Direct Energy Scam?

[the wanderer]

Oh and you can check out all the rates/providers at http://www.ucahelps.alberta.ca/price-summary.aspx

some of these companies have been around for ages. Some are newer. Some are older but have changed their names (I'll let you determine why).

Only 3 of the companies offer both electricity and gas together.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by the wanderer

Enmax has the $100 yearly credit for bundling both services, the ability to lock in and then change or visa versa , slightly higher admin fee, (in my opinion) more honest and better quality customer service, the moneys going to the city of Calgary (wholly owned) a better gas surcharge than the other competitive rates..

I'm going to disagree with that point. When I switched from DE to Enmax for gas I found the admin fee went down.

[Regular_John]

Had one of these clowns at my door tonight. Basically let him get to the "if I can just check your bill..." part of the speech before telling him to eff right off and slamming the door in his face.

He looked bewildered as the door was closing.

[CedarMeter]

A guy came to my house too. He wanted to look at my bill. I wanted to know if was a scam so I gave him the option of looking at my bill or my Wife's breast. He took the bill, right then and there I knew it was a scam. No guy takes bills over breasts. I told him to beat it!

[gottabekd]

Some girls came by a couple days ago from Just Energy. Of course, they didn't mention it, but I caught the logo on one of their shirts (partly covered by a jacket).

The opener was something like "We're checking to see if you got the green rebate on your last energy bill". I told them I'm not interested and closed the door, and they seemed OK with that. At least they didn't press on.

The thing is, if they said "Hi, we're from Just Energy, and we have a great offer for you to save money on your energy bill!" I probably wouldn't have shut the door in their face.

This crap from Direct Energy, and apparently Just Energy, only makes me never want to do business with these companies.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

The opener was something like "We're checking to see if you got the green rebate on your last energy bill".

Yup, same line the muppet at my door used tonight. The little sample bill he pointed to on his binder had an "administration charge" highlighted which if I had on my bill meant I wasn't getting the "rebate".

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by Nammer403

They can pull-up your site ID from a website that's public

What website is that? This is very interesting to me.

[Regular_John]

Jackasses out in Canyon Meadows again tonight. Told the guy he had no business seeing my bill & needed to leave immediately.

The muppet caught my wife as she was coming in the gate and started up his speech again "I just need to see your bill to confirm that..." at which point I popped outside and told him once again that he had no reason to see our bill and he had to leave.

At which point he tried to claim he just started and didn't really know why I thought it was as scam. I told him to look into it himself, but the company/sales pitch is a scam and if he didn't leave right now I'd be calling the cops.

[Mr.Coffee]

It's not a scam, but it could be depending on how they try to sell a fixed price contract to you. There is no reason they need to see your bill to do what they need to do, period.

The use of the word "muppet" strikes me as trying a little too hard to be an internet cool guy. But hey, that's just me.

[Nammer403]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

What website is that? This is very interesting to me.

http://www.unetgrid.com/sitecatalog/...CatalogInitial
Enter in address and it works

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

It's not a scam, but it could be depending on how they try to sell a fixed price contract to you. There is no reason they need to see your bill to do what they need to do, period.

The use of the word "muppet" strikes me as trying a little too hard to be an internet cool guy. But hey, that's just me.

Opening with "I need to confirm you're receiving your energy discount by seeing your bill" is a scam to me. If they were opening with something like "How much are you currently paying? I believe we can offer a cheaper rate." then I'd be a lot less inclined to call them Internet cool guy names like muppet.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

It's not a scam, but it could be depending on how they try to sell a fixed price contract to you. There is no reason they need to see your bill to do what they need to do, period.

The use of the word "muppet" strikes me as trying a little too hard to be an internet cool guy. But hey, that's just me.

Yes, it is a scam. They are attempting to sign people up and mislead them into paying a price higher than they are currently paying. I know people who have fallen for this scam; either by signing up thinking they are getting a deal, or by getting signed up without their knowledge. Most likely by using info obtained off the bill.

I would say "muppet" is about the kindest thing I could ever consider calling one of these scam artists.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Opening with "I need to confirm you're receiving your energy discount by seeing your bill" is a scam to me. If they were opening with something like "How much are you currently paying? I believe we can offer a cheaper rate." then I'd be a lot less inclined to call them Internet cool guy names like muppet.

Right and I agree with you, I'm just saying that Direct Energy isn't (presumably...) sending them out to scam people. But that these morons have taken it upon themselves to do whatever they can to get the contract because they're paid based on commission.

