Even after reading about how CitizenRE is possibly a shady racket, I was still willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, until I got a hilarious and random email that sounded like it came from a Nigerian scammer:
Dear Sir / Madam, Joe Citizen here, life member of NAFC
Now is that the North American Fishing Club or the National Association For Continence you're with?
The reason I am writing is in regards to your campaign request for fund raising. As a member I believe in your cause and the cause of many other groups, and Associations that I am involved with, the problem is that everyone wants cash Donations for their cause.
Bears repeating!
I figure there had to be a way to come up with an idea, to help support groups With out going cash poor myself. So I hit the NET.
The NET. Heard of it ...
Reviewing products, talking with people, from all categories, research, schools, churches, nature, medical, City and State officials, Global warming issues, ect. What product or service could help out all of these groups meet their campaign goals. And not tap out the consumers cash flow problems. Answer? Solar....
Through a Company called CitizensRe They offer a plan for Associations, Groups, or individuals, to join as Associates at .. NO Cost, Ever.. to them.
No cost? Now that's, um, not entirely true.
Citizens offers Home owners a No Cost Solar System for their homes with,
No Panel cost No maintenance fees
No installation fees No permit hassles
Yet locks in their current utility rates for up to 25 years with out an increase, saving them thousands over the agreement terms. So their cost is a small security deposit on the system and last years monthly Average spent on their electricity bills. That's it.
Ah, there it is. The huge security deposit that allegedly goes poof.
Your Group however would receive a bonus check upon installation and another after the 1st year. PLUS 5% of the monthly usage from each unit installed, for up to 25 years.
Using Renewable, Green Energy from the sun will help Save Trees, preserving our Forests, take emissions out of the air, Will be a Major step in reducing Global Warming.
This guy is a real capitalist. He Capitalizes Everything.
And REDUCES our Dependency on Foreign Oil ...
Except that electricity doesn't come from oil usually, so, um, no.
Everyone Wins, You, your Campaign, the Community, The World
Thank you, if you have questions contact me
Pass this along to your favorite organization
Gristmill, you're it!
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Comments
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amazingdrx Posted 11:59 pm
22 Apr 2007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme
http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog
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Rob Styler Posted 12:16 am
23 Apr 2007
I apologize for your experience. That email is obviously completely against our policies. I sent you my personal email. Please send me the person's name and email address so I can suspend them from our company.
Thanks,
Rob
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GreyFlcn Posted 2:03 am
23 Apr 2007
Since thats the only way any of this could make any monetary sense.
(Assuming it was designed to accomplish anything in the first place)
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A Siegel Posted 2:16 am
23 Apr 2007
Why not do some research re CitizenRE and then conduct an interview with Styler. Provide an update as to CitizenRE's status.
One place to start that research: CitizenRE: Panacea or "clean-energy vaporware". Some thoughts and a lot of links to various people who've looked at CitizenRE.
Please ... please ... prove my skepticism wrong ... I would love to see CitizenRE work and for Skyler to become a multi-billionaire via massive deployment of solar panels across the US and then the globe. Why not take a Grist look and see whether you think that this might occur?
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amazingdrx Posted 2:24 am
23 Apr 2007
Meaning, yes a company could install a solar system on your home and make money selling you the power from the panel at 10 cents per kwh and the solar heat.
That is what RE is claiming it can do. Forget all the complication abiout franchising and financing. Is this physically possible, make money from solar selling it for 10 cents per kwh.
With flat plate collectors? No way.
Why would anyone need RE if cheaper more efficient PV cogeneration was available now? I think PV cogeneration is about to beat out most of the current suppliers. But installers will grow like wildfire. Hooray for small, local business.
Give Mr. Ponzi's copycats the bum's rush.
http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog
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sunflower Posted 2:53 am
23 Apr 2007
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Erik Hoffner Posted 12:03 am
18 Jun 2007
When spammers use green popular culture messaging as their irresistable lead to get you to open their stupid message, you know your movement is going somewhere. Somewhere good? In this case, not sure.
The Orion Grassroots Network: 1000+ grassroots groups working for conservation & more
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amazingdrx Posted 12:36 am
18 Jun 2007
A mix of wind, solar, and biogas is better, along with conservation with plugin cars and geothermal heating/cooling. But this 40% efficiency breakthrough is amazing, here in Wisconsin, one utility pays 22 cents per kwh for solar PV.
With mass production a solar gold rush will be on here! A few years payback is now possible with do-it-yourselfing and it should be that short for turnkey systems in a few years with mass installation.
http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog
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Truik Posted 1:19 pm
21 Oct 2007
"you will have the ability to view your system's operating status in near-real-time. Data is updated on a daily basis. Use this feature to see how much electricity your REnU has generated for you and at what time of the day, how much of it you used and when, and how much you delivered to your utility. Even see how much energy you took back from the local utility and when. Additionally, this daily data translates directly into your monthly bill"
Ok, so I logged into my "new account" and guess what I found...a "contract status" section indicating that I had requested a 25 year contract and that it was pending (I had, in fact, told the rep I specifically would NOT sign the 25 year contract but may consider the one or five-year contract). There was also a section of graphs headed up with my personal information, a contract number and colorful displays of my current energy consumption, energy generated by the panels, energy sold and energy bought back...all with colorful displays. Keep in mind, no one has been to my house to even consider a solar installation let alone begin any type of solar installation. THERE ARE NO SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED ON MY HOUSE.
If this is the data that will be comprising my bill and the data is fabricated, as it must be since CitizenRE has no record of my energy usage today and, especially, since they have data on my solar energy production when I have no solar energy system, I am deeply concerned.
I also noticed, in the contract information displayed on the "account" I logged into, that there may be additional fees as outlined in section 1.2 of the contract. Under section 1.2 of the contract, it simply has the word (reserved) in parenthesis and nothing more. Who would agree to such a contract?!
I want to make all of you aware I am posting this message to inform you of my current experience with the company CitizenRE and to allow Rob or any other representative of their company to explain what is going on and why I am seeing the data I am seeing in the "account" created for me.
I have been hesitant in responding to comments made about CitizenRE until this point because I have been trying to be positive in thinking they may actually be a legitimate company, however, I am rapidly deciding to agree with the nay-sayers and look forward from a response from CitizenRE which would actually make me consider doing otherwise.
One further comment to CitizenRE: If I receive a bill, invoice or collection statement of any kind, you will see legal action and media activity that will give your company more attention than any rep at the state fair.
Thanks for your attention to this matter.
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Erik Hoffner Posted 1:54 am
27 Dec 2007
Erik
The Orion Grassroots Network: 1,100+ grassroots groups working for conservation & more
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