SCAM: Universal Energy Corp. (higher electric rates)
TO ANY READER: PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE BEEN SCAMMED BY UNIVERSAL ENERGY CORPORATON. SINCE THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT DEREGULATED UTILITY SERVICES, I WAS APPROACHED ON APRIL 12, 2006 BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF UNIVERSAL ENERGY CORPORATION.
Have you been scammed by the Universal Energy Corporation? Someone from their corporation knocked at my door on April 12, 2006. I live in a "security" apartment building in which solicitation is prohibited. The landlord has signs posted stating that fact. Before I even opened the door more than a crack with the chain on and before I could ask him, the man immediately advised me that he was not a salesman. I told him that solicitation was prohibited in the building and I would not open my door to "salespersons". He advised and repeatedly assured me that he was there to inform consumers about the deregulation of utilities by the Provincial Government, how the first increase in July would be from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh (100% increase) , and how it would increase by 2008 to 20 cents/kwh (400% increase). He further advised he was acting as a consumer advocate and stated that, if I signed up immediately for a "fixed rate", I would be protected from the bloated electricity rate increases, by having my rate frozen at 8.63 cents/kwh. While he was here, we discussed many different ways to conserve energy (not just electricity), and I told him many of the ways I personally conserve energy, for example by using all fluorescent bulbs. Several times I again asked if he was a salesman just to be sure, and he repeatedly assured me he was not, that he was a consumer advocate, going door-to-door to simply educate consumers. He certainly educated me! Like a moron, I even offered and served him a cold beverage believe it or not, while this "jerk was nailing me to the barn door".
I received my Electric bill from the local utilities company in July. The rate had increased from 5 to 5.8 cents/kwh. I had unknowingly signed a "contract" with an independent utility company for a much higher rate, without even knowing it! Of course he did not tell me that!!!!!! Someone please advise me if you think I am wrong about this. The document which allegedly fixed my electric rate at 8.63 cents/kwh is supposed to protect me and keep my electricity rates frozen at a fixed rate, subsequently saving me money immediately and forever. The Ontario Energy Board set the rate at 5.8 cents/kwh. Am I actually saving money??? Of course not. It is costing me nearly 3 cents/kwh more than that set out by the Provincial Government OEB, all profit to Universal Energy, especially since the billing is still done by the local utility company!
That was on July 14/06. Straight away, I contacted Universal Energy to file a complaint and cancel the contract immediately. They refused to cancel it. I was told that I would have to contact their Compliance Dept. When I asked to be transferred to the Dept., I was advised they have no telephone extension and, even if they did, there was no one on site to speak with at any time. I asked for an e-mail address, so I could cancel the contract immediately and was advised they have no e-mail address. I was provided with an address and told that I had to fax or send a letter by "snail mail" to cancel. I asked to speak with a manager or someone in a position of authority, but the woman to whom I was transferred was equally uncooperative about all of my above concerns.
Immediately I telephoned the Ontario Energy Board and lodged an official complaint. Jeremy at OEB advised me that the way I was treated was typical and advised me to send the letter to Vanessa Anesetti, the Manager at Universal. I did it that afternoon. As of today, Wed. Aug. 16, 2006, they are refusing to cancel the contract, even though I have repeatedly explained how their rep misrepresented himself right from the beginning. They refuse to put anything in writing and are argumentative, insolent, and uncooperative on the phone. I have spoken with others at their office, but mostly with Anesetti.
Please go to http://universalenergycorpscam.blogspot.com/ to see some of the e-mail complaints I have made, not only to Universal Energy, but also the OEB and even Premier McGuinty. This information will be posted there, followed by copies of some of my correspondences and written complaints.
I am sure that I am not the only person, not only in Kingston, but also in Ontario, who is being scammed by these people. You may file complaints with the Ontario Energy Board at www.oeb.gov.on.ca (e-mail info@oeb.gov.on.ca) if you were also scammed by Universal Energy. Perhaps if enough people file complaints, they can do something about them. I don't know if it will help, but you may try contacting McGuinty at http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/home/default.asp?lang=EN. I personally have not found him (or my local MPP) to be helpful with other issues, but you never know, he may surprise me this time. He used to have an e-mail address, but there is a link on the page to contact him and you may submit your complaint directly through his site.
If anyone doubts the voracity of what I have stated, contact Universal Energy yourself. Pit Bulls were banned in Ontario, and yet these more ferocious and disreputable companies are not!
If anyone out there has any success, please let me know.
BELOW ARE SOME OF MY CORRESPONDENCS, IN MY DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF THIS CONTRACT, WHICH I WAS TRICKED INTO SIGNING.:
----- Original Message -----
From: ___________________
To: complaints@oeb.gov.on.ca
Cc: customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 8:55 PM
Subject: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Dear Jeremy:
I received a telephone voice message from a "Vanessa" at Universal Energy Compliance Dept., requesting that I telephone her regarding my ongoing complaint about Universal Energy and their representative who was in my home. My telephone display registered the number 416-224-9182 at 1:47 p.m. today. She asked me to telephone her at Extension 504, 1-877-672-5500 or after 5:00 p.m. to ask for Evelyn at Extension 502.
I do not trust any verbal communication with them, since I could be misrepresented on any point at any time, in the same way their representative deliberately misrepresented himself in my home.
The crux of my complaint is initially based on the fact that from my first contact with the representative of Universal Energy, who was in my home, misrepresented himself and his organization. He specifically made a point of advising me that he was not a salesman. This was before I even opened my door more than a crack and in direct reply when I specifically asked him if he was a sales rep of any kind. I placed strong emphasis on this statement from him, and specifically advised him that under no circumstances do I ever open my door to sales persons, for any reason. He repeatedly assured me that he was not there to sell me anything, but instead to strictly advise me as a consumer about the pending increases to electricity rates. He advised me that the first increase would be a 100% increase in the rates, from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh, eventually becoming 20 cent/kwh. He told me that I was signing an agreement to simply lock in my energy rates to protect myself from energy rates that were doubling, then quadrupling from the 5 cent/kwh rate. He never represented himself as a salesperson of any kind. Instead, he presented himself as a consumer advocate. He assured me that my rates would always be lower and fixed, thereby protecting me no matter how high the energy rates increased. He employed blatant scare tactics concerning the rate increases, but never once told me he was a sales rep for Universal Energy. I always thought he was a representative from a consumer advocacy group and he never told me otherwise or even intimated that he was a sale rep..
He was in my apartment long enough, to tell me at any time that he was actually a salesperson, at which time I would have ordered him to leave immediately. We even discussed ways to conserve energy, and I told him the many methods I personally use to conserve energy, beginning with replacing my electrical bulbs with fluorescent bulbs as soon as possible after I moved here in August of 1994, further explaining how much more expensive they were in the 1990s than they are today. I also told him how infrequently I use my own car, running all of my errands together about twice a month, rather than wasting gas by running individual errands on different days. He definitely came across, to me, as a consumer advocate and not a sales person!
Hope to get rid of these parasites from Universal Energy very soon. I have to wonder how many others they scared into signing contracts under false pretenses.
S_________
____________________________________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: ___________________
To: Joseph Rosa ; customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 8:48 AM
Subject: OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23 regarding Universal Energy Corporation
Dear Joseph:
I tried to reach Vanessa Anesetti last week, reaching her voice mail and leaving a message for her, but I have heard nothing from her yet. In my message, I added that I had sent several e-mail messages to her via the Universal Energy website, of course copies of which were also sent to your office. I still and adamantly maintain that their representative entered my apartment under false pretenses, insisting even upon my direct questioning several times, that he was not a salesperson, prior to and after entering my home. This is absolutely ridiculous! I find it even more appalling that he used scare tactics, under the pretense of being a consumer advocate, advising me that the first utility rate increase would be 100% (from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh) and in due course, would actually increase to 20 cents/kwh. This is what he directly and specifically quoted to me personally, elaborating that the "alleged" contract would protect me from those huge increases, by locking in the amount I would be charged per kwh and ultimately protecting me from these huge increases.
The company, which owns my apartment building, has a very stringent policy against solicitation on all rental properties which they own, even to the point of posting "No Solicitation" signs in the lobbies and foyers of their buildings. This policy can be confirmed by contacting the landlord, Homestead Land Holdings Limited, 80 Johnson Street, Kingston, ON K7L 1X7, PH: 613-546-1146 (downtown main rental office), e-mail address: homesteadkingston@cogeco.net. You may confirm this policy by contacting them and making a general inquiry, as to their policy concerning solicitation in all of their rental units, via either method. You will find that, ultimately, this Universal Energy representative was NOT supposed to be on the premises AT ALL. To the best of my knowledge, the only solicitation which the landlord allows at their rental units, are solicitations which are required by law, which would be politicians campaigning at election times and government election/census-related matters. I reiterate that there is a "No Solicitation" sign posted at the entrance to the building. The building is also a "Security building", meaning that in order for non-residents to enter the premises at all, they must enter a security code and be "buzzed" into the building in the first place. How did this representative of Universal Energy even gain access to the tenants in the building, in the first place???
