ALERT: VIC residents beware!!

[EVO-00X]

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Ferguson, Rebecca (GE Comm Fin)
Date: Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 11:44 AM

Hi All,

This is quite serious. Please read and forward to absolutely everybody you know!!

I have had some guys come to my door in liverpool wanting to change the globes to these 'energy efficient' things. Twice they came, both times my room mate was out so, as its not really my own place, I had to refuse. But they were from Green Energy and claimed they wanted to come in, have a look if they would fit, and advised I could get a discount on some of them cos I was supporting the environment and all sorts of things. They had little official looking badges and were fully dressed up in clothes with logos and everything! They are really really convincing!!

They were again very persistent until I slammed the door in their face!!

And omg thank god, because I'm sure they would have loved to see the size of my room mates massive plasma and stereo system in the living room!!!!!!

PLEASE READ!!!
Lotsa love, Becky

-----Original Message-----
From: Pham, Lily (GE Comm Fin)
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 11:17 AM
Subject: FW: URGENT - CAUTION pls read

FYI - pls read


Hi All,
I just want to alert you all to an apparent scam currently operating in our area. This is NOT one of those 'it happened to a friend of a friend of mine' stories. This is something that I am personally aware of. I will give you the short version of the story.

About a month ago my aunt and uncle who live in Tarneit were robbed (while at chemotherapy for my aunt!!), pretty much everything of value was taken including some items of my grandmother's that my aunt is distraught about.

Nothing unusual about the robbery I guess, police had no leads, and we all just had to get over it.

Last Sunday night I had a door knocker from a green energy company (can't remember the company) offering free energy saver light globes. The condition was the guy had to come inside and install all of the globes himself. I may not be the smartest person in the world, but I think I can change a light globe so I refused the offer. The guy continued to be pretty persistant though, which made me even more wary. Thinking about it later, I thought what a good way to get inside people's homes, see what the security is like, see what valuables are there etc.

A couple of days later I was speaking to my aunt, we were talking about her break in when I mentioned my door knocker. She went silent - She had had the the same guys at her place a few days before her break in, she had let them in to change the globes!
She immediately got on to the police (she had forgotten the guys until I mentioned it), unfortunately she can't remember the company name either, only that it was for green energy.

Now, that's bad enough. Two days ago I was talking to my friend who lives in Caroline Springs (as I do), my aunts saga came up. My friend had come home that night and found her locks tampered with and an apparent attempted break in. The police believe she had interupted them. A week ago she had let the guys in to change the globes, probably the very same guys that had come to my home the same night!
My friend lives alone with her young son and is now terrified they will come back.

Again, I am no Einstein, but I think it seems pretty obvious what is going on.

After talking to a few people at hockey it seems the same guys have also been around Melton.

Don't let them in!


Kellie

 

[BYBY5L]

holy shit man thanks for the heads up there im tellin all my freinds an family 2

 

[evopwr]

what a bunch of scum!

 

[marinetowing]

Very low act indeed, thieves are the lowest of life forms imo...but takes advantage of perfect situation to ask "how many Victorians does it take to change a lightbulb?":lol:

 

[Richard]

Had these fuckers come around to my place a month or two ago. Same sorta thing, I wasnt home I was at my parents place for the weekend, my Missus was however and was trying to sleep in. They were really banging on the door, she never answered, they came back about 10 mins later really banging again, she didnt answer, this time she peered out the window and saw there was a whole group of them, they had a coulple of ladders and a big box of light globes that they had left on the nature strip while they were banging on peoples doors, anyway 10 mins later back again, banging again but his time they were twisting at the door handle and shit, she never answered the door once and they eventually went away but fuck were they persistent. After reading this I am very glad she didnt even answer the door. I know even if she did she would have told them were not interested but just there manner was enough to have here fuming and a little scared after the persistance of them and the whole turning the door handle shit.
Makes you wonder aye.

 

[ENGINR]

That's where you need a dog giving a big "fuck off" bark to the front door.

