Is Volunteer Energy legit?

[Gas question]

Got a call from Volunteer Energy wanting to provide cheaper natural gas etc... Anybody done this? Got opinions? I typically do not fall for telemarketers but the research on them looked pretty good.

[Arctic49519]

I've never heard of them.

I would be skeptical of ANY "business" that solicits exclusively through telemarketing.

I would also not trust any positive rating by the BBB. Those reports can be manipulated. A good example is the recent church chair scam where the BBB had given the scammers a positive rating.

Maybe it's legit but I wouldn't risk it.

Here is a recent report:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/utility-companies...

[trueblue]

Volunteer Energy is a good company that is honest and has never cheated me.

[true blue too]

I checked the facts on Volunteer Energy and here they are:
1. Volunteer Energy rates are designed to be 15% less than the utility supplied rates.
2. Only 30 day contract with no start up or cancellation fee.
3. Volunteer Energy has an "A" rating with BBB.
My experience with Volunteer Energy has been excellent. They contract with local representatives in the community, and the company has high integrity. If someone comes to your door welcome them in for coffee. They will help you far more than you could ever help them!

[Whatever]

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

[Its a scam]

All of the energy marketing schemes should be avoided.
Volunteer won't disclose their rates (which varies monthly), and most of the time it is above what you would pay with your normal regulated rate.

Volunteer Energy will not guarantee that you will save money because you won't.

You're not going to come out ahead by switching to Volunteer.

[RFist123]

I never go for ones who rent from others work, forced by a government to offer "competition"
NOT utilities.

[Volunteer Customer]

I help several businesses with their energy costs. Two of them have been Volunteer customers for over 18 months.

You have to stay on top of the rates. I monitor them almost every month and am prepared to cancel if they do not stay competitive, and they know it.

Being a large customer helps.

There are a number of agents marketing Volunteer. I deal with one I feel reasonably comfortable with.

There are a lot of marketers so you may get more than one pitch.Some are downright misleading. One message insists that I must call them about my gas service. Ask where they are calling from. I have had calls from Florida, California and Illinois.

There is opportunity here but I am not sure the average homeowner has much to gain and the desire to monitor it ...for instance I do not have a choice supplier for our home.

[Pep123]

Why doesn't Volunteer Post there rates on line?

[snomad]

I have 5-6+ LP suppliers to choose from. Where's my alternative to Consumers Energy? They own Park Place, Boardwalk and even the little dirt road I live on too.

[Pep123]

How do you become a broker for Volunteer

[lbrightinc]

Pep123 wrote:

How do you become a broker for Volunteer

to become a broker for Volunteer Energy you can go to my website
http://www.teamccm.com/lbrightinc

you will be glad you did.

[MiSunrise]

true blue too wrote:

<quoted text>
I've got a Volunteer Energy 30 day agreement in front of me. I have read the entire document it is only one page. There is nothing in the agreement saying "that they accrue charges in proportion to the going market price of gas at the time of your monthly billing."

I just got a call from them and wanted to investigate before agreeing to it. I was told over the phone, by the "floor manager", that their rate is VARIABLE. That means it can change from month to month.

[Tim]

Volunteer will send you their rates if you ask them for them. They have been below the utility cost every month.

RFist123 wrote:

I never go for ones who rent from others work, forced by a government to offer "competition"
NOT utilities.

[Jeff]

A Dominique called me from Grand Rapids today on this & wanted my account number from my Consumers Energy bill. First & foremost, I am not giving out a utility account number to just anyone who calls out of the blue. To me, that's just asking for a Pandora's box of problems to be invited into your life to save a variable amount off a bill that isn't all that bad to begin with.

Anyway, I didn't have my bill handy and work from home so I wasn't going to spend any time looking for one & simply asked for a website to visit later so I could look into it on my own or perhaps mail me something. He told me they mailed something out "a couple weeks ago" (false, threw up red flag) and wouldn't give me a website address to go to, instead trying to get me to give him my account number. I became suspicious and asked him a couple questions like, "You don't know your company's website address?" and "Can you email me some information so I can review it?" and he promptly hung up on me.

I would stay far away from Volunteer myself. If that is how they market themselves, it just reeks of coercing people who make knee-jerk decisions over the phone or who are too trusting. They may be legit for all I know but they sure as heck don't act like they are. And why is it so impossible to proceed with this "deal" if you don't give your current utility account number over to them over the phone? If you're not suspicious of them doing that, you're too trusting IMHO, and are setting yourself up to get burned in the end on this "deal".

[Don]

I've been with an alternative gas company for 3yrs. I sign a 1yr.contract with a locked rate.This year it's .61 cents per ccf.VE does'nt seem to want to do a locked yearly rate.I my self don't like that.You will always be charged from your utility co. a handling charge & taxes.Weather you use them or an alternative co.You are not being charged twice.Your gas co. can change rates per ccf monthly.And thats why I sign a yearly contract with an alternate co.The only thing that goes up & down is my usage not my rate.

[Kbear]

They have called me several times. Each time I ask for info and they give me the runaround. When I started asking to be put on their NO CALL list, they hang up ......... only to call back a week later. I wouldn't trust these people to pump my septic.

Jeff wrote:

A Dominique called me from Grand Rapids today on this & wanted my account number from my Consumers Energy bill. First & foremost, I am not giving out a utility account number to just anyone who calls out of the blue. To me, that's just asking for a Pandora's box of problems to be invited into your life to save a variable amount off a bill that isn't all that bad to begin with.
Anyway, I didn't have my bill handy and work from home so I wasn't going to spend any time looking for one & simply asked for a website to visit later so I could look into it on my own or perhaps mail me something. He told me they mailed something out "a couple weeks ago" (false, threw up red flag) and wouldn't give me a website address to go to, instead trying to get me to give him my account number. I became suspicious and asked him a couple questions like, "You don't know your company's website address?" and "Can you email me some information so I can review it?" and he promptly hung up on me.
I would stay far away from Volunteer myself. If that is how they market themselves, it just reeks of coercing people who make knee-jerk decisions over the phone or who are too trusting. They may be legit for all I know but they sure as heck don't act like they are. And why is it so impossible to proceed with this "deal" if you don't give your current utility account number over to them over the phone? If you're not suspicious of them doing that, you're too trusting IMHO, and are setting yourself up to get burned in the end on this "deal".

[Lee]

I have been participating with Volunteer for years, and they always save me money. Who ever weote that you pay twice is stupid, I can't stand people who make comments and they don't know what they are talking about. Sandy is an idiot.

[Chris Martin]

Its a scam wrote:

All of the energy marketing schemes should be avoided.
Volunteer won't disclose their rates (which varies monthly), and most of the time it is above what you would pay with your normal regulated rate.
Volunteer Energy will not guarantee that you will save money because you won't.
You're not going to come out ahead by switching to Volunteer.

That statement is 100% not true. I have continuous calendar year monthly rate comparisons, and they are available for download at their website

[Chris Martin]

I think the problem is the independant agents, not the company itself