Adding insult to injury, if you review my initial e-mail contacts with your office, you will find that when I first contacted Universal Energy regarding my complaints, I was not only advised that they have no "e-mail address" which I could contact, I was also advised that they had neither an extension number nor a contact person if there was an extension number, through which I could lodge a complaint. You will also find that, the very first time I contacted your office with my complaint, I spoke with Jeremy. He immediately advised me to contact Vanessa Anesetti directly, providing me with her address at their head office. The e-mail which I sent to Jeremy, which included that information, I printed out and immediately that day sent in the mail through Canada Post Corporation, to Ms. Anesetti.
As I have previously stated, I will settle for nothing less than the total annihilation of the bogus contract, especially but not exclusively because I was contacted under false pretenses. Would your office be in a position of authority, in which you could contact all of the tenants in this building (there are 65 units, with 12 apartments numbered "#01 to #12, ie. 501 to 512, on floors 1 through 5, and 5 apartments in the basement level, which are numbered 1 to 5), to see how many tenants were actually "scared" into signing contracts with Universal Energy under false pretenses? As I already stated, their representative was not even supposed to be on the premises "soliciting" in the first place. Just for the sake of your information, the building superintendent is located in Apt. 110. Even in my capacity as a tenant, I am not allowed to solicit within the building and, if I were to contact other tenants about this matter, it would be considered by the landlord as a direct violation of their "No Solicitation" policy.
This is not intended to reflect negatively on your office, but I am also sending a copy of this correspondence to the office of Premier McGuinty, via his website. I personally feel that this matter has gone on for far too long with no resolution and a province-wide investigation, regarding the practices of Universal Energy Corporation, should be implemented. I have no doubt that you will find many other consumers, who will have similar and/or identical complaints about Universal Energy, as mine. At the very end of this correspondence, I am including a copy of the correspondence I received via e-mail from the Premier's office, as well as a copy of the webpage through which I directly submitted a copy of this correspondence to Premier McGuinty's office.
Sincerely, S____
----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Rosa
To: _____________________
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 1:00 PM
Subject: RE: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Ref#2006-1945
Hello S_____
Thank you for your email to the Board dated July 27, 2006 regarding your issues with Universal Energy. Unfortunately Jeremy is no longer at the Board so I will advise you now.
Our contact at universal is Vanessa Anesetti. If she is calling you it is directly due to Jeremy contacting her on your behalf. Please call her back to resolve this issue. She will report back to us once she has spoken to you and ensured a resolution.
I do understand your concerns however she is trustworthy and I do hope she will be helpful. You may ask her to follow up your conversation by sending you a letter.
Regards,
Joe Rosa
Consumer Relations Centre
Ontario Energy Board
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ___________________
Sent: July 27, 2006 8:55 PM
To: Complaints
Cc: customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Subject: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Importance: High
Dear Jeremy:
I received a telephone voice message from a "Vanessa" at Universal Energy Compliance Dept., requesting that I telephone her regarding my ongoing complaint about Universal Energy and their representative who was in my home. My telephone display registered the number 416-224-9182 at 1:47 p.m. today. She asked me to telephone her at Extension 504, 1-877-672-5500 or after 5:00 p.m. to ask for Evelyn at Extension 502.
I do not trust any verbal communication with them, since I could be misrepresented on any point at any time, in the same way their representative deliberately misrepresented himself in my home.
The crux of my complaint is initially based on the fact that from my first contact with the representative of Universal Energy, who was in my home, misrepresented himself and his organization. He specifically made a point of advising me that he was not a salesman. This was before I even opened my door more than a crack and in direct reply when I specifically asked him if he was a sales rep of any kind. I placed strong emphasis on this statement from him, and specifically advised him that under no circumstances do I ever open my door to sales persons, for any reason. He repeatedly assured me that he was not there to sell me anything, but instead to strictly advise me as a consumer about the pending increases to electricity rates. He advised me that the first increase would be a 100% increase in the rates, from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh, eventually becoming 20 cent/kwh. He told me that I was signing an agreement to simply lock in my energy rates to protect myself from energy rates that were doubling, then quadrupling from the 5 cent/kwh rate. He never represented himself as a salesperson of any kind. Instead, he presented himself as a consumer advocate. He assured me that my rates would always be lower and fixed, thereby protecting me no matter how high the energy rates increased. He employed blatant scare tactics concerning the rate increases, but never once told me he was a sales rep for Universal Energy. I always thought he was a representative from a consumer advocacy group and he never told me otherwise or even intimated that he was a sale rep..
He was in my apartment long enough, to tell me at any time that he was actually a salesperson, at which time I would have ordered him to leave immediately. We even discussed ways to conserve energy, and I told him the many methods I personally use to conserve energy, beginning with replacing my electrical bulbs with fluorescent bulbs as soon as possible after I moved here in August of 1994, further explaining how much more expensive they were in the 1990s than they are today. I also told him how infrequently I use my own car, running all of my errands together about twice a month, rather than wasting gas by running individual errands on different days. He definitely came across, to me, as a consumer advocate and not a sales person!
Hope to get rid of these parasites from Universal Energy very soon. I have to wonder how many others they scared into signing contracts under false pretenses.
S__________
PROOF OF MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH PREMIER MCGUINTY'S OFFICE:
----- Original Message -----
From: Premier's Website
To: __________________
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 8:43 AM
Subject: Send The Premier Your Thoughts
Thanks for your online message.
I often say that Ontario works best when we work together, so hearing from you is important to me.
Every letter and message I receive is read and reviewed carefully. If your message requires an answer, we'll do our best to get back to you as quickly as we can.
Given the volume of online messages and letters I receive, and the fact that I may need to share your message with one of my cabinet ministers or the appropriate government officials for more information, a response may take several business days.
Thanks again for taking the time to write me.
Premier Dalton McGuinty
Government of Ontario
Whitney Block, Room 4620
99 Wellesley St. W.
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Fax: (416) 325-3745
Telephone: (416) 325-3777
* * *
Please note that this e-mail account is not monitored. For further inquiries, please direct your online message through http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp.
Confidentiality Warning: This e-mail contains information intended only for the use of the individual named above. If you have received this e-mail in error, we would appreciate it if you could advise us through the Premier's website at http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp and destroy all copies of this message. Thank you.
Skip to content
FRANÇAIS
Meet Dalton | Journal | Team | News | Gallery | Get Involved | Your Thoughts
Send Dalton Your Thoughts
Use the form below to send an e-mail to me on the issues that matter to you most.
Find out more about what you can expect when you send your message.
My message to Dalton:
Dear Joseph:
I tried to reach Vanessa Anesetti last week, reaching her voice mail and leaving a message for her, but I have heard nothing from her yet. In my message, I added that I had sent several e-mail messages to her via the Universal Energy website, of course copies of which were also sent to your office. I still and adamantly maintain that their representative entered my apartment under false pretenses, insisting even upon my direct questioning several times, that he was not a salesperson, prior to and after entering my home. This is absolutely ridiculous! I find it even more appalling that he used scare tactics, under the pretense of being a consumer advocate, advising me that the first utility rate increase would be 100% (from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh) and in due course, would actually increase to 20 cents/kwh. This is what he directly and specifically quoted to me personally, elaborating that the "alleged" contract would protect me from those huge increases, by locking in the amount I would be charged per kwh and ultimately protecting me from these huge increases.
The company, which owns my apartment building, has a very stringent policy against solicitation on all rental properties which they own, even to the point of posting "No Solicitation" signs in the lobbies and foyers of their buildings. This policy can be confirmed by contacting the landlord, Homestead Land Holdings Limited, 80 Johnson Street, Kingston, ON K7L 1X7, PH: 613-546-1146 (downtown main rental office), e-mail address: homesteadkingston@cogeco.net. You may confirm this policy by contacting them and making a general inquiry, as to their policy concerning solicitation in all of their rental units, via either method. You will find that, ultimately, this Universal Energy representative was NOT supposed to be on the premises AT ALL. To the best of my knowledge, the only solicitation which the landlord allows at their rental units, are solicitations which are required by law, which would be politicians campaigning at election times and government election/census-related matters. I reiterate that there is a "No Solicitation" sign posted at the entrance to the building. The building is also a "Security building", meaning that in order for non-residents to enter the premises at all, they must enter a security code and be "buzzed" into the building in the first place. How did this representative of Universal Energy even gain access to the tenants in the building, in the first place???
