[email protected]706-596-1528
February 14, 2002
Subject: Arbitrary Billing of Consumer Utilities
To Whom It May Concern:
One of our Countries largest Utility Companies is using a method of Arbitrary Billing to consumers and making a lot of money in the process. Persons most likely to be victimized and overcharged via Arbitrary Billing are: young people in low-income brackets, minorities and Senior Citizens. The evidence indicates this is no accident or so-called computer error. Furthermore, the dollar amounts are not trivia (a few cents here and there) but may amount to hundreds of dollars in a single year (2001) per consumer. If we look at percentages, they may equate to as much as the upper teens to low twenties per annum. Obviously, Arbitrary Billing is not legal and any Utility Company that says they were unaware of it happening, is like Enron saying: They didn't know they had a problem.
John T. Slovenz
Independent Analyst
Columbus, Georgia