U.S. Energy Savings Corp. (aka Just Energy) SCAM
Connecting The Dots Of Fraud And Corruptions
In this sections I will explain how these energy companies are related. The major players who run these companies are Rebecca Macdonald, Ken Hartwick and Gord Potter.
First, let start with Energy Savings Group aka Just Energy.
Just Energy operate in both Canada and the USA. Also known in Canada as Just Energy Ontario L.P. If you look at the The Better Business Bureau’s website you will see that Ontario Energy Savings Corp, Alberta Energy Savings L.P, and Energy Savings Group are also listed under Just Energy Ontario L.P.
Ontario Energy Savings Corp (aka Just Energy, Just Energy Ontario L.P.) was fined in 2003 for forgeries. Read more here…
Just Energy acquire Universal Energy in July 2009 along with National Home Services and Newten Home Comfort. Read more here…
In January 2009, Universal Energy (Now Just Energy) was fined $200 000 CAN. by the Ontario Energy Board for “false, misleading or deceptive statements to consumers.” Read more here… or read this…
In the USA also listed under Just Energy are US Energy Savings Corp, USESC, Energy Savings Group, and Natural Gas Delivery. Read more here…
Attorney General of Illinois Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against U.S. Energy Savings Corp. (Now operating as “Just Energy”) Read about the lawsuit here…
Here are some quotes about Just Energy on the The Better Business Bureau’s and Illinois Attorney General’s websites.
Citizens Utility Board’s Executive Director David Kolata claimed that, “This company (Just Energy) 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.” Read More…
“U.S. Energy (Just Energy) is purposely deceiving consumers,” Attorney General Madigan said. “Many of these families signed up for this program based on the false claim that they would save on their monthly utility bills. Instead, U.S. Energy (Just Energy) locked them into a contract that actually charged them more for natural gas.” Read more…
There is a income fund called Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN), read what Wikipedia.org have on their website about this income fund. “Madigan’s Consumer Fraud Bureau has received 457 complaints against U.S. Energy (aka Just Energy), many of which were filed by senior citizens, and has reviewed more than 2,000 complaints from the Citizen’s Utility Board and 254 filed with the Better Business Bureau.” Read more here…
Why Just Energy, Universal Energy, National Home Services Need To Be Avoided
Below are the same companies run by the same people: Rebecca Macdonald, Ken Hartwick, and Gord Potter.
According The Better Business Bureau’s website, all of these companies has a combine total of 960+ complaints and increasing. All of these companies are rated F by The Better Business Bureau (A+ being the highest rating and F being the lowest rating).
CANADA (click the name to go see ratings at the Better Business Bureau website)
- Just Energy Ontario L.P.(122 complaints) (aka Just Energy (560 complaints))
- Ontario Energy Savings Corp(Fine by Ontario Energy Board)
- Alberta Energy Savings L.P
- Energy Savings Group
- Universal Energy Group Ltd. (1 government fine)
- Universal Power(268 complaints)
- National Home Services (10 complaints)
- Newten Home Comfort Inc (aka Newten)
USA (click the name to go see ratings at the Better Business Bureau website)
- Just Energy (560 complaints)
- US Energy Savings Corp (1 million dollars lawsuit)
- USESC
- Energy Savings Group
- Natural Gas Delivery
Also, if you live in Ontario, Canada. Watch out for Submit Energy and Direct Energy. They too use the same sleazy door to door sale tactics.
If you see anyone of these companies or any other energy company show up at your door, don’t be nice to them, don’t give them anything, don’t show them your bill, don’t let them in, tell them all to take a hike and lock your doors. Treat them as you would to your spam emails, or those annoying telemarketing
calls.
Again, Just Energy, Universal Energy, National Home Services and their other companies have a whooping 960+ complaints between them according to The the Better Business Bureau.
You would think if they had 2 or 3 complaints of the same issue, they would change their way of business, but after 100 complaints, 400 complaints and now more than 960+ complaints, most of the complaints were caused by similar problems. Combine with a few lawsuits, a 1 million dollars lawsuit, government fines against Just Energy and Universal Energy. You would believe they would change their act. THEY WILL NOT STOP.
These guys are no better than ERON and Bernard Madoff. Do not invest your money with these guys and their companies. They will not stop.
More Complaints for Just Energy, Universal Energy, National Home Services
The above sections are complaints recorded by The Better Business Bureau filed by current and past customers of Just Energy’s, Universal Energy’s and their other companies.
In this sections will showcase other complaints by people who experience the sleazy sales tactics used by these companies and never made it to The Better Business Bureau.
