“F Rating” From Better Business Bureau for Energy Company That Has Sales People Currently Working in the Area

SFE energyTwo years ago almost to the day, we published a story about SFE Energy, a low-rated energy company that was doing door to door sales in our area. Today, we received word that they are back in the area.

According to a Hydesville resident, “Two people were walking around…trying to get people to change [their] service provider from PG&E to a company called SFE. I did limited research and found the whole thing to be a scam.”

Two years ago, another local resident contacted us and described being contacted by a salesperson for the company who used high-pressure tactics. According to the resident then, “He proceeded to talk talk talk about how I might be overcharged…He kept asking to see my bill, or wanted to make a phone call with me to check something, but he was never really clear on why we would be making a call, or to whom.”

The Better Business Bureau gives SFE Energy an F in its rating system and does not accredit them. They’ve had 119 complaints filed about the company so far.

We suggest, if you should be approached by a salesperson for this company, please read carefully before signing any contract. Many of the complaints online refer to utility bills rising afterward and not being able to cancel the service without paying a fee.

Facebooktwitterpinterestmail

Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules

Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

18 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago

How exactly do they even provide you with an Alternative Energy Service? will PG&E just let anybody use their utility poles? Or do they come out and install wind, solar or hydro..

Seamus
Guest
Seamus
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

There is a local company that scammed most of the county about a year ago. Switched everybody without even asking.

Poster formerly known as Matt
Guest
Poster formerly known as Matt
5 years ago
Reply to  Seamus

That’s not true. We were given an explanation beforehand and were given the opportunity to opt out.

You can probably still opt out. The “company” is RCEA. You should call them instead of whining on the internet.

Sid Viscosity
Guest
Sid Viscosity
5 years ago

There’s a big difference between opting in and opting out….

Divide by Zero
Guest
Divide by Zero
5 years ago

Yes you can still “opt out”, for a fee. If you can sell the theory that 400 parts per million additional CO2 (plant food) in our atmosphere can dramatically alter the climate cycles, then you can sell them anything.

Orange Sunshine
Guest
Orange Sunshine
5 years ago
Reply to  Divide by Zero

And you received your advanced degree in climate science from which university?

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
5 years ago

Univ. of Useful Pawns For The Rich

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Divide by Zero

Co2 is only one greenhouse gas. Other industrial byproducts, such as methane and chlorofluorocarbons, aremore powerful greenhouse gases. High levels of greenhouse gases have coincided with every “Hothouse Earth” event in geological history. Ignoring global warming requires ignorance of several domains of science, paleontology, paleobotony, geology, chemistry, ect. If you want to disprove the fundamentals of global warming, here’s a cheap home experiment you can try. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kwtt51gvaJQ

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Climate change deniers DON”T NEED STINKIN’ FACTS!

No Joke
Guest
No Joke
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

They lease the infrastructure from PG&E, then pass the savings* on to you.

*by “savings” they mean “increased costs”.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  No Joke

I guess I just wouldn’t know. I’ve been using Alternative Energy since I was born and my father before me. Pg&e can kiss my :<)

SFE Energy
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

Hi there, I hope it’s ok that I comment on your post. I can answer any questions you have about SFE Energy.

Here are some to start:
1. We are licensed by PG&E to supply natural gas to residential and small commercial customers in California. We do not offer electricity services as they are not deregulated for residential & small commercial use.
2. We always have a post-sale verification conducted for any new customer that signs up for our programs. During the verification you will review and agree to all pertinent parts of the agreement.
3. We currently offer two programs, both are a flat rate commodity program. The first is for regular natural gas, and the second is for Eco-gas. For the Eco-gas program we will retire carbon offsets equal to your usage to make your natural gas usage carbon neutral. Based on your historical usage, you can use up to 700therms of natural gas under both programs. Over that you will be charged a variable rate. PG&E will continue to deliver your natural gas and you will continue to be billed by them for the delivery and any other charges they normally charge.

Please feel free to post any more questions! Hopefully I can be of help.

