"ME: Who is it?

GUY AT DOOR: Ambit Energy.

ME: Did you say you were with building management?

GUY: Building management sent me.

ME: Building management sent you about what?

GUY: I'm talking to every tenant in the building, ma'am, on how to save money on their electrical bills, ma'am.

ME: And where are you from?

GUY: Ambit Energy, associated with ConEd.

ME: You're Ambit Energy?

GUY: Yes.

ME: You're from ConEd?

GUY: Yes.

ME: Can I see your ConEd ID please?

GUY: No problem, you can see a pamphlet and everything else too, sir. Here ya go. [holds pamphlet up to peephole]

ME: I need to see your ConEd ID before I open the door.

GUY: I just started actually this job just this week, so I didn't get my ID yet. But I can show you everything else about the company.

ME: And you're from ConEd?

GUY: Yes, sir.

ME: I don't think you are.

GUY: Uh, if you want I can slide it under the door and you can take a look yourself. [slides Ambit pamphlet under door]

ME: OK.

GUY: [indecipherable] you will not be paying for delivery [indecipherable]

ME: OK, thank you for your time.

GUY: No problem, you have a good day and Gd bless.

ME: You too.

When is Andrew Cuomo (the New York Attorney General) going to do something about these shady resellers? Enough is enough!"

Cuomo will start doing something after enough people file complaints with his office. Here the form you need to do that.

(Photo: Getty)

It looks like IDT Energy sales reps are back to their old tricks of getting customers to switch from ConEd by posing as ConEd workers and using misleading sales tactics. S.J. in Brooklyn has the report...

I reside in Brooklyn-This morning I happened to have had a visit from IDT energy salespeople-I have seen a few scams in my life and this is up there with many of the best.

Their M.O.was to ask whether I have received a 7% discount on my Con ed bill and if not whether they could check this on my con ed bill-Their was no mention of whether they are from IDT etc.

They carry a few Con Ed bills in their binder and they flash them around so that you think they are from Con Ed. One of them also carried an authentic looking meter reader-When I produced the bill, one of them starts writing the name, address and account number for me to sign. This is on IDT stationery but the top of the stationery is conveniently covered with a note pad.

I happened to notice ‘transfer request’(or something to that effect)somewhere on their stationery and took my Con Ed bills back-I then also realized that the top of the stationery, earlier hidden by the pad, is now visible which leads me to ask them what do they have to do with Con Ed-the answer cleverly camouflaged is that IDT is the energy provider to Con Ed.

I called IDT’s offices and asked them to refrain from using such misleading marketing methods as there are quite a few older people living in the neighborhood who may not realize what they are signing. After telling the operator that I will go ahead and warn my neighbors of this scam-the answer essentially was that I don’t know what my neighbors have been told and that they have to decide for themselves whether they want to switch or not. This is the first time the word ‘switch’ has been used.

I don’t know and don’t care what their rates are but I can deduce that if any company has to use such devious methods to enlist customers the rates must be astronomical.

Regards

S.J.

The bad news is that these ESCOs like to target elderly and non-native English speakers who may not realize what's going on, and could get hit with a hefty bill once their energy costs go from a fixed rate to a variable one subject to the volatility of the spot-energy market.

The good news is that if you find yourself tricked into switching from your regular service provider to IDT Energy, or any other kind of ESCO, it's pretty easy to undo. Just call your old service provider and tell them you want to switch back.

The bad news is that some consumers may not realize what happened and get stuck paying those hefty bills.

What makes this story even better is that ConEd just renamed itself National Grid, so it looks like these shady salesmen will have to get themselves new outfits.

In a related story, we once sent a reporter undercover to work at an IDT Energy sales office.

(Photo: Getty)

The Mission: A year-long effort to meet the laborers and craftsmen who build what I buy – and put a human face on consumption. For every transaction, there must be a personal connection with someone along the production chain.

