When Marsha Thomas’ husband died four years ago, she quickly learned how overwhelming it can be to settle affairs after a loss.
Bit by bit, she switched accounts into her name. But one slipped through the cracks: the ComEd account in her late husband’s name.
“You have to prove so many things, and everybody wants a certified copy of a death certificate. The funeral home says get a dozen so you can prove it,” Thomas said.
In fall 2025, Thomas notified the utility company of his death. She says ComEd closed the old account and opened a new one. Then came a surprise.
“I got a letter from ComEd saying they were going to charge me a new account deposit,” Thomas said.
Her bill showed a $210 security deposit. Thomas says she asked ComEd why and was told it’s standard for every new account.
According to Thomas, she called and emailed ComEd at least six times to dispute the charge.
“The supervisor said there was nothing she could do,” Thomas said.
Feeling stuck, she wrote to NBC 5 Responds and we started looking into her complaint. One thing in particular stood out.
The Illinois Commerce Commission’s administrative code for public utilities states: “Customer deposits are used to secure against potential unpaid debts.” Thomas says she had no unpaid debts.
ComEd declined an on-camera interview with NBC Chicago but said in an email: “ComEd is dedicated to providing all customers with timely and accurate billing. On rare occasions, a clerical error may lead to an inadvertent charge on a customer’s account. In such cases, ComEd will promptly resolve the issue and ensure appropriate retraining is conducted.”
Thomas was refunded the money, and she says it wouldn’t have happened without help.
“The only reason I’ve been reimbursed is because Channel 5 got on them. That’s the only reason,” she said.
The Illinois Commerce Commission encourages utility customers to contact its consumer services division with questions or to file an official complaint.
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