| Bad Egg |
OK, this is the situation: At least three times in the last couple of months my wife has had people come to the door and ask to see our utility bills. They claim to work for some utility company (no visible uniform, badging, or company vehicle - just private cars),and that they have heard of problems in the area and are checking people's bills to confirm the problem. My wife has refused them any information and sent them packing.
She was so suspicious of the first guy (scruffy appearance, cap pulled down over hair, beater car)that she even called the RCMP, but no police ever did show up. I did get a vague call from the RCMP about 10 hours later but I had no idea what they were talking about so I told them to forget it.
My first guess was con artists or other criminal types intent on getting into the home or gathering info. After a couple of different types showed up with the same M.O. I started to lean towards salesmen who had been trained by the same manager. My best guess would be that they are trying to pawn off some of those long term natural gas contracts.
Anybody hear these losers out and find out what their scam is? |
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| jayla |
I think that if they 'heard' there was a problem, they would already have the stats. Your own gas company would already have all of your info and would not need to ask you for it, and if it's supposedly another gas company, they don't have any right to ask you to see your bill. (it's also a really stupid business practise and causes suspicion) Also, I think that if they work for a competitor they would have better methods to gain information.
I think your wife did the right thing, in this day of identity theft and fraud, you really don't want anyone looking at any of your personal mail.
Another thing you can do is to call your own utility company and let them know...sometimes they will know about these scams, if it is indeed one. |
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| droppedatbirth |
| could also be a grow op moving into the area and they wanna see how much most people in the area are spending on electricity so they don't go overboard and get caught because of a high electrical bill (how most are caught) |
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| GTS Jeff |
| Obviously a scam. Any reputable company would at least make sure their employees are dressed in a uniform and have name tags etc. You should be glad they didn't rape and pillage your wife. |
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| jayla |
quote:
Originally posted by GTS Jeff
Obviously a scam. Any reputable company would at least make sure their employees are dressed in a uniform and have name tags etc. You should be glad they didn't rape and pillage your wife.
Way to scare the guy!!! I'm sure your wife could have kicked their asses. :thumbup: |
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| DelSoln |
| Get their plate info as they solicit to a neighbor. |
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| TrevorK |
| I've heard of this happening in Ontario, and they then go behind your back and switch your gas carrier (Because they need the site id off the bill). |
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| Fish_e_o |
| i'd think they would be looking for a credit card #...:dunno: |
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| snugs |
| Google "utility bill scam", seems to be primarily related to identity theft. Might be time to buy a shredder. :( |
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| GTS Jeff |
quote:
Originally posted by snugs
Google "utility bill scam", seems to be primarily related to identity theft. Might be time to buy a shredder. :(
And a chastity belt for the wife in case they make it that far... |
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| Bad Egg |
Jayla, you have a good suggestion about contacting the utilty provider, since the RCMP do not seem interested. I find it strange that these people would be blanketing the same neighbourhoods multiple times. If they were doing something completely illegal you would think the RCMP might actually have taken an interest.
I am leaning towards Trevor's suggestion about them using your site ID to switch your carrier. There are a lot of "reputable" carriers of different services who have their sales division represented by independent contractors. That way they keep an arm's length distance away from disreputable but effective sales tactics. I once got "slammed" over to Primus as a long distance phone carrier without my permission and it was a major hassle to get it sorted out.
As for security, we have been shredding anything with a name or number on it for a few years now. We are very wary of anyone who tries to convince us of what a deal we are missing out on. If "the deal" is so good we shouldn't need convincing... |
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| Soulfly |
quote:
Originally posted by droppedatbirth
could also be a grow op moving into the area and they wanna see how much most people in the area are spending on electricity so they don't go overboard and get caught because of a high electrical bill (how most are caught)
If they just moved in.. Think they might have said that.. ? |
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| Bad Egg |
Check this story out:
...quote:
Retiree Lois Haywood was visited by two Energy America marketers at her home in St. John's, a scenic town in rural Michigan where people go to escape big city hassles and expensive urban living.
When the sales agents knocked on the door of Haywood's mobile home, she asked if they were from the gas company.
"They said, 'Oh, yes, we're from the gas company,' " Haywood said.
"I said, 'Are we going to get a rebate? I could use a rebate.'
"They said, 'Oh yes, you're going to get a big rebate.' "
The agents took down Haywood's account information. She doesn't remember talking about enrolling with a new gas company.
When she later learned that her signature was on an Energy America contract, Haywood phoned the company's headquarters -- located at Direct Energy's offices in Toronto -- to complain.
Energy America told Haywood to prove the signature wasn't hers.
It wouldn't be hard. The signature was forged as Lois Hayward -- not Haywood.
Aside from the extra costs she faced from higher gas prices in the forged contract, the pensioner from Michigan was most upset by the way she was treated.
"It took me months to get out of it. They made me feel so bad, like it was my fault," said Haywood, 72, who lives on a tight budget.
"It got to the point where I couldn't sleep at night, thinking about why that saleswoman would do that to me."
Haywood eventually got a cheque for $25 in the mail and a short letter from Energy America informing her that the account had been cancelled.
No apology was offered.
That is from this article: Calgary Herald from May 16, 2004
This is the same company that bought out ATCO and is now our major gas provider. My guess about the long term contracts is sounding pretty good now.
oh, yeah...
quote:
Originally posted by GTS Jeff
You should be glad they didn't rape and pillage your wife.
quote:
Originally posted by GTS Jeff
And a chastity belt for the wife in case they make it that far...
...hmmm...a bit of a one track mind there Jeff? Put down the Penthouse and back away from it slowly... |
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| GTS Jeff |
quote:
Originally posted by Bad Egg
...hmmm...a bit of a one track mind there Jeff? Put down the Penthouse and back away from it slowly...
Hey, I'm just lookin out for my bros and bros' hoes... |
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| jayla |
quote:
Originally posted by Bad Egg
Jayla, you have a good suggestion about contacting the utilty provider, since the RCMP do not seem interested. I find it strange that these people would be blanketing the same neighbourhoods multiple times. If they were doing something completely illegal you would think the RCMP might actually have taken an interest.
I work for a bank and know all about the scams people can pull and how to do it as well. The best thing to do is to contact your provider, so they can maybe even flag your account in case something does happen, that way it's on file that you notified them. Also, big companies don't let customers know that they know of suspected fraud until it happens. A lot of times they are aware of what's going on but are hesitant to alert potential victims. |
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