IMPORTANT NOTICE
March 3, 2010

Attention: AUMA Members

Consumers should be aware of door-to-door energy marketers
 

The Alberta government has charged three former Alberta Energy Savings salespeople for impersonating consumers and signing up homeowners to energy contracts without their consent. See Service Alberta news release ad backgrounder. see below.

Government investigation of energy sales scam leads to charges
 

Edmonton... The Alberta government has charged three former Alberta Energy Savings salespeople for impersonating consumers and signing up homeowners to energy contracts without their consent.

“The Alberta government does not tolerate energy marketers and salespeople who deceive consumers or illegally sign them into contracts,” said Service Alberta Minister Heather Klimchuk. “We can investigate complaints and will take strong action when consumers are taken advantage of.”

Narek Hakoybyan, 19, Shadow Fox Thunderstorm, 22, and Kimberly Bernard, 20, face a total of 24 charges under the Criminal Code and Alberta’s Energy Marketing Regulation. The allegations have not been proven in court.

The Alberta government received four complaints alleging consumers in Edmonton, Barrhead and Innisfail were enrolled in long-term electricity and natural gas contracts without their knowledge or permission. Service Alberta’s investigation determined that three sales agents allegedly forged consumers’ signatures on the contracts and impersonated the consumers during the compulsory verification call with Alberta Energy Savings’ call centre.

Alberta Energy Savings (now called Just Energy) was not aware of the salespeoples’ activities, cooperated fully with Service Alberta’s investigation and cancelled the contracts.

Alberta’s Energy Marketing Regulation, under the Fair Trading Act, requires that marketers and their sales staff obtain consent from consumers to enroll them in a contract. Energy marketers are not allowed to take advantage of a consumer’s lack of knowledge, lie or exert undue pressure on consumers, or make claims about price savings or benefits that do not exist.

Consumers can visit www.servicealberta.ca for information on filing a complaint and to read the Electricity and Natural Gas Contracts Tipsheet for details about their rights. The Utilities Consumer Advocate also provides Albertans with information about energy contracts and the options available at www.ucahelps.gov.ab.ca or by calling 310-4UCA (toll-free in Alberta). 
 

Thank you,

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