Last week, we featured utility scammers working around Greenwood Heights courtesy of warning from Aaron Brashear of Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights. We had this story and this follow up the very same day. In those cases, reps from IDT Energy were switching people from Con Ed without their consent. (We don’t have a love affair with Con Ed, but a scam is not a way to escape their clutches. For full details onthe IDT scam head over to Consumerist, which has been chronicling this crap in great detail.) Well, it’s going on in more places and is a HUGE story. In any case, there are now reports coming via BoCoCa Parents of other energy scammers at work. Here is story #1:
A company by the name of Accent Energy nearly caught me on the phone a few weeks ago. I thought they were from Con Ed, and was well on the way to ordering from them until the operator couldn’t address whether or not the “rebate” would be greater because I was on wind power. She said I would have to call some other 800 number to get back on wind power. That’s when I realized she wasn’t Con Ed. Anyway, I said “no” and hung up. She dogged me with dozens of phone calls for two days before giving up.
Okay, that’s just harassment.
Here’s another one:
FYI, this is not just a door-to-door scam. I got a phone call a couple of weeks ago by a company that told me they work for ConEd and needed info from my bill. I asked why they didn’t already have the info if they work for ConEd and they didn’t give a clear answer, but kept telling me that if I can confirm my account info I can get a discount on my bill for now on. I said no, and then looked them up online. There was a video from one of the network news stations on the topic of these scams, and this group (I don’t remember the name) was mentioned as one of the worst offenders in terms of switching people without permission. I think there was a mention of a lawsuit by the city, but I might be making that up. There was definitely mention of being able to complain to the city and get it on the books (311 maybe).
And, there’s this too:
we too had someone come knocking at our door in Cobble Hill mid-day a week or two ago (and we live in an apartment building, so someone let him in) saying through the peephole that he was “from the electric company” and needed to see a copy of our ConEd bill to tell us how we could save $. Needless to say, I did not open the door (thinking- “Why the heck would ConEd need to come to my home to see a copy of my bill?! Must be some strange scam.”)…It was pretty creepy when it happened.
There is more, but we think this is enough to get the point across. We’re hoping the publicity will get consumer protection officials on the ball and stop these scam artists and that, in this case, our…uh…”friends” in print (we won’t name names, but they know who they are) will pick this up. On another subject, we’re planning a new weekly GL feature for bloggers robbed by print reporters called “I Was Robbed.” Start sending your complaints to thegowanuslounge (at) gmail (dot) com. Yes, we told you when GL came back from hiatus that we were “sad and cranky.” We’re no longer “sad,” but we’re damned cranky.
29 responses so far ↓
1 Sarah // Oct 20, 2008 at 11:29 am
I had something similar happen earlier this year where I live in Washington, DC. A guy knocked on my door and said that he was collecting information to put people on some kind of discount plan for Pepco (the electric company). He asked for my bill. I was leery and declined. Any idea what they do with this information?
2 Energy/Utility Scam Artists Working All Over South Brooklyn | Conning Us // Oct 20, 2008 at 11:33 am
[…] the rest here: Energy/Utility Scam Artists Working All Over South Brooklyn Categories: Cons & ScamsTags: archives, artists-working, brooklyn, brooklyn-based, […]
3 If There Were 25 Hours In The Day… // Oct 20, 2008 at 11:57 am
[…] Watch out for energy scammers in Brooklyn [GowanusLounge] […]
4 amanda // Oct 20, 2008 at 1:27 pm
They said they were from the energy company, that we were being overcharged, and that they needed to see my bill to show me the fees I wasn’t supposed to have to pay.
I thought I was being a paranoid crank when I told them that *no* they could not see my bill and that if they had legitimate business they’d have a sample bill or a copy of my bill already.
I guess I did the right thing.
5 ccgh // Oct 20, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Heads up, they (IDT Energy) are now in Sunset Park going door-to-door.
6 Truf Jones // Oct 20, 2008 at 3:45 pm
As far as “i was robbed” just say “Brooklyn Paper” and you’re done.
7 Cobble Hill Blog » Electric Company Scammers Out in Nabe // Oct 20, 2008 at 3:50 pm
[…] our area trying to dupe folks into switching to their crappy electric company from Con Edison: Gowanus Lounge: Last week, we featured utility scammers working around Greenwood Heights courtesy of warning from […]
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[…] fall for fake electric company IDT Energy, who has people out canvassing in South Brooklyn to switch Con Ed customers without their consent. [Gowanus […]
10 why god hates me » Energy scammers are still stalking the good … [IDT] // Oct 21, 2008 at 12:01 pm
[…] consumerist Energy scammers are still stalking the good people of Brooklyn, according to the Gowanus Lounge. Not only are they going door-to-door, but now they’re calling, too. Remember: if some […]
11 Maria // Oct 21, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Two well dressed reps for this scam came to my door last week.
