Direct Energy - Door to Door Scam [Archive] - Beyond.ca - Car Forums

em2ab

10-10-2008, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by Mr.Buffy
I had a rep from Direct Energy come to my door. She showed me an invoice that had a Direct Energy bill on one side, and an ENMAX bill on the other. She was claiming that they are working with ENMAX to consolidate two bills into one. I questioned her that it was odd that two competitors would be working together on something like this. She claimed lower admin costs for the customer and it was a part of this go green campaign. I asked her many times that all she was doing was putting two bills together and not actually de-enrolling me from ENMAX and into Direct. She said, no, blah blah blah.

I signed the paper and go back inside. When I looked into the details on the paper (which she was hestitant to show me, rushing through, covering up) I find out that she did actually switch me from ENMAX to Direct on RRO.

I've been hearing this happening to a few people now and they too went through the same experience. So..heads up

Don't sign anything I haven't read.......thanks chief, lifesaver.

syscal

10-10-2008, 01:08 PM

Originally posted by em2ab

Don't sign anything I haven't read.......thanks chief, lifesaver.

lol

and the man says, outloud, what I'm sure half of us were thinking...common sense, not so common apparently.

jshel101

10-10-2008, 03:14 PM

Direct Energy came to my house the other day. As soon as they said they where from Direct Energy, I just smiled and said no thanks, and closed the door. he was just standing there with a stunned look on his face.

Mr.Buffy

10-10-2008, 03:27 PM

Boy, just try to tell you guys a story or heads up and some people get their panties in a bunch. What's the point in even posting on Beyond anymore?

Eleanor

10-10-2008, 03:35 PM

No offense, but if someone walks up to my door with a contract in hand, I tell them where they can stick it. :dunno:

Mr.Buffy

10-10-2008, 04:04 PM

Yes, I agree. But it wasn't presented that way at all. She took minimal information from me. I asked her, are you de-enrolling me? She claimed the whole time it was just consolidating two bills from two companies. I mean, I asked alot of questions, I didn't just say sign me up or anything.

em2ab

10-10-2008, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by Mr.Buffy
Yes, I agree. But it wasn't presented that way at all. She took minimal information from me. I asked her, are you de-enrolling me? She claimed the whole time it was just consolidating two bills from two companies. I mean, I asked alot of questions, I didn't just say sign me up or anything.

The point is it's like telling people not to drive down the street without any wheels on their car. I don't think people needed a thread to tell them not to sign something at the consent of a complete stranger. But all sarcasm aside thanks for the heads up attempt at least. I can't say anything negative about it except for the fact that it's something I already know. :dunno:

old&slow

10-10-2008, 04:20 PM

If they come to your door it's because it's bad...I signed up and there's no way out without a large penalty. Our bill went up by about 30 %. They are pricks.

Best bet in Calgary is Enmax.

Ven

10-10-2008, 04:32 PM

Originally posted by old&slow
Best bet in Calgary is Enmax.

:thumbsup: /thread

Kavy

10-21-2008, 06:26 PM

A guy just came by my door tonite trying this exact same thing and would not for the life of him say he was eith Direct energy, instead he worked for "the government" and this was being created to ensure "fair" energy pricing across the province.

I told him I was not interested for over 15 minutes before he finally left.

TomcoPDR

10-21-2008, 06:46 PM

Originally posted by Mr.Buffy
Yes, I agree. But it wasn't presented that way at all. She took minimal information from me. I asked her, are you de-enrolling me? She claimed the whole time it was just consolidating two bills from two companies. I mean, I asked alot of questions, I didn't just say sign me up or anything.

Exactly Jack, the beanstalks I'm trading for your farm animals are 100% authentic and will grow into a very very large branch and at which point you'll be able to climb up and there'll be lots of gold awaiting for you.

jk man, sux to hear that... should had boned her, or was that the part of the deal?

dannie

10-21-2008, 06:48 PM

They come to our door all the time. I used to try the nice approach and then the ignorant one. What I have found that works really well is to say "This home is owned by a corporation. I have nothing to do with the bills." They never stick around after that.

redblack

10-21-2008, 07:07 PM

since ive moved in, these asshat's have come by twice to try and sign me up

Impreza

10-21-2008, 07:09 PM

Holy shit, the OP is just trying to give a heads up to everyone here. Believe it or not, some of these people can be pretty convincing at times and not everyone is aware that these people could be out there to "scam" them.

It doesn't hurt anybody to get the word out and let your friends and family know about these "scammers". It's worth it even if it just saves one or two people from having to deal with this hassle.

5fivespeed

10-21-2008, 07:34 PM

So wait, they don't leave even if you say no? Why not make them leave.

Nitzer5

10-21-2008, 10:13 PM

DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN THIS.

I work for Enmax, we have absolutely NOTHING to do with Direct Energy except for receive calls from their dissatisfied customers. Enmax does not do any door-to-door soliciting for residential properties, only small businesses, so if you have anyone claiming to be in any way connected to Enmax they are not, unless they are the meter reader who should provide authentication. Besides because I do work there I do know that we have the best rates in Alberta. Waiting for the contract to start can be a bitch but really the rates are best hands down. Not saying you guys should switch over I don't care either way (less calls for me :D) but just don't go for these door to door scammers.

Senseiz

10-21-2008, 11:58 PM

Originally posted by Nitzer5
DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN THIS.

I work for Enmax, we have absolutely NOTHING to do with Direct Energy except for receive calls from their dissatisfied customers. Enmax does not do any door-to-door soliciting for residential properties, only small businesses, so if you have anyone claiming to be in any way connected to Enmax they are not, unless they are the meter reader who should provide authentication. Besides because I do work there I do know that we have the best rates in Alberta. Waiting for the contract to start can be a bitch but really the rates are best hands down. Not saying you guys should switch over I don't care either way (less calls for me :D) but just don't go for these door to door scammers.

