Direct Energy sends surprise bill to Calgary woman

• UPDATE:Direct Energy reverses $500 bill sent to Calgary woman without account

A Calgary woman says she's been billed by Direct Energyeven thoughshe never openedan account with the provider,and has notlived in the Grande Prairie home it was sent to since 2010.

Bobbi Michaud'sformer landlord called on Saturdayand told her there were bills for her from Direct Energy.

"At first I thought it was a scam until she sent me the pictures of the actual bill and realized it wasn't a scam," said Michaud.

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When Michaud called Direct Energy, she says company representatives told her theyhave government records that she owns the homewhere the gas bill is not being paid.

Michaudsays she's never owned a home.

"Also I never had any kind of energy bills while living in Grande Prairie."

They told her she owes about$500, including a security deposit fee, current chargesand penalties. She was also told that in order toclear up the account, she needs to prove that she doesn't own the home. She says her former landlord owns the home.

"They don't have to prove that I live there, I have to prove that I didn't live there, which doesn't seem right to me," said Michaud."They should have had consent to opening the account before they actually opened it."

Complaint filed

She has filed a complaint with ServiceAlberta'sUtilities Consumer Advocate.

A spokesperson from Direct Energy says they are looking into Michaud's case.

Cheryl Tkalcic fromService Alberta says theyareaware of ongoing issues for customers of this energy provider and are working with Direct Energy, through theUtilities Consumer Advocate, to resolve the situation.

She also says accounts should not be opened unknowingly.

"Contracts that are signed up without customer consent would be in contravention of theFair Trading Act. Our consumer contact centre is able to investigate these types of situations once the consumer files a complaint," said Tkalcic.

Michaud says she's lucky she remains in contact with her former landlord.

"If she hadn't phoned me to let me know that bill had come in, and if I hadn't phoned Direct Energy, I never would have known that this bill actually existed until it went to like a collections agency or something. I'm worried that this could be happening to other people who've never even had an account with Direct Energy."