(972) 737-8572 Live call recorded 20 October 2017 (Sarah from Starion Energy, live cold call to switch home energy supplier) Caller ID: "Allen TX"
"Sarah" of Starion Energy, calling to offer me up to a 20% reduction in my electric rate by changing suppliers to Starion Energy, a firm recently involved in a class action lawsuit because they scam the elderly to change their electric supplier to Starion with a promise of lowering their rate, then Starion charges them double or triple what they were paying before they signed up with Starion.I put Sarah on HOLD while I pretended to get my electric bill (your electric account number is gold to these electric supply scammers) but I was actually looking up the web page of the law firm representing the victims in the Starion Energy scam class action law suit.When I began reading the particulars of the class action law suit, Sarah's supervisor, Brandy, got on the line to defend Starion. She offered the usual "Starion settled with no admission of wrong doing" statement to alleviate my suspicions.
Here is a transcript of this intrusive and unwanted cold screening call:
"This call is now being recorded"
[me:] "Hello? Hello?"
[Sarah:] "Hi. My name is Sarah calling in regards to your electric bill on behalf of Starion Energy. I'm calling up on a notice for..."
[me:] "Good morning Sarah. Good morning. How are you Sarah?"
[Sarah:] "I'm great. How are you?"
[me:] "Just fine thank you."
[Sarah:] "Okay. I'm calling in regards to your electric bill on behalf of Starion Energy. I'm following up on a notice that you received with your electric statement regarding up to a 20% reduction do you remember seeing that?"
[me:] "As a matter of fact I did receive something from Starion Energy, yes."
[Sarah:] "Okay sir, if you already have enrolled in the energy choice program?"
[me:] "No."
[Sarah:] "Okay sir, that's why you keep getting, you know, calls and all that, now you do have PSE&G or Atlantic City Electric?"
[me:] "PSE&G."
[Sarah:] "Okay okay, so I'm calling on behalf of Starion Energy we're one of PSE&G's suppliers in the Energy Points program which PSE&G is participating with so that we can help you as a PSE&G customer lower down the supply portion of your electric bill all I need for you to do is grab a copy of your PSE&G bill, and we will get your reduction applied so it will be effective on or about your next meter reading. Just let me know when you're ready, okay?"
[me:] "Uh you you need my current electric bill?"
[Sarah:] "Yes, it could be new or old. It doesn't matter."
[me:] "Uh yeah, would it be alright if I got my August bill? I think that's the one that's most convenient, uh August."
[Sarah:] "Yes sir. That's fine if you got one."
[me:] "Is that one ok?"
[Sarah:] "Yes, that's fine."
[me:] "Yeah, just a second. It's in the office, let me go uh yeah, I can I can pick up an extension in the office. Can you hold for a moment?"
[Sarah:] "Yes sir I can. Take as long as you need to." [my HOLD music] "Okay."
[me:]Yeah alright? Just a sec. Thank you."
"Okay, I'm back."
[Sarah:] "Okay sir, I'm here."
[me:] "Yeah now uh I I got something in the e-mail about Starion Energy. Let me just quickly read it to you."
[Sarah:] "Okay."
[me:] (reading from web law firm web page) "Sanford Heisler Sharp today filed a $50 million nationwide class action complaint alleging that Connecticut-based Starion Energy perpetrates an illegal bait-and-switch scheme that has deceived and defrauded thousands of energy consumers out of millions of dollars. The suit is filed the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York." and this is November 2014 Starion promises customers savings on their energy bills if they switch their accounts from other energy suppliers,” said Jeremy Heisler, a founding partner with the firm and lead counsel in the case. “In fact, Starion often jacks up its promised rate to two or three times what customers were paying before the switch. Starion has a practice of targeting vulnerable low-income and elderly consumers.”
"Now I could go on but after reading that would you expect me to switch the Starion Energy?"
[Brandy:] "Hi. Good morning sir. My name is Brandy. I'm a supervisor on behalf of Starion Energy. How are you today?"
[me:] "I'm just fine, thank you. How are you?"
[Brandy:] "I'm good. So I was monitoring the call, and I did just want to let you know that as far as the law suit that is something that was filed back in 2015 so was never a judgment made against Starion Energy, we actually settled for our customers. Since then we have become BBB accredited as well as we do have an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau, so I do understand your concerns on the however Starion Energy is one of the authorized suppliers for PSE&G customers. The settlement was in regards to variable rate customers. We do have such rates if that is something that you would be concerned about."
[me:] "Well right now I would be concerned with conducting any business with a company like Starion Energy..."
[Brandy:] "Alright, well then I thank you."
[me:] "...you have a chance to make a good impression, and you've blown it."
[Brandy:] "I'm I'm sorry you feel that way, have a great day."