Yeah, if you look at the recent enmax bill, they put up an advisory.

Also, online.
http://www.enmax.com/Corporation/Media+Room/Current+News+Releases/16March+19+Door+Sales.htm

I've seen them come by a few times. If it is a decent looking girl, I'll spend a few minutes more talking to her.

Ichigo

10-22-2008, 06:38 AM

Oh yeah. It was a few months ago when those guys came over to my place. Had the name tag and everything. He even had cutouts of newspapers from 3 days ago saying how gas prices are on the rise and that Direct Energy of Toronto sent him out right away to help everyone. So I asked him it took them 3 days to co-ordinate a group and send them to Calgary? These guys make it sound like the end of the world was coming. Anyways the guy refused to leave the application behind because "he only had enough to do a limited number of people at a time". So I asked for a phone number, and he said something about "you can call but the phones are going to be soo busy and you are going to be put on a waiting list."
I had to step out for a bit so I told him to come back in a few minutes. The guy never came back.

Frostiex

10-22-2008, 01:48 PM

I had someone from Direct Energy as well...he was very rude after I tell him I am not interested. He kept on asking questions about my bills. I ended up telling him...sorry...no...and close the door b4 he can say anything.

acura_el

10-22-2008, 02:43 PM

Direct Energy sent me a letter warning of this "scam." It said that a lot of the reps were pressuring customers into long term contracts and would have to pay hefty fees if they wanted to cancel the contract.

No one has been to my door yet. Thanks for the heads up though!:thumbsup:

Chris88CL

10-22-2008, 04:36 PM

I had one of them come to my door as well. He said he was from Direct Energy and needed to see my bill. I laughed in his face and told him he had 30 seconds to get off my property. I wish now that I had called the cops on him and let them follow up with it.

Sorry, but nobody gets ahold of my personal or financial information by coming to my door in a suit.

rp_guy

10-22-2008, 04:38 PM

Originally posted by Chris88CL
I had one of them come to my door as well. He said he was from Direct Energy and needed to see my bill. I laughed in his face and told him he had 30 seconds to get off my property. I wish now that I had called the cops on him and let them follow up with it.

Sorry, but nobody gets ahold of my personal or financial information by coming to my door in a suit.

you don't have to call the cops. if he doesn't leave after you tell him he's trespassing, you can use whatever force (not excessive) to get him off! gotta love the law.

Chris88CL

10-22-2008, 05:06 PM

Originally posted by rp_guy

you don't have to call the cops. if he doesn't leave after you tell him he's trespassing, you can use whatever force (not excessive) to get him off! gotta love the law.

Trust me Im well aware of the law ;)

It was poorly worded but I meant I wish I had contacted the cops to do a follow-up investigation to get these idiots off the street and to prevent them from annoying other people. Pushy people going door to door claiming to be someone or affiliated with someone they arent actually does get police attention.

:guns: Scam Artists!

FLARE

10-22-2008, 05:18 PM

Damn! These guys came by and I was so high... i signed the shit... hahahahahaha

Fuck me! :nut:

R-Audi

10-22-2008, 05:45 PM

Just an fyi.. the best deal around is EnMax EasyMax... By far.
You cant hedge 5 years of gas for a lower rate on the open market, let alone a matching rate. (Worked on a trading floor)
You may be able to do better short term.. but in the long run its by far your best bet.

cidley69

11-27-2008, 10:02 AM

Has anyone formally complained about these guys? They have been to my house three times, and are shitty to interact with every time (no is not easy for them to take).

I jsut wrote a letter to the Ministry of Service Alberta » Utilities Consumer Advocate. If they get enough complaints maybe they will make them stop these shady practices.

Here is the link if you want to formerly complain:

http://www.ucahelps.gov.ab.ca/26.html

Its hard to believe these practices are legit, and if they aren't legit how come the Better Business Bureau doesn't make them stop this shit?

Seems amazing they get away with this. If you Google "Direct Energy Complaints" there is a ton of documented cases of this door-to-door scam from them all over the US.

freshprince1

11-27-2008, 10:13 AM

My wife says these people come to our door all the time during the day. She says most of them are arrogant and pushy and try to coax her into signing without even explaining everything.

The pitch they gave me one time was they are here to help make our bill less confusing by putting all the informationon one bill, and having it come from Driect Energy. So I asked her, well, doesn't that mean your switching me over to Direct energy? She said, oh no, you'll still get your electricity from Enmax, but it will just show up on the same bill as Direct Energy.

I can't even explain how stupid she was, it frustrates me too much. I told her I can see right through her sleazy pitch and told her politely I was not interested.

Alterac

11-27-2008, 10:25 AM

I got a guy that came to my door, telling me about the colors of the bills, and new regulated / unregulated laws etc.

I was already on direct energy for my gas bill, and they still hassled me..

I did end up signing it tho for unregulated... we will see what heppens for it.

DENZILDON

11-27-2008, 10:35 AM

Here you go boys.

http://www.auc.ab.ca/about-the-auc/contact-us/Pages/default.aspx#contact%20complaints%20group

Give them a call. One of the best ways to get them to stop.

realazy

11-27-2008, 10:45 AM

Another thing a co-worker of mine had to deal with recently after being signed up for a fixed rate when she actually wanted the "consolidated" bill thing.

When she dealt with customer service, my coworker found out that there are external agents that pull these scams. If you want Direct Energy service (which I don't know why you would) deal directly with the company.

That's probably why the poster before said they received a letter FROM Direct Energy warning of these scams.

