ESCOS Energy Scam: The Flyer

Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights is still hard at work, trying to solve the problem of those aggressive IDT reps, beguiling consumers into switching energy companies. They’ve created this nifty flier [warning:pdf] to help Brooklynites be in charge of their, well, charges. Should you not feel up to downloading, the list of how to save yourself is on the jump.

1. Know the scam: ESCOS slamming begins when a representative of an ESCOS such as IDT Energy either misrepresents him/herself (Hi, I work for Con Ed/National Grid) OR misrepresents his/her intent (Show me your Con Ed/National Grid bill—I want to save you money.)
2. Know the slam: ESCOS slamming happens when a third party provider’s sales reps (usually door-to-door salespeople) entice you into signing up for their service (e.g., IDT Energy misrepresents itself as being a direct provider to energy companies and thus if you buy direct from them, you will see a 7% reduction on your energy bill) OR sign you up for their service without your permission, by obtaining your personal information (name, address, Con Ed account number) or even by forging your signature. In many cases, instead of a reduction, you will see an increase in your monthly bill by $100 or more.
3. Know your rights: It is your choice to use a third-party energy supplier and only your choice (for more info, visit www.poweryourway.com for a list of ESCOS and options). If you get pressured into switching to a third-party provider, Just say no. if you were pressured to sign up with a different provider, feel you were mislead and signed up or were switched to a different energy company without your permission
(slammed) call the number on your con edison or national grid bill immediately. You can refuse the service over the phone. You may still need to call the ESCOS to confirm the change has been made. Do it immediately!
4. take action: Even if you have not been scammed or slammed, you can take immediate control of your energy accounts by asking for an escos freeze on your accounts, requiring any changes to your account to come from you, not from a third-party ESCOS. If you have been scammed or slammed, request the ESCOS freeze immediately once you have restored Con Ed or National Grid as your energy provider.
5. File a complaint: If you have been scammed or slammed, you can file a complaint and make a difference. Complaints can be filed with: Better Business Bureau http://welcome.bbb.org/ NYS Public Service Commission http://www.dps.state.ny.us or 1-800-342-3377 Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov. You can always contact your local elected officials and community board for assistance.

The best consumer is an educated consumer. Don’t get scammed or escos slammed. if you do, or know someone who has, take action today!