Beware Electrical Companies Asking for Your Account Number from Village Provider

If you’ve had a solicitor call you up with a great offer for electric aggregation, don’t rush to give out any personal information yet.

Oswego is in a contract with FirstEnergy Solutions Inc. until June 30, 2014 after switching over from ComEd in 2012.

The first year savings from the switch resulted in a 43 percent decrease as to the ComEd rate and the second year is expected to have a 14 percent savings as compared to the ComEd rate starting in May 2013.

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There are some companies though that are looking to get in on the electric aggregation in Oswego and are soliciting, mostly to elderly folks, said Mark Horton, Finance Director.

Horton said the companies are promising a lower rate, but residents are getting hit with early termination fees – $25 for residential and $50 for commercial –and many are finding that the rates are actually higher than FirstEnergy.

“Do not say yes to anything the solicitor says unless they can guarantee a rate of less than 4.75 cents per kilowatt,” said Horton, which is the village rate.

“There have been 10 or so [victims] that we know of,” said village president Brian LeClercq, most of who are elderly.

“Once they get that account number they can switch your provider,” said Horton.

He said if anyone calls do not give out your account number over the phone.

“They cannot switch your service without your okay,” said Horton. If your account is somehow switched over, Horton said you should receive a letter from the new company. “Call them immediately and insist you do not want to be switched,” he said.

So far the Village has been able to work with FirstEnergy Solutions and get the early termination fee waived for those that have switched without meaning to.

Horton cautioned though that you cannot keep switching back and forth between providers, as you will eventually get locked out of the system for about two years.