DENZILDON

11-27-2008, 11:07 AM

With the utility deregulation there are good and bad sides to it. The good thing is if you’re not happy with the service you can switch to another provider as well as you can get better rates.

The bad side is all of the retailers would find “ways” to get you to sign with them.

Before Enmax’s Easymax contract came to be, Enmax did have sales person going around for residential sign ups and the old contracts have termination fees. The problem with this is that door to door sales people earn by getting commissions by the number of sign-ups they get so they did what ever they can to get people signed. This resulted to a lot of contracts being cancelled and customers being charged the termination fee.

Enmax found this problem. They cancelled all termination fees and took away all the residential door to door sales. They created Easymax which has no termination fees, has the best rates, gave customers savings every year. They also gave customers to flexibility to choose if you want to go on a floating rate or fixed rate for gas. Now, there are more good things to come from Enmax over the next year and so. Stay tuned! :D

Does it sound like a plug-in? Lol!!!

Amysicle

11-27-2008, 11:49 AM

Direct Energy came by the house last night while I wasn't home. Luckily everyone told them to talk to me when I get back to the house instead of trying to listen to them or grab a bill.

They tried to tell my roommates that they were making changes to our account that they needed to tell us about. They said they'd come back later but they never did. Too bad, I was going to see how long they were willing to wait while I "grab my bill".

GQBalla

11-27-2008, 11:52 AM

LOL that would be hilarious - ^^

"hang on let me grab my bill" - close the door and lock it - AHHAHH

what would be really hilarious i think is say that, than if you have a window where they can see inside sit down and have a cup of coffee or play games whatever AHHAH

JDMsomething

11-27-2008, 01:47 PM

Just to clear up a few things that I think have gone crazy in this thread. I worked in the gas + electricity business for a while and heard lots of rumors, but here are some facts.

#1 It is not a scam, however it is people trying to get you to sign up for contracts, which they get paid for.

#2 THERE ARE 2 DIRECT ENERGIES. And another company that comes door to door called Alberta Energy Savings

There is Direct Energy Regulated Service. they are the default provider for most of alberta, (calgary excluded, and EPCOR power from Edmonton excluded) and you would recieve a pink colored bill for either gas, electricity or both on seperate bills

Then there is Direct Energy. They come door to door (usually dressed up) and they offer long term contracts to lock in your rate, as well as no term contracts to just combine bills and fluctuate in the open market. These are the light blue colored bills

Alberta Energy Savings has been known to come around and are probably the "sketchy" people you have encountered at your door. They for the most part do not dress nice, and are pushy, and say they are from other companies / government / etc. Anyways, they do the same thing as "DIrect Energy" but typically their rates are slightly higher. These are the White Bills.

#3 The Easymax contract is actually not really that good if you read it through. They say in there that they "lock in your rate" but if you read it closely, because there is no term, it is subject to change. Also, with enmax, although your rate may be locked in, they actually charge you extra............Look at your bills, there are line loss charges, and about 4 other charges for your electricity, this actually makes it about 2cents per KWH more expensive than you locked in at. However it is still a decent deal.

ALSO, there is a law in Alberta that if you sign anything at the door you have 10 days to cancel, so please be aware that you have 10 days to review even if you sign up.

If anyone has any questions about their bills as they are, or what they have signed up for, feel free to PM me and I will help you understand what is going on.

QuasarCav

11-27-2008, 02:02 PM

The lady spoke with my girlfriend while I was out and my GF refused because we've dealt with these people before and decided it was in our best interests not to lock in for 12/GJ when we are currently billed for around 6.

I came home about 5 minutes later and the lady saw me walk up to the house. She had the guts to ring yhe doorbell again and asked to speak with the man of the house. I told her that the lady of the house was responsible for all financial decisions and the sales rep went as far as to question my reasons for that.

Shady indeed.

Alterac

11-27-2008, 02:14 PM

So how would I get out of this if Its been over 10 days (i was out of town for 8.. boo)?

I want my Orange/Pink bill back.. non of this blue and white stuff.

JDMsomething

11-27-2008, 05:37 PM

Well somewhere in your contract should tell you the stipulations of getting out.

If you are with Alberta Energy Savings....quite honestly you are better to ride it out because they charge exit fees based on how many months you have left, and this could be 1200 / $1800. If you are with Direct Energy, check the contract might be 125 / site or 200 / site.

So if you signed up for gas + electricity it would be 250 or 400. Depending on the contract you signed.

If you JUST did it, wait until your first bill comes in and see if its really that bad, if not, might be better to just ride it out as well or cancel at that time. There should be a date on there where it says when your service starts, just cancel before that date if you dont want it.

96GrandAMGT

11-27-2008, 07:51 PM

had this happen to me so i signed up then called the 1800# after he left to cancel! glad i did...

Nitzer5

11-27-2008, 09:52 PM

Originally posted by JDMsomething
There is Direct Energy Regulated Service. they are the default provider for most of alberta, (calgary excluded, and EPCOR power from Edmonton excluded) and you would recieve a pink colored bill for either gas, electricity or both on seperate bills
Actually Direct Energy is the default gas provider in Calgary.

Originally posted by JDMsomething They say in there that they lock in your rate but if you read it closely, because there is no term, it is subject to change.

If you sign up for a locked in rate, you ARE locked in, unless you call in and change it. Noone is going to go into your account and change it for shits and giggles.

Originally posted by JDMsomething ALSO, there is a law in Alberta that if you sign anything at the door you have 10 days to cancel, so please be aware that you have 10 days to review even if you sign up.
This is true, although I have had many customers call in and say that even though they spoke to Direct Energy, they still kept their contract locked in, even though they promised to cancel it.

