We are positively furious. We have both been Florida Power and Light customers since 2006 when we moved here. Since then, we’ve lived at two addresses. We stayed at the first address for one year, then moved into a new place where we have both been for over a year now without change. Every month, my fiance receives our bills and pays them online. He did not notice this until yesterday, but we stopped receiving our power bill from FPL 2 months ago. He received a phone call stating that we were two months past due and our power would be shut off this morning. My fiance frantically searched the house, thinking he might have misplaced the bills, but of course did not find them. The customer service rep was inconceivably rude and claimed that they had NOT ceased to send us our bills, but rather, they were now going to our "new address." We haven’t moved in over a year. We explained that there must be some mistake, but she argued with him and said that someone had called and changed our billing address. Long story short, we spoke to several representatives including a Billing Supervisor who refused to give us any information about who called, when they called, and what address it was changed it. I was furious and demanded to know how they would allow anyone to call who is not authorized on the account and simply change our billing address. It seems like someone is lying here. The customer service reps said, "My system isn’t showing me any information about the change. I can just tell you that someone called and changed your billing address so we started to forward your bills to the new address." Also, FPL no longer takes VISA – they only take mastercard and they REFUSED to allow us an extension so we could mail them a check and pay the bill. We finally spoke to a VERY, VERY rude woman who said that we had been paying on a "closed account" – I’m not sure what this has to do with anything, but FPL has always accepted our payments since we moved. There is so much in this situation that I’m confused about. What might have really happened here? NO ONE would have called and changed our billing address. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. We don’t really even know anyone here and we have a locked mailbox. I’m FURIOUS that they refuse to give us, authorized account holders, any information about this mysterious "change of billing address" and refuse to explain how this could have happened. We can’t switch power companies; they are the only service provider – which explains their AWFUL customer service and lack of regard. What can I do here? I have never been so outraged in my life. We spent 3 hours on the phone with them last night trying to get this figured out and everyone we spoke to, including a supervisor, was rude and refused to give us any information.
I was going to tell you to report the rude person but it seems like they all related. If and when you call and get this "Howard" on the phone report to him the rudeness you and your fiance received. Now try this ..get a copy of the last bill you received from them and look for an e-mail address you can find to look at your bill on line. If you can do this you should be able to find the address. If you cant find one be real nice and call the company and ask then how you can look at your bill on line try not to give your name or anything else or if that does not work ask a friend to ask about seeing their bill and then they can give you the information. Do you have a lawyer or police friend? Ask them to help you get that address. That way you will have something to work with. You can go to the location of the address but do not confront the owners of the address. Watch out as FPL may try to get you to put up a deposit. If you can get hold of your canceled canceled checks so you can show them. Hope this helps even a little bit.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:56 am
Call the Better Business Bureau, they will help you fill out a report that they themselves will investigate and fine/demerit FPL appropriately for what they did. They can also give you advise on what you might do legally considering their allowance of an unauthorized person to "access" your account and change it.
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February 17th, 2010 at 10:16 am
Contact your state’s public utilities commission.
http://www.psc.state.fl.us/
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February 17th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Well sometimes there are mistakes that happen which could account for the change of address. However if someone called and changed your information, you are the bill holder, your name is on the account, and legally and policy wise they are not allowed to give out or change any information on the account without verifying your identity.
Now if the supervisor wasn’t helpful, go higher. Keep going higher until you get someone with a brain. Legally they can not keep information on you account from you. They are required by law to disclose all information related to your account to you at all times.
I must remind you however that just because you don’t receive a bill does not excuse you not paying it. It is part of their agreement to send the bill, but your bill is due about the same time every month. The person at fault for the account getting so far behind is your fiance’s. After not receiving a bill by the time the payment was due the first time, he should have been calling them to find out what was wrong.
Keep pushing, keep calling, keep harassing them until you get your answers. Also file a report with the BBB and the Attorney General of your state.
Arq.
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February 17th, 2010 at 11:33 am
check your credit reports immediately. sounds like this was a prelude to someone impersonating you [ID theft] for the purpose of opening credit in your name and falsely getting more accounts — or adding a second service address to the same account and having you pay both electric bills.
as for FPL — they have physical offices. Go to one with your id and proof of where you live [lease, rent receipt, property tax bill, etc.]. Tell them you suspect fraud on your account.
Then ask for a full history of your account including service addresses and amounts of payments. Then change the billing method back to electronic delivery and ask them to put a "caution" note on the account to prevent any further changes without ID and written instruction.
This office will take your check for the past due bill.
{property tax bill is online at the county tax assessor’s office.}
NOTE: if you find evidence of improper credit activity in your name, file a police report for identity theft.
GL
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retired banker
February 17th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
It sounds like a good case for Help Me Howard or any other media type news station that might help with companies that are mistreating clients, etc. It is a total shame that there was not one person at FPL to properly help you solve the situation or understand. Aren’t conversations recorded for a reason?
When I did not receive my FPL bill the one month and was sent the next month’s bill with the threat of turning off my service, I called. Very frustrating, they do NOT care if the mail was not delivered, that does not matter at all. Since it was only the one month I missed they weren’t very rude but not helpful or concerned….or how about happy I want to give them my money and on time, they could try being that. I didn’t have my roommate’s social security number to pay right away(account was in his name) so I had to run out to a check cashing store and pay that way.
I wanted to include the link for Howard but my web or wsvn.com is not loading, strangely.
Sadly it sounds like a case where you would have to just keep calling and dealing with these rude people until they cave, give them their own treatment also. I don’t think I have the strength to sit through that. Good luck and I am sorry they are sticking you with the stress of not even knowing who made the change on top of it all. Did they at least tell you what information is required to make the change? I cannot recall if they needed my social or not when I shut down my service with them, I don’t recall them asking for it.
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February 17th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
I was going to tell you to report the rude person but it seems like they all related. If and when you call and get this "Howard" on the phone report to him the rudeness you and your fiance received. Now try this ..get a copy of the last bill you received from them and look for an e-mail address you can find to look at your bill on line. If you can do this you should be able to find the address. If you cant find one be real nice and call the company and ask then how you can look at your bill on line try not to give your name or anything else or if that does not work ask a friend to ask about seeing their bill and then they can give you the information. Do you have a lawyer or police friend? Ask them to help you get that address. That way you will have something to work with. You can go to the location of the address but do not confront the owners of the address. Watch out as FPL may try to get you to put up a deposit. If you can get hold of your canceled canceled checks so you can show them. Hope this helps even a little bit.
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