Early today, we had the story of a scam being run by sub-contractors working for IDT Energy in Brooklyn that are switching people from Con Ed without their knowledge. Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights just emailed to say they are out working Greenwood Heights again this very minute:
If it could not be more IRONIC, an women in her 20’s in a black suit, glasses and blond hair just rang our bell wearing an IDT ENERGY LANYARD! Here’s the conversation:
Rep: “Hi, I work for Con Edison, I’d like to see a copy of your Con Ed bill, I think I can save you some money”
Me: “Miss, if you are not off my property in 10 seconds, i am calling the cops!”
Rep: “Whoa, what’s your problem, I’ll leave.”
Me: “My problem is that last rep from your company who came to my house fraudulently singed me up for IDT Energy against my will.”
Rep: “I don’t know anything about that, I’m new.” [she begins to enter my neighbors front gate]
Me: “Miss, if you do not get off this block immediately, I am calling the cops. Everyone in this neighborhood is aware of your scam. Don’t even bother.”
Rep: “You can’t tell me what to f*cking do!”
Me: “Again, if I see you in this neighborhood today or again, I am calling the cops. I suggest you let your employer know the scam is up.”
Rep: “Whatever mister… don’t tell me what to f*cking do.” [she quickly walks down the block]
So, I have already spoken with our Dist. Mgr at CB7. Either my committee or the Housing Committee will be taking this up. This is all over the blogs and I have had a ton of e-mails. I am respectfully requesting our elected officials I am CC’ing on this most recent e-mail contact myself or CB7 and let us know how you can assist us in dealing with this hoax and harassing reps from IDT Energy. This scam must stop. Do not answer the door for any of these people…even when the come back a second time 😉 (still chuckling at the irony of it all).Again, if you have had this happen to you, in the past, but especially today, please e-mail me immediately.
Keep the comments coming if you’ve seen these ass clowns in action and email aaron (at) ccgreenwoodhts (dot) com.
22 responses so far ↓
1 B // Oct 17, 2008 at 2:43 pm
These guys were on 4th ave around 12th street last month. I was dumb and got caught off guard and signed their papers but I immediately called ConED afterwards and explained what happened and put a lock on my account. This protected the account from getting switched over to IDT without ConED first getting my approval. I then called IDT and immediately canceled my account and I was fine.
2 ccgh // Oct 17, 2008 at 3:10 pm
The process, as we are finding out is called “escos slamming” when the sign you up w/o your permission.
Complaining to NYC DCA, Public Serv. Comm and the Fed Trade Comm.
3 woodendesigner // Oct 17, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Aw man. One of these guys showed up here on Carroll between Smith and Court yesterday. He wanted to see my bill to see if they could save me money. If I would have known I would have called the cops right then and there. I hate stuff like this.
4 KS // Oct 18, 2008 at 9:57 am
They had just suckered my immigrant neighbor with their official-sounding scam (they make like they are from Con Ed) when they tried it on me.
Luckily my neighbor figured it out a minute later, tracked them down and had their name removed.
Nowadays you have to assume anyone who shows up at your door is a liar.
5 newyorkshitty.com » Blog Archive » Disconnected: The Verizon Rant // Oct 21, 2008 at 1:08 pm
[…] two chaps claiming to be from Con Edison wanting access to our building. Knowing full well who they really are, I refuse. I make a beeline to my apartment and grab my cell phone so I can call my husband and […]
6 Rob // Nov 2, 2008 at 11:53 am
They’re working Greenpoint, too. My wife had someone come by (Saturday 8pm!) and ask to come in to see the bill. He laughed at her when she said she wouldn’t open the door for him. Creepy.
7 shawn // Nov 7, 2008 at 8:56 pm
i fall for this scam. i showed them my national grid bill and i receive a letter says IDT will be my gas supplier. i am so mad right now but i don’t know what to do. anybody can give me a piece of advise?
8 Amanda in Crown Heights // Nov 14, 2008 at 3:19 pm
They assured me they were from ConEdison and that there had been some confusion in my neighborhood as to a “new program” that would save con ed customers money. They said they needed my confirmation that I understood the new program and that it would all magically show up on my next bill.
After realizing what had happened, thanks in part to this blog, I called ConEd and National Grid to put a hold on my accounts.
