Harassed by Ignite/Stream

**ArcticSplash** · 03-01-2011, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Malloy

I've had 3 different companies knock up at my home so far. None of the solicitors were skilled enough to talk me into using a different dish soap. Ive also had a dozen or 2 local Stream spammers join PS with their lame ass pitches....which I deleted immediately.

A friend of a friend from GA is part of the Ignite deal. Great guy, well respected. He is a VERY successful mortgage broker, who decided to invest almost all of his free time in Ignite. Since he took the plunge, and was attending the PA launch, I thought it was worth checking out. After all, why would a guy who makes hundreds of thousands a year already waste free time on this?

I think every somewhat successful Ignite person from TX and GA was at the Philly launch....wearing sport coats, suits etc trying to build hype. Lots of slick talking dudes. Lots of loud rock music, testimonials of wealth, clammy handshakes from millionaires to be, "stick with this guy and you will get rich" type greetings etc etc. Obnoxious Porsche Panamera Turbo on big rims parked out front sporting TX plates and "IGNITE MILLIONAIRE" license plate frame with "NOO JOB" vanity plate etc.

I didn't like it at all..not my scene. I personally think the REAL objective is selling the 'program' to schlubbs who are snookered into the dream of getting rich. Literally, the pitch for Stream Energy goes like this is "hey FRIEND, how about you ditch PECO for Stream? It will be cheaper to start...but it may not stay cheaper....it may be within a penny of PECO in 2 years. Either way, you are doing me a FAVOR by joining AND you are no longer supporting the evil PECO empire.

I have a hard time saying that to friends.

It is all a bunch of stupid bull crap.

Facts:

The only thing that's opening up to market competition is the generation charge on your bill. PECO is still your T&D (&B).

What is T&D&B? T&D is Transmission and Distribution, the people who maintain your region's lines, transformers, street grid, meters. They provide the "highway" so the generator's electrons can get inside your house. The B part is Billing. PECO is going to remain your biller and will continue to Print & Mail your bill for you, and because your account is still managed at PECO's end, customer service is still with PECO... so this does not change, your meter does not change... nothing changes.

PECO's not going to give you better customer service because you switched to Stream to get the penny-off discount on the Generation side of your bill. The part that is hounding you incessantly with sleazy marketing is the generator holding companies. These are the marketing arms of companies that own generation facilities (the people who make the electrons that the T&D company buys to sell and deliver to you).

Generators know that electricity demand is fairly inelastic for the most part. People will only severely cut back on electricity usage when the cost gets over 24-cents a kWh. The trick is to keep supply weak. With weak supply and privately-owned generation, generators will collude by M&A activity and then they will be slow to upgrade facilities, run plant downtime at inopportune times, and make one-sided transmission contract deals.

This is all legal and doesn't even go near some of the crap that Enron did to kill off and bankrupt PG&E.

For instance, Gov. Christie was considering signing a bill that would have granted subsidizes to a private utility to expand natural gas power in NJ for a total of four facilities and an addition 300MW of generation. Immediately every other producer in NJ began hounding Trenton to stop it. Nobody wants the competition, much less any competition that's partially subsidized with loan guarantees [even though Republicans and Obama both want to use the same mechanism to increase nuclear power production].

In other words, deregulation is a joke.

Stream Energy is nothing but a bill-stuffer.

Want to save on your electric bill? Switch everything you can to natural gas, then change all your lighting to CFL or LED lighting. Your electricity bill will drop like a rock and you won't have to worry about a 1-cent "savings" anymore.

**username18** · 03-01-2011, 05:05 PM

I will speak up! I was just trying to start a conversation about this because I was approached for the millionth time just a day ago- I am not a rep from any energy company...I want to chime in on other topics as well! I'm just a girl living "up the hill" and previously working on Main Street (before my place of business was Sheriff Saled). That's how I found this forum (googling sheriff sale manayunk, lol) I buy my running shoes from Bryn Mawr running company NOT because I own the store or even know the store owner but because I like local businesses and the pup

There I said it! You guys are funny.

**username18** · 03-01-2011, 05:08 PM

Thanks Mayfair Meat, your last post really confirmed what I had also been feeling about deregulation. I agree.

**Malloy** · 03-01-2011, 05:08 PM

But dood, when you sign 3 people on - you made your $$$ back. That simple!

