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IL Attorney General Files Suit Against Retail Supplier, Alleges Deceptive Practices, Altered Recordings
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--- Updated, 6:32 pm ET, Jan 16
Spark Energy provided the following statement concerning the matter:
Spark Energy is unable to comment on pending legal matters. However, we hope to work collaboratively with the Attorney General's office to reach an amicable resolution
--- Statement from Spark Energy
Original Story (6:05 pm ET Jan. 16)
The Illinois Attorney General announced in a news release that the AG filed a lawsuit against Spark Energy LLC and Spark Energy Gas (Spark) for, as stated by the AG's news release, "allegedly using fraudulent, unfair and deceptive business practices to mislead Illinois consumers into paying millions of dollars more for electricity and gas than consumers who stayed with their default public utility."
A copy of the complaint was not immediately available. The AG's news release appeared to include an incorrect link to the complaint
As stated in the news release, the AG alleged that Spark, "violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by enrolling consumers in Spark services without their knowledge or consent, increasing consumers' electricity rates by more than 20% without providing any advance notice and despite promising lower rates and savings, and taking advantage of older consumers."
As stated in the news release, the AG alleges that Spark hired sales agents and vendors, "who engaged in a wide variety of predatory sales tactics to enroll Illinois consumers in its electric and gas supply services."
The news release states that the AG's complaint alleges the following behavior by Spark:
• "Altering telemarketing recordings to hide other deceptive sales tactics"
• "Unfairly raising consumers’ rates significantly and without providing notification"
• "Enrolling consumers in Spark services without their knowledge or consent"
• "Failing to obtain consumers' consent to telemarketing solicitations, as required by the Telephone Solicitations Act"
• "Misrepresenting that consumers would save money"
• "Misrepresenting that consumers would receive rebates, refunds and gift cards"
• "Misrepresenting an affiliation with the public utility or government"
• "Unfairly and deceptively obtaining consumers’ account information"
• "Defrauding older consumers"
"Companies like Spark must be held accountable for taking advantage of consumers with misrepresentations and false promises of lower prices," IL Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. "My office is committed to protecting Illinois consumers from deceptive practices utilized by some alternative energy suppliers and preventing people from overpaying for the energy they need."
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January 16, 2025
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Copyright 2025 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com
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