They need to be up front and truthful and that's how they're trained. So what they're supposed to be doing isn't a scam unless Direct Energy has changed their ways and is telling them to lie and cheat. They had this same problem in Ontario too. If people are lying / manipulating you should call Direct Energy and let them know about that type of scamming.

You shouldn't drag down the Muppets by comparing them to idiots, what did they ever do to you?

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Right and I agree with you, I'm just saying that Direct Energy isn't (presumably...) sending them out to scam people. But that these morons have taken it upon themselves to do whatever they can to get the contract because they're paid based on commission.

They need to be up front and truthful and that's how they're trained. So what they're supposed to be doing isn't a scam unless Direct Energy has changed their ways and is telling them to lie and cheat. They had this same problem in Ontario too. If people are lying / manipulating you should call Direct Energy and let them know about that type of scamming.

You shouldn't drag down the Muppets by comparing them to idiots, what did they ever do to you?

The fact that everyone of them I've ever had at my door opens with some variation of "I need to see your bill to confirm you're receiving your discount" leads me to believe they are trained to use the same deceptive "sales" tactic.

I fully understand that energy reselling is a "legitimate" business, but I don't believe it's a coincidence that all of the door to door folks have an example bill tapped to their binder and an opening line that suggest they are just there to confirm I'm getting "discount on my bill".

They are con artist hoping to take advantage of people, pure and simple.

As for the muppet? Well Jim Hanson died and broke my heart after teaching me to love my neighbours

[onetwo_threefour]

I've got no stake in this, but asking to see your bill is not a scam either. It is a negotiation tactic in that they get to have some information to personalize their pitch, and psychologically, when you negotiate with someone, if you make a request of someone during a negotiation and they comply with your request (like "let me see your bill") they are more likely to buy. (source: undergrad psychology degree + legal negotiation training + experience).

Obviously they can use information from your bill to perpetrate a scam if they are so inclined, but that doesn't make requesting to see the bill a scam, nor is it necessarily part of a scam. The proper response is 'no thanks, not interested,' and not 'I'm going to chase you down the street you dirty scamming muppet!'

[Resolute 14]

Count me in the "Direct Energy is a scam" group. They prey on the ignorant and elderly just the same as your average Nigerian prince.

[Bean]

Mr. Coffee and jaydorn have it right, Direct Energy do not need their representatives to be so greasy to sell contracts. If they have value behind their rates - higher or not, I'd give them an opportunity to try to sell to me. Unfortunately, the same sleazy ploys have been used ever since the industry got deregulated.

I think their current sales strategy is no better than the Vivint Security sales guys who will drop made up neighbor's names to try to draw you in. - You can't name refer to 'The Wongs' down the street from me, all of my neighbors are white or indian!

I believe Epcor used to leave a door knocker, and if you were interested in speaking with them, then you'd bring it inside to indicate this. If you didn't want to speak with them, then you'd keep the door knocker hanging and they'd come back to collect it but not bother you. A more elegant way to introduce themselves but I can't comment on their tactics - I left the door knocker outside.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

I've got no stake in this, but asking to see your bill is not a scam either. It is a negotiation tactic in that they get to have some information to personalize their pitch, and psychologically, when you negotiate with someone, if you make a request of someone during a negotiation and they comply with your request (like "let me see your bill") they are more likely to buy. (source: undergrad psychology degree + legal negotiation training + experience).

Obviously they can use information from your bill to perpetrate a scam if they are so inclined, but that doesn't make requesting to see the bill a scam, nor is it necessarily part of a scam. The proper response is 'no thanks, not interested,' and not 'I'm going to chase you down the street you dirty scamming muppet!'

Once again, it's not an honest request of "May I see your bill to compare rates?"

It's along the lines of "I was sent here to confirm if you're getting the rebate/discount, I just need to see check your bill..."

Opening with "get me your bill" is not negotiating.

I'm really not sure why anyone would defend these con artist/scammers. Sure, everyone's gotta eat, but when you make your living in a dishonest way then you deserve the public ridicule, and when you come to my home uninvited then I'm not inclined to treat you with any respect.

So yes, muppets, all of them.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by fotze

It also instantly is telling you that they think you are a dummy and that this is a tactic. Who hasn't heard of this tactic? As if calling it a tactic makes it alright. Oh sorry girl, this roofie is just a tactic to get you to sleep with me, I learned it in law school, there is no malice.

It's like the old "taking a hand gun into the bank to get extra money!" tactic.

[PsYcNeT]

I usually tell them I'm actually siphoning my gas and electricity from my neighbour, laugh and tell them not to tell anyone, then quickly close the door in their face.