Complaint Review: Nicor Advanced Energy/ Nicor Solutions

My elderly widowed mother was caught in the Nicor Solutions fixed bill trap, for which nobody who understands it would commit.  I had actually helped her withdraw from the Nicor Solutions program in 2003 when I learned that she had signed up.  Unknown to me she made a phone commitment to them again in February 2006, and in the subsequent 3 years, 11 months has paid $7215.04 for gas which would have cost $4564.48 under standard Nicor billing or budget plan.  Total overcharge 58%.  She is capable of writing checks, but not good at spotting scams, so I regret not watching her more closely.  Suspcious people with time to look for scammers could have learned of this from: 

Unfortunately the Illinois government prefers Buyer Beware rather than disallowing this unregulated subsidiary of a regulated utility.  I could not help but be reminded of the Enron off-balance-sheet schemes of Jeffrey Skilling et al., for which he went to jail.  I wrote to the state Attorney General, with no response, so I have to assume that what they are doing is legal.  I recommend anybody who has been scammed by this company call their state senator and representative and ask to get the law changed.  The only answer I got was from Moms Illinois state representative (perhaps because I called rather than wrote), who contacted the company and was led to believe restitution would be made.  In fact they refused any relief whatsoever.  See also: 

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