Peoples Gas Aka Peoples Energy Aka North Shore GAs fraudulent billing attributed to incompetent customer service ripoff Chicago Illinois

I moved out of my apartment in Chicago, IL on August 27, 2003 and moved to Memphis, TN. I called Peoples Gas on September 1, 2003 and told them to disconnect my service. They did not and because of their incompetence, the new tenant moved in and continued to use the service. I called them again in December 2003 after I received a bill and told them that this was not my bill. They still did not turn the service off until I called them again in March and they finally turned it off in April 2004.

They turned it off alright, and billed me right up until April 2004 for an apartment that I had not lived in since August 2003!!! I called them in June 2004 and asked them what was this about and they told me to fax over documentation that I did not live there (the old lease with a beginning and end date and my current lease in Memphis, TN which started in September 2003.) I did so on June 24, 2004. These were all the documents they requested.

After that, I kept calling week after week (and holding for a MINIMUM of 15 minutes each time) to check the status. Each time I got a new representative that told me it "is being investigated" or "call back next week," which I did each and every time with the same answer. Finally, this one rep said that "life is not fair" and "well too bad, looks like you gotta pay it, because we did not receive any documentation." I was furious. So, I asked him was there service in the apartment now. He said yes. I told him all you have to do is check that tenant's lease (which they provide to activate service) and you will see when they moved in and that they used the account fraudulently. He said, "No, I cannot do that."

Now, finally the kicker, I received a bill on August 5, 2004 from them mailed to my current address in Memphis, TN. The problem with that is that I never VERBALLY gave them any information. They never took the time to ask for it. They were too busy getting me off the phone with the "it is being investigated" excuse. SO HOW DID THEY GET THE INFORMATION TO SEND IT TO MY CURRENT ADDRESS? THEY GOT IT OFF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT I FAXED OVER!!! Oh, but that's right they never received it, remember?

Now, I am fighting with the credit bureau to get it eraseD from this stank pot company that calls themselves a corporation!!

Berlinda
MEMPHIS, Tennessee
U.S.A.