Watch Out for Door-to-Door Energy Scams... Has Anyone Else Been Targeted by Clean Choice Energy?

Last night, a guy knocked on my door claiming to represent ComEd. He said I had to switch to a new energy provider that the state of Illinois had mandated, and that I was being charged extra for not switching yet. I was having a rough day and didn’t think clearly, so I believed him. The worst part is that he somehow had access to our apartment building, which made me think he must be legit. I even showed him my bill and signed some papers, super dumb. After he left, something didn’t feel right, so I looked up Clean Choice Energy online and found out it’s not what he made it seem. I feel pretty bad about falling for it, but I’m planning to call both ComEd and Clean Choice to resolve it and maybe file a complaint. If anyone else has gone through this, I’d love to hear how you handled it. Thanks for any advice.

Heads up! This forum gets a lot of scammers pretending to be recovery experts offering to help get your money back for a small fee. Don’t fall for it! Always make sure to talk about scams in the open comments so the community can help. Don’t take advice in private messages—those scammers are trying to get you to pay them. Also, remember the rules here: no personal info and no name calling. Be polite and respectful to each other. If you see rule-breakers or recovery scammers, please report them. You can also check the full rules here on this forum’s sidebar.

Be cautious of anyone knocking on your door trying to sell something. Just shut the door and move on with your day.

challton said:
Be cautious of anyone knocking on your door trying to sell something. Just shut the door and move on with your day.

Exactly. If I need something, I’ll reach out to a business myself. No random door-to-door sales for me.

They often work as independent contractors, not for the companies themselves. They usually get commission for every house they get to switch over, which is why they’re so pushy. Some even go as far as wearing fake uniforms to look like official workers.

Being in a bad mood is exactly what scammers look for. I have certain times for handling ‘business’, and no exceptions. If someone knocks, I just say, ‘I’m not available to discuss this right now. Please leave your info and have a good day.’ If they don’t leave, I tell them, ‘You’re trespassing, please go.’ Best to not even open the door at all.

The best thing to say to door-to-door salespeople is, ‘Didn’t you see the ‘No Soliciting’ sign at the entrance?’ Then just shut the door. If you don’t have a sign, still say it and close the door. The only exception to this rule is Girl Scouts selling cookies, but that’s it.

@dalton1
I once saw people trying to scam people for fiber internet. They put on fake safety vests and hard hats to look like utility workers, but I spotted them. I reported it, and the building staff kicked them out before they could trick anyone else.

@dalton1
What if the Girl Scouts are trying to sell you energy plans too?

Don’t even get me started on Vault-Tec! If a company had a good service, they wouldn’t need to knock on doors pretending to ‘help your neighbors.’

We get these scammers a lot in my neighborhood. They usually show up wearing orange vests and carrying clipboards, acting like utility workers. They try to get you to show them your bill so they can trick you into switching to their energy company. They might save you a few cents, but it’s all just a scam to make you switch to a different provider.

What are you even complaining about? You let the guy in, listened to him, and signed the papers. It’s not a huge deal, though. Just call your utility and let them know you accidentally signed up for a new energy provider. They’ll switch you back to normal and lock your account if needed.

@John
I get why you might say that, but it’s more about the deceptive way they trick people into signing up. I know a complaint probably won’t change much, but I need to do it for my own peace of mind.

@Jane
Yeah, the companies often don’t train their sales reps to be honest. They just pay them by how many sign-ups they get. They might not even work for the company directly, just a third-party contractor.

@Jane
Well, the main issue is the way they do business. I’d suggest calling your utility and getting your account back on track. If you feel strongly about the scam, you could also report it to your state’s utility agency.

@John

  • The sales guy claimed to represent ComEd.
  • Said you had to switch to a new provider because it was mandated by the state.
  • Claimed you were being charged extra for not switching yet, though it wasn’t clear if that’s true or not.

@LilyClark4
Love the term ‘sales critter.’ So fitting for these types of people!

You could try saying something like, ‘You seem like a nice person, but I don’t understand why you work for such a shady company.’ Then just close the door.

Check your state’s consumer protection laws. In many places, they give you several days to cancel door-to-door contracts without penalty.