Then I called IDT and talked to a snippy girl named Megan who, said it was my fault for not seeing that at least one representative must have been wearing an IDT badge. After I told her that I didn’t care what she was saying and to cancel my account now, she cancelled my accounts and gave me confirmation numbers.
I recommend for everyone who has this problem to check and double check with ConEd and IDT that the switch has been blocked within the week. Like B, I didn’t have too much of a problem cancelling innitially, but I’ll post again later to confirm.
9 Sergey // Nov 19, 2008 at 10:52 pm
they come to my apartment building atleast once a week. I always close the door in their faces. However, my sister in law actually fell for the scam. How can i switch back to ConEd?
Please email me with any ideas because i dont know if i will remember to check this site again.
syeremenko@mail.com
TY for any help.
10 A in Brooklyn Heights // Dec 4, 2008 at 1:58 am
Not sure if this is the same scam- or another… I got a phone call today from a guy who said he was from “local energy national grid retail access program”, calling on behalf of the energy company (I assumed Coned). There was a big long hullabaloo about how there would be a 5% discount on my bill during the next two months etc etc. They were calling 1000’s of customers just to let them know about this (yea right!). We would receive documentation in the mail within a week. He confirmed my name and address. Then asked for the last numbers on my Coned bill! I said no and he said, “that’s ok, go on, it’ll take 30 seconds to get it, I’ll wait”. (!)
11 I_was_scammed // Dec 7, 2008 at 9:42 pm
If you happen to fall for this awful scam, you will have a TON of money added to your bill. We thought IDT was legit, switched over and were soon paying more than we ever expected. It was unbelievable. Someone should contact the BBB. Then after we switched back to Con Ed they came back and started harassing us with multiple visits at our apartment. Beware.
12 Nicole // Dec 10, 2008 at 3:04 pm
They’re in Bay Ridge also – came to my door on 12/4.
13 in the nick of time // Dec 24, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I woke up from a nap and was groggy and it sounded legit. I signed the papers. A minute after I closed the door I googled it and came upon yours and other sites. I went down on the street and walked around. I found the guy with one of his co-workers. I told him I wanted the paperwork back because I changed my mind. He said that I could just say no when they called, but I said that I had just read it was a scam and wanted all the papers back. He returned all the contracts. This was in Brooklyn Heights, ten minutes ago, on Christmas Eve. Thanks for saving me a ton of hassle.
14 Stephanie // Jan 7, 2009 at 8:42 pm
It’s not just Brooklyn. I’m in Woodside, Queens, on 67th St. This guy got let into my building, and I ran into him on my floor Wednesday evening, January 7. We didn’t have an extended discussion but he said that I “did not answer the questions on the back of my bill.” He said he was with ConEd but he had a National Grid bill taped to his binder. I immediately thought “scam,” but I said I’d go in and find my bill and be back out. I didn’t see anything that needed answering on my bills so just never came back out and didn’t answer the knock on my door. Then I thought about it and it didn’t add up–how did he know which apartment I was, and that I was someone who “didn’t answer” the thing on my bill (he never verified an account). And also how very inefficient of a way to do anything! Oh well, glad I didn’t get roped in and glad I found this posting to figure out what was really going on.
15 PM/Brooklyn // Jan 10, 2009 at 4:27 pm
I got “scammed” today from 2 people stating that they were from IDT and asking for my bill. I signed up for both gas and electric. 15 minutes later I googled it and called IDT and rcvd cancellation #s. I then called Natl Grid and they said: “if you get a cancellation notice from us, then call us and we’ll switch you back.”
I think the worst part of the whole thing is falling for it. I feel like a jerk!
16 PM/Brooklyn // Jan 12, 2009 at 2:37 pm
An update – if you signed up with IDT and/or are concerned whether that they have actually cancelled your new account, just call ConEd/Natl Grid and ask them to put a BLOCK your account. You might need to speak to their billing dept (as opposed to cust service), but they’ll know what you’re talking about. It’s quick/easy and free.
17 matthew // Feb 3, 2009 at 5:47 pm
hey they are at 173 29th street brooklyn NYC. i was always suspicous sometimes they work for coned sometimes IDT, Can i call the police ?
