Forgery not acceptable as a sales pitch

When he received his Enbridge bill last February, Jeffrey Pelletier discovered a charge from Active Energy. He called Active, but was told he had signed a contract. Pelletier asked to see the contract and quickly determined the signature and initials were fake.

Police, the province and natural gas distributor Enbridge should get off their butts now that Jeffrey Pelletier’s signature has been forged a second time on those notorious energy company contracts.

He got the runaround the first time after his forged signature and initials appeared on a contract with Active Energy. The natural gas retailer thought it had Pelletier signed up to a five-year “carbon offset” or “green” program. Now, the forgeries appear on a five-year contract for a similar program with Summitt Home Services.

For $19.99 a month plus HST, paid through their Enbridge accounts, subscribers can sleep easier knowing their money is being spent to remove their carbon footprints. The money is apparently invested into programs (i.e. tree planting) that work to decrease carbon-monoxide emissions from hydro use, or into renewable energy projects (i.e. wind power, geothermal heat).

Nice idea if one wants to spend $1,199.40 plus $156 HST over five years. But Pelletier didn’t and shooed away a couple of door-to-door agents who showed up at his home last fall.

When he received his Enbridge bill last February, Pelletier discovered the charge from Active Energy. He called Active, but was told he had signed a contract. Pelletier asked to see the contract and quickly determined the signature and initials were fake. The contract was signed “David Pelletier.” David is his first name, and Jeffrey is his second name. But he says he always signs his name “DJ Pelletier.” When it comes to his initials, he signs “DJP.” “DP” was on the contract. “I can’t remember ever signing my name David Pelletier,” he says. As well, his phone number given on the contract was way off the mark.

Active wouldn’t take his word and demanded proof the signatures and initials were forgeries. But Active backed down and cancelled the contract after the Public Citizen contacted the company. It also credited his Enbridge account $45 for his troubles.

Many consumers across Ontario have fallen prey to unscrupulous door-to-door salespeople who ask them to switch their natural gas, electricity or water-heater suppliers. Some salespeople, who are paid on commission, use high-pressure tactics, often misrepresent what they are selling and even trick consumers into signing. Forgeries can be a last resort if nothing else works. Salespeople usually have the names of Enbridge customers they’re calling on.

Though the issue with Active was resolved, Pelletier was stunned that Ottawa police were not interested in investigating. A report was taken, but Pelletier says police suggested he call Enbridge instead. “Forgery was a crime the last time I checked,” said Pelletier last February.
For its part, Enbridge washed its hands, saying it was not responsible for any products or services its customers buy from other companies that use its billing service.

The Ontario Energy Board says it investigates forged contracts for energy contracts, but not for carbon offset or green programs. It suggests complaints be made to the Ministry of Consumer Services.

So who is Pelletier supposed to turn to after his forged signature and initials appeared on another contract for a green program, this one marketed by Summitt? The company has had its problems with the energy board over its sales tactics.

Pelletier got the latest surprise about a month ago when he opened his Enbridge bill and found a Summitt green charge of $19.99 plus HST.

He contacted Summitt but the company said there was little it could do as it had a signed contract from him. He could pay to break the contract, but that would cost him several hundred dollars.
Pelletier told Summitt he had gone through the same rigmarole a few months earlier with Active Energy, and that all it could possibly have in its records was a forged contract. He explained how he signs his name and initials. That seemed to work. He says the Summitt representative agreed to rip up the contract and told him to disregard the charge.

However, when he received his latest Enbridge invoice a few days ago, there were two “green” charges of $19.99, including a 33-cent penalty for missing last month’s payment. He called Summitt, which emailed him a copy of the contract dated last Jan. 6, just before his troubles with Active Energy began. He confirmed the forgeries. Though the name of Summitt salesman Justin O’Brien is on the contract, Pelletier does not remember anyone from the company showing up at his Meadowlands Drive home.

He called Enbridge, which this time promised to look into the matter after he told the company he had called this newspaper. Police now say he should complain to the Ministry of Consumer Services, not Enbridge as he was told the last time. Police say they will take his report and possibly investigate. The province? The Ministry of Consumer Services will take complaints at 1-800-889-9768 or online at www.ontario.ca/consumer services. But it also recommends that police be contacted as “forgery of an individual’s signature on a contract or any other document is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada.”

Summitt spokesman Tyler Shannon directed me Thursday to Gerry Haggarty, the company’s chief executive. Shannon suggested I contact Haggarty by email, which I did immediately with a number of questions. Haggarty still hadn’t responded by late Friday afternoon.