Smart Rebates

Smart Rebates

Scam Prevention Program 2020

Smart Rebates ​

Smart Rebates ​ has launched a new awareness program to prevent consumers from falling for scams done by illegitimate companies. We have done so by spreading awareness about these issues and formed an organization called Canadian Home Owners Protection Association to bring all utility companies together for the purpose of protecting consumers. We continue to remove any scams in Ontario and we work hard to save our elderly from being taken advantage of.

Smart Rebates Savings Complaint

Like any other organization there will always be complaints and unhappy customers not because they don’t love our programs but because we did not meet and exceed their expectations. Smart Rebates Savings complaint management team is working around the clock to offer satisfactory solutions. After all Walmart has over 400 complaints filed in Ontario with Better Business Bureau and an F rating but for the most part we enjoy their services. Their american party has over 2500 complaints and an F rating as well. Better Business Bureau is a non for profit organization that focuses on advancing the marketplace trust but the rating on their website may be subject to the information they are able to collect without any evidence of the information being factual or an accurate representation of the business practices. We continue to provide them with accurate information in order to help them in advancing their statement of marketplace trust. We are a big advocate for consumer satisfaction and we align our goals with organizations that strive for the same.

Top 4 Consumer & Business Review Websites
Review Website U.S. Alexa Ranking % CA. Traffic (of Total)
Google My Business 1 16.90%
Facebook 3 11.30%
Amazon 4 11.60%
Yelp 52 22.20%

Avoiding company scams

Every summer, soaring energy demand and usage become a substantial expense for many households, and criminals know this. They run utility scams and pose as Smart Rebates representatives to take advantage of customers looking for ways to save on their energy—and to scare and exploit those who are unsure of details of their bills.

What to look out for to avoid being scammed

There are two common types of utility scams—the phone call from a fake representative of your utility company and the more brazen door-to-door promotional pricing or product scam. The information below will help you identify these cons and avoid being swindled.

Is Smart Rebates Scam?

It is very hard to be a licensed and registered company which is ranked the 20th fastest growing Startup in 2019 with over 10,000 satisfied customers and also be a SCAM! Remember scam companies would not be providing their correct information online with releasing their office addresses or their business numbers if they had one. We are a registered company with TSSA and our corporate information is available on online registries and you can see Smart Rebates profiles available publicly. Smart Rebates reviews are positive and an indicator that it is striving to eliminate complaints and promote customer satisfaction. We can give you some information about different scams that take place in our communities so you can make yourself aware of the issues.
  • Do call the Smart Rebates to confirm if a representative was sent to your home.
  • Look for Smart Rebates logo on the material left for you
  • Do ask questions about the badge, uniforms and business cards and confirm
  • Always book an appointment first before letting anyone in your home

Phone Scams

These scams tend to use aggressive and intimidating tactics. You’ll receive a call from a scammer claiming to be a representative of your local utility company or energy provider. They will insist you’re behind on your electricity bill payments and your account is delinquent. They often threaten to shut off your electricity or natural gas immediately, usually within the hour or that same day if you don’t pay up.
If you miss the call, you may receive a message stating that you owe a large but specific amount of money, usually hundreds of dollars. The imposter will leave a callback number for their “direct line,” and a threat to disconnect your energy service that day. Smart Rebates reps will always conduct in home assessment to put consumers at ease.
At this point, you might be panicking, and that’s what these fraudsters are counting on. You don’t think clearly when you’re frightened or alarmed, so you could forget that you’ve paid the last few bills on time, or that you have automatic payments set up.

Watch Out For:

Warning 1: Threats to cut your power immediately without payment.

Warning 2: Fuzzy details about identification of the company and the representative

Warning 3: Requests for money transfers or prepaid debit cards

How to identify a utility scammer over the phone

These fraudsters usually request “payment” by strange or unconventional means. Demands for prepaid debit or credit cards, gift cards, wire transfers, money orders, or cash are a dead giveaway that the person you’re speaking with is trying to scam you. Another sign is extreme urgency. Scammers may insist you have to pay in the next hour. Often, they will try to keep you on the phone to hurry and badger you, preventing you from realizing that you’re being deceived.

Door-to-door Scams

A suspicious person who rings your doorbell and claims they work for your energy provider

Door-to-door scammers are more like the stereotypical con man. They impersonate legitimate door-to-door sales representatives. They pretend to be from Smart Rebates but have no form of identification nor do they have a set appointment for a free thermostat or any other assessment.

Smart Rebates door to door is not a practise that we accept. We only attend your home with prior appointments for the purpose of conducting an assessment. Smart Rebates Scam is not a way of business and we take all measures to ensure our clients know about us and our marketing efforts and promotions in Toronto and across Ontario.

Watch Out For:

Warning 1: Absence of branded clothing and materials Warning 2: No proof of employment with Smart Rebates (Badge)

How to identify a door-to-door scammer

It can be difficult to tell legitimate door-to-door employees apart from the imposters if you’re not paying close attention. Legitimate employees always carry a badge with them, so be sure to ask for it before letting anyone inside your home. Our team members also wear branded clothing like shirts, jackets, and hats with our logo. If you aren’t offered a business card or don’t see printed materials with a description of our programs, chances are the person on your doorstep is not from Smart Rebates and you need call us to confirm.

Knowledge Is Power

  1.  Familiarize yourself with your energy contract and HVAC contracts.
  2. Keep track of your billing history so you know what a normal bill should look like.
Who’s at risk for being scammed? Smart Rebates BBB (Better Business Bureau) data
Older adults are often depicted as the typical scam victims, but the Better Business Bureau found that nearly 70% of those who were scammed are under the age of 45, and almost 80% held college degrees. Anyone can be vulnerable to being scammed; it’s not just the gullible or trusting. Successful fraudsters are usually experts at manipulation. To avoid being taken advantage of, know the basic details about your energy bill—your energy provider, the type and length of your plan, and what services you pay for. Make sure your partner or spouse knows these basic details so they won’t fall victim to these schemes either. Fraudsters typically don’t have access to much of your personal information. They could have found your name, address, and phone number from public records or information available on your social media accounts or employer’s website.

Smart Rebates Scam Prevention Program

How To Protect Yourself

Verify – Always verify your account status before paying
Identify – Ask for identification or proof of identification
Familiarize – Familiarize yourself with scam reports in the area

How to avoid falling prey to a utility scam

Simply knowing about the types of scams criminals run is your best defense against falling for one. You should protect identifying information about yourself and always confirm the status of your account before believing anything someone says during an unsolicited call or visit. A legitimate company representative will be happy to let you confirm your account details and your appointment details.

1. Protect Your Information

Never throw out documents like bills that contain your personal information or billing details. Shred or burn these documents when you’re done with them. Better yet—go paperless. If you do your billing on a shared or public computer, log out of your email and bank account when you’re done and never save any passwords in the web browser

2. Check Your Account Status

Check your account status by logging on to our web portal, opening the app, or calling customer service directly. If your account is overdue, you’ll be able to clearly see what you owe, how much energy you have used, and what plan you’re enrolled in. Most energy providers send multiple notices if you miss payments or your account has an overdue balance, so be sure to check your home’s mailbox or your inbox for these alerts.

3. Verify Their Information

Make sure the company a caller or visitor represents actually has an online presence. Search the name online and be sure that the organization offers service in your area. You can also ask whomever you speak with for their employee number. Even if they don’t have one, they should still be able to prove they work for a legitimate company by showing you a badge, detailed printed materials, or by providing a permit.