Adding insult to injury, if you review my initial e-mail contacts with your office, you will find that when I first contacted Universal Energy regarding my complaints, I was not only advised that they have no "e-mail address" which I could contact, I was also advised that they had neither an extension number nor a contact person if there was an extension number, through which I could lodge a complaint. You will also find that, the very first time I contacted your office with my complaint, I spoke with Jeremy. He immediately advised me to contact Vanessa Anesetti directly, providing me with her address at their head office. The e-mail which I sent to Jeremy, which included that information, I printed out and immediately that day sent in the mail through Canada Post Corporation, to Ms. Anesetti.
As I have previously stated, I will settle for nothing less than the total annihilation of the bogus contract, especially but not exclusively because I was contacted under false pretenses. Would your office be in a position of authority, in which you could contact all of the tenants in this building (there are 65 units, with 12 apartments numbered "#01 to #12, ie. 501 to 512, on floors 1 through 5, and 5 apartments in the basement level, which are numbered 1 to 5), to see how many tenants were actually "scared" into signing contracts with Universal Energy under false pretenses? As I already stated, their representative was not even supposed to be on the premises "soliciting" in the first place. Just for the sake of your information, the building superintendent is located in Apt. 110. Even in my capacity as a tenant, I am not allowed to solicit within the building and, if I were to contact other tenants about this matter, it would be considered by the landlord as a direct violation of their "No Solicitation" policy.
This is not intended to reflect negatively on your office, but I am also sending a copy of this correspondence to the office of Premier McGuinty, via his website. I personally feel that this matter has gone on for far too long with no resolution and a province-wide investigation, regarding the practices of Universal Energy Corporation, should be implemented. I have no doubt that you will find many other consumers, who will have similar and/or identical complaints about Universal Energy, as mine.
Sincerely, S____
----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Rosa
To: ____________________
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 1:00 PM
Subject: RE: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Ref#2006-1945
Hello S_____
Thank you for your email to the Board dated July 27, 2006 regarding your issues with Universal Energy. Unfortunately Jeremy is no longer at the Board so I will advise you now.
Our contact at universal is Vanessa Anesetti. If she is calling you it is directly due to Jeremy contacting her on your behalf. Please call her back to resolve this issue. She will report back to us once she has spoken to you and ensured a resolution.
I do understand your concerns however she is trustworthy and I do hope she will be helpful. You may ask her to follow up your conversation by sending you a letter.
Regards,
Joe Rosa
Consumer Relations Centre
Ontario Energy Board
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ____________________
Sent: July 27, 2006 8:55 PM
To: Complaints
Cc: customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Subject: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Importance: High
Dear Jeremy:
I received a telephone voice message from a "Vanessa" at Universal Energy Compliance Dept., requesting that I telephone her regarding my ongoing complaint about Universal Energy and their representative who was in my home. My telephone display registered the number 416-224-9182 at 1:47 p.m. today. She asked me to telephone her at Extension 504, 1-877-672-5500 or after 5:00 p.m. to ask for Evelyn at Extension 502.
I do not trust any verbal communication with them, since I could be misrepresented on any point at any time, in the same way their representative deliberately misrepresented himself in my home.
The crux of my complaint is initially based on the fact that from my first contact with the representative of Universal Energy, who was in my home, misrepresented himself and his organization. He specifically made a point of advising me that he was not a salesman. This was before I even opened my door more than a crack and in direct reply when I specifically asked him if he was a sales rep of any kind. I placed strong emphasis on this statement from him, and specifically advised him that under no circumstances do I ever open my door to sales persons, for any reason. He repeatedly assured me that he was not there to sell me anything, but instead to strictly advise me as a consumer about the pending increases to electricity rates. He advised me that the first increase would be a 100% increase in the rates, from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh, eventually becoming 20 cent/kwh. He told me that I was signing an agreement to simply lock in my energy rates to protect myself from energy rates that were doubling, then quadrupling from the 5 cent/kwh rate. He never represented himself as a salesperson of any kind. Instead, he presented himself as a consumer advocate. He assured me that my rates would always be lower and fixed, thereby protecting me no matter how high the energy rates increased. He employed blatant scare tactics concerning the rate increases, but never once told me he was a sales rep for Universal Energy. I always thought he was a representative from a consumer advocacy group and he never told me otherwise or even intimated that he was a sale rep..
He was in my apartment long enough, to tell me at any time that he was actually a salesperson, at which time I would have ordered him to leave immediately. We even discussed ways to conserve energy, and I told him the many methods I personally use to conserve energy, beginning with replacing my electrical bulbs with fluorescent bulbs as soon as possible after I moved here in August of 1994, further explaining how much more expensive they were in the 1990s than they are today. I also told him how infrequently I use my own car, running all of my errands together about twice a month, rather than wasting gas by running individual errands on different days. He definitely came across, to me, as a consumer advocate and not a sales person!
Hope to get rid of these parasites from Universal Energy very soon. I have to wonder how many others they scared into signing contracts under false pretenses.
S_________
E-mail:
When you send a message through my website, your privacy is protected by a number of security features.
If my message back to you contains personal information, the government's privacy rules require that I send you my reply by regular mail. In this case, you'll be asked to provide your postal address or you can provide it now.
Name:
Street Address:
City:
Postal/Zip:
Province/State:
Country:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your privacy is important to us and we are committed to protecting your personal information. All personal information you choose to provide when contacting the Premier is collected in compliance with the Executive Council Act and s.28(b) of the Interpretation Act. The information will be used to contact you regarding your comments or inquiry. Questions about the collection of information can be directed to the Manager, Correspondence Services Unit, Whitney Block, Room 4620, 99 Wellesley St. W., Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A1, 416-325-3777. For more information on protecting your personal information, please visit our privacy statement.
Your Thoughts
Video Journal
Look behind the headlines to hear what I have to say about today’s important issues.
Life Events
Driver's licences, birth certificates and other services.
Get Involved
Contests, quizzes and special events.
Your Thoughts
Share your views, opinions and questions.
Mailing List
Sign up to the mailing list for regular news updates.
Quick Poll
Do you plan to visit Ontario Place this summer?
Yes No
HOME | SEARCH | SITE MAP | CONTACT DALTON | FRANÇAIS | ONTARIO.CA
This site is maintained by the Government of Ontario
Privacy | Important Notices
© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2006
Last Modified: April 1, 2006
----- Original Message -----
From: ___________________
To: Joseph Rosa ; customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 1:00 AM
Subject: As of August 16, 2006, Universal Energy Still Refuses to cancel contract; Universal Energy forward immediately to Vanessa Anesetti
Subject: As of August 16, 2006, Universal Energy Still Refuses to cancel contract; Universal Energy forward immediately to Vanessa Anesetti
Dear Joseph:
Despite my many complaints, the typewritten letter I sent to Vanessa Anesetti at Universal Energy (as per Jeremy's instructions when I first contacted your office nearly a month ago), the fact that their representative directly lied to me (telling me he was not a salesman, but a consumer advocate instead), they still are refusing to cancel the contract that was obtained under false pretenses.
On Thursday, August 10th, I contacted their office. I hung up the phone when the representative in the Compliance Dept. (I believe it was Vanessa) replied to my repeated requests to cancel the contract, by saying "If we decide to cancel the contract". I immediately hung up after making a hasty reply to her.
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?????? I followed their requests, to the letter, for canceling the contract, and the instructions I received from you and Jeremy at your office. Copies of all correspondence have been sent directly to Universal Energy, including my letter of complaint to Premier McGuinty.
Please consider this matter unresolved and actively pursue an investigation into their illegal practices and procedures immediately. Also please ensure that, since I was tricked into signing a contract, which I was lead to believe was an agreement to protect me from high energy prices but in fact was a contract guaranteeing Universal Energy profits and not protecting me from increasing rates at all, that the entire contract be cancelled as though it never occurred.
Please get back to me ASAP. I am also sending a copy of this correspondence to Premier McGuinty. I am copying this correspondence and submitting it through his site. Just like with the last correspondence I forwarded to the Premier's office, below, I shall copy the automatic reply that I will receive from his office, which confirms that my complaint has been received.
S____
CONFIRMATION E-MAIL THAT MY LETTER OF COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED BY THE PREMIER'S OFFICE:
----- Original Message -----
From: Premier's Website
To: ___________________
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 12:58 AM
Subject: Send The Premier Your Thoughts
Thanks for your online message.
I often say that Ontario works best when we work together, so hearing from you is important to me.
Every letter and message I receive is read and reviewed carefully. If your message requires an answer, we'll do our best to get back to you as quickly as we can.
Given the volume of online messages and letters I receive, and the fact that I may need to share your message with one of my cabinet ministers or the appropriate government officials for more information, a response may take several business days.
Thanks again for taking the time to write me.
Premier Dalton McGuinty
Government of Ontario
Whitney Block, Room 4620
99 Wellesley St. W.
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Fax: (416) 325-3745
Telephone: (416) 325-3777
* * *
Please note that this e-mail account is not monitored. For further inquiries, please direct your online message through http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp.