I live in a 750 square foot apartment in Brooklyn, NY. Per the lease agreement, my roommate and I signed to pay the heat separate from the rent. The first gas bill we received was $750, and the following gas bill was roughly the same amount. We knew that the price of gas was expensive, but for two people who make great pains to use the heat only when absolutely necessary, and occasionally use the stove to boil a pot of water, this seemed ridiculous. For all of 2007, we owe roughly $2000 in gas costs.

The gas company inspected our boiler; we were told that it was inefficient and outdated, and that our boiler, though supposedly hooked up to meters separate from the rest of the building, used to heat the entire building. We brought the matter to our landlord, even showing him the graph provided by the gas company that demonstrates that we are paying triple that of the average customer in our area. When we asked him to compensate us for half of what we owe, he laughed in our face and refused. Does Consumerist or any of its readers know - do we have any form of recourse? Are there rules and regulations concerning the standards by which a boiler must run at? Are there rules and regulations concerning the repairs a landlord must make on a utility that is paid for by the tenant? Also, my advice to anyone considering entering a rental agreement where the cost of heat is not included in the rent - don't do it. Thank You for Reading, Marcie

078 02
Bergen 201-262-8600

078 04 44 62
Bayonne / Newark / Elizabeth 973-622-6150

078 64 65 66 67
Monmouth / Freehold / Millstone / Wall-Asbury / Seaside
732-367-2582
732-780-4868
732-681-4100
732-830-1103

078 01 18 48 58
Nassau/Western Long Island
516-364-8400

078 16 39 40 68
Suffolk/Eastern Long Island
631-267-6900
631-727-6300

078 74
Hamilton
732-356-1300
609-586-2288

078 70 72 77
Oakland / Paterson / Warwick
201-337-1112
201-651-4000

078 73 75 76
Roskland / Raritan Valley / Morris
201-236-9712
845-624-8200
845-351-2916

078 03 17 19 69 82 83
Westchester / CWN
914-378-8900

078 36 37
Brooklyn / Bronx
718-617-3500

078 06
Bridgeport
203-336-2225

078 08
Norwalk
203-348-9211
203-847-6666

078 81
Litchfield
860-567-3103

I waited all morning for Verizon to come fix our landline (our cell phones barely work in our apartment), and around 11:30 I had Sam call them from work, and they told him they had come by the apartment and no one was there so they left, and that they had called my cell phone.

Well, the whole point is that my cell phone doesn't work in the apartment, and I was there the entire time. Chained to my desk, in fact. And they did not show up.

They said they could try to be there before 5 p.m. Um... I already wasted my morning! No thanks. Sam told them if they couldn't come within the hour then we would cancel the phone. They offered us service at $24 a month for a year but they couldn't offer us an appointment within the hour. So we cancelled.

Walking to the subway, I saw two Verizon repair vans parked outside of the Applebee's at DeKalb and Flatbush. I guess they couldn't resist that Pick N' Pair lunch combo.

Oh, fuck you, Verizon [Doree Chronicles]
(Photo:rubberpaw)

Brooklyn police gave NewsChannel5 surveillance video of Sturgis at the Giant Eagle the day of his arrest.

Police said Sturgis is shown with his stepson, who was bagging the groceries at the checkout line.

But the video shows nothing beneath the cart. Sturgis paid for the groceries in the cart, but police said as he left the store, he stopped at the pop display in the vestibule, loading his cart with Pepsi.

He then left without paying for the new additions to his cart, police said.

Brooklyn Chief Mark Tenaglia said that security video shows Sturgis using a self-checkout with no items on the bottom of his cart.

Tenaglia said a second video camera shows Sturgis loading six 12-packs of Pepsi into his cart before he exited the store. The total value of the soda was $21.54 with tax.

Sturgis was arrested and charged with petty theft.

He told NewsChannel5, "It was a total lie. I did try to steal the Pepsi at Giant Eagle." Sturgis also said that he plans to plead guilty at his arraignment.

Surveillance Shows Man Taking Pop After Store Check-Out [NewsChannel5]

UPDATE: Consumerist has sent the following email to the Brooklyn, Ohio police department.

