Investigation reveals more than 355,244 calls were made to consumers on the Do Not Call List, some were called more than 48 times in one month.
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that his office entered into an agreement that will put an end to illegal telemarketing practices by Indra Energy. The settlement is with retail energy suppliers PalmCo Energy PA, LLC and PalmCo Power PA, LLC, which do business in Pennsylvania under the name Indra Energy. The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s investigation revealed that Indra Energy engaged in a wide range of violations relating to its telemarketing operations in Pennsylvania.
“Unwanted phone calls continue to harass and plague Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth,” AG Shapiro said. “I want to thank all of the consumers who filed complaints about Indra Energy and brought their behavior to my attention. My Office is committed to putting a stop to these unwanted calls and with today’s settlement we help ensure that companies follow the law when calling consumers.”
The settlement claims that Indra Energy, through its vendors, violated telemarketing laws by: repeatedly calling numbers registered on the Do-Not-Call list, delivering pre-recorded messages to numbers on the Do-Not-Call list, failing to obtain an “express request” from consumers on the Do-Not-Call list prior to calling them, using misleading offers regarding energy savings and rebates, and engaging in deceptive practices in connection with requests to be contacted for purposes of telemarketing solicitations.
Under the terms of this settlement, in addition to being prohibited from making unwanted telemarketing calls, Indra Energy must pay $185,900, which includes payments of $100 to each of the 9 consumers who filed a telemarketing complaint against Indra Energy.
This settlement also serves as an important reminder to consumers to not be misled by deceptive telemarketing offers regarding energy saving.When considering switching your electric or gas supplier, the PA Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) suggests taking these actions:
- Research OCA’s natural gas and electric shopping guides at oca.pa.gov, papowerswitch.com, or pagasswitch.com
- Make sure you understand the terms and conditions of your contract summary and disclosure statement
- Monitor your account to ensure you are being charged the agreed amount
Consumers can register on the Pennsylvania Do Not Call List here.
Consumers who are already registered on the Pennsylvania Do Not Call List and have received telemarketing calls can report those calls online, by calling 1-800-441-2555 or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov.
The settlement has been submitted to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for filing by Senior Deputy Attorney General Amy L. Schulman.
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