And with Enmax, there are never any fees or penalties to exit the contract, the worst that might happen is you're billed for up to 30 days (usually never that long) after your cancellation request.

Alterac

11-27-2008, 10:57 PM

Well, what I did in my boneheaded (or not so boneheaded as others) is the following:

I did not sign any of their 5 year plans, I went into the Open Flex option which doesnt state a term. I think I can just tell them to take a hike.

After reading through the agreement many times, it doesnt state a term for the open flex, so uh.. they can lick my salty balls, and im going somewhere else.

I am calling tommorow to find out and will post... but for those of you who did lock into a 5 year term, its $400 to get out of it.

The name of the guy that came by my place is Josh Tanasiuk seemed like a nice enough guy, but pullin this shit on people is brutal. I think he got almost my whole block to sign 5 year except for me.

DENZILDON

11-28-2008, 12:13 AM

Originally posted by JDMsomething
#1 It is not a scam, however it is people trying to get you to sign up for contracts, which they get paid for.

Yes, they are people trying to earn but if you represent yourself as an employee of another company then you misinforming people.

Originally posted by JDMsomething
#3 The Easymax contract is actually not really that good if you read it through. They say in there that they "lock in your rate" but if you read it closely, because there is no term, it is subject to change

If they changed the rate on you then cancel it, there's no termination fee anyways. and business wise you don't want customers leaving your company so I don't see that Enmax would change your locked in rate.

Originally posted by JDMsomething
Also, with enmax, although your rate may be locked in, they actually charge you extra............Look at your bills, there are line loss charges, and about 4 other charges for your electricity, this actually makes it about 2cents per KWH more expensive than you locked in at. However it is still a decent deal.

There are two parts to your bill. The retailers charges and the distribution charges.

http://www.auc.ab.ca/involving-albertans/understanding-your-bill/Pages/SampleBill2.aspx

The line your talking about are riders. Riders can be a charge or a credit. These charges are billed by area (enmax, epcor, direct energy territories) and are approved by the (Alberta Utilities Commission). It also doesn't matter if your in a contract or regulated rate option(rro) with any retailer, if its approved by the AUC and you will see it in your bill.

Originally posted by JDMsomething
ALSO, there is a law in Alberta that if you sign anything at the door you have 10 days to cancel, so please be aware that you have 10 days to review even if you sign up

This is true and if you do cancel after 10 days then you will get an early termination fee from all retailers except from Enmax.

DENZILDON

11-28-2008, 12:22 AM

Originally posted by Alterac
So how would I get out of this if Its been over 10 days (i was out of town for 8.. boo)?

I want my Orange/Pink bill back.. non of this blue and white stuff.

Originally posted by JDMsomething
Well somewhere in your contract should tell you the stipulations of getting out.

If you are with Alberta Energy Savings....quite honestly you are better to ride it out because they charge exit fees based on how many months you have left, and this could be 1200 / $1800. If you are with Direct Energy, check the contract might be 125 / site or 200 / site.

So if you signed up for gas + electricity it would be 250 or 400. Depending on the contract you signed.

If you JUST did it, wait until your first bill comes in and see if its really that bad, if not, might be better to just ride it out as well or cancel at that time. There should be a date on there where it says when your service starts, just cancel before that date if you dont want it.

$400 bucks as still hard earned money and it can buy you a ps3.

Alterac: Talk to the Utilities Consumer Advocate.
http://www.ucahelps.gov.ab.ca/26.html

If you file a complaint and let them know your circumstances then they will talk to your retailer to waive of your termination fees. Being respectfully irate can help when you talk to them. :D

Everlast

11-28-2008, 12:56 PM

Just want to add a couple of things:

They want to see your bill because they need the site ID off page 3/4 of your enmax bill. With this 13 digit code, they can get the meter you're billing on and sign you up and state that since they have your site id, they have your consent for the contract.

Alberta energy savings =/= Direct energy. Beware of AE&S...

If you own a house in calgary and pay the for water, you can't consolidate your bill with D/E. Enmax is the only authorized retailer to bill for water on behalf of the city so you'll still get an elec/gas bill from D/e and water/sewer from Enmax if you "consolidate". Only true way to get all 4 on 1 bill is through Enmax Easymax program.

Sometimes these companies will state that they're with Enmax. They get away with this because it's half "true". Enmax owns the power lines in calgary and these other companies pay them to deliver your electricity on it. It's equiv to Rogers using Telus' phone lines. These companies don't do business further than that.

Didn't know there were Enmax employees on this site...

sr20s14zenki

12-01-2008, 08:47 PM

I signed up for the open flex plan as well, and i have all of the direct energy contract stuff, and an explanation of the open flex plan. Seems pretty legit, as well as she was wearing a direct energy toque, was nicely dressed, and had me call a direct energy agent and discuss it with them as well. It says flow thru price, and no term, and she wrote in big letters on the top " no term, no penalty, and it says that in teh contract as well, so i guess im safe. I just wanted to save paper. She even said i would not be smart to sign a contract for the 11.xx/gj at the moment.

Hopefully i made the right choice?

zorb1

01-27-2009, 08:16 AM

Originally posted by sr20s14zenki
I signed up for the open flex plan as well, and i have all of the direct energy contract stuff, and an explanation of the open flex plan. Seems pretty legit, as well as she was wearing a direct energy toque, was nicely dressed, and had me call a direct energy agent and discuss it with them as well. It says flow thru price, and no term, and she wrote in big letters on the top " no term, no penalty, and it says that in teh contract as well, so i guess im safe. I just wanted to save paper. She even said i would not be smart to sign a contract for the 11.xx/gj at the moment.