Confidentiality Warning: This e-mail contains information intended only for the use of the individual named above. If you have received this e-mail in error, we would appreciate it if you could advise us through the Premier's website at http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp and destroy all copies of this message. Thank you.
Have you been scammed by the Universal Energy Corporation? Someone from their corporation knocked at my door on April 12, 2006. I live in a "security" apartment building in which solicitation is prohibited. The landlord has signs posted stating that fact. Before I even opened the door more than a crack with the chain on and before I could ask him, the man immediately advised me that he was not a salesman. I told him that solicitation was prohibited in the building and I would not open my door to "salespersons". He advised and repeatedly assured me that he was there to inform consumers about the deregulation of utilities by the Provincial Government, how the first increase in July would be from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh (100% increase) , and how it would increase by 2008 to 20 cents/kwh (400% increase). He further advised he was acting as a consumer advocate and stated that, if I signed up immediately for a "fixed rate", I would be protected from the bloated electricity rate increases, by having my rate frozen at 8.63 cents/kwh. While he was here, we discussed many different ways to conserve energy (not just electricity), and I told him many of the ways I personally conserve energy, for example by using all fluorescent bulbs. Several times I again asked if he was a salesman just to be sure, and he repeatedly assured me he was not, that he was a consumer advocate, going door-to-door to simply educate consumers. He certainly educated me! Like a moron, I even offered and served him a cold beverage believe it or not, while this "jerk was nailing me to the barn door".
I received my Electric bill from the local utilities company in July. The rate had increased from 5 to 5.8 cents/kwh. I had unknowingly signed a "contract" with an independent utility company for a much higher rate, without even knowing it! Of course he did not tell me that!!!!!! Someone please advise me if you think I am wrong about this. The document which allegedly fixed my electric rate at 8.63 cents/kwh is supposed to protect me and keep my electricity rates frozen at a fixed rate, subsequently saving me money immediately and forever. The Ontario Energy Board set the rate at 5.8 cents/kwh. Am I actually saving money??? Of course not. It is costing me nearly 3 cents/kwh more than that set out by the Provincial Government OEB, all profit to Universal Energy, especially since the billing is still done by the local utility company!
That was on July 14/06. Straight away, I contacted Universal Energy to file a complaint and cancel the contract immediately. They refused to cancel it. I was told that I would have to contact their Compliance Dept. When I asked to be transferred to the Dept., I was advised they have no telephone extension and, even if they did, there was no one on site to speak with at any time. I asked for an e-mail address, so I could cancel the contract immediately and was advised they have no e-mail address. I was provided with an address and told that I had to fax or send a letter by "snail mail" to cancel. I asked to speak with a manager or someone in a position of authority, but the woman to whom I was transferred was equally uncooperative about all of my above concerns.
Immediately I telephoned the Ontario Energy Board and lodged an official complaint. Jeremy at OEB advised me that the way I was treated was typical and advised me to send the letter to Vanessa Anesetti, the Manager at Universal. I did it that afternoon. As of today, Wed. Aug. 16, 2006, they are refusing to cancel the contract, even though I have repeatedly explained how their rep misrepresented himself right from the beginning. They refuse to put anything in writing and are argumentative, insolent, and uncooperative on the phone. I have spoken with others at their office, but mostly with Anesetti.
Please go to http://universalenergycorpscam.blogspot.com/ to see some of the e-mail complaints I have made, not only to Universal Energy, but also the OEB and even Premier McGuinty. This information will be posted there, followed by copies of some of my correspondences and written complaints.
I am sure that I am not the only person, not only in Kingston, but also in Ontario, who is being scammed by these people. You may file complaints with the Ontario Energy Board at www.oeb.gov.on.ca (e-mail info@oeb.gov.on.ca) if you were also scammed by Universal Energy. Perhaps if enough people file complaints, they can do something about them. I don't know if it will help, but you may try contacting McGuinty at http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/home/default.asp?lang=EN. I personally have not found him (or my local MPP) to be helpful with other issues, but you never know, he may surprise me this time. He used to have an e-mail address, but there is a link on the page to contact him and you may submit your complaint directly through his site.
If anyone doubts the voracity of what I have stated, contact Universal Energy yourself. Pit Bulls were banned in Ontario, and yet these more ferocious and disreputable companies are not!
If anyone out there has any success, please let me know.
BELOW ARE SOME OF MY CORRESPONDENCS, IN MY DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF THIS CONTRACT, WHICH I WAS TRICKED INTO SIGNING.:
----- Original Message -----
From: ___________________
To: complaints@oeb.gov.on.ca
Cc: customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 8:55 PM
Subject: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Dear Jeremy:
I received a telephone voice message from a "Vanessa" at Universal Energy Compliance Dept., requesting that I telephone her regarding my ongoing complaint about Universal Energy and their representative who was in my home. My telephone display registered the number 416-224-9182 at 1:47 p.m. today. She asked me to telephone her at Extension 504, 1-877-672-5500 or after 5:00 p.m. to ask for Evelyn at Extension 502.
I do not trust any verbal communication with them, since I could be misrepresented on any point at any time, in the same way their representative deliberately misrepresented himself in my home.
The crux of my complaint is initially based on the fact that from my first contact with the representative of Universal Energy, who was in my home, misrepresented himself and his organization. He specifically made a point of advising me that he was not a salesman. This was before I even opened my door more than a crack and in direct reply when I specifically asked him if he was a sales rep of any kind. I placed strong emphasis on this statement from him, and specifically advised him that under no circumstances do I ever open my door to sales persons, for any reason. He repeatedly assured me that he was not there to sell me anything, but instead to strictly advise me as a consumer about the pending increases to electricity rates. He advised me that the first increase would be a 100% increase in the rates, from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh, eventually becoming 20 cent/kwh. He told me that I was signing an agreement to simply lock in my energy rates to protect myself from energy rates that were doubling, then quadrupling from the 5 cent/kwh rate. He never represented himself as a salesperson of any kind. Instead, he presented himself as a consumer advocate. He assured me that my rates would always be lower and fixed, thereby protecting me no matter how high the energy rates increased. He employed blatant scare tactics concerning the rate increases, but never once told me he was a sales rep for Universal Energy. I always thought he was a representative from a consumer advocacy group and he never told me otherwise or even intimated that he was a sale rep..
He was in my apartment long enough, to tell me at any time that he was actually a salesperson, at which time I would have ordered him to leave immediately. We even discussed ways to conserve energy, and I told him the many methods I personally use to conserve energy, beginning with replacing my electrical bulbs with fluorescent bulbs as soon as possible after I moved here in August of 1994, further explaining how much more expensive they were in the 1990s than they are today. I also told him how infrequently I use my own car, running all of my errands together about twice a month, rather than wasting gas by running individual errands on different days. He definitely came across, to me, as a consumer advocate and not a sales person!
Hope to get rid of these parasites from Universal Energy very soon. I have to wonder how many others they scared into signing contracts under false pretenses.
S_________
____________________________________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: ___________________
To: Joseph Rosa ; customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 8:48 AM
Subject: OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23 regarding Universal Energy Corporation
Dear Joseph:
I tried to reach Vanessa Anesetti last week, reaching her voice mail and leaving a message for her, but I have heard nothing from her yet. In my message, I added that I had sent several e-mail messages to her via the Universal Energy website, of course copies of which were also sent to your office. I still and adamantly maintain that their representative entered my apartment under false pretenses, insisting even upon my direct questioning several times, that he was not a salesperson, prior to and after entering my home. This is absolutely ridiculous! I find it even more appalling that he used scare tactics, under the pretense of being a consumer advocate, advising me that the first utility rate increase would be 100% (from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh) and in due course, would actually increase to 20 cents/kwh. This is what he directly and specifically quoted to me personally, elaborating that the "alleged" contract would protect me from those huge increases, by locking in the amount I would be charged per kwh and ultimately protecting me from these huge increases.
The company, which owns my apartment building, has a very stringent policy against solicitation on all rental properties which they own, even to the point of posting "No Solicitation" signs in the lobbies and foyers of their buildings. This policy can be confirmed by contacting the landlord, Homestead Land Holdings Limited, 80 Johnson Street, Kingston, ON K7L 1X7, PH: 613-546-1146 (downtown main rental office), e-mail address: homesteadkingston@cogeco.net. You may confirm this policy by contacting them and making a general inquiry, as to their policy concerning solicitation in all of their rental units, via either method. You will find that, ultimately, this Universal Energy representative was NOT supposed to be on the premises AT ALL. To the best of my knowledge, the only solicitation which the landlord allows at their rental units, are solicitations which are required by law, which would be politicians campaigning at election times and government election/census-related matters. I reiterate that there is a "No Solicitation" sign posted at the entrance to the building. The building is also a "Security building", meaning that in order for non-residents to enter the premises at all, they must enter a security code and be "buzzed" into the building in the first place. How did this representative of Universal Energy even gain access to the tenants in the building, in the first place???