Dear Chief Tenaglia,

We picked up the story about the pop thief and thought it had been more thoroughly vetted by the news station that sent it to us. In retrospect, I feel my teasing was pretty mean and I hope the Brooklyn police department will accept my apology.

Stopping crime is awesome. Keep up the good work.

-Meg

(Photo: Ben Popken)

Hi Consumerist,

I've been reading your website for quite a while and need some help for my brother. He went to Bay Ridge Nissan in Brooklyn, NY to lease a Nissan Pathfinder. He negotiated the deal to 311 a month and 1200 out of pocket costs. When I went with him to the dealership on Wednesday to pick up the car and sign the paperwork, the numbers were all changed. They added a bunch of fees, including a mysterious prep fee. After much negotiating, we decided not to buy the vehicle. My brother had left a $500 deposit earlier, and they said he would get it back.

Today, the salesman called and begged him to come take the car. After he said no, the salesman said he's not getting his deposit back. The salesman also intercepts any phone calls to the manager and says we must only speak to his manager and his manager will be in tomorrow. He said we'd be surprised at what he can make up to keep the deposit. I'm wondering what to do to get the deposit back.

Your other recourse is to take the dealership to small claims court, where you stand a good chance of getting back your money.

Whatever you decide to do, you should also report the dealership to the New York Attorney General's office via their complaint form, and while you're there read up on their advice and warnings for car buyers in New York.

"How To Kick A Scammy Car Dealer In The Nuts"
"Suing Big Companies In Small Claims Court Is Fun And Easy"
"How To Take Your Case To Small Claims Court"
"Consumer Issues" [NYSOAG ]

RELATED
Tips
"Dealerships Rip You Off With The "Four-Square," Here's How To Beat It"
"13 Step Method For Buying A Car While Controlling The Sale And The Price"
"Buying A Car: Always Up The Ante"
"The Art of The Buy: Hide Your Time Wisely"

Scams
"Reader Falls Victim To Spot Delivery Dealership Scam"
"Car Dealership Bilks Old Man and Steals $2000 With His ATM Card"

The employee is a kid who looks to be about 16 or 17. He keeps flipping open his Sidekick to check messages and respond. He does not want to be working in the UPS store this afternoon—he won't make eye contact with any customers and gives sullen, single-word answers to questions.

A guy in his 20s comes in.

He hands the kid his receipt—the kid stares at it, turns away and mutters out loud in a strangely offended tone:

The kid stands in front of the closet area muttering that phrase over and over for the next two minutes, and when we leave the store he still hasn't started looking for the customer's box.

Probably the only thing worse than this story is that the first thing we thought when the kid refused to look for the box is, "What is this, the post office?"

After cleaning black mold off the ceiling daily with bleach for about two months and pleading with the new landlord, he sent the pseudo-super, who barely speaks English, to fix the leak in my bathroom.

After ripping down the almost collapsed ceiling and the neighbor's kitchen floor, the guy discovered at least three different leaks, all converging on my ceiling.

This is a clip of him working on the problem (day 2) from the neighbor's apartment upstairs. He states the case rather simply, "Mucho problemo!"Bucky says the super replaced his ceiling with a drop ceiling for easy access, and now there's some new drips. Perhaps a sequel could be in the (water)works?

Have you ever had trouble getting your landlord to do repairs? Do you have any tactics that have proved successful in encouraging the landlord to get the job done?

From the NY Daily News:

Wednesday morning, the younger George Raynor went to Alma Family Dental Services on Brighton Beach Blvd. and spoke to a woman working at a store on the ground floor of the dental office. She said she saw the dentist put a woman, his mom, on the street.

"The dentist brought her down," the woman told him. "She was sitting on the sidewalk and they closed the door."

Primitivo Ahuatl, 31, the food vendor who found Villemin on Tuesday, said she was slouched on a stoop, her mouth foaming. "Her eyes were closed, her face was too red," he said.

The younger Raynor said he went to Poperetchny's office and confronted another doctor leaving with a bag of documents. "I tried to stop him, but he didn't want to talk to me," the son said.

