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At about 7 pm tonight two individuals came to my apartment door and stated that they work for Coned and they had a report that my building was being overcharged due to some surcharge or something that shouldn't have applied. They asked to see my bill. I gave them my bill to examine, they identified a charge and said "yup, right here. Let us fill out some paperwork for you and then we will be on our way" My dog was upset that they were at the door, so I told them to knock when the paperwork was done. Before closing the door I noticed that the paperwork said direct energy on the top. I came in and casually googled it because I was curious about what they do. I found a ton of scam stuff! I immediately went to the door and asked for my bill back, and said I would not be using their service and I would contact coned directly. They got really defensive, and proceeded to show me the paperwork that they had just completed. It was a service contract! I demanded that they leave all copies of the contract with my information on it with me. However, now I'm scared. I didnt sign anything at all, but they had my info on my coned bill and who knows if they copied it anywhere. I read several claims that they falsified signatures and opened accounts without approval. I'm probably safe since I took the (unsigned) contract from them, right? I dont understand how they can get away with this! When I confronted them with my google results, they changed their story and said that the didnt work for coned, but that they supplied the energy for coned??! Anyone else have experience with these people?
edited for those who dont know- Direct Energy appears to be a company similar to coned- except that they charge a (high) fixed rate for energy and RIDICULOUS fees if you terminate your contract with them.
I've read stories about them signing people up for accounts even with no signature/ no authorization.
I have also read it's not exactly a scam, because you probably won't end up paying any extra for your service, however, the problem is with their aggressive and misleading sales tactics.
Keep googling and see if you can figure out whether a call placed to a city agency (or a letter) now would protect you later on if they do manage to switch your account.
I too came in contact with a Direct Energy representative. I arrived home at 6PM last night and there was a representative dressed in a suit in my hallway. The representative made me very uneasy 1) because I was alone in my hall and am a female and 2) because he was very persistent and wouldn't take "No" for an answer. He finally left me alone after a male neighbor by chance came out side. I, for sure, did not think he was a Direct Energy representative, if not, someone trying to cause me harm. They need to re-evaluate their door-to-door tactics, and obtain permission from landlords and superintendents before knocking on people's doors and being so creepy!
If you get "slammed" on your next Coned bill make sure you deny any knowledge of them. No need to incriminate yourself and complicate the situation by acknowledging a meeting. Maybe they got your information out of the garbage? Coned won't help you if they think you might of given permission for the change.
Beware of "ESCOS" which are energy services companies. They are just as pushy as the Jehovah's Witnesses. They will come back again and again but with a different pair of salespeople each time. Never ever show them your Con Ed bill,once they get your account number they can switch you over without your consent.
This has been going on for years around here so I am surprised that this is the first time you heard about it.
I just had this experience yesterday. HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW: Call ConEd and tell them what happened, that you were solicited by scammers, and that you're worried your bill will be switched over with the info they managed to obtain. ConEd will block your account so that no other company can swoop in and change providers on you without your explicit consent to ConEd.
Your story sounds exactly the same as mine: Two representatives at the door acting like they were from ConEd and were there to "adjust" my rates. I fell for it for a while too, which makes me feel really stupid. But fortunately, I figured them out just in time, took my contract back from them (which I had already signed, yikes,) and they got suuuper pissy with me. I'm guessing they wouldn't have gotten so pissy if the info they already had was enough for them to do their trick. But either way, I'm glad I called ConEd anyway, so please do the same. I'll be calling ConEd back a few times more to make sure my account is still blocked and no one's been trying to switch me over.
You guys are not very smart... However, the Direct Energy Employee should have made sure you were aware of what exactly was going on.....