Adding insult to injury, if you review my initial e-mail contacts with your office, you will find that when I first contacted Universal Energy regarding my complaints, I was not only advised that they have no "e-mail address" which I could contact, I was also advised that they had neither an extension number nor a contact person if there was an extension number, through which I could lodge a complaint. You will also find that, the very first time I contacted your office with my complaint, I spoke with Jeremy. He immediately advised me to contact Vanessa Anesetti directly, providing me with her address at their head office. The e-mail which I sent to Jeremy, which included that information, I printed out and immediately that day sent in the mail through Canada Post Corporation, to Ms. Anesetti.
As I have previously stated, I will settle for nothing less than the total annihilation of the bogus contract, especially but not exclusively because I was contacted under false pretenses. Would your office be in a position of authority, in which you could contact all of the tenants in this building (there are 65 units, with 12 apartments numbered "#01 to #12, ie. 501 to 512, on floors 1 through 5, and 5 apartments in the basement level, which are numbered 1 to 5), to see how many tenants were actually "scared" into signing contracts with Universal Energy under false pretenses? As I already stated, their representative was not even supposed to be on the premises "soliciting" in the first place. Just for the sake of your information, the building superintendent is located in Apt. 110. Even in my capacity as a tenant, I am not allowed to solicit within the building and, if I were to contact other tenants about this matter, it would be considered by the landlord as a direct violation of their "No Solicitation" policy.
This is not intended to reflect negatively on your office, but I am also sending a copy of this correspondence to the office of Premier McGuinty, via his website. I personally feel that this matter has gone on for far too long with no resolution and a province-wide investigation, regarding the practices of Universal Energy Corporation, should be implemented. I have no doubt that you will find many other consumers, who will have similar and/or identical complaints about Universal Energy, as mine. At the very end of this correspondence, I am including a copy of the correspondence I received via e-mail from the Premier's office, as well as a copy of the webpage through which I directly submitted a copy of this correspondence to Premier McGuinty's office.
Sincerely, S____
----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Rosa
To: _____________________
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 1:00 PM
Subject: RE: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Ref#2006-1945
Hello S_____
Thank you for your email to the Board dated July 27, 2006 regarding your issues with Universal Energy. Unfortunately Jeremy is no longer at the Board so I will advise you now.
Our contact at universal is Vanessa Anesetti. If she is calling you it is directly due to Jeremy contacting her on your behalf. Please call her back to resolve this issue. She will report back to us once she has spoken to you and ensured a resolution.
I do understand your concerns however she is trustworthy and I do hope she will be helpful. You may ask her to follow up your conversation by sending you a letter.
Regards,
Joe Rosa
Consumer Relations Centre
Ontario Energy Board
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ___________________
Sent: July 27, 2006 8:55 PM
To: Complaints
Cc: customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Subject: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Importance: High
Dear Jeremy:
I received a telephone voice message from a "Vanessa" at Universal Energy Compliance Dept., requesting that I telephone her regarding my ongoing complaint about Universal Energy and their representative who was in my home. My telephone display registered the number 416-224-9182 at 1:47 p.m. today. She asked me to telephone her at Extension 504, 1-877-672-5500 or after 5:00 p.m. to ask for Evelyn at Extension 502.
I do not trust any verbal communication with them, since I could be misrepresented on any point at any time, in the same way their representative deliberately misrepresented himself in my home.
The crux of my complaint is initially based on the fact that from my first contact with the representative of Universal Energy, who was in my home, misrepresented himself and his organization. He specifically made a point of advising me that he was not a salesman. This was before I even opened my door more than a crack and in direct reply when I specifically asked him if he was a sales rep of any kind. I placed strong emphasis on this statement from him, and specifically advised him that under no circumstances do I ever open my door to sales persons, for any reason. He repeatedly assured me that he was not there to sell me anything, but instead to strictly advise me as a consumer about the pending increases to electricity rates. He advised me that the first increase would be a 100% increase in the rates, from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh, eventually becoming 20 cent/kwh. He told me that I was signing an agreement to simply lock in my energy rates to protect myself from energy rates that were doubling, then quadrupling from the 5 cent/kwh rate. He never represented himself as a salesperson of any kind. Instead, he presented himself as a consumer advocate. He assured me that my rates would always be lower and fixed, thereby protecting me no matter how high the energy rates increased. He employed blatant scare tactics concerning the rate increases, but never once told me he was a sales rep for Universal Energy. I always thought he was a representative from a consumer advocacy group and he never told me otherwise or even intimated that he was a sale rep..
He was in my apartment long enough, to tell me at any time that he was actually a salesperson, at which time I would have ordered him to leave immediately. We even discussed ways to conserve energy, and I told him the many methods I personally use to conserve energy, beginning with replacing my electrical bulbs with fluorescent bulbs as soon as possible after I moved here in August of 1994, further explaining how much more expensive they were in the 1990s than they are today. I also told him how infrequently I use my own car, running all of my errands together about twice a month, rather than wasting gas by running individual errands on different days. He definitely came across, to me, as a consumer advocate and not a sales person!
Hope to get rid of these parasites from Universal Energy very soon. I have to wonder how many others they scared into signing contracts under false pretenses.
S__________
PROOF OF MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH PREMIER MCGUINTY'S OFFICE:
----- Original Message -----
From: Premier's Website
To: __________________
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 8:43 AM
Subject: Send The Premier Your Thoughts
Thanks for your online message.
I often say that Ontario works best when we work together, so hearing from you is important to me.
Every letter and message I receive is read and reviewed carefully. If your message requires an answer, we'll do our best to get back to you as quickly as we can.
Given the volume of online messages and letters I receive, and the fact that I may need to share your message with one of my cabinet ministers or the appropriate government officials for more information, a response may take several business days.
Thanks again for taking the time to write me.
Premier Dalton McGuinty
Government of Ontario
Whitney Block, Room 4620
99 Wellesley St. W.
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Fax: (416) 325-3745
Telephone: (416) 325-3777
* * *
Please note that this e-mail account is not monitored. For further inquiries, please direct your online message through http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp.
Confidentiality Warning: This e-mail contains information intended only for the use of the individual named above. If you have received this e-mail in error, we would appreciate it if you could advise us through the Premier's website at http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp and destroy all copies of this message. Thank you.
Skip to content
FRANÇAIS
Meet Dalton | Journal | Team | News | Gallery | Get Involved | Your Thoughts
Send Dalton Your Thoughts
Use the form below to send an e-mail to me on the issues that matter to you most.
Find out more about what you can expect when you send your message.
My message to Dalton:
Dear Joseph:
I tried to reach Vanessa Anesetti last week, reaching her voice mail and leaving a message for her, but I have heard nothing from her yet. In my message, I added that I had sent several e-mail messages to her via the Universal Energy website, of course copies of which were also sent to your office. I still and adamantly maintain that their representative entered my apartment under false pretenses, insisting even upon my direct questioning several times, that he was not a salesperson, prior to and after entering my home. This is absolutely ridiculous! I find it even more appalling that he used scare tactics, under the pretense of being a consumer advocate, advising me that the first utility rate increase would be 100% (from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh) and in due course, would actually increase to 20 cents/kwh. This is what he directly and specifically quoted to me personally, elaborating that the "alleged" contract would protect me from those huge increases, by locking in the amount I would be charged per kwh and ultimately protecting me from these huge increases.
The company, which owns my apartment building, has a very stringent policy against solicitation on all rental properties which they own, even to the point of posting "No Solicitation" signs in the lobbies and foyers of their buildings. This policy can be confirmed by contacting the landlord, Homestead Land Holdings Limited, 80 Johnson Street, Kingston, ON K7L 1X7, PH: 613-546-1146 (downtown main rental office), e-mail address: homesteadkingston@cogeco.net. You may confirm this policy by contacting them and making a general inquiry, as to their policy concerning solicitation in all of their rental units, via either method. You will find that, ultimately, this Universal Energy representative was NOT supposed to be on the premises AT ALL. To the best of my knowledge, the only solicitation which the landlord allows at their rental units, are solicitations which are required by law, which would be politicians campaigning at election times and government election/census-related matters. I reiterate that there is a "No Solicitation" sign posted at the entrance to the building. The building is also a "Security building", meaning that in order for non-residents to enter the premises at all, they must enter a security code and be "buzzed" into the building in the first place. How did this representative of Universal Energy even gain access to the tenants in the building, in the first place???
Adding insult to injury, if you review my initial e-mail contacts with your office, you will find that when I first contacted Universal Energy regarding my complaints, I was not only advised that they have no "e-mail address" which I could contact, I was also advised that they had neither an extension number nor a contact person if there was an extension number, through which I could lodge a complaint. You will also find that, the very first time I contacted your office with my complaint, I spoke with Jeremy. He immediately advised me to contact Vanessa Anesetti directly, providing me with her address at their head office. The e-mail which I sent to Jeremy, which included that information, I printed out and immediately that day sent in the mail through Canada Post Corporation, to Ms. Anesetti.