The son stayed in the hallway crying hysterically until Poperetchny, who police say is not a licensed dentist, came out to talk to him.

"He said, 'How's Colette? How's she doing?'" Raynor said.

But then the dentist broke down and said, "I'm so sorry. I got scared. I'm sorry."

When cops arrived moments later, Poperetchny, 47, began throwing pages from an appointment diary out the window, Raynor said.

Phony dentist puts ill patient out on Brooklyn street [NY Daily News]
(Photo:NY Daily News)

PREVIOUSLY: Renting Out Your Apartment On Vacation For Fun And Profit
(Photo: Ben Popken)

From the NYT:

Izod will pay $1.4 million a year in cash for the first two years of the five-year agreement, which will be cut to $750,000 annually in 2009 when the Nets are expected to move to Brooklyn.

The Nets, who made the deal through their naming rights division as the agent for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, focused largely on finding a fashion company as the sponsor. The choice was from among the Izod division of Phillips-Van Heusen, Rocawear and Southpole, all clothing retailers.

In addition to the cash, Izod will provide marketing valued at $600,000 a year and $100,000 annually in uniforms for arena workers. Phillips Van-Heusen will also open five stores in the Xanadu development that is rising in the Meadowlands.

Fashionable New Name for Arena [NYT]

Circuit City shopper, city of Brooklyn resolve dispute over arrest [The Plain Dealer]
Success [Michael Righi]
PREVIOUSLY: Circuit City Customer Arrested After Refusing To Show Receipt

Her interest rate jumped up 2% in 2 days, and now Claudia doesn't qualify for her mortgage at all. Time to find a new, cheaper apartment? Well, she's already signed a contract and forked over $160,000 in cash as a deposit.

Hope it works out, Claudia.

One Woman's Quest for a Mortgage [NPR]
(Photo:bgilliard)

When we refused the rental insurance (because our credit card that we paid with already covers it) the only thing he asked was, "Does it cover personal and liability?" When we said yes, he didn't try to upsell us any more. Everyone was friendly and professional, without being too friendly. Very smooth and efficient. You could tell from how all the employees were behaving that this was how they had been trained. Recommend.

When Michael Fiore, the earl of sandwich, was building his restaurant, Tempo, he found there was no good sandwich place around. So in the extra space next door, he decided to open his own, to feed his employees and the neighborhood (not a bad marketing strategy either, to offer a down-market version of their high-quality product). The result is Tempo Presto, located at 256 5th Ave in Brooklyn, which brings the same intense attention to detail from Michael's kitchen to the lowly sandwich. — BEN POPKEN

Videography by Alex Goldberg.

PREVIOUSLY:
High Standards Maintained At Tempo Presto Sandwich Shop
Make It Nice Or Make It Twice

We were rounding the corner of 5th ave and Union and passing right by a parked USPS truck. The postman inside tossed a blue glove out the door onto the asphalt, and we glanced over to see a yellow liquid pouring out.

We quickly snagged a cameraphone shot of the mess, and one of the truck as it sped away.

Not content with mere visuals, we knelt and dipped our finger tips in the liquid. Raising them to our nose, they didn't smell like urine. We have some minor allergies going on, but not all urine emits a strong odor. Results inconclusive.

Full-size pics, inside...

We don't begrudge the postman his right to relieve himself in this inventive fashion, but at least throw it in the trash. — BEN POPKEN

RELATED:
Why Is It So %#$%@-ing Impossible To Get Your Mail Delivered in Brooklyn?
Post Office Meltdown: Customer Flips Out On Video At Brooklyn Post Office
Guy Who Flipped Out In Brooklyn Post Office Is NOT Sorry About It

Owner: Who made this salad?
Counter Boy: I did
Owner: (referring to a liberally distributed topping) Why's it got all this, it's just supposed to be a sprinkling, a dusting. Why did you leave it out for sale?
Counter Boy: I was in a rush.
Owner: What kind of answer is that? You were in a rush? I'm not going to sacrifice quality because you're in a hurry. Next time, make it right.

