Eon Rep is this fraud?

st999

Seen this in another forum.

I might do this if it isn't.:D

My gas and electricity are going up by over £500 a year, never could work out percentages, because I am on a special tariff from Eon that is being ended on 29th June.

I am going to add 1000kWh of electricity and 400 metric units to my gas usage when I give them my final meter readings for that tariff on that night and request a bill.

My next bill at the end of Sept should be zero for usage, although there will still be the standing charge to pay.

That will upset their DD calculation.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Hiya st999

The short answer is yes :eek:

If we then went and read the meter, or when the next bill is due and the reads came in, we'd know something wasn't right and this is when we'd start to investigate.

Helena

ceredigion

that statement was posted on this thread
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5000161


maybe you would care to comment

welshbookworm

Interesting, many years ago my electric company overestimated my bill by double just before a mega-price increase. I paid the estimated bill and ended up with a nil bill the next bill. The reader was confused but put down the reading he saw.
I saved money, but only paid what I was asked to, so was I being fraudulent?
Surely the electric company would have to prove intent rather than incompetence, to call it fraud and as it would be a one off that might be difficult?
Interesting situation.

Cardew

Of course it is fraud, and of course it could never be proven.

brewerdave

Cardew wrote: »

Of course it is fraud, and of course it could never be proven.

...................but suspicions are much more likely to be raised if BOTH readings were grossly out - a "misread" of one meter is easily possible

Cardew

brewerdave wrote: »

...................but suspicions are much more likely to be raised if BOTH readings were grossly out - a "misread" of one meter is easily possible

Agreed, and I don't think anyone will have any doubt about fraud taking place.

Fraud

n. the intentional use of deceit, a trick or some dishonest means to deprive another of his/her/its money, property or a legal right

However proving it in a court of law would be impossible IMO even in the unlikely event that such action was taken.

lstar337

Cardew wrote: »

However proving it in a court of law would be impossible IMO even in the unlikely event that such action was taken.

Quite. They don't even take people who bypass their meters with coat hangers and steal thousands to court, I doubt they will bother with somebody who gives out a few false readings to save a tenner.

Archi_Bald

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena wrote: »

Hiya st999

The short answer is yes :eek:

If we then went and read the meter, or when the next bill is due and the reads came in, we'd know something wasn't right and this is when we'd start to investigate.

Helena

Could you explain a bit further why you would consider it fraud if somebody gives you more money than they have to give you?

It isn't fraud when my utility company takes (by DD) more money than I really owe, to help me spread my payments throughout the year. I have for years always have had a credit balance, with various utilities.

If I decide to overpay myself, by giving you higher than actual readings, to help me spread my payments throughout the year, why is it suddenly fraud, and what would you investigate?

Bigphil1474

Of course its fraud, if you are telling them you have used more energy than you actually have. If they over estimate, then its just a poor estimate, but actually telling them something you know not to be true isn't the same. Having said that, doubt they'd be able to prove it - telling them your half blind granny took the meter readings.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Archi_Bald wrote: »

Could you explain a bit further why you would consider it fraud if somebody gives you more money than they have to give you?

It isn't fraud when my utility company takes (by DD) more money than I really owe, to help me spread my payments throughout the year. I have for years always have had a credit balance, with various utilities.

If I decide to overpay myself, by giving you higher than actual readings, to help me spread my payments throughout the year, why is it suddenly fraud, and what would you investigate?

It's really because they're giving us false information, with made up meter readings when they would be classed as actual reads on the bill. (A)

If the customer decides to set their Direct Debit at a higher amount than they actually need to, we would be offering a refund at the review date and also advising what to adjust the monthly payment amount too.

What's being suggested here is to give incorrect meter reads on purpose, to pay for their energy at a lower than contracted price.

So it's not about them giving us more money than they have to, it's about them giving us false information.

Building up a credit on a Direct Debit is a different issue.

Hope this helps

Helena