LIVONIA, Mich. – An employee from Direct Energy, an alternative gas company, was recorded misrepresenting the company while soliciting in Livonia.
The employee told Kevin Bouche that he was at the house because there was an ongoing investigation in the neighborhood. The conversation was recorded by a Ring doorbell security camera.
The man wanted to get Bouche to switch from his current gas provider to Direct Energy, but the more questions Bouche asked, the more aggressive the man became. At one point, he even said that he had been sent by Consumers Energy.
"He seemed sketchy because he didn't have any ID from Consumers," Bouche said.
Bouche asked if he could call Consumers to find out if the company sent the man.
"Yes, you can call Consumers but they're going to give you the big runaround. That's essentially why I'm out here," the man said.
But no workers, including the man, had been sent to the area by Consumers, the company said.
"I can say, in various areas of the state, we've had several complaints. Its seem some of these alternate gas suppliers go from city to city when they're soliciting," Debra Dodd, of Consumers Energy, said.
The Better Business Bureau gives Direct Energy no rating. It has received more than 600 complaints about the company, dating back to 2015.
Bouche filed a report with the Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates the company. He learned that the commission has already received similar reports and that he wasn't the first person to call Consumers Energy about the issue.
Read a statement from Direct Energy regarding the incident below:
“We take any concerns raised about our sales practices very seriously, and require that all our vendors ensure all agents are compliant. Our representatives are required to clearly identify themselves as being with Direct Energy and not the local utility, both verbally and also by wearing the appropriate badging and uniform.”