As I have previously stated, I will settle for nothing less than the total annihilation of the bogus contract, especially but not exclusively because I was contacted under false pretenses. Would your office be in a position of authority, in which you could contact all of the tenants in this building (there are 65 units, with 12 apartments numbered "#01 to #12, ie. 501 to 512, on floors 1 through 5, and 5 apartments in the basement level, which are numbered 1 to 5), to see how many tenants were actually "scared" into signing contracts with Universal Energy under false pretenses? As I already stated, their representative was not even supposed to be on the premises "soliciting" in the first place. Just for the sake of your information, the building superintendent is located in Apt. 110. Even in my capacity as a tenant, I am not allowed to solicit within the building and, if I were to contact other tenants about this matter, it would be considered by the landlord as a direct violation of their "No Solicitation" policy.
This is not intended to reflect negatively on your office, but I am also sending a copy of this correspondence to the office of Premier McGuinty, via his website. I personally feel that this matter has gone on for far too long with no resolution and a province-wide investigation, regarding the practices of Universal Energy Corporation, should be implemented. I have no doubt that you will find many other consumers, who will have similar and/or identical complaints about Universal Energy, as mine.
Sincerely, S____
----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Rosa
To: ____________________
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 1:00 PM
Subject: RE: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Ref#2006-1945
Hello S_____
Thank you for your email to the Board dated July 27, 2006 regarding your issues with Universal Energy. Unfortunately Jeremy is no longer at the Board so I will advise you now.
Our contact at universal is Vanessa Anesetti. If she is calling you it is directly due to Jeremy contacting her on your behalf. Please call her back to resolve this issue. She will report back to us once she has spoken to you and ensured a resolution.
I do understand your concerns however she is trustworthy and I do hope she will be helpful. You may ask her to follow up your conversation by sending you a letter.
Regards,
Joe Rosa
Consumer Relations Centre
Ontario Energy Board
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ____________________
Sent: July 27, 2006 8:55 PM
To: Complaints
Cc: customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Subject: Please pass on to Jeremy re OEB Complaint File No. 2006-037-23
Importance: High
Dear Jeremy:
I received a telephone voice message from a "Vanessa" at Universal Energy Compliance Dept., requesting that I telephone her regarding my ongoing complaint about Universal Energy and their representative who was in my home. My telephone display registered the number 416-224-9182 at 1:47 p.m. today. She asked me to telephone her at Extension 504, 1-877-672-5500 or after 5:00 p.m. to ask for Evelyn at Extension 502.
I do not trust any verbal communication with them, since I could be misrepresented on any point at any time, in the same way their representative deliberately misrepresented himself in my home.
The crux of my complaint is initially based on the fact that from my first contact with the representative of Universal Energy, who was in my home, misrepresented himself and his organization. He specifically made a point of advising me that he was not a salesman. This was before I even opened my door more than a crack and in direct reply when I specifically asked him if he was a sales rep of any kind. I placed strong emphasis on this statement from him, and specifically advised him that under no circumstances do I ever open my door to sales persons, for any reason. He repeatedly assured me that he was not there to sell me anything, but instead to strictly advise me as a consumer about the pending increases to electricity rates. He advised me that the first increase would be a 100% increase in the rates, from 5 cents/kwh to 10 cents/kwh, eventually becoming 20 cent/kwh. He told me that I was signing an agreement to simply lock in my energy rates to protect myself from energy rates that were doubling, then quadrupling from the 5 cent/kwh rate. He never represented himself as a salesperson of any kind. Instead, he presented himself as a consumer advocate. He assured me that my rates would always be lower and fixed, thereby protecting me no matter how high the energy rates increased. He employed blatant scare tactics concerning the rate increases, but never once told me he was a sales rep for Universal Energy. I always thought he was a representative from a consumer advocacy group and he never told me otherwise or even intimated that he was a sale rep..
He was in my apartment long enough, to tell me at any time that he was actually a salesperson, at which time I would have ordered him to leave immediately. We even discussed ways to conserve energy, and I told him the many methods I personally use to conserve energy, beginning with replacing my electrical bulbs with fluorescent bulbs as soon as possible after I moved here in August of 1994, further explaining how much more expensive they were in the 1990s than they are today. I also told him how infrequently I use my own car, running all of my errands together about twice a month, rather than wasting gas by running individual errands on different days. He definitely came across, to me, as a consumer advocate and not a sales person!
Hope to get rid of these parasites from Universal Energy very soon. I have to wonder how many others they scared into signing contracts under false pretenses.
S_________
E-mail:
When you send a message through my website, your privacy is protected by a number of security features.
If my message back to you contains personal information, the government's privacy rules require that I send you my reply by regular mail. In this case, you'll be asked to provide your postal address or you can provide it now.
Name:
Street Address:
City:
Postal/Zip:
Province/State:
Country:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your privacy is important to us and we are committed to protecting your personal information. All personal information you choose to provide when contacting the Premier is collected in compliance with the Executive Council Act and s.28(b) of the Interpretation Act. The information will be used to contact you regarding your comments or inquiry. Questions about the collection of information can be directed to the Manager, Correspondence Services Unit, Whitney Block, Room 4620, 99 Wellesley St. W., Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A1, 416-325-3777. For more information on protecting your personal information, please visit our privacy statement.
Your Thoughts
Video Journal
Look behind the headlines to hear what I have to say about today’s important issues.
Life Events
Driver's licences, birth certificates and other services.
Get Involved
Contests, quizzes and special events.
Your Thoughts
Share your views, opinions and questions.
Mailing List
Sign up to the mailing list for regular news updates.
Quick Poll
Do you plan to visit Ontario Place this summer?
Yes No
HOME | SEARCH | SITE MAP | CONTACT DALTON | FRANÇAIS | ONTARIO.CA
This site is maintained by the Government of Ontario
Privacy | Important Notices
© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2006
Last Modified: April 1, 2006
----- Original Message -----
From: ___________________
To: Joseph Rosa ; customerservice@universalenergy.ca
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 1:00 AM
Subject: As of August 16, 2006, Universal Energy Still Refuses to cancel contract; Universal Energy forward immediately to Vanessa Anesetti
Subject: As of August 16, 2006, Universal Energy Still Refuses to cancel contract; Universal Energy forward immediately to Vanessa Anesetti
Dear Joseph:
Despite my many complaints, the typewritten letter I sent to Vanessa Anesetti at Universal Energy (as per Jeremy's instructions when I first contacted your office nearly a month ago), the fact that their representative directly lied to me (telling me he was not a salesman, but a consumer advocate instead), they still are refusing to cancel the contract that was obtained under false pretenses.
On Thursday, August 10th, I contacted their office. I hung up the phone when the representative in the Compliance Dept. (I believe it was Vanessa) replied to my repeated requests to cancel the contract, by saying "If we decide to cancel the contract". I immediately hung up after making a hasty reply to her.
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?????? I followed their requests, to the letter, for canceling the contract, and the instructions I received from you and Jeremy at your office. Copies of all correspondence have been sent directly to Universal Energy, including my letter of complaint to Premier McGuinty.
Please consider this matter unresolved and actively pursue an investigation into their illegal practices and procedures immediately. Also please ensure that, since I was tricked into signing a contract, which I was lead to believe was an agreement to protect me from high energy prices but in fact was a contract guaranteeing Universal Energy profits and not protecting me from increasing rates at all, that the entire contract be cancelled as though it never occurred.
Please get back to me ASAP. I am also sending a copy of this correspondence to Premier McGuinty. I am copying this correspondence and submitting it through his site. Just like with the last correspondence I forwarded to the Premier's office, below, I shall copy the automatic reply that I will receive from his office, which confirms that my complaint has been received.
S____
CONFIRMATION E-MAIL THAT MY LETTER OF COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED BY THE PREMIER'S OFFICE:
----- Original Message -----
From: Premier's Website
To: ___________________
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 12:58 AM
Subject: Send The Premier Your Thoughts
Thanks for your online message.
I often say that Ontario works best when we work together, so hearing from you is important to me.
Every letter and message I receive is read and reviewed carefully. If your message requires an answer, we'll do our best to get back to you as quickly as we can.
Given the volume of online messages and letters I receive, and the fact that I may need to share your message with one of my cabinet ministers or the appropriate government officials for more information, a response may take several business days.
Thanks again for taking the time to write me.
Premier Dalton McGuinty
Government of Ontario
Whitney Block, Room 4620
99 Wellesley St. W.
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Fax: (416) 325-3745
Telephone: (416) 325-3777
* * *
Please note that this e-mail account is not monitored. For further inquiries, please direct your online message through http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp.