 

[EVOCPE]

Reminds me of Home Alone where the burgular comes in pretending to be a home security man and finds out about the house etc etc

 

[bindolla]

hmm...weird. we had a guy give us a bucket filled with globes because out bill was much higher then the average household. should i be worried?

 

[dkGSR]

thats fkd ..
thanks for the heads up though ..
what areas have these scum been to?? North? West?

 

[iluszn]

damn.. had people come around, but just wanting to change our contract to another contract.. Not with globes.. but ill make the missus aware of this. Perhaps we need to get some photos and what not.

How interesting would it be if this happened

*knock knock kncok*
Me - Hi
them - Hi we are here to give you free energy saver light globes
me - Thats ok, Just need to take a photo of each of you and email it to a friend, anda copy of your drivers license and official green energy ID, Also have to confirm with the company and police that you are who you are
them - light globes, ohhhh shiiitt, we have the wrong house, we are supposed to be @ (insert number/address here).

WAH WAH WAH WAAAAAHHHHH..

 

[nk]

i'm not sure if this is the case, but the government IS actually doing something along these lines.
my dad was over at an uncle's house and some rep gave them both a box of 20 ge energy saver light globes and a water saver shower head each.. free.

 

[JiMi]

hehe... if you get a visit from em coff in their face then mumble somethingabout swine flu and apoligise...

 

[JayRome]

hehe... if you get a visit from em coff in their face then mumble somethingabout swine flu and apoligise...

buahahah yes i think that would work.....

 

[TMAK]

Guys i was one that actually went along with the program after checking enough details including id, paper work, everything. I answered the door holding the golf driver I was playing with before. I asked a million questions and it seemed legit enough. The guy I had was not persistent at all even when I said that I won't let him into the bedrooms and I'll change those globes myself. The guy was a young uni student, I signed the paper work etc. The next day I received a call about the program and answered a series of questions. I work at Telstra so I checked the number that rang me after and it belonged to a government organisation. So this seemed legitimate for me, no issues since.

This was approx 3 weeks ago.

Sorry to hear what had happened to your friend/s. I also live near Caroline Springs and close enough to Tarneit.

 

[brettu26]

Hey Frontn, I also went along and signed up with "Simple Energy" http://www.simplyenergy.com.au/ they are called.
The guy I had was really legit though, not pushy or dodgy. I got his name, ID, mobile no., spoke to call centre etc. The only dodgy thing was his mobile battery was nearly dead, so he wanted to come in use my home phone!!!! I told himm to "fuck off" there. but otherwise no issues.

I am as sceptical as it gets dont worry, but I think there maybe is some scummy pricks out there milking people with a similar strategy!

Free energy saver light globes are part of the offer. But a girl from th call centre called a few days later to arrange a time for a electrican/lacky to come install them. He came, but had wrong type screw, not bayonette cap - we have not seen or heard from them again.........

big bloody mystery haha

 

[EVO-00X]

I think the moral of the story is NOT to let a complete stanger into your home. The email was sent to me from a friend's friend and I thought I better let you VIC boys know about it. Its better to be safe than sorry and dont let them in regardless.

They may be legit and tick all the ID check boxes working for the company during normal work hours, but after hours they can be a robber just like anybody else - its an easy way to scope out victims legitimately first.

 

[TMAK]

I agree with the moral and thanks for warning us victorian's. I hope this doesn't happen again!

 

[tenji]

well these guys came past mine today.

i just said no not interested.

there were 2 of them going through my street

 

[iluszn]

I had a guy from Simply energy some around and sign me up. Free globes were part of the deal, said no to that. Apart from that seemed genuine, young kid, could have broken him in half if he put a foot wrong. all paper work checked out and company checked out.. call centre checked out also.. Must have just been some dodgey guys that were roaming around with gear, that is a little different to a door to door marketing person. They usually dont have anything with them but info and paper work.

 

[p3akin]

yesterday had a big indian guy and a small indian girl come and offer the same.

just nicely said no thanks. they werent toooo persistent, so it was ok...

big indian guy had a bandana on.. looked pretty dodgy..