ComplaintsforChoice Energy

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company has been calling my mother, who has dementia, excessively and tricking her into switching her electric to their "lower rates" now 3 times. My daughter has called and spoke to multiple sales representatives and both customer service representatives to have them cancel contracts. The second time, she called and asked specifically to speak to a supervisor, in which she was transferred to *** in customer service. She explained the situation to her, and *** said she would cancel the contract. My daughter then asked that my mother not receive more calls from Choice Energy. *** went on the tell her, that there were laws puts in place to stop call like these and that she needed to register the phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry (which was done in March 2022, received calls in August, October and November from Choice Energy). She told *** this, and was told by ***, that she would be placing the number on the companies do not call list, and that it would take 30 days to become effective. Which was fine, until the third letter. This time my daughter called and asked to speak to the highest representative possible. She was told, by *****, that she was the highest at the office, that if she wanted to speak to her boss, it would have to be done through email. Knowing that would go nowhere, she continued to talk to *****. She once again explained the situation to *****. ***** canceled the contract, but first wanted to know why. She again explained that my mother has dementia and is not capable of making these decisions. As far as the phone number being on their do not call list, she said that once their call is answered, it removes that number from the list. She was told to remove the number once again. She then asked to hear the recording of the conversation. She was placed on hold, and when ***** came back said that she was not allowed to hear that as, it was a different phone number, voice, and that there was no ***** of ******** paperwork on file.

  Business response

  11/28/2022

  Choice Energy would like to assure the Better Business Bureau that our business practice is one of honesty and transparency.We take great pride in the extremely low customer complaint rate throughout our entire history. That being said, we also take each and every customer complaint very seriously, and within our power strive to resolve customer concerns whatever they may be.
  
  On October 12, 2022 at 4:58PM ***************************** completed a voice authorization with an independent third-party verification company and requested to switch her electric supply services to Choice Energy.****************** requested a tiered plan where she would pay a set monthly amount for usage up to a maximum, and in a month when usage is over the maximum the overage would be at a variable rate/kwh. This type of plan is for customers who (1) do not want the risk of variable pricing where typically the rate/kwh is highest during the same months when the load is also high and (2) want to further dampen the variability of monthly billed amounts of a straight fixed rate plan.Our record shows that this customer signed up for the one with the monthly amount of $38.00 plus taxes. Confirmation #********.
  
  Upon receipt of this customer complaint notification, we immediately verified Choice Energy was no longer servicing Ms.******** account which was cancelled on November 4, 2022. In addition, the phone number has been blocked from receiving future calls from Choice Energy.
  
  Sincerely,
  Choice Energy ****************

  Customer response

  11/28/2022

   
  Complaint: 18413690
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the instance you are referring to is based on the second call and cancellation. The complaint was filed on the third call and cancellation. Furthermore, she has dementia, and DID NOT request anything, your salespeople tricked her into switching. I have heard before that the number has been blocked, but, honestly, if that was even remotely true, there would have never been a third call or this complaint, now would there. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Choice Energy will not stop calling me on a daily basis despite my repeated requests for them to do so. I am not a current or former customer and have expressed my disinterest in their services. Yet they continue to harass me with very frequent phone solicitations.

  Business response

  09/27/2022

  Choice Energy would like to assure the Better Business Bureau that our business practice is one of honesty and transparency.We take great pride in the extremely low customer complaint rate throughout our entire history. That being said, we also take each and every customer complaint very seriously, and within our power strive to resolve customer concerns whatever they may be.
  
  Upon receipt of this customer complaint notification, ********************** immediately researched the phone number in question and placed on our internal Do Not Contact logs. They will not receive another call from Choice Energy again in the future.
  
  Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything else.
  
  Sincerely,
  Choice Energy **************** Manager

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We no longer have an account with Choice Energy in ************. We have asked them to stop calling our household..However, they continue to call. Sometimes twice a day for a week. I have threatened to file harassment charges, and they still call. It is quite annoying. Also, they are not collecting a debt. They just want me to waste more money on their services. Note- we have installed solar panels. Yes, we told choice energy. Please help make the daily phone calls stop.

  Business response

  08/05/2022

  *******************************
  
  Choice Energy would like to assure the Better Business Bureau that our business practice is one of honesty and transparency.We take great pride in the extremely low customer complaint rate throughout our entire history. That being said, we also take each and every customer complaint very seriously, and within our power strive to resolve customer concerns whatever they may be.
  
  
  Upon receipt of this notification, we immedidately researched in the daytime phone number to verify phone calls made.Unfortunately, Choice Energy has never made any phone calls to the daytime phone number in question. This must have been the result of a different company not affiliated with 4Choice Energy. We have placed this number on our internal Do Not Contact list and they will never be contacted by 4Choice Energy in the future.
  
  Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything else.
  
  Sincerely,
  Choice Energy ****************

  Customer response

  08/05/2022

   
  Complaint: 17664318
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I am not sure where they got my "day time phone number." My cell phone or work phone numbers are often used as day time numbers.  The number choice energy is calling is my home phone.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  08/08/2022

  Can you please let us know which phone number(s) you are receiving calls on and would like them to stop? Once we have the specific numbers, they will be placed on our Do Not Call tables and you will never receive a call from us in the future.

  Sincerely,

  Choice Energy Customer Service
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Repeated unsolicited calls to both my personal AND business line. Completely inappropriate.

  Business response

  07/22/2022

  Good afternoon,
  
  Choice Energy would like to assure the Better Business Bureau that our business practice is one of honesty and transparency. We take great pride in the extremely low customer complaint rate throughout our entire history. That being said, we also take each and every customer complaint very seriously, and within our power strive to resolve customer concerns whatever they may be.
  
  Upon receipt of this notification, we immediately researched the information provided by *********************************** and cannot find any phone calls made to her by Choice Energy. This might have been the result of a different electric supplier or company. However, we have placed the phone number in question on our Do Not Call tables and we will never attempt to contact in the future.
  
  Sincerely,
  Choice Energy ****************

• Initial Complaint

  06/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Choice Energy called me and said that I needed to renew my contract and they tricked me in to saying yes by telling me I was already enrolled. In the moment I wasnt aware that I wasnt previously enrolled. They told me they had cheaper electric rates. I did not sign anything to accept this other than verbal communication on the phone. The **** i recieved had a monthly charge and also a charge for 110kwh from Choice energy. My electric provider, Penelec, charged me for 610kwh. I called Choice energy and asked about the charges and the customer service rep told me that anything over 500kwh gets the lower rate. I told them that penelec charged me for the whole 610kwh and that they charged me an additional 110kwh and i wanted to know why. The rep got very nasty with me and had an attitude and arguing that they dont double **** and i told her i was looking at the **** and she said she couldnt see it on her end and that i was wrong. She then put me on hold and transferred me to someone else. I had to explain it all over again to someone else and then when i asked to cancel they said my contract was for 2 years and i would be charged $10 a month for every month left in the contract. She asked why i would like to cancel and i said because i am being double charged and they said ok and that the cancelation fee would be added on my next penelec ****. I would like a refund for the cancellation fee i am about to recieve and for the 43 dollars i was charged on this months **** which is attached. The company scammed me out of money and falsely advertised a service that was completely incorrect. 4 Choice Energy ********************************************************************************** ****************** ************** Account Number- ****** Cancellation Date - 6/9/2022

  Business response

  06/20/2022

  Choice Energy would like to assure the Better Business Bureau that our business practice is one of honesty and transparency. We take great pride in the extremely low customer complaint rate throughout our entire history. That being said, we also take each and every customer complaint very seriously, and within our power strive to resolve customer concerns whatever they may be.
  
  On April 27, 2022 at 5:19PM Eastern, *************************** completed a voice authorization with an independent third-party verification company and requested to switch his electric supply services to Choice Energy. ************** requested a tiered plan where he would pay a set monthly amount for usage up to a maximum, and in a month when usage is over the maximum the overage would be at a variable rate/kwh. This type of plan is for customers who (1) do not want the risk of variable pricing where typically the rate/kwh is highest during the same months when the load is also high and (2) want to further dampen the variability of monthly billed amounts of a straight fixed rate plan. Our record shows that this customer signed up for the one with the monthly amount of $51.00 plus taxes. Confirmation #********.
  
  Upon receipt of this notification, Choice Energy attempted to reached out to ************** by telephone but was unsuccessful in speaking with him and never received a call back. After reviewing the account, the customer requested a ****** contract and the pricing was accurate based on the product he requested. The account has been dropped with an effective date of June 11,2022.  
  
  Attached you will find the Welcome Letter, Contract Summary, and Disclosure Statement that ************** received immediately after enrolling with Choice Energy:
  
  Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything else.
  