That's how you make a good sandwich, and a good business. Tempo Presto has ours. Deliciousness takes discipline! — BEN POPKEN

(Photo: Only The Blog Knows Brooklyn)

According to Gowanus Lounge the toxic chemicals Whole Foods will have to deal with include (but, hey are probably not limited to): "volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds (including napthalene and mixed xylenes), metals, benzene, acenaphthene, phenol and lead. " Sounds delicious. —MEGHANN MARCO

Whole Foods Marks Gowanus Territory, Embraces Toxics [Gowanus Lounge]
(Photo: Gowanus Lounge)

PREVIOUSLY: This Will Totally Be A Whole Foods Just As Soon As We Clean Up The Toxic Waste

The Brooklyn Paper is reporting (sort of) on their aborted attempt to infiltrate Brooklyn's raw milk underground. Why underground? Because it's illegal to transport raw milk across state lines with intent to sell it for human consumption. Why?

An FDA report on illnesses caused by raw milk over the last five years says there have been 18 "outbreaks" of bacterial illness involving raw milk or raw milk cheeses in 15 states. Those outbreaks have sickened 451 people, a few of those seriously enough to be hospitalized. The report lists types of bacteria that might be found in raw milk, including campylobacter, escherichia, listeria, salmonella, yersina and brucella. It also lists diseases raw milk products can cause, such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, polio, strep throat, scarlet fever and typhoid fever.

Sadly, just as the paper was about to pull back the curtain on the seedy (but well-nourished) milk underground "Deep Milk" got cold feet:

"I am really sorry for wasting your time," she said, claiming she got orders from the top. "But we can't help you anymore at the risk of the government finding out, so the story can't run at all."

Organic crime in Bay Ridge [Brooklyn Papers via Brooklyn Record]
(Photo: Matt Browne)

A HEADLINE in Monday's Daily News, "He regrets his role in 'postal' vid," implied that Richard Marino, the subject of a YouTube video, was sorry for an incident in December at a Brooklyn post office. Marino, in fact, is not sorry. The News regrets the error.

Read the original Daily News story inside, as we can't seem to find it on their website.

Daily News writes:

HE REGRETS HIS ROLE IN 'POSTAL' VID. WANTS TO PUT DEC. OUTBURST BEHIND HIM

BYLINE: BY JOTHAM SEDERSTROM DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

THE OUTRAGED customer of a notorious Brooklyn post office whose profanity-laced outburst was immortalized on YouTube.com wants to put the mess behind him.

Unemployed receptionist Richard Marino, 44, outed himself to the Daily News as the man in the video having an explosive postal meltdown after enduring long lines and rude service at the Kensington post office branch.

The tirade drew sympathy from many fellow customers, and the five-minute, 43-second clip became an Internet sensation.

"I am struggling to put it behind me and move forward. I want to send positive vibes out to all concerned, without any animosity and grudges, and let God take care of the outcome," Marino told The News.

The clip shows an irate Marino demanding to see a manager - until cops step in.

"The customer's always right; you were wrong!" Marino shouts to an unseen clerk, apparently the only one working the windows that afternoon.

"You were wrong. You're an a—-—e," Marino says as he paces.

But Marino said he isn't the lunatic he's made out to be in the YouTube clip, which has been viewed more than 20,000 times - 18,000 of those after The News identified the videographer last month as fellow Kensington resident and marketing executive Jefferson Pang, who captured the footage in December.

"I am a very active, involved, diligent, mindful, aware, alert, watchful member of my community," Marino said last week, adding that he is a detail-oriented, regular participant in Community Board 12 and 66th Precinct Community Council meetings.

The McDonald Ave. post office came under fire recently after customers complained of routinely spotty service, employees' bad attitudes and a lack of postal equipment.

As of last week, however, it was clear that some fellow customers at the Kensington branch seemed to believe the location still needed more improvement.

"To everyone who is like, 'Oh my gosh, that man is way out of line!' Um, no, he isn't," one YouTube viewer wrote.