Hopefully i made the right choice?

well considering gas is between 5-6 gj right now i'd call and cancel :)

zorb1

01-27-2009, 08:17 AM

also to anybody stuck on a contract with DE there are no fees if you move out, so just call and say your moving out..then call enmax and signup with them!

DENZILDON

01-27-2009, 08:29 AM

The thread is two months old

secondly it depends on the contract you signed.

zorb1

01-27-2009, 08:58 AM

Originally posted by DENZILDON
The thread is two months old

secondly it depends on the contract you signed.

don't think so they legally need to make concessions for people moving out :)

Boostn

01-27-2009, 09:04 AM

I've had these pushy idiots come to my door trying to force me into signing a contract as well. Just to clarify something though... many years ago I paid my gas bill through ATCO. They were the regulated provider at the time I believe? Eventually I was automatically switched over to Direct Energy Regulated Services (orange bill). Were they the default at the time? I never had the option to switch to say Enmax at all. Currently I'm billed for electricity to Enmax but gas to Direct Energy Regulated Services. Would it be advisable to just consolidate everything under one Enmax bill and should I go fixed or variable rate?

zorb1

01-27-2009, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by Boostn
I've had these pushy idiots come to my door trying to force me into signing a contract as well. Just to clarify something though... many years ago I paid my gas bill through ATCO. They were the regulated provider at the time I believe? Eventually I was automatically switched over to Direct Energy Regulated Services (orange bill). Were they the default at the time? I never had the option to switch to say Enmax at all. Currently I'm billed for electricity to Enmax but gas to Direct Energy Regulated Services. Would it be advisable to just consolidate everything under one Enmax bill and should I go fixed or variable rate?

enmax, fixed elec, floating gas you get 100/yr back too

Coryz

01-27-2009, 10:25 AM

I have had Alberta Energy Savings come to my house twice, they try a few tactics, firstly claiming to be from a "government registration body", they asked me to grab my bill and then tried to explain that some mandatory change was not done on my utilities yet, seemed very sketchy so I told her to leave.

The second time they came to my house I wasn't home, the guy had my wife grab the bills and explained that she had to sign today to "hold the rate" but he would have to call me the following week for authorization because I was the account holder. I read it over when I got home, cancelled it immediately.

Needless to say I never got that phone call and when I carefully read the contract the asshole had dated it for the 17th when it was actually signed on the 12th trying to give me 5 less days to cancel it!!!

Beware of these guys, they are making money on selling these contracts and not doing you any favors.

BlackArcher101

01-27-2009, 10:26 AM

^ What he said. I was in the same situation and just recently applied for Enmax's easymax program. Will save me quite a bit of cash. I did the same fixed electricity and floating gas. I like the fact you can change it at any time you like.

scat19

01-27-2009, 10:32 AM

Ahhh I love my secured condo, I never have peope canvassing this bull shit! :)

And people, common sense, its almost as bad as the western union money scams

jamesey

06-19-2009, 06:46 PM

I was visited by a couple of Direct Energy guys yesterday. They promised to save me 50% on my admin charges by consolidating gas and power. I signed up on a month-to-month "flow-through" plan, which they assured me offered comparable rates to Direct Energy's Regulated plan.

It doesn't. Here's how they sneakily rip you off:

Section 2.1 of their Terms & Conditions sheet describes an additional "flow-through fee" of $2/GJ and $0.025/kWh that's added to the flow-through cost (interestingly, it's described on their sheet as an "administration fee").

That means that instead of paying the current rate of $3.50/GJ (as of June 2009), they'd charge me $5.50/GJ - a 57% increase.

I sent notice of cancellation today and will file a complaint with the Alberta energy ombudsman. I suggest that anyone else who has combined their bills without a locked-in contract cancel immediately (you simply have to give them 30 days notice) and complain to the gov't.

bourge73

06-19-2009, 06:56 PM

wait until you try to get out of the contract! they are fuckers fo sho. A total rip/scam after the inital $ decrease they charge a real % increase onto what you could get from Enmax, trust me it will cost you in the end avoid these scammers.

lost_in_bsd

06-19-2009, 07:10 PM

the alberta energy savings one has a really hot reciter for the door to door stuff, just left when she told me what the work was

STI

06-19-2009, 08:01 PM

I am confused. I got switched from Direct Energy Regulated Services (pink bill) to Direct Energy (blue bill) by a dude that rang my door. And I got scammed?

jamesey

06-19-2009, 08:11 PM

Originally posted by STI
I am confused. I got switched from Direct Energy Regulated Services (pink bill) to Direct Energy (blue bill) by a dude that rang my door. And I got scammed?
Yes. You got scammed.

The June 2009 cost of gas through Direct Energy Regulated Services (Southern Alberta) is $3.54 per gigajoule.

The cost of gas on your blue bill is approximately $5.54 per gigajoule (the gas rate plus a $2.00 per gigajoule "flow through fee").

There is a similar 2.5 cent "flow through fee" added to your electricity charge.

Simply call them and tell them you want to cancel and go back to the regulated rate.

And please write a complaint to the Alberta Office of the Utilities Consumer Advocate saying that they gave you the impression that they would reduce your admin fees, while in fact they increased them substantially.

STI

06-19-2009, 08:46 PM

It seemed crazy legit, he said he was from direct energy, he called direct energy, and he wasn't lying!!

This is like the McD's 100% beef thing :banghead:

BlackArcher101

06-19-2009, 09:17 PM

Originally posted by STI
It seemed crazy legit, he said he was from direct energy, he called direct energy, and he wasn't lying!!

This is like the McD's 100% beef thing :banghead:

Oh no.. it's totally legit. He'd direct energy.

It's a legit scam.

