Superior Energy Management Scam

[LilyTeper]

My In-Laws were scammed by Superior Energy Management for the past year. No one came to their door, no one called them, etc. It was just fraud.

Their gas bill has gone up significantly over the past year. They thought that they were paying gas through Enbridge, but yesterday they noticed Superior Energy Management in small print on the gas bill. The gas bill still comes from Enbridge but in small print it says that it's supplied by Superior Energy.

Anyway, my In-Laws called Superior and their rep emailed them the agreement. On the agreement, the name and signature are both fake. Even the phone number they wrote down is bogus!
It was obviously forged.

Superior told my In-Laws to write a letter to them to terminate the contract and provide two sets of IDs to prove the signature was forged. Funny - there was no contract to begin with since it's a fake!

The Ontario Energy Board advised my In-Laws to follow instruction from Superior.

Did anyone encounter a similar situation?
If so, how long did it take Superior to reimburse you the difference in gas charges?

Thanks for your help! :)

[virgoan]

Seems like you already did your homework..but below is my experience...and I would like to let ALL RFDers know about it...

It was a long painful process that took me 3 months to clear it...

Basically, I called them up...they couldn't careless...made me fax in the IDs to prove that I didn't sign it...I made them send me a copy of the contract...wasn't my signature...obviously...so I asked them to send me the recording to prove that I did agree to it over the phone...

The phone call was made between them and my sister...they were being very vague...so my sister didn't really understand what they were talking about...they said that they are from the gas company and just calling to confirm the address...my sister who was just visiting thought that's all they wanted...so she confirmed the address with them...they take that as a contract.

I argued that wasn't me...and they said it doesn't have to be me...anybody in the household can sign the contract and it would be valid...I didn't believe it...I called Embridge...they are useless...they refused to help me...I called the cop...they said there is nothing they can do...

Finally, after doing much research...I found out that the gas company only afraid of Ontario Energy Board...so I called them up...explained my situation...they said that Superior Energy don't have a valid contract...in order for the contract to be valid, I HAVE TO SIGN IT & I HAVE TO AGREE TO IT OVER THE PHONE....and the person who agree to it over the phone has to live at the address!

With that in mind, I called Superior Energy again...told them that if they don't refund my money, I will call the cop...just as expected...they don't care...they told me to call the cops...

So I told them...I will also report them to Ontario Energy Board...THAT'S WHEN THEY FINALLY WILLING TO TALK TO ME!! But they still made me prove that my sister doesn't live at the address and that the signature wasn't mine...I did just that...and they have nothing else on me...so they agree to let me go...Took them 3 MONTHS to refund my money!!

even when they refunded my money...they ripped me off! from my calculation...they owe me over $800...but they only pay me $265...jacka$$e$...I could argue some more...but i feel it's not worth it...so I just report them to the Ontario Energy Board instead. If enough people like me willing to report these scammer, they will be forced to shut down!

Please DO NOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THESE...REPORT THEM!!

[ayeung]

I was alarmed when Superior Energy asked for my official documents & signature. As I mentioned in an old thread, Ontario Energy Board advised me not to send Superior Energy any of my official documents as they request (such as driver's licience). OEB sent me a forgery package and they registered this case. I got a refund a few months later but I never checked if the amount was correct. Superior Energy claimed that the sales person is no longer with them.

Ontario Energy Board said they need to accumulate enough registered complaints about Superior Energy before they can take some actions to prevent future incidents.

[virgoan]

Ontario Energy Board said they need to accumulate enough registered complaints about Superior Energy before they can take some actions to prevent future incidents.

:arrowu: :arrowu: Please report them!! They need to be shut down so they can't scam anybody else...

[JAC]

Superior Energy
6860 Century Ave
East Tower, Suite 2001
Mississauga, ON L5N 2W5



Customer Care Department


Contact us Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 8 pm (EST) and Saturday 10 am to 5 pm.

Tel: 1-866-772-7727
Fax: 905-542-7715
E-mail: customer_service@superiorenergy.ca


Main Phone: 905-542-8484
Fax: 905-542-7715

[LilyTeper]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the help :)

Aside from filing a complaint with the OEB, my In-Laws filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB):

Not surprisingly, Superior has an 'unsatisfactory' rating with the BBB. See below:
http://mwco.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=160&bbb=0107&firm=1076564

[curls00]

I just wanted to share my experience w/ Superior Energy.