Also, a day after the event, I got a call announcing the $100? discount if I signed up that day. LOL, cmon. I'm no big shot, but $100 isn't going to make me jump that quickly. I actually laughed at the dude on the phone.

Originally Posted by PASnow

Is that true people PAY to get into the "marketing"/sales?? Good grief, strange suckers still buy into those things, ashame. "Hey I'm big Tony, I used to be a loser just like you. Then, I got into XXXX Energy. Now, I'm making over $8000 a month, and you can too! All you have to do is sign up for $199. But for today only, you can get in on a special deal of only $99." Meanwhile if he gets 50 suckers to join he made $5000. Yeah, I'm sure they make their money though signing up people for their electricity though, and you can too.

**ArcticSplash** · 03-01-2011, 05:09 PM

The fact of the matter remains... 3, 5, 15, 30 years from now.. you will NEVER be paying the electricity rates you paid in 2009. That was the lowest it will be for you, forever.

See all dereg did in PA is raise the floor price, then you are given a "choice" of approximately 1-cent off the new floor price, although the old ceiling price was way lower than the new floor.

IOW, it's like being asked to choose between the least smelliest of two turds. You're still getting a turd.

But I guess it's great that we take a natural monopoly and try to put "fakey capitalism" on it for no benefit other than giving some MLM scammers and bill stuffers some unnecessary jobs.

**marnarnay522** · 03-01-2011, 06:17 PM

Lets just say i am more then a highschool graduate and i am not spam. Why would you even say that?

**marnarnay522** · 03-01-2011, 06:52 PM

Quatloos! • View topic - Ignite / Stream Energy Sued Federal Court -- Pyramid Scheme

**runinbrynmawr** · 03-01-2011, 09:40 PM

I could be wrong IgniteMichele, however you may want to reconsider putting your link on this or any thread. I think it is frowned upon especially as a new member. I don't think people want this thread or any thread turning into a list of people's links trying to get them to sign up as a customer or associate. I think it is good that you shared your story but for the sake of being able to have your story shared, I'd take the link off. Then again...I'm clearly not an administrator nor someone who has abide by the rules from the get go. Just trying to help ya out!

**runinbrynmawr** · 03-01-2011, 09:44 PM

Case in point...

Originally Posted by MayfairMeat

Hey newsflash... I'm flagging all the one-post wonders on all the power-switch threads for deletion.

If it resorts to endless thread-starting by marketing machines hired by the power switchers, then I guess we can start banning by IPs and domains.

If you think you can use PhillySpeaks to spread your marketing spam in hopes to trick Google searchers into selecting your power switch deal, you are sorely mistaken.

See MayfairMeat...I'm trying to make right from my wrong

**ms2112** · 06-14-2012, 04:43 PM

I realise it's been over a year since this topic was brought up, but I wanted to chime in on what the original post siad. Being harrased by people to sign up. I know 2 people in PA who are currently doing the Stream/Ignite "thing". One is a family memeber who only asked me once if I was interested. After saying NO he promised never to bring it up or talk about it again. He kept his word. Another "friend" of mine is constantly posting on FB and texting me non-stop to consider it. It's getting annoying. What part of "I'm not interested" don;t they understand? I'm glad to have a place where I can vent this and I see it's rampant everywhere.

**sharkey** · 06-14-2012, 11:42 PM

I looked into repping for an elec. supplier when the market deregulated a few years ago. I signed on with North Amer. Power because it was LEAST like a pyramid scheme. Under their old plan, you could actually make worthwhile (not crazy) money by just selling the product----as opposed to recruiting 15 levels of "distributors" below you. Back then, you got $20 for each residential customer you brought in and an ongoing monthly commission on their usagewhich averaged about $2. I figured I could (among my own accounts, tenants, friends, and family) sign up 100 accounts and collect $200 a month basically for doing nothing from that point on.

No more. North Amer. is now another pyramid scheme. Your avg. household commission is now 25 cents and the signup commission went from $20 to $5. Everything now is about "building your network." I am leaving.

Also, one thing North Am. never did (and still does not as far as I know) was make "cold" calls. I se a lot of reps from other companies doing so with misleading come-ons. They say on the phone " I have to talk to whoever is responsible for the PECO bill." They love to say PECO because many people will assume it is PECO calling. I saw a door to door rep. tell an old man that he was an from an electric supplier (at least he did disclose that) and was there to check his PECO bill to make sure he was not being overcharged.

