Business ProfileforJust Energy

On March 3, 2008, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Citizen Action/Illinois, and AARP have publicly announced that the three organizations have filed a joint complaint against US Energy Savings, directing the complaint to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). The joint complaint asks the ICC to ban US Energy's deceptive tactics, wipe out illegally high "exit" fees, levy fine of up to $10,000 for each violation of Illinois' alternative gas supplier law, and consider revoking its certification to operate in Illinois.

The complaint alleges that US Energy's sales tactics violate a number of Illinois laws, including the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

On April 24th, 2006, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) issued a consumer alert warning the public against misleading sales tactics used by U.S. Energy Savings Corp salespeople soliciting consumers door-to-door.

According to the CUB alert, U.S. Energy sales people have been going door-to-door, soliciting business by posing as representatives from or claiming its service is endorsed by Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, the ICC, and CUB. The alert also alleges that the company appears to be targeting areas of Chicago and the suburbs where English is not the native language for many of the residents.

Citizens Utility Board's Executive Director David Kolata claimed that, "This company is engaged in the worst kind of consumer fraud, preying on people's fears of rising natural gas bills and resorting to deception in order to boost sales." As an alternative gas supplier, U.S. Energy Savings Corp offered to lock in natural gas prices for four to five years, with the company's marketing materials warning consumers that gas prices are rising and thus leading consumers to believe they can save money by locking the prices in.

According to CUB's Gas Market Monitor, the alert states, the majority of consumers who switch to alternative suppliers wind up paying more on their gas bills. The Market Monitor is a free service provided by the Citizens Utility Board that compares the rates charged by alternative suppliers with the actual prices of Nicor, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, as reported to the Illinois Commerce Commission.

For the full CUB consumer alert on U.S. Energy Savings Corp, you may wish to visit: http://www.citizensutilityboard.org/newsReleases20060424_CUBIssuesConsumerAlert.html


More information regarding fixed-rate plans can be found at the Citizens Utility Board website -http://www.citizensutilityboard.org/newsReleases2004_1209_GasPlanAnalysis.html