Fake EV Home Charger Grant Scam on Facebook
Facebook ads target new electric vehicle owners with fake government or utility grants for home chargers, collecting fees or financial details for installations that never happen.
Part of: Fake EV Home Charger Grant Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Home charger grants are real — several countries and utilities subsidize installations — and new EV owners are actively looking for this information, which is why a sponsored post on Facebook lands cleanly with its targeted audience. The ad names a real scheme, then routes owners to a form collecting personal, vehicle, and financial details plus a refundable deposit to secure a slot that never gets booked; a nastier variant sends an unaccredited installer who bills full price after the grant supposedly falls through. The distinction that matters most: genuine schemes run through accredited installers, not deposits paid to an ad.
How this scam works on Facebook
An ad promotes a subsidized or fully funded home EV charger installation scheme, referencing a real national or utility-run grant program by name to appear credible, and directs interested owners to a signup form requesting personal, vehicle, and financial details. The form often asks for a refundable 'deposit' or 'booking fee' to secure an installation slot, which the scammer collects with no intention of ever sending an installer.
A related version has the scammer send an unaccredited installer who performs a substandard or unsafe installation and then bills the homeowner in full once on site, claiming the promised grant funding fell through due to a paperwork issue, leaving the homeowner to pay full price for work they did not fully vet or budget for, since they had believed most of the cost would be covered by the advertised grant.
Common red flags
- An ad requests a deposit or booking fee to reserve a subsidized EV charger installation
- The grant program name closely resembles but does not exactly match a real, verifiable national or utility scheme
- The signup form asks for financial details before confirming eligibility through an official channel
- The installer who arrives is not listed as accredited with the relevant national certification body
- You are told the grant fell through only after work has started or a fee has been paid
- Urgency claims of limited grant slots or a closing application window
How to protect yourself
- Check any EV charger grant scheme directly on your government's or utility's official website before applying through an ad
- Never pay a deposit or booking fee to apply for a grant, since legitimate schemes are verified before any payment is required
- Verify any installer's accreditation with the national electrical or EV charging certification body before booking
- Get an independent quote for the full charger cost so you know what you are actually paying if the grant does not apply
- Report suspicious ads through Facebook's built-in reporting tool
- Confirm grant eligibility and funding directly with the government or utility program before agreeing to any installation
How to report it
- Report the ad to Facebook using the platform's scam or misleading-ad reporting tool
- Report the incident to your national consumer protection or trading standards agency
- Report to the government department or utility responsible for the real grant scheme being impersonated
- Contact your bank or card provider to dispute any deposit or fee paid to a fraudulent installer
Frequently asked questions
The installer's van had proper-looking logos — doesn't that confirm they're legitimate?
Branding on a van or uniform is easy to copy and doesn't confirm accreditation, so it shouldn't be treated as proof on its own. Check the installer's name and certification number against the official national electrical or EV charging accreditation register before booking any work.
Can I get my deposit back if I paid through a payment app?
Recovery may depend on the specific app and how quickly you report it, so contact the payment provider directly as soon as possible to ask about a reversal or dispute process. Also report the incident to your bank if the app is linked to a card or bank account.
Do legitimate EV charger grants let me pick my own installer?
Genuine schemes typically let you choose from a list of accredited installers rather than forcing you to use one specific company dictated by an ad. Being pushed toward a single named installer with no alternative is worth double-checking directly with the official program.
Do real EV charger grants ever require an upfront deposit through a Facebook ad?
No, legitimate EV charger grant schemes are applied for and verified through official government or utility channels, not through a deposit paid via a link in a Facebook ad.
How do I check if an EV charger installer is accredited?
Search the installer's name and certification number against your national electrical or EV charging accreditation body's public register before booking any work.