18 Ashley // Feb 4, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I fell for IDT this past summer. They woke me up from my sleep and all the blabber about saving money so I fell for it. I actually tried it for a 2 months… I didn’t particularly feel like I was ripped off but I wasn’t saving anything either. The fluctuating rates just made the bills very unstable and that wasn’t something I wanted because the amount I owed was all over the place.
If anyone is having problems leaving IDT (which I actually had especially switching back to National Grid)… I suggest contacting customer service of your billing company instead of IDT. While IDT claims cancellation is supposedly easy, I found it quite troublesome. Con Ed can cancel it with a push of a button online if you just confirm you want to leave your ESCO supplier. National Grid takes a bit of bugging through the phone but if you explain to them the circumstances and difficulties trying to get out of IDT, they will cancel it for you directly. It’s a better confirmation getting this done from your billing company than fearing IDT is running you around in circles. Next time they ring my door bell, I’m slamming the door in their face.
19 Chris (Buffalo, NY) // Feb 17, 2009 at 7:42 pm
wow…. please don’t kill me for posting this… but I have good relations with these people! In Buffalo, NY the price of gas is though the roof. IDT *IS* cheaper up here! I have 20 properties and I check the bills every month. I save about $15 per house. Most of the savings comes from the lack of sales tax and other funny fees, but the price of gas is slightly lower from them. A sales rep told me that they have a lot of trouble staying competetive with con ed. I wish National Fuel didn’t suck so bad.
20 Betty ( Brooklyn, NY) // Mar 13, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I sign the IDT agreement an hours ago, they said”help us to save money, NOW everybody want to save MONEY.
BUT I remerber my husband tell me “NO FREE LUNCH in US.” and I go online to check any information about IDT?? and I found MSG….
I called IDT to cancell the Agreement, they said they will cancel it and giving me cancelation #. I hope it is work!!!!
21 Gigi // Mar 28, 2009 at 7:34 pm
IDT JUST SHOWED UP IN MY HOUSE ON 69TH STREET AND 8TH AVENUE AND THEY SIGNED MY STEP FATHER UP WHO BARELY UNDERSTAND ANY ENGLISH. I SHOWED UP BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY AWARE OF THE ASSHOLES, AND i SCREAMED FROM DOWNSTAIRS, I SAID “DAD IS ANYONE TALKING TO YOU” AND INSTEAD OF LETTING MY STEP FATHER ANSWER , HE GOES “YEA, HE’S TALKING TO ME”…GET THEM OFF
22 amire // Apr 5, 2009 at 1:26 am
actually ( IDT) is a supplier of all other suppliers & there is no scam . how it works ? con ed dosent make energy they buy it from an authorized supplier and they deliver it to you thats all . why (IDT) should be the supplier?
this is why:
Buy Green Today…
For A Better Tomorrow!
With choice comes responsibility. You can now choose a supplier for electricity for your home. Part of that choice is the decision about what kind of electricity you are going to buy.
“Buying Green” means that the electricity that you buy comes from sources that capitalize on our natural resources without harming the environment. Energy sources such as wind, running water, organic matter and the sun provide the utilities we need while preserving the quality of our earth. Energy from renewable, natural sources is a clean choice compared to the environmental effects of standard electricity. The production of energy from fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas pollute our air and endanger our safety.
The State of New York is striving to be a center of clean-technology development, with a 10-year goal of being 25% percent green, and (IDT) has joined their effort. You can too. For every dollar you spend each month on green electricity, you will continue to receive safe, reliable electricity delivered to your home along with the added benefits of:
* Increased use of renewable energy sources
* Healthier air
* Reduced need for nuclear power plants
* Less dependency on foreign oil
* More domestic job opportunities
Small Amount, Large Impact
How much will it cost you to make a difference?
IDT Energy estimates that the average monthly electricity use for an individual is about 250 kilowatt hours, and average monthly electricity use for a household is about 750 kilowatt hours. We are offering green electricity for just 1.5 to 2.5 cents per kWh more than you would pay for standard electricity. This means that for about seven dollars per person or about nineteen dollars per household you can have the security of knowing that your energy dollars are helping the environment, the economy, and our security.
for more informations about (IDT) visit website :
http://www.idtenergy.com
thank you