Confidentiality Warning: This e-mail contains information intended only for the use of the individual named above. If you have received this e-mail in error, we would appreciate it if you could advise us through the Premier's website at http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp and destroy all copies of this message. Thank you.
posted by Kitten @ 10:49 PM
32 Comments:
At 5:13 AM,
the Hat said…
How much are you paying for electricity now?
Once the government removes the RPP which is being phased out over time, you will be paying 10 cents or more /kWh - so would you rather have 4 years left at the lower rate, or pay the fluctuating higher rate?
The little extra you are paying now will be offset by the amount you save in the near future.
At 5:16 AM,
the Hat said…
Also, your blog would be better if you didn't repeat the same content - I'm guessing you are copying the entire emails which are redundant.
Removing this will make your blog sound less like a rant from someone who needs something to do because it will not have the same complaint over & over.
At 10:31 AM,
uncletom said…
Hey stupid
I work at Universal, and you had 10 days to cancel which you did not.
Also you received a reaffimation call to confirm that you wanted to continue with the program.
No where in your rants do you say this. So you did reaffirm the contract and thats why your not going to get out of it.
You must be so upset knowing the person next door is paying a $150 bill, while you are paying a $260 bill
HA HA HA HA
At 10:21 AM,
Unknown said…
The same scam was pulled on me as well. They conned my wife into signing yesterday. I called first thing this morning and got the run around for about 40 minutes and 7 callbacks from me. I finally got a supervisor on the line and everything was taken care of, including a cancellation confirmation number. I will still keep a close eye on things to make sure I have no more dealings with these guys. I just wanted to write on here to let everyone know you do not need to wait the 10 days like they try to make you believe, my wife signed and got the confirmation phone call late afternoon yesterday and I got cancellation confirmation this morning. Here is the name and phone number of the supervisor I spoke to this morning who was very helpful in clearing things up.
Vanessa Anesetti - 1-877-672-5500 ext. 324
I feel a little guilty giving her info out, as she will probably be slammed with calls but then I realized that she's the one who works for the shady company and she deserves to hear from all the upset customers.
Best of luck.
Ryan
At 2:25 PM,
Christopher Seepe said…
We were scammed by a "rogue agent" and we have been told that they want $1,200 to get out of the contract.
I have notified them that I will be taking them to small claims court for misrepresentation and unfair busienss practices.
At 8:00 AM,
hatesuniversal said…
I have also been totally scammed by Universal Power. The man that came to my door in the summer of 2006, seemed very persuasive, wanting to come have a seat at my kitchen table and explain what a great deal he has for me, and that I would be a "FOOL"(that was his exact words were) I would be if didn't sign up. I was busy with my girls...so I just said..Yes..whatever....sign me up. I didn't think anything of it...and got the call 10 days later to confirm...which I confirmed. I think at the time I was a little hesitant, however, I had signed up with Direct Energy for my gas...and have had no problems, so I thought I was doing a good thing. That was until the budget on my hydro bill kept going up every 2 months...and I received my anniversary bill from hydro stating that I owed $1000.00 over and above my budget. I was like "WHAT?!?!?" Anyways...started doing some investigating,,,turns out that I have been paying 9.59 cents since I signed up. My budget every month isn't even close to what I should be paying....which is why I had a huge bill for my anniversary month. My husband was freaking out...as he didn't even now I signed the contract...again...thought it was an OK thing?!?! I'm an idiot!!
Huge, costly fix...as I called them...of course, they couldn't put me through to anyone who could help...they said I should write a letter requesting my cancellation and they would return a letter stating how much it would cost to settle. So,,,a MONTH after I sent my letter, I got a letter back stating it would cost me $600+ to get out of my contract as they had already purchased 5 years worth of hydro on my behalf. What a CROCK!!!! I hate these bastards! Just who the hell do they think they are.....LOVE to meet the president of this company...living in his mansion on all of our cancellation fees!! ASS!!!!
I did contact a lawyer and he told me that because I confirmed the phone call, I was basically *#@! out of luck!
Anyhow...after reading all of your posts...I decided it was well worth my while to pay the damn cancellation fee...I just mailed it out today.
So, with the cost of the anniversary $1000K and the cost of buying out my contract...I have spent what I person would on regular hydro for a whole year!!
This company needs to be stopped!! I have warned everyone in my small community of the HUGE mistake I made...and I am writing to my local newspaper warning everyone what people like ourselves have had to deal with. What a costly mistake I have made.....I will NEVER sign with anyone again!!!!
Cheers!
At 2:01 PM,
Me said…
I live in Michigan and them sales people come to my door every weekend. I went to the store one day and they "conned" my husband, giving him the same speal. I got home and he told me about it. I looked at the paper work and they ar echarging almost twice what I pay now. I called right away and told them to cancel right now or I'm calling the better business bearue(?sp). So they canceled it. The way I new it was a scam is because it says in the paper work that to cancel after 3 days you must pay them $200. What kind of gas company charges you for canceling? On top of it Consumers energy owns the gas lines out here and they are trying to tell me that it's their gas that they would be providing us. Bull! Not possible to send two seperate gas' through one line that is monopolized. They are scam artists that pressure you into it they refuse to leave your house till you sign up w/ them. And they come back day after day after day. And for all you people that are putting this lady down is a bunch of bull! Thisw company tells you that you are paying less when you are actually paying twice as much I actually have to threaten them w/ the police every time theyt come out here. I have called the company and told them to quit soliciting to me and they still come. But when they come to my door I have phone in hand and tell them to leave or I'm calling the police for harrasment but every weekend they are back. And for POP mabey you better educate yourself on the situation before you insult people on the situation. It's not just Ontario they are harrasing its almost every state in the US. You do not know what it feels like to have someone at your door in your face refusing to leave pressuring you to do something telling you all these lies making something sound great but in reality its a scam. So before putting people down mabey you should look at yourself and realize how you talk to people. The Hat and Uncle Tom get heads out where the sun shines and instead of taking advantage of people get a real job. Losers.
At 9:59 AM,
ryleemay said…
Hello Uncle Tom: well when I purchased my gas for home heating from Universal Energy the door salesman informed me I would be saving money bottom line. Well I have been paying double since I signed that contract. What say u to that? ryleemay
At 10:02 AM,
ryleemay said…
Every person I meet who has gas energy I specifically tell them not to sign with Universal Energy they are liars, and they are scam artists.And you can take that to the bank. ryleemay
At 8:55 PM,
FunkmasterLos said…
What I find particularly distressing about this whole thing is that the people who feel scammed had far more chances than they own up to to let this "scam" pass them by. What the company has done is charged you a higher rate for a period of time. This item that you are being charged a higher than today's market price is a commodity. The thing with commodities is that they are always increasing in value. Hence the name. The supply almost never increases(or they tell us that it doesn't, but they have to keep finding it don't they?), but the demand NEVER decreases at this point due to our energy consumption without using renewables. So the price is going to increase on the market. Guaranteed. As simple as that. By locking into a set price for a period of five years, you are avoiding that cost increase quite handily. Initially you do lose money, which is unfortunate that the person who did the pitch didn't include it, but after the market price equals what your paying, you are from then on making money. Depending on the difference between the two prices initially(ie when you first purchase the item in question), you then make an educated guess based on past market price behavior, to determine when you think you will start saving money and whether or not the initial loss is worth the potential gain. The reason that such a seemingly exhorbinant fee is charged for cancellation is due to the fact that they do indeed purchase a HUGE chunk, billions of dollars worth sometimes, of the item in question. If you were promised something and made a bet on it, but were then told, "Oh, Im sorry I lied, now if you will please excuse me, I'm busy being concerned about something other than my word" you would wish to exact some form of punishment on said person. The problem is that you didnt listen to what was said and listen clearly and interperet it, and two, you didn't do any checking on it to ensure it was legit. I don't know the price for the item in question, but my bet is that you would have saved money in the long haul. They dont plan on making money off you with a scam. They do end up doing so cuz the gas will get sold no matter what, its just a matter of whether or not you want to get the dessert with your meal after having gone through all the trouble of eating the lima beans.
At 6:59 AM,
Stink Eye & Tube Steak said…
I have linked to you. We had a visitor at our door who definitely misrepresented himself.
I was able to cancel the contract. What alerted me to the scam was the telephone rep laughing at me after I said "I thought we were dealing with the our regular energy marketer". . .this was AFTER CONFIRMATION, and when he said as a sidenote that there may be a end of contract charge from our current energy marketer.
At 3:35 PM,
Unknown said…
Those b_____rds were by my door today in Barrie, Ontario but I had had remebered reading about this kind of tactic before. He asked to see my hydro bill to ensure I was capped. I Sent him on his way but what concerns me is how many others will get duped. I phoned and wrote to UEC but you can guess what kind of non-responses I am getting.
