Arlington Heights police received a report about 1:10 p.m. Thursday that a male/white solicitor attempted to get inside an apartment in the 1700 block of South Arlington Heights Road. The resident of the apartment reported that the male/white said he was from NICOR and that he needed to access the apartment. The resident refused to let the male in the apartment. The male was described as wearing a blue ski jacket.
Arlington Heights police were on the scene within a minute, found the male/white and investigated the subject. The male claimed he was working for Just Energy. No known arrests.
Research of the Better Business Bureau on December 31, 2009 shows that Just Energy has a BBB rating of ‘F’ on a scale of A+ to F.
The Better Business Bureau reports that the reason for the rating is the following:
562 complaints filed against business
Failure to respond to 77 complaints filed against business.
45 complaints filed against business that were not resolved.
Overall complaint history with BBB.
BBB does not have sufficient background information on this business.
Business has failed to resolve underlying cause(s) of a pattern of complaints.
One serious complaint filed against business.
The BBB also reports that complainants allege they were subject to misleading sales practices, such as unauthorized enrollment in the program offered, and/or misrepresentation of contract length, and/or guarantees of savings, and/or ability to cancel the contract after the initial three day period.
Consumer complaints also allege that the sales representatives from US Energy Savings represented themselves as working on behalf of Nicor and/or People’s Gas, consequently misrepresenting their identities. Additional complaints allege that consumers who did not speak and/or understand English were likewise solicited and their signatures were obtained, enrolling them into US Energy’s five year contract, despite these individuals’ failure to fully understand what they were signing.
Other complaints allege that upon signing up with the company on the premise of savings on gas, consumers’ bills did not decrease, but instead increased substantially.
See the Better Business Bureau web page on ‘Just Energy’ for more information …
Just Energy BBB Review Chicago, IL
An individual came to our home in Palatine, he asked to see our Nicor bill. I asked if worked for Nicor, he stated they provided Nicor with their gas. He wore an ID card that said Just Energy, and Nicor would provide our gas at a lower price. It’s true, Nicor would be providing the gas, but as the only source of delivery which they are required to by law. I felt at that point, he was representing a third party provider. If was really representing Nicor, he would have already had access to our billing. I asked him to return the following night as I know management employees and wished to contact them first. He never returned. I also know Nicor purchases their gas in the summer and stores it in limestone downstate.