GOLF MANOR (4/4/2019) – As a group, residents of the Village of Golf Manor have authorized the purchase of natural gas and electricity on your behalf through a group purchasing program (Natural Gas and Electric Aggregation Program) managed by Energy Alliances, Inc. This program was authorized by legislation proposed by Council, placed on the ballot, and approved by the voters of the Village in November 2014.

This action at the voting booth allows for “opt-out” natural gas and electric aggregation programs. The purpose of this program is to obtain savings on natural gas and electric rates. It is anticipated that these rates will usually be a savings over Duke Energy Ohio standard rates although there is no guarantee of savings as a result of participation in this program. Details about current rates can be found here.

This time of year, there are numerous companies offering “better” rates. They come to your front door, call you on the phone or send mailers. These solicitors may or may not be offering a savings to you. It is important that you make an informed choice about your electric and natural gas provider before changing to another distributor.

Here are some specific tips to help you protect your account and personal information from NON-AGGREGATION solicitation:

The suppliers for Golf Manor’s community aggregation programs WILL NOT directly market to any individual resident.  This includes telemarketing, direct mail offers (other than periodic opt-out notices) or door-to-door solicitation.  ALL correspondence (via USPS) related to Golf Manor’s aggregation programs will display the Village logo on the letterhead.

Warning signs of potential scams:

• Telephone and door-to-door solicitation:
  • Robo-calls of any kind that refer to your utility bill or account
  • Telemarketers pretending to know about your account status
  • Offers of gift cards, large discounts or other incentives
  • Door-to-door salesmen who introduce themselves as representing your community’s program or are sponsored by Duke Energy or provide other misleading statements.
  • DO NOT SHOW ANYONE YOUR UTILITY BILL. They often request to see a copy of your bill so they can record your name/account number and switch (“slam”) your account later.
  • Someone who asks you to sign a document “verifying” that you spoke with them. Again, this is so they can switch your account later.

What you can do to avoid potential scams include: 

• If someone seems suspicious or you have concerns, don’t hesitate to contact Energy Alliances, Inc. at 513-794-5555. Remember, to solicit door-to-door requires a solicitation permit issued from the Village that the person at your door should be able to show you.  If someone does not have a permit, they are soliciting illegally!  Report them to Golf Manor Police department (513-531-3108) immediately.

What to do if you think you’ve been a victim of a utility scam or fraud:

• If you feel you have been pressured into switching you can:
• Immediately call Duke Energy to rescind your enrollment
• Wait until you receive Duke Energy’s letter acknowledging the switch, then call the number provided in the letter to rescind the enrollment
• If you feel the person you have talked with is perpetrating fraudulent information you can:
  • Contact the PUCO at (800) 686-7826 and lodge a complaint
  • Visit the PUCO website at PUCO.ohio.gov/Contact-Us/ to lodge a complaint

The Village is pleased to make this program available however, understand that Golf Manor does not manage the program nor is Village staff prepared to answer any specific questions about the program, individual rates and/or savings, how natural gas or electric rates are negotiated, or how they apply to your specific situation. Those questions must be directed to the respective companies at the contact information provided here.