  Sincerely,
  Choice Energy ****************

  Customer response

  06/21/2022

   
  Complaint: 17406947
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The customer service rep was very unpleasant on the phone and was unable to answer any of my questions on why i was getting double billed and not saving money like they advertised. My **** went up after I signed up with them. If they would have told me my monthly charges were going to go up then I would have never agreed to sign up for this. Reading other complaints for this company very similar tells me Im not the only one that has had this happen to.  I dont recall missing any phone calls from them. Im very dissatisfied with their service and false advertising. Obviously I will have to pay them when they add the charges to my **** but I would have appreciated some sort of refund. I dont recall getting any information in the mail either except for a letter from penelec stating that I had a new supplier and then another letter from penelec stating that they were no longer my supplier. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  06/27/2022

  ***************************,
  
  We show that on April 27, 2022 at 5:19PM Eastern, you completed a voice authorization with an independent third-party verification company and requested to switch your electric supply services to Choice Energy. The product you requested is a Fixed Block Variable Rate Plan which is a monthly block charge of a fixed dollar amount of $51.00 inclusive of ************ gross receipt tax for usage up to a 500 monthly kWh allowance threshold. Any excess usage above this threshold will be charged at a monthly variable price per kWh.After reviewing your invoice, you were with Choice Energy less than one billing cycle out of the ************************ period of May 17, 2022 June 11, 2022 and used 610 kWh. The account was not double billed, but rather the monthly fee was pro-rated down due to only having service for 3 weeks and the remaining 110 kWh were billed appropriately.
  
  The account has been dropped with an effective date of June 11, 2022. Although Choice Energy submits that this information was clearly and specifically disclosed in the *** and welcome letter, in the interest of goodwill and customer relations, ********************** agrees to waive the $230.00 early termination fee.
  
  Sincerely,
  Choice Energy ****************

  Customer response

  06/29/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  03/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  A Choice **** ********* phoned me on Feb. 17, 2022 and insisted (I specifically asked) that Choice was my current energy supplier, and that I was paying well more than I needed because my previous contract had expired. I wasn't able to log into my MetEd account to confirm, but because she had my account numbers, rates, previous **** amounts, etc., I took her at her word that she represented my supplier at that time. I obviously shouldn't have bought into it.During our call, she assured me that I could cancel at no cost at anytime within 30 days, and that if I had any issues as all, I could call ******** back on her direct line and she'd take care it. Turns out her "direct line" was actually the main customer service line, and no one has ever heard of ********. What's more is that the 30-day cancellation doesn't exist AT ALL. Instead, I was told today that it's 3 days (which makes no sense since it takes weeks for it to affect your ****), and I'm now on the hook for a $240 early cancellation fee.This is the most unethical experience I've ever had, and I am simply appalled at the misrepresentation and blatant lies.I never received an email about the change, nothing in the mail, etc.What's more is that I doublechecked and my profile settings within my electric company (MetEd/First Energy) I did not give permission for my phone number or usage data to be released to any third parties.

  Business response

  03/23/2022

  Choice Energy would like to assure the Better Business Bureau of Greater Iowa that our business practice is one of honesty and transparency. We take great pride in the extremely low customer complaint rate throughout our entire history. That being said, we also take each and every customer complaint very seriously, and within our power strive to resolve customer concerns whatever they may be.
  
  On February 17, 2022 at 12:35PM ***********. ***************************** completed a voice authorization with an independent third-party verification company and requested to switch her electric supply services to Choice Energy. ****************** requested a tiered plan where she would pay a set monthly amount for usage up to a maximum, and in a month when usage is over the maximum the overage would be at a variable rate/kwh. This type of plan is for customers who (1) do not want the risk of variable pricing where typically the rate/kwh is highest during the same months when the load is also high and (2) want to further dampen the variability of monthly billed amounts of a straight fixed rate plan.Our record shows that this customer signed up for the one with the monthly amount of $107.00 plus taxes. Confirmation #********.
  
  Upon receipt of this notification, Choice Energy attempted to reached out to ****************** by telephone and spoke with her on March 22, 2022 to answer any of her concerns, explain the product that was originally purchased,and discuss the early termination fee provision. The account has been dropped with an effective date of March 15, 2022. Although Choice Energy submits that this information was clearly and specifically disclosed in the *** and welcome letter, in the interest of goodwill and customer relations, ********************** agreed to waive the early termination fee during that phone call.
  
  ****************** was satisfied with the outcome.
  
  Sincerely,
  Choice Energy ****************

  Customer response

  03/24/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me specific to the waiver of the late fee.

  I would like to make clear, however, that my issue wasn't specific to the auto-disclaimer delivered as an afterthought, which I admittedly did not listen to as carefully as I should have because I had just taken detailed notes about the details provided to me just moments before by Choice's sales rep. ** issue was the deceptive and dishonest sales tactics employed by Choice's rep. *** pitch delivered to my was blatantly and undeniably dishonest in its delivery, beginning with the assertion that Choice was ALREADY our supplier (not the case), to the # I was provided to contact the rep was her direct line (not the case), to with assurances that this new contract included a 30-day out (not the case). It never occurred to me that a company would allow its reps to lie during a pitch, and then present contradictory details in its disclaimer. I've certainly learned my ****** there, but I feel strongly that others should be made aware of this unscrupulous tactic.

  Sincerely,
  

  
  *****************************

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