Door-to-door salesman came by today (he was polite and nice as far as door-to-door guys go). He was saying he'd like to set us up on fixed electricity rates @ 8.49 cents/kwh at all hours (on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak). But he said that Superior Energy is the ONLY company that gets a 2 cent/kwh rebate from the Ontario gov't and passes this to their customers, effectively making the rate 6.49 cents/kwh.

I initially liked the idea of this but something triggered my memory -- THIS THREAD! So I looked through his brochures while he waited... nowhere was this 2 cents rebate mentioned at all. I brought this up with him. He said it's 2 cents in Ottawa, 1 cent in Markham, zero in some other places, etc... so they didn't put it in the literature. Riiiight.

I promptly said that I wouldn't sign anything unless this was written into the contract, and before I even finished that sentence, he was on his way as he knew I exposed their fraud.

Slimy, slimy company!

[huy5005]

I have the same situation. They forged my name, signatures etc. and i have been charged higher gas price for 3 years. :-( :cry::(. I made a stupid mistake by sending them my driver license!!!!.

Here what you should do:

1) File a complaint at:
http://www.oeb.gov.on.ca/OEB/For+Consumers/Have+a+Question+or+Complaint
2) They will contact you to help you to deal with the case.

Superior Energy and Direct Energy are scammers. (Go to google or wikipedia to find out!!). They forged people signatures and move your utility to higher price company. They rope you 500 bucks each year. Imaging 1000 people got scammed how much do they earn.

Please take the actions by filing the complaints.....

or you can call oeb at 1-877-632-2727 or 416-314-2455, Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

or go to small claim courts: http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts/scc/
I am so fed up... I am really interested in a rally in front of their office.... if you are interested!!!

[AnimeFreak1013]

wow, my wife got a call to work for them, thanks for the info, they might not even pay either if you work for them

[ElleMH]

In October 2008, Superior Energy offered an incentive cheque if I would renew for 5 years for natural gas supply. I agreed verbally (over the phone with one of their agents) to enroll in exchange for the incentive cheque.

Today, May 6/09, they have not mailed the cheque and advise I’m bound to their contract (8 cents/kwh higher than the rate they’re offering now) and cannot terminate the contract without paying a $652 penalty.

They further advised me they don’t have to follow through on incentives they offer. They have the right to offer incentives, but don’t have to deliver.

To sum it up, they offer bribes, secure verbal agreements over taped phone lines, then refuse to deliver incentives. When I told them their business practices were unethical, I was told by Sandy (Superior Energy's, Management Customer Services) at 905-285-2481 that they don’t have to deliver incentives.

Absolutely amazing that such corrupt business practices are permitted in this country.

Currently the Ontario Energy Commission are involved, however, Sandy advised they don’t have the authority to overrule Superior Energy’s decision (to force cheated consumers into agreements). At this point I can only highly encourage others to STAY AWAY FROM SUPERIOR ENERGY. They will promise you an incentive, lock you in at a high rate, refuse to deliver the incentive and attempt to force you to pay a penalty to terminate the contract. Absolutely disgusting.

[Hangar18]

I wonder is there any way to change your name on the account to get out of a contract. Like if I called enbridge and said i'm moving and put the gas bill in my father in laws name. Wonder if that would work. Maybe they need proof of the property sale?

[Dr Fuquilibrium]

I just wanted to share my experience w/ Superior Energy.

Door-to-door salesman came by today (he was polite and nice as far as door-to-door guys go). He was saying he'd like to set us up on fixed electricity rates @ 8.49 cents/kwh at all hours (on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak). But he said that Superior Energy is the ONLY company that gets a 2 cent/kwh rebate from the Ontario gov't and passes this to their customers, effectively making the rate 6.49 cents/kwh.

I initially liked the idea of this but something triggered my memory -- THIS THREAD! So I looked through his brochures while he waited... nowhere was this 2 cents rebate mentioned at all. I brought this up with him. He said it's 2 cents in Ottawa, 1 cent in Markham, zero in some other places, etc... so they didn't put it in the literature. Riiiight.

I promptly said that I wouldn't sign anything unless this was written into the contract, and before I even finished that sentence, he was on his way as he knew I exposed their fraud.

Slimy, slimy company!

I used to work for one of these companies so I know all the secrets.

