I feel so stupid admitting to this problem. I believe I have been bilked by Nicor. My husband enrolled in a lock plan a few years ago. I knew they had bad press and felt we over paid. When I received a letter that we have been adjusted down in billing do to our energy conservation I re-enrolled. We had paid $175 monthly but our new lock was $134. The first bill was $334. I called and they said that was for 2 mos. I put the bill on a credit card so I would always pay on time. The next two bills were for $412 in Nov. and Jan. ( I was being billed every other month and did not catch this). I did not have any statements to view since they were paid on my credit card. This month I received a bill for $266 for March. I had the statement. This bill was for Nicor Advanced Energy (lock12) $134 and Nicor Gas $131.

I am wondering if I have been double billed. I have not paid Nicor gas since I have been on the lock. I had always paid monthly by check to Nicor Advanced Energy and never more that $175. It is a lock and it went down in cost, yet my costs have soared. I have been reading the posts and fear I am doomed. I know I have not stayed on top of this. They sound like they make a habit of cheating. What options do I have?

Nicor Advanced Energy sends misleading bills so that the consumer has no idea what they are paying and to whom. After several months of consistant bills of $80, the December bill was $300. The bill was based off an estimated read, so we requested an actual. We were told by the operator to wait until new read to pay bill. After read, we got a bill for usage since estimated read. We asked for bill showing last actual to current actual to verify. When we received that bill, it was paid in full and received on 10Mar09. On 17Mar09, letter sent saying we still owed $250 by 28Mar09 or service cut off. On same day, received new bill saying only $90 past due and that another estimated read was performed, adding $350 to the bill. Bills do not show past billing, only current, you have no idea where billing is coming from, where it gets paid to: no way to directly link usage to amount paid. Also, charged $100 late fee for unpaid balance after operator said to wait. When asking to cancel, told it is $20 per month until end of contract. We have a brand new house that was constructed to be energy efficient and we know we are paying too much. From $80/month to $300/month, and we are trapped unless we pay $140.

This company is misleading senior citizens into believing that they are a part of Nicor gas (which they are not). Telling them they will put their heating bills on a budget and will cover all furnace repairs, etc. Senior citizens do not understand why they are getting billed double from Nicor. This is something our senior citizens can’t afford to begin with. When they call in to ask questions, they hang up on them. Trying to help senior citizens in this situation, to get this issue resolved. Nicor Advanced Energy is taking money from them without a written contract and telling them that they are obligated to pay and the only way out of it is that they have to pay a significant amount or keep the contract for a year. Can someone help me resolve this situation for our senior citizens?