EDF bill shock

Energy bills have continued to be astronomical but imagine getting a bill for £39,000! That’s what happened to Turner Prize winning artist Grayson Perry who took to X (formerly Twitter) to complain that EDF had tried to take this amount by Direct Debit. Journalist Jon Sopel joined in, stating that his bill had been for 18k from EDF.

EDF published a statement on X, stating:

We’re aware of the online conversation about increases to two separate EDF customers’ direct debit amounts. Customers don’t need to worry – these aren’t related to a wider issue with our billing system and we haven’t changed how we process direct debit changes for customers 🧵

— EDF 🇬🇧 (@edfenergy) December 18, 2023

However, EDF customers have approached me with information about emails from their energy provider that would suggest otherwise.

For example, EDF customer Caroline Kremer, who received an email from EDF which she thought was a scam. Dewdney agreed. The email had a number of issues that would suggest it was a scam and are frequently given as indicators of a likely fraud attempt:

• The email was not personalised
• It notified customers that EDF was changing their customer number (the confusion that will arise from this makes it unbelievable for most customers and therefore they are right in doubting its validity).
• EDF stated that it was changing its bank account number
• Only allowing payment by cheques in Post Offices and therefore not considering vulnerable people and not respecting OFGEM rules
• Changing a password via a link. Security experts warn that consumers should be wary of doing this
• Caroline was unable to check the previous account number because the app didn’t work, another warning that this might be a scam
• EDF changed the email address from which it sends emails.
• EDF changed the phone number to contact the company, which might suggest that it is not EDF you are calling

James Bore, a Chartered Security Professional and Director of Bores Consultancy, advised that this communication should have been a paper letter to customers, delivered by post, not an e-mail. He says:

Email is automatically more suspicious – and has a higher risk of being read by someone other than the intended recipient. The password reset link is convenient, sure, but this is definitely bad practice from a security point of view – they are effectively teaching their customers that clicking a reset link is fine, when it’s actually a significant risk. This should have been a note to log into the site and change their password there. Things like the list of phone numbers, again, should be highlighted and referenced in any information going out.”

I approached EDF for a statement, requesting that it addressed all the issues. A spokesperson for EDF confirmed that the email was legitimate and said:

We are in the process of upgrading our customer services platform which will see all EDF customers receiving a new customer number. This is unfortunately a necessary step as we migrate customers to the new system.

We have also needed to change the bank account number as our customers are being migrated in batches rather than all at the same time. This requires us to keep the bank accounts associated with the two systems separate so we can control and track payments accordingly.”

Commenting on the password link, the spokesperson said

We’ve included a link for customers to change their password solely for quick reference and convenience. The link takes the customer to the EDF MyAccount log in page, where customers are asked to enter their email address to access their account. If they are an existing user, they will be prompted to create a new password; if they are a new user, they will need to create a brand new log in. This is the same process for the app.”

The EDF spokesperson said

Customers are still able to access their old account number on any emails they’ve previously been sent or their bills and other paper communications. Once they have accessed their account details with the new password, all customers will still have access to usage information from a couple months prior to migration and bills and statements from approximately a year prior. Any further historical detail is stored in our previous platform and can be provided upon request.”

But Bore questions EDF’s tactics, saying

“Providing the old account number is something, but more details to reassure would be good – and these should not be sent by e-mail. How many people have their account number memorised? How many believe that it’s secure information?”

Regarding the EDF email address it said “We have changed the email address as part of our new platform setup, but the email domain remains @edfenergy.com. But we have seen many a scam where the scammer uses the company domain in the email address, so this is yet another example of behaviour by EDF which does not consider basic cyber security.

EDF believes that providing the account number is enough personalisation and that their phone numbers can be verified on their website. Bore says

With the level of changes they’re expecting customers to make it’s on them to do the work to make sure it’s demonstrably genuine, and suggesting their customers can go and check things at different links on their website is not the way to go.”

According to the BBC, OFGEM has said it will act if any suppliers are breaking its rules. The BBC report says that regular direct debit payments must be based on “the best and most current information available”, according to suppliers’ licence conditions. However, despite being approached for comment twice within a week about the issues, OFGEM has still not provided a comment.

Bore believes that the migration has caused the EDF problems, warning that

Moving between different IT systems at any sort of scale is complicated, and errors can have a huge impact on individuals. If there’s been a change in systems, and a number of people are impacted in similar ways, it’s probably that shift that’s caused it.

Despite EDF’s assertion that the problem is not widespread and not related to a billing issue,  users are also beginning to question the situation.

Can you confirm why my direct debit was never taken? I have “moved” onto the new system, but can no longer log onto my account. Trying to re-set my password as instructed, but no email ever arrives. If I had know the previous owner was with you I would have never brought thehouse

— stephanie louise (@ChloeKiwi1) December 20, 2023

You’ve randomly took an amount out of our account today, unconnected to our bill which we have already paid. What is going on? Has someone in your company been watching too much ‘Oliver’ before Xmas and picking pockets right, left and centre? I would like the money back now.

— Adam Perkins (@AdamPer95938632) December 20, 2023

Really ? In mid November, an estimated meter usage for 3 months day time electricity was bigger than the actual usage for the previous 18 months. Given that #edf has all my data, how could this be possible ? All now sorted (hopefully). But I shall keep an eye on direct debits.

— Robert Sherriff (@robertgsherriff) December 18, 2023

It’s the continuation of what is happening within EDF customer service!  The problem is as companies remove people who could spot these problems from the process, and restrict their staff from being able to spot and deal with anomalies. They must trust the system and obey the process, so customers fall through the cracks and have no recourse to deal with the issue.

If you receive a bill that is highly inflated, write, not phone and How to check, query and complain about huge energy bills.

 

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You save yourself time in the long run by using email and you will have the evidence if you need to escalate the issue to the Energy Ombudsman.

If you can’t find an email address for EDF customer service, get the CEO’s email address from ceoemail.com.

The CEO may not respond personally but it will get the matter escalated and into the system. If you are not fully satisfied with the response, you can submit your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman after 8 weeks from your initial complaint or ask for a deadlock letter to escalate the matter earlier. The Ombudsman will make a decision on your case, including whether any compensation is due.

Further help with energy

 

 

How to save money on and complain about, energy – contains links to various helpful posts about any issue you may be having with your supplier, your rights, how to get it sorted and gain redress.

Further help with complaining

For masses of information, tips, guidance, laws and regulations and templates GET THE BOOK! How To Complain: The ESSENTIAL Consumer Guide to Getting REFUNDS, Redress and RESULTS!

 

 

 

101 Habits of an Effective Complainer has been designed to improve the way you look at and make complaints. Each page gives you a complaining habit to consider and an example of how and why it empowers you to become more effective in getting the results you want.

 

 

If you can’t wait to get complaining to a company purchase and download a template.