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by David Ibave
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — An El Paso grandmother said she is fighting back after she got sued for reportedly owing over hundreds of thousands of dollars for solar panels she doesn't have and didn't request.
On Wednesday morning, the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), the nonprofit organization that provides legal services for low-income people in El Paso, hosted a press conference to share the story of Lorena Vargas, an El Paso grandmother who is countersuing after she was sued for owing more than $100,000 in loans taken out to buy solar panels.
According to Vargas' lawsuit, defendant Cross River Bank from New Jersey, working with co-conspirators Titan Asset Purchasing LLC and Sunlight Financial LLC, has a history of roping people into fraudulent debts, alleging that they forged a loan in Vargas' name.
The lawsuit alleges that Cross River Bank has little supervision on how co-conspirators acquire signatures on their contracts or if the person in debt really wants solar panels, but only focus if they have enough money or good credit to pay off the debt for years.
The lawsuit accuses Cross River Bank of checking Vargas' credit multiple times without her consent, but never checking to see if Vargas had agreed to the loan in the first place.
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Wayne Krause Yang, TRLA's team manager for the consumer protection team and the lead attorney in this case, said that the so-called solar panels for which the loans were taken out are not even tied to Vargas' address.
In the countersuit, Vargas' legal team described how the ordeal started, saying that in late 2025, the El Paso grandmother who lives alone was served two lawsuits, for $50,000 each.
This came as a surprise to Vargas, as she said she had never heard of the companies, never taken out a loan, never even looked into buying solar panels, as Vargas' electricity bill is low.
Vargas has called the police regarding being a victim of identity theft.
“I was checking my windows, my door, looking outside,” Vargas said. “I was so afraid that something could happen to me.”
According to the countersuit, Vargas is afraid of losing all her money and her home, and lives with anxiety and depression since this all started.
The countersuit asks that Vargas be cleared of any debt related to the defendants and that the court award her damages.
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El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez, whose office handles criminal complaints involving deceptive business practices, said that her office has seen a rise in fraud cases involving solar panels.
Even though in this case, it appears no one approached Vargas regarding the sale of solar panels, Sanchez warned of "unscrupulous" salesmen going door to door, pressuring people into contracts.
"Contact your Better Business Bureau… call our office and we can check as to whether or not we have a pending case against a current vendor," Sanchez said.
Solar United Neighbors was also mentioned in the press conference as a resource for people looking to legitimately buy solar panels.
Sam Solerio, the Texas program director for Solar United Neighbors, a nonprofit that helps people in the U.S. "go solar," reiterated that these scams happen often and, unfortunately, could discourage people from trusting solar technology.
"With all of the sunshine that we get, it remains an excellent way to lower your electric bill, to make your home more energy efficient, and to save money, if done correctly," Solerio said.
Solerio said Solar United has a help desk that can help people review contracts, etc…
Officials say scams involving fraudulent loans and deceptive sales practices can lead to criminal charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including possible jail time.
Authorities urge anyone who believes they may have been targeted to gather documents and report the incident to local law enforcement.
Vargas said she decided to speak publicly in hopes of preventing others from experiencing the same ordeal.
“That’s why I’m right here talking,” Vargas said. “I just want to do the right thing.”
For more information, people can visit SolarUnitedNeighbors.org.
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