Reader Dan reports that salespeople from the “Just Energy” ESCO are going around his Park Slope neighborhood, banging on doors and incessantly ringing doorbells. Their opening gambit it to say they’re there to “make sure every bill payer in the house is signed up for the ConEd and National Grid price protection insurance program.” A warning by the Citizens Utility Board says the company routinely poses as representatives of other energy companies…

…charges illegally high “exit fees” and their fixed-rate plans provide no savings benefit over the normal plan you would get from your default energy company.

“This company is engaged in the worst kind of consumer fraud, preying on people’s fears of rising natural gas bills and resorting to deception in order to boost sales,” said David Kolata, Citizens Utility Board’s Executive Director.

Just Energy, dba US Energy Savings Corp, USESC, Energy Savings Group, Natural Gas Delivery, has a BBB report with more unsavory details, and has been the subject of numerous complaints and several investigations.

In some cases, not only did the purported savings not appear, the consumers’ bill actually increased substantially.

Don’t buy anything from anyone door to door. If you find yourself switched by an ESCO and you’re not happy, you can always call up your energy company and tell them you want to switch back and that will take care of everything.

RELATED: 2 Investigators Uncover Deceptive Sales Practices [CBS2]
The power of high-pressure sales [CBC Marketplace]

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