{"id":18070,"date":"2022-07-18T14:54:33","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T18:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.paawwa.org\/?p=18070"},"modified":"2022-07-18T14:54:51","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T18:54:51","slug":"puc-urges-consumers-to-be-alert-for-energy-marketing-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/puc-urges-consumers-to-be-alert-for-energy-marketing-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"PUC Urges Consumers to Be Alert for Energy Marketing Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/press-release\/2022\/puc-urges-consumers-to-be-alert-for-energy-marketing-scams\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/press-release\/2022\/puc-urges-consumers-to-be-alert-for-energy-marketing-scams&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1658254887919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1NqMS_y_SSPjr3X8lp6k4U\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">https:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/press-release\/2022\/puc-urges-consumers-to-be-alert-for-energy-marketing-scams<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>PUC Urges Consumers to Be Alert for Energy Marketing Scams<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Published on 7\/18\/2022<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Watch for Deceptive or High-Pressure Energy Marketing Efforts and Misleading Claims About Savings<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HARRISBURG \u2013 The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today urged Pennsylvania consumers to be alert for potential energy marketing scams, especially unsolicited telemarketing calls requesting immediate action and promising far-reaching savings on energy bills.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Questionable Robocalls and Other Possible Scams<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One type of misleading solicitation involves\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/61QBsR2djdc\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/youtu.be\/61QBsR2djdc&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1658254887919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1pHj9aZrNY7JRCTSbHesQN\">robocalls from unidentified sources<\/a>\u00a0making vague and potentially misleading statements about customer discounts, refunds, rebates and bonuses if the customer acts now.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The calls often appear as a local telephone number on recipients\u2019 caller ID, which is often fake or \u201cspoofed,\u201d or the calls fail to display any number at all. These questionable calls appear to follow the same basic script:<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>\u201cThis is an apology call from your electric (or natural gas) utility.\u00a0 You got overcharged by your third-party supplier.\u00a0 You will be receiving a rebate check along with a 30% discount on your electric and gas bill. Please press 1 to get your rebate check.\u201d<br \/>\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><br \/>\nIdentifying Legitimate Energy Sales Calls<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When discussing energy supply service with telemarketers, the PUC stresses that telemarketing agents must do the following:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Identification<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Callers must tell you who they are at the beginning of the call;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Information<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Sales agents must clearly explain why they are calling; and,<\/li>\n<li><strong>Affiliation<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Telemarketers and sales agent may\u00a0<strong>NOT<\/strong>\u00a0claim to represent the PUC, another utility or other organization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/pcdocs\/1747958.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/pcdocs\/1747958.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1658254887919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw219HofcuYBPGKpxNhyo7Qq\">recent notice<\/a>\u00a0to energy suppliers, marketers and other related entities, the PUC emphasized that energy telemarketers must clearly identify themselves and the reason for their calls and underscored the Commission\u2019s zero tolerance policy for the unauthorized switching of customers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>\u201cThe PUC stresses that telemarketing agents are to immediately identify themselves upon contacting a potential customer; identify the supplier they are representing; and the reason for the telephone call.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the agent fails to immediately identify themselves and the reason for the call, the consumer should end the call.\u00a0 Again, vague and potentially misleading statements \u2013 for example, \u201cI am calling about an urgent matter concerning your generation service,\u201d or \u201cabout your utility bill,\u201d or \u201cabout your discount \/refund \/rebate \/bonus\/overcharges\u201d \u2013 should also alert consumers to end calls.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, sales agents may not suggest that they are working for or in partnership with a utility \u2013 such as your local electric or natural gas distribution company; a government agency \u2013 such as the PUC; or other supplier \u2013 including false claims that other suppliers are \u201cgoing out of business\u201d or experiencing other problems.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consumers with questions or concerns about their energy supplier or contract can contact their supplier (supplier contact information is included on monthly electric bills). Also, consumers can contact the PUC\u2019s Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-800-692-7380 to report suspected scams.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Shopping for Energy and Evaluating Offers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consumers and small businesses can use the PUC\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.papowerswitch.com\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.papowerswitch.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1658254887919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0YYBxEiwAyMAy_P4Pg7JyL\">PAPowerSwitch<\/a>\u00a0energy shopping website to explore and compare offers from competitive energy suppliers which may provide savings compared to their utility\u2019s default service rate \u2013 or offer other potential benefits, such as renewable energy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PAPowerSwitch provides consumers and small businesses with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.papowerswitch.com\/about-switching-electricity\/how-to\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.papowerswitch.com\/about-switching-electricity\/how-to\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1658254887919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1fTUfZZkea5kY3lk3L5duO\">valuable information on how to shop for electric supply services<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 enabling consumers to quickly compare offers from competitive suppliers, learn more about switching to a competitive supplier, along with tips for energy conservation and efficiency.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>About the PUC<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit the PUC\u2019s website at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1658254887919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2hlbxVoZq22f34cMMBdnKf\">www.puc.pa.gov<\/a>\u00a0for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the \u201cPennsylvania Public Utility Commission\u201d or \u201cPA PUC\u201d on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>https:\/\/www.puc.pa.gov\/press-release\/2022\/puc-urges-consumers-to-be-alert-for-energy-marketing-scams PUC Urges Consumers to Be Alert for Energy Marketing Scams Published on 7\/18\/2022 Watch for Deceptive or High-Pressure Energy Marketing Efforts and Misleading Claims About Savings HARRISBURG \u2013 The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today urged Pennsylvania consumers to be alert for potential energy marketing scams, especially unsolicited telemarketing calls requesting immediate action and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6,14,7,5,11,10],"tags":[],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18070"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18070"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18072,"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18070\/revisions\/18072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.linnflux.tech\/paawwa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}