01RedDX

06-19-2009, 09:48 PM

Bizzareo

06-20-2009, 02:05 PM

Lol I had a person like this come to my house the other day, but since I work nights I usually don't wake up till around 11 or 12. So I when I heard the doorbell ring i thought it was going to be Mormons or something stupid like that so I just decided to open the door in my boxers and shirt :D , it turned out to be a pretty hot chick :poosie: she got embarrassed and was having a tough time trying to sell me on it (i think my boxers were kind of see through :eek: ) . She left without complaint after I told her i didn't want any.

chocbunnie

06-21-2009, 05:00 PM

:drama:

If you cancel a contract with Alberta Energy Savings, it will cost you $6.25 for every month that you have remaining.

All contracts are :bullshit:
Make sure you completely understand what you are getting yourself into, as well talk to your family/friends and see what they think about it.

Direct Energy offers a consolidated bills program called the Open Flex. It goes with the flow thru price, this program has no penaltys, no term commitments and no exit fees.
While others are locked into 5 year contracts people who are on the open flex program are reaping the benefits of paying for the natural gas/electricity they are actually using.

I just wanted to make that clear.
Don't judge somebody just because they are working for a certain company, give them a minute to speak to you, because you might just be missing out.

:clap:

old&slow

06-21-2009, 05:36 PM

Mostly bullshit....as usual. Just sign on with Enmax....most certainly the best bet in Calgary.

Canucks3322

06-21-2009, 05:47 PM

ANY salesperson that comes up to your door, including Jehovag's Witnesses and Mormons, is a piece of trash, that's all there is to it....have you ever heard of anyone going door to door selling something that was good for you? Besides the Girl Guides selling cookies and/or Scouts asking for bottles? I mean anything FOR profit.....:dunno: I just don't answer the door.

Nova316

06-21-2009, 05:51 PM

They came to my door and said you could be savings 150$ a year to switch over and told me all my neighbors were signing up. I asked to see which ones were signed up then told them they would be canceling with him shortly cause switching over is a total scam.

Mr.Buffy

06-22-2009, 08:08 AM

Direct Energy has been back at my place twice since I posted.

quazimoto

06-22-2009, 12:18 PM

I've actually placed a complaint regarding Direct Energy and their business model to the solicitor general. My story is way worse than any posted on here.

My father was disabled, handicapped, whatever it may be. My parents were barely surviving on AISH living month to month when these ass clowns came by. The sales person directly told my father word for word that he would have a tremendous savings over enmax.

On the contract they signed my Father agreed to switch from enmax to direct energy and the sales rep didn't get them to select which rate they wanted. My parents have always gone on the month to month rate and never a contract.

My parents got their first bill from direct energy to find the costs were roughly $100 or so more a month. Turns out this wonderful sales person selected the 5 year fixed contract rate for them so their billing rate was just massive. Of course my parents immediately freaked out since they can't afford anything more on a fixed budget.

They had to call and call and call again to direct energy to get out of the contract that they never signed in the first place. They more a less wanted my parents to pay $500 to cancel and go back to enmax.

My parents were extremely stressed out about all of this since their combined electrical and gas bills for January were going to cost them around $600 and their normal bills were around $250-$300. They were only receiving $1300-$1400 a month from a disability pension. Now I'm sure many of you can imagine how stressed this would make you.

The final straw came on February 3rd when my father passed away from a sudden heart attack. The two weeks prior to his death all he could talk about was being screwd so badly and they didn't know how they would make it the next month, etc etc.

Needless to say we can't prove a direct link obviously between the heart attack and the stress this company has caused him. We have since hired a lawyer and will be taking direct energy to court regarding everything that happened.

Unfortunately these greedy bastards will harass older people that really don't know what they are getitng into. People on a fixed budget really can't afford to be screwing around and it will cause them a great deal of stress which people will handle differently. But I mean when they start harassing people that are handicapped just to make a buck. It's really disgusting.

I highly urge any of you with direct energy to switch over. A company that has policies like this shouldn't be in business.

01RedDX

06-22-2009, 12:53 PM

quazimoto

06-22-2009, 01:34 PM

Well if anything I would hope a lawsuit would at least open the publics eyes if anything to what these clowns are doing. To me its not necessarily about taking direct energy for a putt load of money. Its a matter of them deceiving more people like my parents that really infuriates me.

The fact is they tend to only target neighbourhoods where they think they can sell their product to people. I mean you are never going to see them running around pump hill telling some home owner how they can save $100 a year simply because they won't give a far.

They target communities where they think they can dupe people. I know in court they are going to say else wise and that a heart attack is natural. However my father never had a previous heart attack. He was only on a disability pension due to the fact he had gone through numerous spinal surgeries that left him with little to no mobility.

I've watched them come to my parents house twice now since I started rennovating their house to sell it. Its just odd since we don't see enmax sending people around harassing people.

Proyecto2000

06-22-2009, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by Canucks3322
ANY salesperson that comes up to your door, including Jehovag's Witnesses and Mormons, is a piece of trash, that's all there is to it....have you ever heard of anyone going door to door selling something that was good for you? Besides the Girl Guides selling cookies and/or Scouts asking for bottles? I mean anything FOR profit.....:dunno: I just don't answer the door.

FYI Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormons go door to door giving their books and magazines for free, I would not call them sales people when they are giving it to you for free.

quazimoto

06-22-2009, 02:11 PM

You're right. Unlike direct energy they want your soul and money. You do realize the followers of these religions give a putt load of their wealth to their respective churches.

Proyecto2000

06-22-2009, 02:15 PM

o ya was going to chime in that I almost signed up to the Direct Energy scam a few months ago. The only reason why I didnt sign was becuase the guy who came to my door was very very sketchy, so I told him I would think about it. He called the next day and I didnt return his call. After reading the latest posts, im so glad that I didnt fall for this scam.

