.Y (Exhibit D) for $850. My Aunt was charged $1560 each for a total of $3120 a set ( Rochester- $850 x 2= $1700). In comparison to the Rochester store, she would have saved $1420.00.In addition, I received a price quote (Exhibits F and G) from John Pederson of the Massena, New York Beltone dealer, one of three stores owned by John Tolbert. Pederson's quote on the ODES hearing aid was $1350 each or $2700 for two of them. This is still $420 less expensive than the Queensbury store and they are owned by the same individual, John Tolbert. I mentioned this to Jeff Bloom at the main Beltone plant and his response was, " The dealers are free to charge whatever the market will bear." I guess my Aunt was made to bear quite a bit. To add insult to injury, if you look at Olsen's receipt (Exhibit A) you will notice that under total she was overcharged $100.00. $2990 + 30= $3020 and not $3120. Her final bill after the down payment of $200 should have read $2820 and not the $2920 that she was charged on her first billing (Exhibit E). In short, Beltone solicited my Aunt's business in her home when all she really wanted was information and prices on a hearing aid over the phone. The salesman convinced her that she needed the most expensive hearing aid on the market and sold her a set when she barely needed one. They overcharged her on the original bill and the billing statement by $100.00. Beltone then turned around and convinced my Aunt to try another set of hearing aids a year later under the pretense of being returnable. They would not take them back. Also, if you compare prices with other Beltone dealers, she was overcharged a total of almost $3000 on two sets of hearing aids of which she did not need the second set. My Aunt is emotionally and physically drained from this experience. This whole incident borders on fraudulent behavior by Beltone and should be looked into by your office. To take advantage of an eighty-four year old woman, a senior citizen that is on a limited budget in her twilight years, is reprehensible. All it takes is a call to a Beltone dealer, ask about prices and models, and then listen to their sales pitch. Your help would be appreciated in this matter. We would like a complete refund of moneys paid out by my Aunt and we in return will send back both sets of hearing aids. Regards: Richard B. Kirk cc: Peter McLellan, Attorney William Reynolds, District Attorney, Saratoga County Beltone Manufacturing, Chicago, Illinois test40