I'm just like missbloom, except a lady came to my door exactly right before I read this. It was uncanny. I was in a good mood, so I talked to her. At first I thought it was related to my bill that is obviously way too high. She gave me the following website: www.poweryourway.com, which looks legit, but the fact that she had no ID, no brochure to hand me, and was just showing up at my door made it all seem a little suspicious even if it is legit.

"And why send people anyway? Are they assuming we don't know how to read?"

No, they're assuming sending to people door-to-door using aggressive and/or deceptive tactics will result in more signups than will sending something in the mail.

And no doubt these employees have quotas, or are paid per signup. Still, judging by the group I saw on the subway, they're not being paid much. These aren't skilled sales professionals, they're more people desperate for a job and willing to take almost anything.

They came to my door twice, were very aggressive. When I told them I was calling 911, they left.

I've seen postings about many of these scams on various blogs. But what I have not seen is a one page sheet that I can print out and post in my building and hand to my english and spanish speaking (non blog reading) neighbors. Gothamist would be doing a public service to post such an item.

Wow, literally 5 minutes after I read this post a young woman with a clipboard showed up at my door and asked if I wanted to save money on my ConEd bill. What timing! I brought my laptop to her and said, "Read this. Isn't this you?" Remarkably she was unfazed and denied that IDT had anything to do with this scam, but I knew better and told her so.

I called a friend of mine who works for ConEd and he explained to me that IDT isn't actually an illegal organization (although some of its solicitation tactics might be) and that it has something to do with competition laws. Whatever. Legal or not, they're preying on the poor and often non-English-speaking immigrants in my neighborhood (West Harlem) and I don't like it one bit.

why can't con ed read your meter from outside your house like the gas company and water meter people do?

Cause Con ed wants to keep expenses high and useless people employed...thats why.

Those scammers are always coming to West Harlem, in the two places I've lived in the last four years. I always tell them to fuck off, but they're pretty determined and just keep coming back. Sometimes they say they're from some other company, I forget which, but they always want to see your Con Ed bill.

Who lets people into their apartment or shows them their bills these days? You have to be crazy to open the door to anyone you don't know. Or willing-gullible.

ConEd and National Grid are not related? Also it takes weeks for them to come when you make an appointment, they certainly won't come of their own accord.

That said, I would certainly be interested in lowering my fill.

There is a whole thread about this on brooklynian. they've been canvassing the borough for a months.

If IDT is really a legit energy provider trying to woo customers from Coned, their tactics are truly bizarre and suspicious. What kind of "business" cold-calls disheveled 9-6ers in stairwells at 7pm on New Year's Eve? They deserve every slammed door they get.

The guy who asked me for a copy of my electric bill he also warned me if call after to sign up it takes a very long time to get my money and that it was better if i give him my bill today. I had no intention of doing this and as I trudged up the stairs I mumbled that I don't get statements and then he suggested that I log in and let him see the account info on the screen. Yeah right. I'll get right on that.

Oh yeah, the IDT people. They've been harassing West Harlem for years. I don't know if they're fake or not, but hey, when IDT or anyone sends people who look like they'd just as soon rob you as help you join IDT, I have to wonder. They're not exactly sending very legit looking people. And why send people anyway? Are they assuming we don't know how to read? I tell them to leave their information, and they say they can't. I tell them to mail it to me and they say they can't. Huh.

Brooklyn is such a dump. Contains more than its fair share of earth scum.

Hey! They came by my place a week or two ago, I figured it might be a scam and sent the guy away. I live in Queens though.

idiots those are real con-ed people with the lower discount thing.

Right. That's why the ConEd spokesman is quoted above saying it's not them and that they don't do that.

Shoot them first and let their supervisors sort it out.

20 something just knoecked on my door 1/2 hr ago, with a clipboard and a lanyard plastic thing around his neck...said IDT.

mentioned to save on my sales tax and referred to the 1800 number on the back of my bill.

I sent him packing and he retorted: "if you call to sign up it takes 6 months for one of us to come out and service you...sure you wanna pass?" I said that's more than fine with me, what's your employee number.

I give you my permission to shoot on sight.

I remember this IDT corp profiled in NYmag in the 80's.

So basically if I let one of these crooks in who actually flashes a fake Con-ed ID, hence they are attempting robbery, I can legally shoot them once inside the house? Thanks. That's what I plan to do now next time one of them comes knocking.

Con Ed? Scam? Hmmm

Who would ever put those two together?

I've got at least 20 people locked in my basement who came to my house claiming to be with Con Ed over the course of the years. I think one was actually able to prove it so we set that one free 2 years ago.

You'd think he'd at least write the ungrateful bastard.