**Salty** · 06-15-2012, 09:31 PM

A friend of my wife and I approached us about this. She is a director" or some silly title one receives. I immediately lost respect for her. I can't help it, its strange, I will never look at this person the same way again. She was a very successful business person, so I am told. I also kind of felt insulted and awkward that I had to say nooo waaay.
If that makes sense. It will be interesting to see what happens when rates reset and those that are not sellers switch to a lower rate somewhere else. Hmmm the "downline" will collapse.
One tactic I felt insulted my intelligence was she said "can you watch me give my presentation, it would help me out to practice it" when in reality I am just a mark.

**username18** · 06-20-2012, 08:37 PM

Yay! I'm glad this thread is still alive and well. I have since moved out of Manayunk to a different part of Philly but still miss the yunks smaller town feel

Anyways, the stream/ignite thing doesn't seem to be as big down in center city, or at least I've probably only been approached twice in the past year for ignite. However, on return back to Manayunk about 2 months ago I was again asked to join. Is it a main street Manayunk epidemic that just won't die down?! PECO has still been treating me just fine lol *knock on wood*

miss you guys!

**Bixbyte** · 07-04-2012, 05:17 PM

IGNITE = PYRAMID SCHEME
Look at the literature.
Page one:

http://img1.jpegbay.com/gallery/0018...?1341436568151

Page two:

eBay item gallery | JPEGbay.com

**Bixbyte** · 07-04-2012, 05:27 PM

These jerks keep calling me ten times a day using spoof phone call cards.
My caller ID shows phone numbers and fake identities. I can not stop their phonies.
The people doing this to me are born in Palestine that live in a Rhawnhurst neighborhood.
They keep harassing all the neighbors to change to IGNITE.
This is a pyramid scheme.
Porsche this neighbor told me they bought a Hummer thanks to IGNITE.
BUT, they are still driving old POS cars.

Page two:

eBay item gallery | JPEGbay.com

**NE19149** · 07-04-2012, 08:22 PM

I don't know for sure, but I keep getting calls from some damn energy supplier.
For weeks now!
Automated calls - I press *2* to get off the list...... STILL get the calls.
So I spoke with a rep - demaded I be removed from their call list.....
Two MORE calls come in!
I threaten them again...!

On the Fourth of July yet!.... a holiday!

This is INSANE!
The caller's number is 215-213-6522

Look it up! - there are tons of complains online about it.

I'm gonna take it to a higher level now.... screw this crap!

**Bixbyte** · 07-04-2012, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by NE19149

I don't know for sure, but I keep getting calls from some damn energy supplier.
For weeks now!
Automated calls - I press *2* to get off the list...... STILL get the calls.
So I spoke with a rep - demaded I be removed from their call list.....
Two MORE calls come in!
I threaten them again...!

On the Fourth of July yet!.... a holiday!

This is INSANE!
The caller's number is 215-213-6522

Look it up! - there are tons of complains online about it.

I'm gonna take it to a higher level now.... screw this crap!

ON My Caller ID Twice today July 4th :

PENNSYLVANIA 1-215-213-5622

The message said I could switch my Power company.
If you call the phone number back.
"The number is not in service..." and then I get a busy signal.

This I believe is spoof created by the Ignite Energy Pyramid Scheme.
$300 to Join and then $25.00 a month.
They sell you into a power pyramid scheme.
It does not say you will have electricity on their power pyramid scheme card.

**Bixbyte** · 07-04-2012, 10:34 PM

Check out the You Tube Video.
Do you believe? He believes and you pay him $300 plus a $25 month fee to do what?

Ignite looks like a scam.
And they keep selling you by making phony Phone calls day and night with spoof technology.

**NE19149** · 07-05-2012, 03:13 AM

Look, I don't give a rat's ass who this company is......
If they continue to harrass me with phone calls throughout the day and evening for something I don't want or need, they'll be sorry they did.

They certainly don't want to mess with ME......I'll have them shut down.
Go try your crap on somebody weak.

**Bixbyte** · 07-05-2012, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by NE19149

Look, I don't give a rat's ass who this company is......
If they continue to harrass me with phone calls throughout the day and evening for something I don't want or need, they'll be sorry they did.

They certainly don't want to mess with ME......I'll have them shut down.
Go try your crap on somebody weak.

SURE you are the all powerful Oz and will shut down the Ignite Pyramid Scheme.

Thanks for a good laugh!