Complaint Review: SFE Energy

A knock on our private residency door with a "No Soliciting" sign and when we opened the door a young lady, likely a college student, who was wearing a lanyard and badge identifying her as working for SFE Energy began to introduce herself.  She explained that the company is a "family owned company" (how nice and sweet), and that if she, "could see one of (our) BGE bills, (she) could explain how we could save money switching to SFE".

Alarms went off in our heads as we asked her to leave.  She then went on, obviously trying to get us to feel sorry for her, "But if I don't get you signed up today, I'll just have to return tomorrow during the snow storm to do this."  Oh, where is my violin?  We again asked her to leave.  She proceeded to try yet another tactic by telling us that we could be, "making a big mistake".  Oh, so now she is throwing vague threats at us.  I then said, "You are trespassing on our property.  You can leave Now!"  She didn't budge, but she tried one more time.  My wife then said, "We are not interested, now you can leave.  Go Away!"  She threw a few rude comments at us that I will not repeat before she turned and left.

Once she left and we closed the door, we did a quick Google search and found several Scam Warnings about SFE.  We then contacted BGE who told us we did the correct thing.  They told us they are contacting their "Security Department" who will contact SFE and "Warn them about their soliciting procedures."  BGE confirmed that no one should be soliciting us "on behalf of" BGE except BGE Personel.  Also, we were told by BGE that "at no time should any solicitor be shown your bill, nor should we grant them access into our home".

If you show your utility bill to anyone, especially a fraudulant solicitor, you are giving them your account information that they can use to sign you up, without a signature, on a potentially expensive service!  Inviting them into your home is dangerous due to the fact that they can gather much information about your home, security system, and other critical information that can lead to other illegal activity.  No legitimate representative of any company is ever permitted to enter a home, that is a law in many states.

I printed out the "Ripoff Alert" report and, on my way to a class at the community college, saw this young lady on a neighbors porch.  I parked my truck and walked onto the neighbors porch to show the report and notify her that I am on to her scam.  She angrily (understandable) told me I was, "breaking the law" and she threatened to call the police.  I invited her to do so and explained that "all the police in the area, as well as all my neighbors, know who I am and they all know I don't start trouble, I stop it".  (I ran for office in 2010 and most of my neighborhood, and all the police in the area, supported me whether they were Democrat or Republican, because they know they can trust me.)

She proceeded to alegedly call the police.  As she began to describe me, I interupted and told her my name, address, age, eye and hair color, height and weight.  She hung up the phone with the police and then told me not to go anywhere.  I said I'll wait as long as she does.  She called her supervisor and as she told him what was happening and that she, "called the cops just like I did on another guy who got in big trouble for doing this to me".  Her supervisor apparently told her to leave me and move on because she started tearing up and walked away.

I left all my information with my neighbor and asked him to give it to the Officer(s) who show up, if they do.  I explained that they all know me and know how to contact me if they really were called and if they need to speak with me.

Sorry for the long description.  I just want others to be aware of what to do, how to protect themselves and what to do if you spot a Scam Artist.  Have a great day!