Verify Electricity Supplier License: PUCO, PA PUC, DPU Guide

Here's the thing about deregulated electricity markets: anyone who meets the regulatory requirements can sell power. That's mostly a good thing because it creates competition. But it also means some shady operators try to slip through the cracks.

Unlicensed "suppliers" have pulled all kinds of stunts. Collecting payments and vanishing. Switching your account without permission, which is called slamming. Signing people up for services that don't exist. It happens more than you'd think.

State regulators like PUCO in Ohio, PA PUC in Pennsylvania, and MA DPU in Massachusetts license and monitor legitimate suppliers. But they can't catch every bad actor before someone gets burned.

The simplest solution is using a comparison service that only shows licensed suppliers. That way the vetting is already done. But if you're going direct, take five minutes to verify credentials before giving anyone your account information. It's not paranoia. It's just smart.

In Ohio, PUCO keeps a database of every Certified Retail Electric Service provider allowed to sell electricity in the state. It takes about two minutes to check.

Go to energychoice.ohio.gov and click on "Certified Suppliers" to see the complete list. You can also use PUCO's Apples to Apples comparison tool, which only shows certified suppliers in the first place. If you'd rather talk to a human, call PUCO at 1-800-686-7826 and they'll confirm any supplier's status.

A good test: when a sales rep contacts you, ask for their PUCO certification number. Legitimate suppliers give it to you immediately without hesitation. They're proud of it. If someone gets evasive or can't produce a number, that tells you everything.

One hard rule: if a company isn't in PUCO's database, don't give them your account number or any personal information. Period.

Pennsylvania makes this pretty easy. The PA PUC licenses Electric Generation Suppliers, and every one of them gets a unique license number you can verify.

Start at papowerswitch.com, which is the state's official shopping site. If a company shows up there, they're licensed. That's the quick check. You can also go directly to the PA PUC website and search their supplier database if you want the full details.

Prefer the phone? Call the PA PUC Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-800-692-7380. They can confirm any supplier's status while you wait.

Here's something worth knowing: Pennsylvania law requires suppliers to identify themselves clearly and provide licensing info when you ask. It's not optional. So if someone refuses to give you their license number or gets squirrely about it, that's a major red flag. Walk away.

Massachusetts works a bit differently than Ohio and Pennsylvania. The DPU licenses competitive suppliers, but there's no state-run comparison website like PAPowerSwitch. That makes verification even more important.

Go to Mass.gov and search for "licensed competitive suppliers." The DPU keeps detailed records with supplier names, license numbers, and contact info. You can also call the DPU Consumer Division at 1-877-886-5066 if you want to verify someone over the phone.

One thing Massachusetts residents should know: the DPU has issued warnings about aggressive marketing from some competitive suppliers, especially door-to-door sales. That doesn't mean every door knocker is a scammer. But it does mean you should be extra careful about verifying anyone who shows up unannounced trying to switch your electricity service.

Before you hand over any personal information, put the supplier through a basic test. Ask some questions and see how they respond.

Start with their state license or certification number. Then verify it independently. Ask how long they've been operating in your state. Get their physical business address - a real office, not just a P.O. box. Request written rate information including all fees before you give them your account number. Ask if they have a Better Business Bureau listing.

Legitimate suppliers don't mind these questions at all. In fact, they welcome them. They'll provide clear, documented answers because they have nothing to hide.

On the other hand, if a company gets evasive or starts pressuring you to decide right now, pay attention to that. If they can't give you basic business information, something's off. Trust your gut here. If it feels wrong, it probably is.

A license proves they're allowed to operate. It doesn't tell you whether they're any good. For that, you need to dig a little deeper.

Check the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org for ratings and complaint history. Do a quick Google search for the supplier name plus "complaints" or "reviews." State regulators publish complaint data too - PUCO, PA PUC, and the MA DPU all make this information available.

Look for patterns. Lots of billing problems? Rate disputes? Customers who can't cancel? Those are warning signs. But keep context in mind. A giant supplier serving millions of customers will naturally have more complaints than a small one. What matters is whether they resolve issues and how often the same problems keep coming up.

Spend 10 minutes on this before you sign anything. It's a lot less hassle than dealing with a bad supplier later.

Some warning signs are obvious once you know what to look for.

Walk away immediately if anyone only accepts cash, wire transfers, or gift cards. That's fraud 101. Same goes for anyone who demands you sign up right now. Legitimate suppliers don't do that. Ever. They're happy to let you think about it because they know you'll find them when you verify their credentials.

Be suspicious of rates that seem too good to be true, like significantly below everyone else in the market. That usually means hidden fees or outright scams. Companies that won't give you anything in writing, can't answer basic questions about their rates and terms, or get aggressive when you ask for time to think - those are all bad signs.

Give extra scrutiny to companies without a physical address, companies not in state databases, or companies with no real online presence beyond a basic website.

The simple rule: if something feels off, don't enroll. There are plenty of legitimate suppliers out there.

The verification doesn't stop once you enroll. You need to make sure everything matches what you agreed to.

Within a few days, you should get written confirmation with your rate, contract terms, and start date. Read it carefully. Make sure the supplier name and rate are exactly what you signed up for.

You also have a cooling-off period to cancel without penalty. In Ohio it's 7 days. Pennsylvania and Massachusetts give you 3 days. Use that window if anything looks wrong.

When your first bill arrives, check that the charges match your contract and that the supplier name is correct. If a different company shows up on your bill or the rate is wrong, contact your utility immediately. You may have been slammed, which means someone switched your account without permission.

Keep all your enrollment documents for the entire contract. You might need them later if there's a dispute.

If you run into a fraudulent or sketchy supplier, report them. It protects you and helps prevent the same thing from happening to someone else.

File a complaint with your state regulator. In Ohio, that's PUCO at 1-800-686-7826. Pennsylvania has the PA PUC at 1-800-692-7380. Massachusetts consumers should contact the MA DPU at 1-877-886-5066.

You can also report to your State Attorney General's consumer protection division, the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org, or the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

If you gave them financial information, contact your bank immediately and watch your accounts closely for anything suspicious.

Your report matters more than you might think. Regulators use complaints to identify patterns, build cases against bad actors, and take enforcement action. Every report helps.