2.0turbo

06-22-2009, 03:21 PM

Direct energy MIGHT have a lower cost than some others but their fees to deliver it to you are higher, much higher. And if you ever have to break the contract: $800. Biggest fuckin joke ever, when those fuckers come around I open the door just to tell them how big of a rip off they are and they should be ashamed going door to door to rip people off.

Canucks3322

06-22-2009, 08:08 PM

Originally posted by Proyecto2000

FYI Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormons go door to door giving their books and magazines for free, I would not call them sales people when they are giving it to you for free.

And what happens when you join their cult then? They don't try and get your money?

SJW

06-23-2009, 07:09 PM

I just cancelled my blue bill.

He totally side stepped my questions about the "flow through fees".

Dicks.

RawB8figure

07-23-2009, 08:58 AM

does anyone know the name of the 3rd party marketing company they are using to go door to door.

masoncgy

08-12-2009, 03:31 PM

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs099.snc1/5199_218761190155_875375155_7453030_2034546_n.jpg

This was left in my wife's flower garden by a Direct Energy rep that I chased off of my front step... he's fortunate that a muddy dress shoe is the worst thing that happened to him... lol.

I called Direct Energy's head office shortly after, advising them to not send any more salesmen to my house, as after the 1st warning to leave my property, their safety was no longer guaranteed...

It's been quiet ever since... that happened awhile ago now.

97'Scort

08-12-2009, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by RawB8figure
does anyone know the name of the 3rd party marketing company they are using to go door to door.
You bet: Addella Marketing

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=3042510#post3042510

:D

snoop101

08-12-2009, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by 97'Scort

You bet: Addella Marketing

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=3042510#post3042510

:D

Link master fresh..... :rofl:

97'Scort

08-12-2009, 05:12 PM

That's how I roll, son. These fuckers need to be taken down.

Trites

08-12-2009, 05:31 PM

Some guy came to my door with this. I was having a party and was shit faced at the time. Told him something along the lines of "whatever bill I'm paying now is keeping my beer cold." And then I closed the door.

He never came back.

cocosan

08-13-2009, 01:00 AM

Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use (http://forums.beyond.ca/articles.php?action=data&item=1) before posting again, or risk getting banned).

raymondman

08-13-2009, 01:27 PM

What information do these people collect?

grwnded

08-13-2009, 01:42 PM

two girls showed up at my house last evening yapping about billing changes for direct energy, i informed then that i use easymax, they left without incident....i watched them leave and the one on the left had a fantastic ass, should have envited them in :poosie:

2Valve0

08-14-2009, 12:27 AM

I wish these people would show up. You ask them questions then ask them to sit there. Right up and print a quick agreement on the computer with everything they said.

EX. No disconnecting from enmax, all fees and NO extra they have told you. and make them sign it with a witness. See how fast they run away and shit themselves. I work with a company that does direct sales door to door, and the stupid shit they tell customers makes everyones life harder.

bignerd

08-14-2009, 12:46 AM

Originally posted by raymondman
What information do these people collect?

Usually they ask to see a copy of your electric bill so then they can see what company you are with and try to sell you a plan, as well there is certain information off that bill they need I think, like your site number (service number).

If you do sign up with them then they need your name, phone number, signatures etc...

If they are coming around again I will be much more rude this time-everytime they come around I am just left confused and frustrated.

They will also tell you that X amount of people on your street have signed up and so and so neighbor signed up three years ago and is paying super cheap rates because of it...

Similar to those security fucks that try to sell you the free alarm if they can only put a sign on your lawn.

Amysicle

08-21-2009, 12:15 AM

Energy contracts sold in Alberta a 'ripoff'
Former chief consumer advocate speaks out
By Darcy Henton, Edmonton Journal August 18, 2009
David Gray says he may be blacklisted for speaking out.
Photograph by: Supplied, Edmonton Journal

Energy contracts shopped door-to-door in Alberta are a "ripoff" because consumers are being charged too much for electricity and natural gas, and have to spend hundreds of dollars to get out of them, a former official with the Utilities Consumer Advocate says.

David Gray, who last month stepped down from his post as the agency's executive director, said Monday only 30 per cent of the province's one million retail electricity consumers have switched to contracts.

"The biggest number of complaints we had at the Utilities Consumer Advocate were from people pressured into a contract at their door ... and realizing after they got their bill what happened to them. Instead of saving money, their bills went up considerably, and if they wanted to cancel their contracts, they faced enormous penalties."

Current contracts range in price from eight to 12 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to the regulated rate which is currently 8.3 cents.

"Everybody in the industry knows the only contract that's reasonable to buy is Enmax for its price and your ability to get out of it," Gray said.

The price disparity is even greater with natural gas, with companies offering contracts at between $5.99 and $8.99 per gigajoule when the regulated rate is$2.92 cents.

Gordon Potter, Alberta Energy Savings regulatory affairs vice-president, said the cost of electricity and gas on a contract is higher because the price is more stable than the regulated rate, which is set monthly and based largely on short-term purchases.

It is like opting for a stable, five-year fixed mortgage over a six-month or one-year variable rate, he said.

"You're paying a premium for price stability."

His company charges consumers who want out of their contracts prematurely a $75 fee for each year left on their five-year term.

"That's simply because we have contracted for the supply ahead of time," Potter said.

Liberal MLA Hugh MacDonald said all Alberta consumers are paying too much for electricity and natural gas.

He said with natural gas prices below$4 a gigajoule and much of Alberta's electricity market hinging on natural gas pricing, people should be getting bargain prices.

There's no reason for the regulated rate or contract prices to be eight to 12 cents when the spot price for electricity Monday was under three cents a kilowatt hour, he said.