"This is also my local post office, and it IS really that bad. Worse even. So bad, we switched post offices."

Marino said he wants to let bygones be bygones.

"During this season of Easter and Passover, which is a blessed, holy, peaceful season, I have decided to keep the peace and move on," Marino wrote in an e-mail to The News. "God wants us to be instruments of his peace, and those of us whom believe in Jesus Christ abide by His teaching of forgiveness and letting it go."

No Regrets [Regret The Error]

"Get the manager over here!" screams the unidentified customer to a postal employee behind a counter window. "I want the manager. We'll see how long you have your job, sweetie."

After several minutes of the customer's rant, three police officers respond to the scene, but the 5-minute, 43-second clip ends too soon to see what happens next.

A Police Department spokesman told the Daily News that the man was released after he was given a verbal warning, but there was no record of his name because he was not arrested.

It's unclear what tipped the customer over the edge.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" the employee is heard yelling at the male customer as others look on.

"I'm the customer, you stupid bitch," the man responds.

Now Sigmund has started a blog and is asking if anyone else hears the alarm, and, if they do to please complain so it can be stopped. From the blog:

We have asked officers from the 84th Precinct to investigate the sound. They have visited 180 Montague Street twice and failed to resolve the problem. The first time they came, they decided that the noise was coming from a door ajar on the roof of 180 Montague Street itself and left. The second time, they said it was "the whistling of the wind," "garbage trucks backing up," and then finally that they had no idea what it was and that it wasn't their job to deal with it anyway. When asked if it could be defined as a disturbance of the peace or a public nuisance, they said they didn't know and would take no further action.

Something Loud and Annoying This Way Comes [via Brooklyn Record]
(Photo:jothenomad)

Apparently, we're not the only ones.

According to The Gowanus Lounge, our whole zipcode might be messed up:

We always get misdelivered mail. Always. One day last week we got no less than 23 (yes, that's twenty-three) letters addressed to other addresses — in a single mail delivery. We are on Dean, and the letters were to others on Dean St., Bond St., Hoyt St, and . . .Utica Avenue.

And UPS is messed up everywhere: Reader Jarrod writes:

Does anyone else have a problem with Fedex or UPS not knocking on the door? I'll often leave for work to find a door hanger stuck to the door. Even though I've been home and awake all morning. Sometimes they will drop off packages and not bother to knock to let me know it's there.

Boerum Hill Thankful Pottery Barn Uses UPS [Gowanus Lounge]

(Photo: cmorran123)

UPDATE: Verizon spokesperson John Bonomo just contacted us to say the delicious Whole Foods benzene is definitely not their fault.

Looks appetizing, doesn't it? We hope photoblogger The Food Of The Future washed his shoes after taking this! —MEGHANN MARCO

Whole Foods Site From Inside [Gowanus Lounge]
(Photo:f.trainer)

PREVIOUSLY: Verizon Employees: You Probably Should Have Told Us About The Toxic Levels Of Benzene

Anyhow, the Record's order was seriously messed up. Not only was there yogurt everywhere and their zucchini really yellow squash, but their Seitan was rancid and stinky as well. Fresh Direct said they'd credit their order the price of the yogurt and zucchini, but the post has spawned a lot of comments about Fresh Direct's track record. Do any of you use this service? They once delivered us a huge case of Tide that we did not order. Seriously, like 4 boxes of Tide. We have so much Tide.—MEGHANN MARCO

Can we keep the faith in Fresh Direct? [Brooklyn Record]

Cassandra from News 12 The Bronx is interested in talking to you about a possible story they're thinking of doing on this sleazeball company. — BEN POPKEN

Perhaps if other businesses took the sentiments expressed on the back signs as seriously as these sandwich masters do, dealing with customer service wouldn't make us so sick to our stomach. — BEN POPKEN

This is virtually unheard of in New York. Almost always, landlords will raise the rents when you sign the lease again.

How did we and our girlfriend work together to attain this coup?