I have researched the program Con Edison made... it is called Con Ed Choice.. it allows Con Ed to get energy from different sources so the rates can go down.. Con Ed does not make a profit on the energy itself, just the delivery and distribution, so they buy from the open commodities market every month at whatever price they can get it for, and you have to pay that price. If you chose an "ESCO" or a "supplier" for Con Edison's program that has lower kwh (electric rate) and or ccf (gas rate,) then your Con Edison bill can go down... I have done this myself with my business ConEd Bill and save about $250 every quarter year because I chose an ESCO. So you just have to know what you are doing. You cant "switch over" from ConEd because they own everything in your area and have to stay your utility Co... but you can tell them to get the energy through an ESCO so your bill can drop a bit..
You all seem too scared to investigate things, what is funny is you are all paying more than you have to....
People don't be sheep... As soon as one moron says scam everyone falls in line. If Direct Energy was a scam they wouldn't be an Energy Supplier. All you have to do is look at your last yrs bill and compare to their flat rate and you'll see they are approx 30% lower. Here in Cincinnati last summer Duke jacked the electric cost to 14cents kwh while Direct Energy's cost was 6.9cents... Now who is the scammer here? Duke knows you'll use more Electric during the summer and they jacked up their rates to capitalize on it while Direct Energy's rate remained the same... Keep in mind... After your first year with Direct Energy your rates will begin to vary but its a simple fix... You can switch to another company after a year or just ask them for the fixed rate again or tell them you'll switch if they don't give you the flat rate. Its that simple.. plus here in Ohio it cost nothing to sign up or cancel so you can cancel anytime you wish. The real scam here is when someone believes everything they read without doing real research and real research is as simple as reading your own bill. I see on my own bill from one month last summer I could have saved $166 in electric for just 1 month so yes it does look like I got scammed but it was from Duke not Direct Energy. Duke also adds fees to your bill not related to your Gas and Electric you used called riter fees and generation fees which don't apply when you switch to Direct Energy... Look on page 2 if you have Duke and you'll see the fees... The scammers are the people screaming scam when they don't know what they are talking about. Be wise and look at your bill and think for yourself.
I had to reply based on what I know is some misinformation or just not knowing the facts.
First, the door to door slamming is unethical in any business. If you report them not only to con ed, but the New York Public Utilities board they can and will be fined and possibly have their license to sell energy in New York revoked. Any company that claims to be associated with or partners with the local utility is slamming!
Second, through energy deregulation you have the choice to purchase your energy from a number of 3rd party energy suppliers. This is actually encouraged by con ed as it is stated on their website. [url=http://www.coned.com/customercentral/energychoices.asp]Con Edison: Customer Central - energy choices[/url]
Third, I don't care who you purchase your energy from, the public utility still charges, generation, and transmission charges. These are called the delivery portion of your bill, the public utilities cannot profit from the sale of energy.
Selling energy is a privilege not a right, some companies require contracts, some don't. Some offer lower rates, green energy, or both. Most companies compete within the compliance regulations set down by the Public Board of Utilities, but then again some don't.
[mod]No soliciting business on the forum[/mod]
Last edited by bmwguydc; 03-23-2011 at 01:54 PM..
Reason: No soliciting
I had to reply based on what I know is some misinformation or just not knowing the facts.
First, the door to door slamming is unethical in any business. If you report them not only to con ed, but the New York Public Utilities board they can and will be fined and possibly have their license to sell energy in New York revoked. Any company that claims to be associated with or partners with the local utility is slamming!
Second, through energy deregulation you have the choice to purchase your energy from a number of 3rd party energy suppliers. This is actually encouraged by con ed as it is stated on their website. Con Edison: Customer Central - energy choices
Third, I don't care who you purchase your energy from, the public utility still charges, generation, and transmission charges. These are called the delivery portion of your bill, the public utilities cannot profit from the sale of energy.
Selling energy is a privilege not a right, some companies require contracts, some don't. Some offer lower rates, green energy, or both. Most companies compete within the compliance regulations set down by the Public Board of Utilities, but then again some don't.
The big problem you will face is that so many people now associate these ESCOs with scams because of their horrible scammy business practices. You have your work cut out for you if you are going to change the public opinion on this.
Last edited by bmwguydc; 03-23-2011 at 01:55 PM..
Reason: Edited quoted text
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Direct Energy Scam