As an aside, I used to have Direct Energy for my gas. When my contract expired, they automatically upped me to double the going rate for 1 year because I did not inform then I had no intention to renew. Once that year was up I made sure to inform them, and received more than 20 phone calls, umpteen mailings, and even a cheque that when read carefully said your endoresement of the cheque was actually a contract to renew...
Never again.
At 7:39 PM,
Anonymous said…
They were here 2day June 10 2008, i didn't sign up as my mom was the owner but i googled after they left and thanks 2 you guys i found out it was a scam, thank you for your post
At 1:11 PM,
interested party said…
I am having a problem with Universal Energy as well, however, it has to do with them not charging me as per my contract. There was a rate change after Dec. 31, 2007 but Hydro One read the meter in October and not again until April 16 - Universal refuses to prorate the total usage and charge me the lower rate for approximate usage between Oct 16 - Dec 31. Fair practice is obviously not there mission statement.
At 2:28 AM,
Unknown said…
Just found a signed universal contract on my friend's fridge. I asked her why she would ever sign up for a consistent rate comparable to peak usage rates with the standard provider and her response was "I don't know, they said I had to." I totally understand her thinking this because she was not aware that she should be wary of these people. Similar private energy suppliers have come to my door before and claimed that it was 'standard procedure' and that I 'needed to sign to get the benefits of a locked rate'. They implied they were with hydro Ottawa and that it was mandatory and in my best interest. Unethical and illegal.
Viral Marketing
At 12:37 PM,
Stu McLaren said…
We totally got dupped by Universal Energy and we are now looking at a cancellation fee of close to $1500!
What kills me is the fact that they charge you this cancellation fee because they purchased all this energy on your behalf but then they turn around and sell it to another customer.
So it works to their favor to have customers cancel because they not only charge person #1 with the cancellation fee but they also charge person #2 their regular fees FOR THE EXACT SAME "ENERGY".
Go figure?
I don't understand how a company can get away with charging two different people for the exact same product.
That's where the problem is.
It looks like we'll end up paying the fee and then taking them to small claims court. They've made our lives a living hell for the last 10 months so I plan to return the favor.
At 1:01 PM,
Bruce B. said…
5 Dec 2008
We had a Universal Energy Corp. salesman at our door today. He was dishonest and evasive in what he claimed he wanted to do for us and it took me most of his sales pitch to realize what he was likely up to -- trying to get me to sign a contract with UEP without reading it. In the end when I said he could leave the contract with me and I would read the fine print and if I then agreed I would mail it in. At that point he ripped up the unsigned contract and left with it. I have to admit he was very skilled at being a fast talker and avoiding the truth when it suited him or lying if necessary. If you own stock in UEG (on the TSX) I recommend you sell it. If a UEG salesperson comes to your door, don't waste your time -- close it quickly while he or she is still outside.
At 1:39 PM,
Stink Eye & Tube Steak said…
There's another energy marketer running around, I just slammed the door in his face. He had a bill of some sort, it did look like a utility bill I noticed on his shirt it said Summit Energy. . .I am in Ontario, haven't heard of these guys before, anyhow, just a heads up.
At 6:02 AM,
Keep Six said…
Energy Mafia? I attempted to remove three UEC agents from my building who were trespassing. They assaulted me in the stairwell, requiring twelve stitches to my face, and a month of rehab. I lost my superintendent's job, I lost my home, and I lost my wife. The police questioned the three assailants, and never pressed any charges against them. There's more to this company than meets the eye...
At 8:58 AM,
Unknown said…
Please see:
http://www.oeb.gov.on.ca/OEB/_Documents/Press+Releases/press_release_Universal-order_20090121.pdf
http://www.oeb.gov.on.ca/OEB/_Documents/Press+Releases/press_release_Summitt-order_20090121.pdf
Should be confirmation that all organizations offering fixed rates for energy are (and apparently employ)crooks.
At 7:40 AM,
Beth Victor said…
I regret to say that I must join this bandwagon. I was living with my bedridden mother at the time when I came home one day and found them sitting talking to her. It was the same long, involved scam all of you describe - the implication that they are representing a Government group committed to protecting people against high energy costs, the empathy and conciliatory attitude etc. One further approach they took with us was one that they were so 'glad' they could 'provide advocacy and protection' for 'people like us'. The reference there is to the fact that I was full time caretaker for a disabled mother and son and that we were all on a fixed income.
In recent years, there have been several legitimate attempts by the Government to assist low and fixed income people with energy costs so, when they lied about this (yes - lied) I bought it.
Well, my mother has since passed away and I am sitting in a 2 bedroom apartment paying $200.00 more per month then the 2 bedroom apartment across the hall from me. I have emailed the OEB and even am receiving help from a local legal center and still wriggling like a fish on a hook.
As for other posts, POP, every time someone starts a sentence with 'no offense' they are wasting their breath and time - for offense is certainly implied. Yes, people make mistakes, they do not read or understand contracts as well as they should, they might even confirm a contract verbally but . . this does not make them stupid. It makes them someone who was lied to and scammed - there is no getting away from the fact that once those salespeople refuse to identify themselves as such and practice such blatantly dishonest techniques as the duck and dodge they are using then they - as PAID representatives of that company have practiced fraud.
I have a University Education and my mother did also and they totally fooled us.
As for UNCLETOM - well his attitude that only proves my whole point
At 10:49 AM,
Lynne said…
I am with them too and getting $1400 hydro bills
At 10:42 PM,
Anonymous said…
搬家公司請找e時代
At 5:09 PM,
wine country said…
I was just reviewing my gas bill and was shocked at the amount. I called Terasen and asked their rate $5.96 compared to 9.949 I was paying Universal. When I called Universal and asked for their present rate they said 9.99 and told me I was fortunate to have signed earlier! I asked to renegotiate my contract and I was told it was not possible. Has anyone had any success renegotiating or canceling?
At 6:19 AM,
lillie said…
we to as pensioners have been scammed our bills are higher than folks with jobs and pools,,,,our gas and electric take at least 1/3 ofour pension sometimes more,,,i amnot yet 71 which they tell mei st he magic age toget out ofthe contract,,,omg!! hubby is 71,,our money will not go up as i reach 71,,,we have had our hydro disconnected several times now since signing with them,,help!!
At 8:10 AM,
lillie said…
i have also been told that somehow they can resign yu up,,without your signature or okof any kind,,and that my friends came from a gas employee
At 12:48 PM,
Vapo said…
Just thank you for putting up your blog, it helped us to avoid scamming. An Universal Energy agent just come by with a Toronto Hydro bill faking that they are working for the Hydro company....
.. good that my parents (decision makers) are not home to deal with these scammers. I immmediately go online and search what the heck they are and saw their website offer no detail terms & conditions, ... like all scams.
Thanks for making this info available.
At 12:48 PM,
Unknown said…
I had an interview with them scheduled for tomorrow (unknowing they were a scam) and they wouldn't tell me what the job was about at all when I asked over the phone. I knew something was fishy which is why I googled them and found this blog.
Thanks for the info, I cancelled a couple of minutes ago.
At 6:33 AM,
Ritchie said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
At 6:34 AM,
Ritchie said…
If you have moved, or hydro has been taken out of your name you are able to get out without cancellation fees. While I was waiting for confirmation of which documents I needed to provide them with they sent a $600 + collection to an agency and I have been getting calls everyday from the collection agency even though tehy filed it as a dispute. This company infuriates me. I never even signed teh contract my roomate did.. and I asked them to cancel because he is not me and my name was on the hydro. So they said it had been cancelled, only for me to see that 2 months later it was back again? So I called and they told me they would get someone to phone me back and hung up on me. I didn't get a call back for 2 more months when I was moving and they said that Hydro Ottawa notified them my service had been cancelled and I owed them over $600. So I told them that where I was moving I am not required to pay hydro and they said they required some documentation...so when I was finally able to fish around and get the stuff for them they had already put it into collections trying to scam me further... soooo as of now, I had to send them My lease, a letter from my condo stating I don't pay hyrdo and a bill with my adress or pay stub (which is required that the bill can not be cell phone, mastercard or anything - only something billed to me for the condo specifically - like home phone, internet or cable) these guys are out for themselves and thats it. Very unfortanate to see these new age pirates scamming people. I will let you know how it goes adn if I get out of collections.
At 9:48 AM,
aronevans said…
Came across this old blog and is it still active?
Vanessa Anesetti does have an email and always remember that a board of directors are responsible for their company and that is who you target not the peons beneath them
THe OEB is very ineffective and do nothing to protect consumers..they regulate pricing.
The only sure way people can resist unplug from the grid or don`t pay the bill and in 7 years credit is restored and they are out of business.....
At 7:24 AM,
Noah J Revoy said…
Some friends of mine got help and good advise about dealing with the aftermath of getting scammed by an energy company. I think the site is http://www.dbrparalegal.com
Hope it helps!
Post a Comment
<< Home