Direct Energy door to door people

[bonzombiekitty]

Anybody else have these people come to your door recently? Had two of them knock on my door around 8PM on Friday night. They each had "Direct Energy" lanyards on with accompanying IDs. They presented themselves as authorized agents from the state and they were asking me about my lack of response to my electric bills. Which is total bullcrap, since I auto pay my PECO bill, and why would the state, not PECO, be trying to contact me in person rather than by phone or by mail? Something isn't right here.

I've heard of similar scams going on int New York and other areas where energy is deregulated. Basically, they get to you conversing with them on a false premise (a common one in NY was checking to see if ConEd was giving you the discount you are entitled to, see references to IDT Energy on consumerist.com). Once they get you talking, they'll trick you into signing something, by saying it's for one thing, when in reality, it's a contract to switch utility providers.

I sent them away, in a not so nice manner as my BS detector was ringing incredibly loud. Then I watched them knock on every door on the on the block. So I guess everyone else on my block isn't responding to their electric bills either... Thankfully nobody else seemed to be home.

So keep your eyes out for these people.

[jcinstitutes]

Once they get you talking, they'll trick you into signing something, by saying it's for one thing, when in reality, it's a contract to switch utility providers.

I

Thanks for the heads up. Definitely some kind of scam. Getting you to sign up for another supplier is the most benign possibility. There may be another objective. Occasionally, I get people coming to the door with some story line. I usually stop them before they get into it, then wonder what their angle was. Maybe they're looking to see who, if anyone, answers. Frail people targeted for later? Not home people targeted for break-in?