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YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – You get a knock at the door. They’re selling solar and have a great plan to turn all of the sunshine into savings for you.
That could happen, But if they talk of federal credits for owners or free panels or wiping out electricity bills, beware!
Also, many solar companies have gone out of business, leaving customers with systems they sometimes cannot use.
BBB ScamTracker shows a man paid $52,000 for a solar system and battery. He says the system goes off line without warning. The company closed and he’s stuck trying to repair it himself.
Most federal incentives to buy solar are gone.
One buyer was promised his energy production would wipe out electric bills. That didn’t happen and he now also pays a $128 monthly lease payment saying, “My budget cannot sustain this.”
Experts say in most cases, solar will not wipe out electricity costs.
Still, surveys show most solar owners are happy they made the choice.
If you’re thinking about solar, protect yourself. Search complaints online and check bbb.org for accredited solar businesses. Get three written estimates never signing under pressure. Talk to someone with solar about costs and benefits.
Arizona still offers an up to $1,000 tax credit for new rooftop solar owners.
In California, some electricity providers offer rebates for solar installs, but these things change so check for any federal, state or local incentives before you sign.
In Arizona, the nonprofit SolarUnitedNeighbors.org offers free solar advice and will examine contracts before you sign.
Before trusting any business, check out reviews, complaints and for trusted Accredited Businesses at BBB.org and visit BBB’s Scam Tracker.
Check out BBB scam warnings at joeknowsbetter.com.
If you want solar panels, be very careful when evaluating installation offers. Con artists use misleading sales tactics and lies to trick homeowners out of money and personal information.
If you’ve received an offer for “free solar panels,” it could be a scam. Always look for businesses you can trust, like Accredited Businesses using the BBB Seal.
Someone contacts you through email, phone, social media, or even in person pretending to be a solar company salesperson.
The “representative” has a special offer: They can install solar panels on your home for a very low cost, or even free. This amazing deal is only available for a limited time, so you must act now!
From here, the scam can take several turns. In some versions, the scammer is after your personal information.
They ask you to fill out forms with your banking details “to see if you qualify.” Other times, the “solar representative” claims you need to pay upfront costs, which they promise will be reimbursed by a (non-existent) government program.
In other instances, the scammer may begin the installation of the solar panels on your home but then never return to finish the job.
Or, they may install the panels but do a poor job, resulting in panels that don’t work. If you reach out to the scammer to finish the job or fix the panels, they will become unreachable and disappear with your money.
BBB Scam Tracker has seen numerous reports of this kind of scam. One homeowner was approached by a door-to-door salesperson “claiming he could get me a new roof plus solar equipment, with a government rebate for 26% off cost, essentially paying for the new roof.”
After doing their research, the homeowner found that while a government rebate program existed, the salesperson misrepresented it to make a sale.
In another case, a homeowner shared, “[Company name redacted] is a solar company promising one free year and other incentives upon signing but they never followed through on anything in their contract. After the instillation of solar, they stopped answering their phones and went silent on customers. We financed a 70k solar project for our house and are still waiting on them to finish instillation a year later. They promised to provide a lifetime upkeep and maintenance on the panels but are not doing so. They took the money and ran.”
Sign up for our weekly Scam Alert emails. Find solar panel installers near you and solar energy contractors near you.
Read BBB’s guide to going solar.
Report solar installation scams to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help expose common scam tactics and reduce scammers’ effectiveness.
Need help with your home improvement project? Visit our Home Improvement HQ or our Roofing HQ.
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Jalen joined KYMA in 2022 and is a morning anchor/producer. Send your story ideas to him at: jalen.fong@kecytv.com
If you have any story ideas, reach out to him at dillon.fuhrman@kecytv.com.
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