free light bulbs = new energy scam?

ph_dreamin

We just got a call on our home phone from a company called "Contract Services" which claims to be working for ConEd, offering us free compact fluorescent light bulbs in order to help us prevent blackouts in our neighborhood. Given the door-to-door energy scam I read about here (and then experienced first-hand), I am wondering if this, too, is a scam? I told the guy we were all set for light bulbs, but am wondering if they will keep calling back.

sweet tea

we had a guy come a year and a half ago or so...it's posted here somewhere.

it wasn't a scam except for the fact that the cfl blubs they gave us for the bathroom sucked.

doctorj

If anyone's being scammed, it's ConEd, because the dirt cheap bulbs that were handed out only last a year or so, not the advertised five. But for the customer, a free bulb is a free bulb.

ntfool

Not a scam. Just had this done about two weeks ago myself. I'm sure the bulbs are cheap and won't last very long, but again, free bulbs are free bulbs. I live in a brownstone apt. with very high ceilings, and the guy came in and even changed the ceiling bulbs about 12 ft up... he brought his own ladder.

One of those damned ceiling lights has been out for almost a year (as I have no ladder and a very lazy handyman that the out-of-state owner occasionally employs), so I was pretty happy about that bulb being replaced.

ph_dreamin

Thanks for the feedback - I think we'll probably pass as we're happy with our Costco bulbs...

marla_singer

Prob not a scam. They came to my door a year or so ago and replaced my bathroom bulbs for me. They're still working for me.