Katherine
Guest
Katherine
3 years ago
Reply to  SFE Energy

SFE TARGETS LOW INCOME AREAS!!!!THEY ARE PERSISTENT AND DO NOT GIVE UP UNTIL THEY SELL YOU THEIR BUSINESS. THEY DONT LEAVE ANY BROCHURES OR INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR COMPANY. I SHOULD’VE KNOWN IT WAS A SCAM WHEN THE SALESMAN TOOK MY PHONE NUMBER TO TEXT ME FOR HIS PERSONAL USE. I TRIED TO GET OUT OF THIS 3 YEAR CONTRACT BUT NOW THERE IS $170 TERMINATION FEE. I’M BEING HELD HOSTAGE.

DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS!!

Katherine
Guest
Katherine
3 years ago
Reply to  SFE Energy

SFE TARGETS LOW INCOME AREAS!!!!THEY ARE PERSISTENT AND DO NOT GIVE UP UNTIL THEY SELL YOU THEIR BUSINESS. THEY DONT LEAVE ANY BROCHURES OR INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR COMPANY. I SHOULD’VE KNOWN IT WAS A SCAM WHEN THE SALESMAN TOOK MY PHONE NUMBER TO TEXT ME FOR HIS PERSONAL USE. I TRIED TO GET OUT OF THIS 3 YEAR CONTRACT BUT NOW THERE IS $170 TERMINATION FEE. I’M BEING HELD HOSTAGE.

DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS!!

Frustrated.
Guest
Frustrated.
5 years ago

What they do is you pay them almost $30 for your flat rate but then PGE charges you to deliver the gas which is if I can remember around $25. The guy who basically forced me to sign made me feel like I had no choice made it seem like I had no other options I was stuck with them until the contract was up then some people with the company vista came by and was having people switch to them and that they would cover the cost for cancelling but then I’m guessing as soon as sfe received word from Vista or PG&E or whoever that I was canceling with their service they sent someone out basically to have me and my neighbor sign a paper to cancel out what Vista had done and stick with them and made it seem like again we had no choice and then the contract Started over oh and I never signed that second paper and never seen or heard of vista on my bill

Frustrated.
Guest
Frustrated.
5 years ago
Reply to  Frustrated.

I don’t really care about what people think of my grammer. I was more focused on what I was trying to say then where I put a period. If you don’t like it then don’t read it.

SFE sales people are dishonest
Guest
SFE sales people are dishonest
3 years ago
Reply to  Frustrated.

Yes this happened to me. A salesperson from a company called Vista came out and told. SFE had problems and they were the same company under another name. Then I received a termination fee of almost $200. I was on a payment plan with PGE they made me pay everything I owe in gas to reinstall me and then STARTED MY CONTRACT OVER. On top of all this I waited on hold to speak to them for HOURS sometimes. This is. horrible company.

ALEX fARFAN
Guest
ALEX fARFAN
3 years ago

I am in the process of getting rid of them.The product was totally misrepresented by the salesman.He told me numerous times my total bill would be 29.99 plus a small fee of $ 7.00 bucks or so for something.I asked how can you be sooo cheap,and he said they bought the gas far more cheaper than PGE. So I signed up and after 7 months I haven’t seen a PGE bill for less than $85.00.It’s summer and I have a gas water heater and stove,that’s it.Look at you’re bill and you will see the additional charge.I think it is around $33.00. and the BIG question is for what?So I called them and after being on hold for 30 minutes or so I spoke to a man and told him that I was flat out lied to and I was pissed! I told him this was not the first call and it wasn’t going to be the last.They waived the $200.00 cancellation fee and I am waiting for the company to get out of my life.He told me what you are actually paying for is a guarantee that the therm cost is locked in for three years.It’s insurance for something a homeowner would Never buy or want or need!If the salesman were to tell you that (the truth) no one would buy it.Don’t deal with them.There should be a class action suit filed against SFE,some attorney might make a buck or two.