What is slamming? Troubleshooters help Bucks County business owner with electric company issue

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. (WPVI) — The Action News Troubleshooters have a warning about a fraudulent practice called “slamming” that could cost you big bucks.

A Pennsylvania mother and business owner believes she was a victim.

Kathryn Aleksa is a survivor.

She was able to reopen her fitness studio, Motivators Personal Training, in Southampton, Pa., after COVID-19 closures all while caring for her husband during his cancer journey.

But now, she worries this scam could shut her down,

“I like thinking like, ‘How is this possible?'” she says.

Aleksa opened her gym nearly 10 years ago, but she has been unable to pay her electric bill, which suddenly skyrocketed from hundreds to thousands of dollars a month.

When Aleksa called PECO, she was shocked to learn her electricity supplier had been switched to Pure Energy, a third-party electricity provider.

And Pure Energy was charging her 32 cents per kilowatt compared to PECO’s 9 cents per kilowatt.

“I said, ‘No, no, I never signed up for this. I never agreed to this,'” she recalled.

Aleksa believes she was the victim of slamming, which is when your electricity supplier is switched without your permission.

Normally, if you switch suppliers, you should receive two notices — one is a confirmation from the new supplier and the other from your local utility.

“I didn’t get anything,” she said. “

“You’re absolutely sure you did not switch to pure energy?” asked Nydia Han.

“There’s no way I would have done that,” Aleksa stated.

Aleksa said after she canceled her account with Pure Energy, the company promised to send her a check for the price difference she’d paid.

“But there’s no check coming in my mailbox to reimburse me,” she said. “That’s why I reached out to you. I won’t go down without a fight.”

“I’m so sorry that you’re in this situation. I’m really, really glad that you reached out to us,” said Han.

“You guys are our last hope. Someone told us you look out for the people, you look out for the community,” said Aleksa.

The Troubleshooters contacted the company and learned it is in New York City and has an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau.

“They have 18 complaints filed by consumers over the last three years,” said Claire Rosenzweig with the Better Business Bureau. “And there are 11 no responses.”

Some consumers allege slamming, like Aleksa, in those BBB complaints. Others say Pure Energy failed to provide the price it promised.

The Public Utilities Commission tells us out of roughly 2,000 annual complaints, it received 39 complaints against Pure Energy in 2022 and 29 in 2023.

It’s still reviewing its data for 2024.

“I was never getting anything until I contacted you guys,” said Aleksa.

The good news is even though Pure Energy never provided the Troubleshooters a response, it did finally send Aleksa her refund.

To protect yourself from slamming, never say the word “yes” over the phone if a new electricity provider calls. That way an unscrupulous company can’t claim you verbally approved the switch.

Make sure you share that advice with anyone who might answer the phone at your home or business.

To catch slamming as early as possible, look at your bills and investigate reasons why it may have spiked.

Check monthly to see who your supplier is and the “price to compare” so you can see how the supplier’s rate stacks up against your utility’s.

And if you realize you’ve been slammed, contact your original electricity supplier as well as the new one in writing and file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

If you are looking to switch electricity providers, check to see if the price offered is fixed or an introductory rate.

Many introductory rates skyrocket once the initial period is over. Also, when making a switch, get all the terms and conditions in writing.