We:

• Established trust.
• Looked out for his interests.
• Found ways to benefit him financially, above and beyond simply paying the rent.
• Expressed interest in a more profitable business relationship in the future.

Here's how that translates into real-world action. We:

• Paid rent in full and on time. On the couple of occasions we couldn't, we let our landlord know in advance.
• Never bounced checks
• Were always nice to our landlord.
• Made requests for things to be fixed and checked up on them, but never nagged. We took a tone of "let's improve the place" not "here's what you need to do for us."
• Sent out notices to friends about the fantastic and vacant retail space our landlord had below us.
• Hooked up the landlord with another broker in the neighborhood who might be able to help him rent out the space.
• Went in to sign our new lease on the week before New Year's, the slowest week of the year.
• Asked about all the elephant statues he had in his office.
• In the meeting, praised the building and expressed interest in possibly purchasing the apartment.

When he passed off the papers to an assistant, he said, "raise the rent to $2000." He kinda smiled and looked at us. We looked at him directly in the eyes with no expression on our face. We said nothing. Our landlord said, "they're not listening." We said nothing. He said to his assistant, "Keep it the same. Just extend the current lease. That's the easiest."

His assistant asked him, "are you sure?" at least three times.

A week later we handed in our rent checks, along with a big bottle of scotch and a Happy New Year card. The checks totaled $1650.

Giant props to our girlfriend who was the driving force behind most of the nice, extra social lubrication stuff. It was her idea to give him a bottle of scotch, for example. — BEN POPKEN

He lied and said he was from ConEdison and he said there was a problem with our electric bill. We later shared the following with the 911 dispatcher...

He had a shaved head. There was a large lettered tattoo on the right side of his neck. He wore a black coat with a fringed hood that sorta looked like one that might be issued by a city service. He wore gray slacks and polished black shoes. At first we thought he was from the trash police because we had put some bottles out for the homeless to redeem.

He said he was from ConEd and he wanted us to sign something so we could "fix" our bill.

We said, "Not interested." He asked if we even knew what he was going to talk about. We said, "Yes, you want us to sign up for a variable rate contract with IDT energy and switch over from ConEd."

He gave us a grin and pulled out a ConEd bill. He pointed to the part that says how customers can save money by switching to an energy reseller.

We asked if he could leave us a brochure, or if he had a card or contact information. He said, "Nah." We asked then how were were to get in contact with him if we changed our mind. He said he wasn't going to come back over here, "just for one app."

"Okay then," we said, "No Sale," and shut the door.

We called 911 and reported the salesman. We said a guy was going around pretending to work for ConEdison but was actually tricking people into switching their contracts. The dispatcher said they would send a car by to pick him up.

Today, we'll file complaints with the Public Utilities Commission, FCC (for false advertising), BBB, and New York Attorney General.

We understand how it's possible to save money with an energy resellers, but we wish to see punished any company that systematically has its agents pose as working for another company in order to complete the sale.

Currently, our post, "IDT Energy Bilks Grandpa," is the number 2 Google result for "IDT Energy." — BEN POPKEN

Previous stories about IDT Energy.

Give a penny. That is an order. [Stay Free!]

A couple of months ago my 15 year old son opened the door to a man claiming to be a conEd representative. The man convinced him that we could get a much better deal if he signs some papers, never mentioning anything about switching to another power supplier. I now got my bill with $100 in service fees. My question to you is, what can I do about this? I know it is not legit to make a minor sign a contract. Please help me do something about this, $100 is not something I can spare for scammers at this point...

Irina, call up IDT and cancel your contract. Inform them you will not be paying for their services. A contract signed by a 15-year-old is not legally binding. That's your story, stick to it, and it should be end of story with IDT. After that, call up ConEd and get your electricity delivery switched back to them. — BEN POPKEN

Previous stories about IDT Energy.

— BEN POPKEN

On Sale. Or Not. [Stay Free Daily!]

When IDT comes a knocking:

1. Turn them away. Don't let them in your building. Treat them like they are homeless intrudes, or better yet, pestilential lepers.
2. Call 311 and report the incident. — BEN POPKEN