An Illinois woman opened her door to someone claiming to be from ComEd and later received an emailed energy bill from a company she said she never agreed to use, according to CWB Chicago.
Here's what to know
Police said an electricity solicitor approached a woman in Uptown, Chicago, at her door in the 900 block of West Eastwood Avenue around 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, saying her rates were changing and asking to view her utility account.
After investigating, police charged 29-year-old Deeandrew Moore with misdemeanor deceptive practice, alleging that he had represented himself as a utility worker.
The arrest report said the woman accepted Moore as a utility employee and let him see her account information.
Police said he copied both her personal details and her utility account data.
Over the years, CWB Chicago said, the outlet has received dozens — possibly more than 100 — complaints about door-to-door electricity solicitors.
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In this instance, the matter led to both an arrest and a criminal charge.
More background
Police said Moore had laminated sheets showing utility pricing and energy use information, which the woman took as evidence that he was associated with the utility.
She then got an energy supplier bill by email even though she had not agreed to enroll with that supplier.
The outlet noted that when someone at the door says they work for the utility, giving them account details can lead to an unauthorized switch to a different electricity supplier.
The woman found Moore, told him she wanted to cancel, and confronted him about what had happened.
He instructed her to call the number listed in the email before walking away, and when she called, she reached an automated system that kept repeating rebate information.
What can be done?
Believing her personal information had been passed along and that the solicitor had falsely presented himself as a utility worker, she called police after getting the supplier bill and trying to cancel with him directly.
Moore signaled to Cook County Sheriff's police because, he said, the woman was following him.
Chicago police then arrived to help.
Officers who ran his information learned, according to the arrest report, that Moore was also wanted on an extradition warrant from Columbus, Ohio.
Police took him into custody on that warrant and also added the deceptive-practice charge connected to the Eastwood Avenue incident.
According to the arrest report, Moore remains in the Cook County Jail on the Columbus warrant after the Oct. 13 Uptown encounter in which police said he posed as a utility worker.
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at similar concerns, from costly supplier switches in Illinois to scam warnings about utility impersonation in several states.
• In Illinois, households lost $2.3 billion after switching suppliers, a watchdog said.
• In Massachusetts, a fake utility rep asked residents for utility bills.
• New York households faced immediate shutoff threats and surprise visits from utility scammers.
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