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/became-summitt-energy-scam-victim-671535/4/
http://www.discovervancouver.com/forum/universal-energy-scam-t143460.html
http://www.discovervancouver.com/forum/universal-energy-scam-t143460.html
http://cheezewhizandmustard.com/2007/06/16/universal-energy-scam-and-how-you-can-get-out-of-it/
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/universal-energy-vs-direct-energy-208028/
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/universal-energy-superior-energy-460204/
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/scam-legit-water-heater-replacement-richmond-hill-area-718724/
http://www.peoplefield.org/forums/disp_post.cfm/cc.705/clt.13/p.htm
http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthread.php?t=49008
Alberta Utility
Gas Contract
Here is an article about U.S. Energy Savings Corp. (aka Just Energy) preying on non-English speakers and seniors. Read here…
There are too many links for me to post here. You can easily Google up “Just Energy Scam”, “Universal Energy Scam” and you will find many other links and many interesting hours to read. You will find literally thousands of people complaining about these energy companies and their shaddy tactics.
How To Get Out From Energy Deals
The rule of thumb for door to door sales is: do not let them in your house, do not show them your bills, and DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING.
If you move to a new home or condo where you need to pay utility. You will notice these door to door sales will come knocking under different companies, but now we know most of them are the same company trying to confuse you. They know when you move and where, they can purchase that information from any major real estate agency who are more than happy to sell that information and when there are enough new home owners in the area you will see these door to door energy sales. So be prepare… Again, if you don’t understand then don’t sign and stay with your current provider which is the government plan.
Only let them in if you know the company or they work for your current provider or you called the company for repair/maintenance and you were notified earlier for the reason of their visit. Remember to ask the agent that came to your house for their name, affiliation number or any documentation.
The best way to protect yourself is to educate yourself about your energy bills. Understand about the pricing and how this all work before signing any energy contract. There is no need to sign or listen to some strangers knocking on your door steps.
Natural Gas Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
See the past 3 years, the current price and the 3 years forecast of Natural gas click here.
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Supplylevel Inc. Blog 
Here’s a way to get out of your contract without penalty.
1. Call call the utility (NOT Just Energy, Universal Energy or their other companies). Have them change the name on your account, preferably to a person’s name who does NOT share your last name. A friend or family member is probably your best bet. Your reason for the change could be as simple as you’re renting your home and the new name is your tenant. Changing the name on the account usually costs $30 or so.
2. Next step, do NOT tell Just Energy, Universal Energy about this name change. Now, Just Energy, Universal has your contract locking YOUR NAME into a rate, but your name no longer appears on the utility bill. You’ve just disappeared off the face of the utility world. If you don’t exist in the utility world, Universal has no hold over you.
3. Get call ID. Just Energy, Universal may call your house and try to track you down and screen calls that are of the unknown name/unknown number nature. Just let the answering machine pick up if you’re not sure. In this case, you will probably want to take your names off the machine, and leave a more generic message “You’ve reached 555-9797” instead of “You’ve reached John and Jane Doe.” Just Energy, Universal will try and find you for about 3 months, and after 6 months, they will give up and assume that you’ve moved to an area not serviced by Universal. (In their handy contracts, it states that if you move to an area serviced by them, the contract is still binding).
4. After a sufficient time has passed (maybe 1 year or more), you can go back to using your name on your utility bill, although I would not change this until at least a year has passed, if not more.
I am in total disbeilef. I looked at Just Energy on the BBB for HQ in Canada and they have an A+ and an A- in another location.
How the hell can this company that has an F to D rating for many years even as far back as early this year suddenly have an A+ Are they paying off the BBB a billion dollars or something? Noone can move up that fast, impossible. Besides, I keep hearing they still keep on doing the same tactics. I saw an article saying in Sept 11 this year 2011, that they finallized something with the governemnt to change things, but again, I have not seen real life experience or any new articles saying that anything is better.
in fact the A+ rated one says 460 compaints. how can you be even be above a B let alone a C rating witht the BBB. Ok, this just really makes me mad.
I just want to warn everyone that SUMMITT ENERGY has been going around Ottawa (Avalon neighborhood in Orleans). I had someone at my door on July 17, 2013. He said he was affiliated with Ontario Energy Board and wanted to verify if I was paying HydroOne’s “new price” or “old price”. When he put me on the phone and they asked if I agreed to a 5 year contract, I hung up the phone and slammed the door in his face.
Summitt Energy is a scumbag company and Carlo Cavaliere (rep no OK 1364) is a DISHONEST, MISLEADING, LYING jerk. If he comes to your door, tell him to get lost and call the police.