Vancouver Forum: Replying To Universal Energy SCAM - Vancouver Forum

Hey there all! This is the email I sent the vp of Just Energy today:

Hi there, my name is Rhonda Burrows. I am writing to tell you that I did not give permission to your company to be my energy retailer. I did not sign a contract, told you rep. to get out of my house and that I refused his proposal, and yet it seems he duped my then boyfriend who has no authority on my Hydro One account to sign me up....knowing I didnt want it. He gave a story about how he would get 25 dollars to get a signature and that it wouldnt be activated without my verbal consent on the phone....which he never got. Your company has no contract with me and you need to please cancel and refund my money. I have contacted global news, the local MP's office and Hydro One. I plan to contact the Ontario Obudsman, a lawyer, and the energy board tomorrow. I will also advertise in the newspaper, email everyone I can as well as utilize the internet to let others know what your company does..that you "trick" people into signing up, and allow third parties to enter people into contracts without their permission. My hydro cost in the last three months since you have been my "self assigned" hydro retailer has increased about 140 dollars per month!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will be emailing this letter to everyone in my email contact list, everyone at your company that I can find an email for; as well as anyone else that I think should know about this.

I have asked to speak to a manager at your offices, been denied on the basis that no managers are in the building and that there are no phone contacts for me to call one. I have been told that I can't cancel the contract that I did not enter into; that an investigation which was not described to me would have to be held; and that someone would call me back in 7-10 days.

This is not acceptable! I am a mom of three young children, ages three and under, unemployed and utilizing community food programs. I can't afford to pay your crazy rates, which are in fact much higher than Hydro One, and I can't afford to have the hydro turned off either. Please, cancel the contract!!!!!!

I found quite a lot of information on the internet about your company doing this to people. The following is an example:

""Whatever you do,.... do not sign with these crooks !!""

The sad thing is, you don't even need to sign in order for them to magically transfer you over to them!
Someone came to my door back in October telling me about this priceprotection plan from Universal Energy, he gave me a booklet to readwith an application form inside. He said if i wish to take advantageof this, to fill out the application and mail it in.. I have a copy ofit at home.. it is only signed by him at the bottom where it says AgentName and Signature.. nowhere does it show any of my information or mysignature.. so i never signed it and i never mailed it to them.... inJanuary, i noticed on my gas bill that my gas supplier is now UniversalEnergy.... i phone my regular company-Union Gas- the lady said that they received a requestsigned by the client which is ME asking to switch me over... iimmediately called Universal and according to them i signed a contract,i also spoke to someone on the phone..i asked them to provide proof..send me a copy of the contract with my signature and i want to hear arecording of me saying on the phone that i agree.. obviously i did notreceive any of that.. and 2 month later Union Gas received a mysteriouscancellation letter again coming from ME asking to cancel UniversalEnergy services.

Couple of days ago, I also had a girl come to my door asking to seemy Hydro bill. She said that they've made a mistake and need to reversea processing fee that they have accidentally charged some clients. When she came in, i didnt'quite catch who she said she worked for so i asked her again and shesaid she was from Universal Energy.. I said to her that i do not getany services from them and do not wish to have anything to do withthem.. she assured me that my Hydro company is aware of this fee errorso i said if they are aware of it they can reverse it on my nextbill... but i am not showing you anything and please leave.. i calledmy Hydro company the next day, and the lady was in shock! She said thatthey would never have anyone come to the door, and there were noerrors!!!

It's very sad that this company Universal Energy has to go to suchextremes in order to get people to use their services! I think i gotlucky because at least i am back with my regular companies, i haveheard of people who are unable to get out of this universal energycontract which apparently they signed but for some reason the companycan not come up with any proof. How can this be allowed? How can thiskeep happening? Why is the Ontario Energy Board not looking into this?

Again, please terminate this "contract".



Sincerely,

Rhonda

So: I called again and asked for a supervisor, was told to call back in half hour;;;;they were closed for the day, go figure.

Hi There,

you CAN cancel, I'm in the process of getting the amount that I have to pay for the "cancellation fee" that they charge if you get out of the contract early. I live in a small 1400 square foot townhouse and my hydro bill last month was almost $300. That's insane. I called my hydro company to ask them why i'm paying so much and they said it was because I signed up with Universal Energy and that they charge more than they do.

I called Universal and they said that they couldn't access my info and that they would send me a letter, that was November 2nd. I called back November 9th asking where my letter is and they said, it wasn't mailed out until November 6th. I still haven't received anything and we are now NOvember 12, and they said that because a letter was being sent, that they couldn't give me the amount over the phone. My husband just tried calling them and the automated service is saying that they have had an emergency and that no one is available. Once I can get through and get my stupid total that I owe, I am paying it. I have 2 years left on the contract, I figure if they charge me $300 to cancel, in the next 3 months I'll have that paid for in savings. What an F*%&ng SCAM!!!!!!!

Guest, on 07 October 2009 - 03:27 PM, said:

yves, on 23 October 2009 - 12:51 PM, said:

Yves... Your paying more than you need to... I dont understand whats good about that ?

My last hydro bill was $764.00 $425.00 went to Universal Energy. I paid more to them than I did to the company that actually gives me my hydro!
You know....the guys that are out in snow storms on christmas eve fixing a down power line so I can have wonder christmas day! Universal Energy does NOTHING!! but sit at a computer and collect millions of our dollars!!

So for all of yous that think Universal Energy is doing you good. You must be fresh into your contract or your def, dumb or blind! No offence.

In this day and age, no company , provider, etc is giving money away. Or they would not be in buisness ! RIGHT ? RIGHT!

My hydro cost would have to double....DOUBLE before Universal Energy will protect me. Now think about this ... in my 5 year contract will the hydro

costs double? NOT A CHANCE! Not even close.

If your in this forum reading posts......than its to late to tell you not to trust them and or read the fine print. So good luck everyone !

I'm going to talk to my local MP (ontario) See what he can do .....

Oh by the way.... i also get my gas from Universal Energy. I called Union Gas (my actual provider) They tell me im paying almost 4x more than what

I should be.

THESE ARE THE BIGGEST MISTAKES I've EVER MADE! And im just to broke to be mad at myself!!

MSA, on 26 February 2007 - 10:04 AM, said:

they charge more than ottawa hydro. 4 cents a kilowatt more

Just found out that my better half signed up for a gas contract, it is now double what Terrasen is charging here in BC, I called them to try to cancell-- no way they said, couldn't be done, ANY IDEAS?? I don't think changing the name is a smart one. I am thinking about buying some electric heaters and using hardly any gas.

Universal energy is a scam, their sales representiatives will try to fast talk you into signing a contract, without giving you any details about cancellation charges.

I am going through the exact same thing as you went through, and can't seem to get rid of these assholes! They told me if I sent them a bill from my new address, proving that my utilities were inclusive, then I would not have to pay the 800 dollars. I sent them that information, and I thought it was all done with. Then about 9 months later a collections agency started calling my home everyday. I finally spoke with them and they said I would have to pay the $800. I don't know what to do now. I think this company is just tries to rip people off, and really doesn't do anybody good to sign up with them. I wonder if anybody has called the better business bureau about this?

universalenergy, on 11 March 2007 - 04:02 AM, said:

Bill - I totally agree with you on this!!! Have you contacted the RCMP? I need some guidance from someone else who has been scammed as well. I feel for it & cannot get out of it now!! I believe I am going to have to see a lawyer about this bull****. Please let me know what progress you have made & how I should start this as well. I don't want to leave my email address cause of however can read this - please reply so I can read & see what course of action to take. Thank you & I hope I can talk to you soon.. Diana