"The market that the government designed for electricity doesn't work. It may work for marketers and generators, but it doesn't work for consumers. It's a completely flawed system."

MacDonald said the government promised that deregulation would bring lower prices and more competition, but after nearly a decade, consumers have yet to see a break in prices.

"They should phone Ed Stelmach and ask him why deregulation is not serving the interests of consumers."

The government's appointed agency watchdog says it isn't concerned about the wide variation in price between the wholesale price and the regulated rate option.

Martin Merritt, who heads the office of Alberta's Market Surveillance Administrator, said the regulated rate is set by utilities using a formula that has been agreed to by various parties, including the Utilities Consumer Advocate, and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission.

"It's really not the Market Surveillance Administrator's job to get involved in the middle of agreements between consenting adults."

But energy economist Andre Plourde said there are a lot of reasons for the difference in spot price and regulated rate, but "how big these differences should be is another question."

Alberta Energy officials said the ministry is reviewing deregulation, but there's a logical reason why the wholesale price is so much lower than the price consumers pay.

Spokesman Bob McManus said the wholesale price represents the price of electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so it includes times when usage is low--which is the majority of the time--and times when there is peak demand and prices are highest--and that's when consumers are using electricity the most.

Enmax spokeswoman Doris Kaufmann said the regulated rate has not yet caught up to the economic situation, and it is likely to go down in the future.

Epcor's Mike McBeath said the regulated rate is made up of 20 per cent of the purchases made six months previously and 80 per cent of the purchases made 45 days prior to the start of the month. The rate also includes an administrative fee for the utility.

"We have a formula that's approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission and we follow it and we don't have any discretion on that," he said.

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/alberta/Energy+contracts+sold+Alberta+ripoff/1904087/story.html

jamesey

09-13-2009, 10:32 AM

Update: I filed a compliant with Service Alberta in July and it is being formally investigated.

I did some cost estimates based on my January 2009 energy consumption and concluded that the Direct Energy Open Flex plan would cost about 17% more than the standard Alberta regulated rate option. That's a lot of money for nothing.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone in Alberta who signed up for the Direct Energy Open Flex plan. What did the sales people tell you? Why did you sign up?

That.Guy.S30

09-13-2009, 04:26 PM

these fools have come to my shop 3 times. i was fairly rude to them all three times. they have some nerve to come into my shop and try to switch me over and demand my past bills.

jamesey

09-16-2009, 09:45 PM

The Unofficial Direct Energy Open Flex Plan FAQ

Here is some information about the Direct Energy Open Flex Plan which was recently marketed door-to-door in Alberta. I am a Direct Energy Regulated Services customer who signed up for the Direct Energy Open Flex Plan and then discovered that it didn't fit my needs.

I do not represent the company in any way, nor is the information in this FAQ necessarily up-to-date or correct. If in doubt, consult Direct Energy or the Alberta Office of the Utilities Consumer Advocate.

1. Will the Direct Energy Open Flex Plan save me money?

The Direct Energy Open Flex Plan may cost you significantly more than the Alberta Regulated Rate Option (RRO).

Direct Energy charges a comparable rate for natural gas and electricity, but adds Flow Through Administration Fees of $2 per gigajoule for natural gas and 2.5 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity. Based on my home's annual energy consumption, I estimate the Direct Energy Open Flex Plan would cost me an extra $200 to $300 per year.

2. I thought I would save 50% on my administration fees by signing up for the Direct Energy Open Flex plan. Did I misunderstand?

The "50% administration fee savings" the Direct Energy salesperson mentioned when you signed up probably isn't what you thought it was.

Direct Energy charges a flat rate Site Administration Fee of $6.50 for either a single fuel or dual fuel plan. They claim "this translates into a 50% discount on the Site Administration Fee for Dual Fuel Open Flex Plans."

The "50% savings" do not take into account the additional Flow Through Administration Fees, nor is it a comparison between the Direct Energy Open Flex Plan and the Alberta Regulated Rate Option.

3. Why did the salesperson ask to see a copy of my recent utility statements?

Your utility statement includes an account number, name and address that the salesperson needs to fill out a new energy contract. Asking for a copy of your statement also gives the salesperson an opportunity to extend the sales presentation.

You are not required to show your utility statements to any salesperson. In fact, it is best to use extreme caution when sharing personal information with strangers.

4. Now that the energy market in Alberta is deregulated, do I have to switch from the Regulated Rate Option?

No. You can remain on the Regulated Rate Option. There is no requirement to switch from a pink utility statement to a blue one unless you wish to enter into an energy contract. The Regulated Rate is approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission and any eligible consumer who has not chosen a competitive energy retailer is automatically an RRO customer.

5. Can I switch back to the Alberta Regulated Rate Option from the Direct Energy Open Flex Plan?

Yes. You have a 10 day cooling off period after signing an energy contract in which you can cancel at any time. Once the 10 day cooling off period has passed, the terms of the Direct Energy Open Flex plan allow you to cancel and return to the Alberta Regulated Rate Option by giving 30 day's notice. The conditions of other energy plans vary, and some may charge a penalty for early termination.

Be sure to contact your RRO energy providers (both natural gas and electricity) to inform them of the change to ensure uninterrupted service.

---------------

It is always a good idea to review all contracts carefully before signing. Don't be afraid to ask for a copy (including the terms & conditions sheet) for careful review without the salesperson present. This will help you to fully understand what you've been offered and gives you the opportunity to consider other options before signing.

In my case, I signed up for the Direct Energy Open Flex Plan without carefully reading the full terms of the contract. I incorrectly believed that combining my electricity and natural gas bills would save money. That turned out not to be the case and I was able to cancel the agreement during the cooling off period.