Business ProfileforService Choice by Minnesota Energy Resources

Date of issue: 04/19/24 Called MN Energy Resources two weeks ago, and they told me to call back about start a service as they needed my passport number. Called back today, to see what was needed. Customer ********************** agent was very rude and told me I would have to email, mail or FAX my SSN, and Canadian passport, birth certificate or license. I asked why I would have to provide copies of these and they claimed it was to ensure that there was no fraudulent activity (aka identity theft). I told the rep that per the privacy section of their website, I didnt have to provide a SSN and they cannot deny me service. She told me they wouldnt as there was no identity verification. She couldnt confirm if my Canadian IDs would work and said only use US identification. I continued to tell her that Im sure she understood my hesitation when she told me to email them to ********************************************************************** and she danced around it and told me to send it anyway. From there, when we were getting nowhere, I asked to speak to someone in the application department and she said they have no phone number. Asked for a manager to be transferred to, and she told me she had no one to do so. So, I hung up and reached out to their ******** page. ********** replied and tried to tell me the same things and we eventually got to the ability to get a supervisor to call me back. We will see if that happens. Incredibly frustrating as this is a start of service and starting on the wrong foot. Ive worked with both centerpoint energy and Xcel energy and never had to do any of this. Disappointing that they cannot provide me reasoning as to why they needed copies of these identification pieces but also that they couldnt tell me if they would be deleted and removed/shredded upon verified. Considering moving areas due to this frustration of starting a service as this is ridiculous.