Altho they didn’t do anything illegal, I reported them to the 76th. They made me leery because they were business-like and well spoken even tho what they said made no sense.
12 Jess // Oct 21, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Last night, this exact thing happened to us in Park Slope. A guy knocked on our apartment door (I don’t know who let him into our building) and asked to see a copy of our electric bill so he could show us how we could save money. We asked for a business card from the guy so we could call him back later after reviewing what he was offering. He refused, of course, so we sent him on his way.
I’m glad to know he was just an energy company scammer and not an identity thief or something worse.
13 John // Oct 21, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I’ve received the the phone calls from IDT during the spring and hung up on them each time.
At the end of the summer, a barely coherent gentleman rang my bell asking to see my bill so I could save money. I closed the door on him.
This was up in Park Slope
14 GerritsenBeach.net » IDT Energy Scammers in Gerritsen Beach! // Oct 22, 2008 at 10:05 pm
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15 Tara // Oct 23, 2008 at 10:28 pm
I was just scammed today in Flatbush!, I ‘m new to the building so I thought this was protocol…The 2 IDT “reps” first claimed to be affiliated with Con Ed, promised to reduce and credit the past 2 months of sales tax on my con ed bill, as well as no more fees or tax there after. They also claimed that IDT actually sold electricity to ConEd at wholesale prices and COn Ed added their own surcharges. My bill is pretty small now ( about $15 per mo) so I figured why not get an extra dollar back. ? right? I asked a few more questions, but ultimately gave them my con ed bill. tisk tisk
I m getting in contact with Con Ed now to lock my account, and canceling the contract with IDT tomorrow> does anyone know my legal rights about informing other residents in my building? can I ask the IDT Reps to leave?, I think they are returning tomorrow. Thanks
16 jf // Nov 13, 2008 at 5:42 pm
They’re back! Just answered the door and one was there. I’m in the Sheepshead Bay area. Beware!
17 Xris (Flatbush Gardener) // Jan 14, 2009 at 6:18 pm
They’re back and active in Flatbush as of this afternoon.
18 CarrollGardener // Jan 19, 2009 at 8:45 pm
The IDT reps just hit 2nd Place between Court and Clinton. They somehow entered the bldg without being buzzed in, and even made it all the way up to my 5th floor walkup. They mentioned nothing about switching carriers. They claimed it was the energy wholesaler that was offering tax refunds…and I should provide a con-ed bill to see if i qualify. They recited prepared scripts that were neither credible nor informative. There were three of them. One front man who did all the talking; one other man and a woman. All wore field technician-blue IDT jackets.
19 smartestartist // Jan 27, 2009 at 6:59 pm
i live in boerum hill and the scammers are back in the hood.
today someone came to my apartment door from IDT. this is the second time- the first time was a few months ago, probably around the time of the original post. i heard the bell ring maybe 15 minutes earlier and didn’t let them in, but someone else must have. it was just creepy.
consumers beware.
20 concerned // Feb 25, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Today in South Brooklyn-Sheepshead Bay area, I don’t know who in my building let him in, but this “IDT Representative” banged on my door wanting to read my meters. He didn’t even know that meters aren’t in the apartments! He claimed that Con Ed was raising their rates next month and “don’t you want to save money?” I would never let a stranger into my apartment.
21 Carmen // Mar 20, 2009 at 4:02 pm
They were just here in Albany Avenue today. They wore brownish outfits carrying clipboards and said their company name really fast. I didn’t answer my door but I listened from inside my closed door to them talking to my next door neighbor who told them to get lost. We have all advised each other on my street about these scam artists.
22 holl162 // Mar 23, 2009 at 4:56 pm
This just happened to me at 302 Eastern Parkways. The woman was EXTREMELY PUSHY and I shut the door on her face. They wanted my bill and my social security number. Be careful.
23 Scam Related News (10/21/08) // Apr 2, 2009 at 8:11 am
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24 Shawn // May 7, 2009 at 7:40 pm
In the Sheepshead Bay area today, they came to the door and tried to give the impression they were from Con Edison. The man was very determined to see a gas bill, when we said we didn’t have a current one he kept asking for old bills to see “if we had the proper discounts.” Do Not let them see any bill, there’s absolutely no reason for Con Edison to have to come to your door to see a bill.
25 Nina // Sep 12, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Beware: The scammers are also working Forest Hills.
26 wakeup // Oct 24, 2009 at 2:29 pm
This is happening in Queens, in the Flushing, Fresh Meadows area too.
27 Dan // Dec 11, 2009 at 12:41 am
has one such call today. they must be at it again.
28 foobar // Dec 30, 2009 at 3:24 pm
A man and a woman just came by in the East Village peddling the same scam. They claimed they were from “IDT Con Edison” and were “checking to make sure we had the proper discounts on our bill.” They weren’t even wearing uniforms, but they did have a clipboard.
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