Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has reached a settlement with a Washington, D.C.-based alternative electricity supplier, Ethical Electric Inc., for misleading direct mail solicitations of its “green” offers. Under the settlement, Ethical, which has been a top source of consumer questions or complaints to CUB, promises to pay customers refunds.…...
ICC report: Northern Illinoisans losing money with alternative electric suppliers
By Sagar Dommaraju Northern Illinois consumers with alternative electricity suppliers have lost $188.6 million over the last two years, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) in an annual electric competition report. The ICC’s Office of Retail Market Development said in its annual report that Illinois consumers with another supplier lost…...
Join CUB’s fight for consumer protections from electric rip-offs!
As the weather gets warmer, CUB handles more reports of shady electricity sales pitches. But now, door-to-door peddlers have reached a new low. Earlier this summer, two people were arrested for trespassing after going door-to-door and trying to get residents of a Chicago apartment building to switch power suppliers. “Finally,” one customer…...
Verizon to Acquire Yahoo: Is Your Privacy For Sale?
By Sagar Dommaraju Verizon has its eyes on the lucrative advertising market, as it announced a deal to buy Yahoo for $4.8 billion. But the move, which follows Verizon’s purchase of AOL just last year, has privacy activists worried. “The acquisition of Yahoo will help accelerate our revenue stream in digital advertising,”…...
What we’re doing on our summer vacation
By Sagar Dommaraju This summer, or any other time, CUB’s not taking a vacation from rate-hike battles. ComEd has asked for a $138 million rate increase to help pay for upgrades to the power grid. CUB’s legal team is analyzing the proposal to weed out wasteful spending. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC)…...
90-year-old winner of CUB’s $100 giveaway says ‘Wow!’
By Sagar Dommaraju A 90-year-old CUB member was shocked to hear that her commitment to fighting rate hikes had just won her $100. Marian signed this petition to Illinois leaders in a special CUB Voice that was sent out recently: Please stand with CUB! Fight rate hikes and push for better energy efficiency…...
