During high-priced times, consumers wonder if they should switch to a gas or electric alternative supplier. Be careful. “Alternative electricity suppliers are impacted by the same market conditions that are causing utility prices to increase, so be careful about getting lured into bad deals,” said CUB General Counsel Julie Soderna…...
Hey Illinois, beware of rip-offs
Everybody is worrying about costs these days—I know we talk to a lot of concerned consumers. That’s why CUB is issuing this warning. If you get pitched any of these offers, be careful! Maintenance plans. They peddle peace of mind (“the unexpected—protected,” says one ad). But maintenance plans offered to utility…...
Beware: Don’t fall victim to a Coronavirus scam
Fraudsters are using the public health emergency to steal our money and personal information. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has warned residents to exercise caution with phone, text and email solicitations for money or personal information that are tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Protect yourself from scams by reading our…...
CUB alerts Illinois utility customers to free services during crisis
The Citizens Utility Board has announced free services for Illinois utility customers during the public health crisis and shared tips on how consumers can protect their bottom line in these uncertain times. “In the middle of this unprecedented public health and economic crisis, the last thing anyone needs to worry…...
Anti-robocall legislation rings in the new year
The nation’s toughest anti-robocall legislation, the TRACED Act, has just been signed into law. That’s good news in Illinois, which each year is the target of billions of these nuisance calls. While it won’t stop the pesky automated calls entirely, the act is a concrete step in the right direction.…...
More than 100 million consumers hit by Capital One hack
Yet another data breach has exposed the private data of more than one hundred million people, leaving them vulnerable to fraud. Credit card company Capital One went public on Monday with news that 106 million individuals had their data compromised, mostly from credit card applications between 2005 and early 2019.…...
Robocall legislation nearing the finish line
Big thanks to thousands of members of the CUB Action Network who have sent messages urging their elected officials to take action against robocalls. The House of Representatives on July 24 overwhelmingly passed (429-3) the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act to crack down on robocall scams. That action followed the Senate’s…...
Update: Two bills that could help stop those annoying robocalls
There’s hope in the fight to stop annoying robocalls plaguing millions of consumers like you. Two bills have been advancing in Congress and are headed for the House floor. The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (or TRACED) Act and Stopping Bad Robocalls Act are both advancing to the…...
Breaking: Electricity rip-offs more likely this summer
96-year-old Elizabeth Davis gets ripped off every time she turns on the lights. She and other customers of alternative electric suppliers have overpaid by $600 million in recent years, according to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. That’s why I want to share this important news: State legislators just passed some of…...