The rebates being reffered to are the Ontario Non-Prescribed Asset Rebate and the Provincial Benefit. Provincial Benefit varies from month to month, this month its .7 cents back per KwH, last month its was .9. The Benefit is also not a rebate its a settlement meaning it can be a charge or a credit to your bill.

The Non-Prescribed Asset Rebate was never explained to us and I suspect its just phony literature as the brochure mentions "you may be eligible if this is issued." Nonetheless we were told that its usually between $120-180 back for the average household.

My recommendation to all homeowners is that if the price is not listed on the application then don't believe it. If an agent says he drops the price for you he has to write it on the application and have you initial beside it. That IS a valid price change.

The scam that you think Superior pulled on you was actually not Superior. It was an agent who was unable to write enough business for himself so he forged deals so he could get paid on them. Don't forget, all of these guys are on comission so they'll go to desperate measures.

My personal recommendation to all homeowners is to get onto a 3 year program. Summitt just introduced one where the rate of electricity for all times in the day is lower than the mid-peak price. Most people in the 9-5 crowd would see savings there.

Good luck with getting this sorted out, if anyone has any questions about these energy things shoot me a PM.

PS: The time to lock in your gas rate is soon, prices are DROPPING

[ganvik73]

I bought my (first) house almost 3 years ago, a few months after that, I've got a call from Superior Management. They offered me the deal and asked if I am interested, I said yes, assuming that they will send the written agreement and I will look up and compare their prices. 3 months after, I've decided to sign up with RiteRate for natural gas. To my surprise I found that I am paying to Superior Management. I called them and ask why am I paying if I never sign the contract. They fax me the copy of the contract where I found ... signature of my wife. I asked her and she recall this story ... She was staying home at the day when the agent came. Well .. now she know that it was an agent. What this gentleman told her (in horrible accent) that she has to sign the paper if we want to continue getting the natural gas to our house, otherwise they will shut it off. Since he came the second time (the first time she said that he had to deal with me, her husband) and she didn't feel well at that day, she signed the contract without properly reading the paper. Needless to say I was enraged at company for their unethical behaviour as well as on my wife for signing the paper without properly reading it ! BTW, they didn't even left a copy of contract to her.
I called the Superior folks and explain the situation. They said that will look into that. Later, they called and said - you've agreed to deal with us over the phone (they let me listen to conversation) and your wife (we both own the place) signed the paper - nothing we can do about it. I realized that it is useless to deal with them, but still decided to pay off their blackmailing fee to tear apart the contract .. it cost me around $250. I was really, really angry ...
A few months ago, 2 folks from Direct Energy paid me a visit on the same matter, and 2 weeks ago I've received a guest from another company. The same thing, they tried me to sign the contract with them. Funny, the last guy who came, told me: "You have to show me your gas bill". Literally, he told me - "I have to show him". I told him - "Buddy, I don't have to show anything to you" .. he seemed to be not much disappointed to my answer, I think third of the people are telling him ...ck off anyway .. kind of part of his job routine. Too bad a lot of people and especially immigrant like my wife are me don't know about that. Someone has to spread the word around about this unethical behavior.
P.S. My current company RiteRate recommended me to complain to whatever body there exist in Ontario when they heard my story. They are on-line seller, so don't annoy people, and keep the prices low. They told me that for a long time they asked Ontario provincial folks who oversee this business, to mandate that the companies have to equip their agents with audio recording devices, the way all banks are recording conversation while dealing with customers but to no avail.

[nibble]

I'm literally shocked after reading some of the posts here. I can't believe this stuff actually goes on. I had my driver's license suspended without warning because I forgot to pay a ticket for a burnt headlight, but these energy resellers can keep their business licenses after forging documents and all sorts of other unethical practices? Why aren't people being arrested? Definitely makes you wonder what kind of country we're currently living in.

[Longobongo]

OMG, I didn't even know about this thread until my sister (who just bought a house a few years ago) showed me her bill with this company's name as the gas supplier. Her rate is at 41.9 cents/m3! I just called superior and they said her contract ends in 2012 but she assured me that never signed a contract from a door-to-door salesmen. Should I call superior again or file a complaint to the oeb? I basically want this contract gone!

[jeff2679]

The same thing happened to me as well, does anyone know what regulating board I can contact in BC to lodge a complain about Superior Energy Service.

Thanks