BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — NYSEG customers are expressing frustration over technical issues affecting the company’s autopay system.
The concerns were brought to light by 7 News viewers, including Cheektowaga resident Teresa Marcello, who contacted us this week after experiencing problems with her bill.
Marcello, a long-time NYSEG customer, noticed her automatic payment did not go through for her June billing cycle, resulting in a charge of over $300 for a property she owns in Depew.
"I called NYSEG customer service to find out what was happening," Marcello said. "They informed me they were aware of the problem, but it only affected certain pull days, and I happened to be one of those customers."
After speaking with a representative, Marcello made a one-time payment and was assured that any late fees would be waived. However, a termination notice arrived in her mailbox days later, alarming her.
WATCH: NYSEG customers voice concerns over technical issues impacting autopay system
"If they are aware of this problem, they should have stopped all termination notices from going out," Marcello stated. "It’s especially concerning since it was their fault."
In response to the complaints, NYSEG acknowledged that a technical error occurred during a federally mandated transition to a new payment vendor, affecting some autopay customers. The company stated it took immediate action to secure the impacted accounts and promised to work with customers to resolve the issues without penalties or fees.
"We acted quickly to lock down the affected accounts and will work with every customer to resolve this issue," a NYSEG spokesperson said. "Impacted customers will not experience a service disruption, and NYSEG will not call any customer to request payment over the phone."
After receiving a follow-up automated call from NYSEG offering a $25 credit for her inconvenience, Marcello noted, "I will watch my August bills to see if I get the $25 credit, and if I don’t, I will be on the phone again."
NYSEG emphasized that it will not reach out to customers via phone for payment requests to mitigate the risk of scams. Customers impacted by the autopay issue are encouraged to contact customer service at 1-800-572-1111.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
