Solar Panel Scams via Email
Email campaigns mimicking government energy agencies or certified solar programmes direct homeowners to fraudulent quote pages or phishing forms that collect personal data and deposits.
Part of: Solar Panel Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Solar panel email fraud exploits homeowners' knowledge that government energy incentives are real, creating emails that appear to be official notifications of eligibility. The use of official-looking letterhead, programme names that sound credible, and links to websites with professional design makes these campaigns considerably more convincing than generic promotional emails.
Targeting by property type or postcode — data available from commercially sold mailing lists — allows operators to send messages that reference the recipient's actual region, adding a specificity that reinforces the impression of a genuine official notification.
How this scam works on Email
An email arrives claiming the recipient's property has been identified as suitable for a government-funded solar initiative and inviting them to complete an eligibility check. The link leads to a professional-looking form collecting name, address, property details, and a contact number.
A callback from the 'programme team' follows, presenting a subsidised installation offer and requesting a small deposit to 'reserve the slot'. Some operators issue forged installer accreditation documents to accompany the quote, which pass casual visual inspection.
In phishing-focused variants, the eligibility form is designed primarily to harvest personal and financial data, with the subsequent installation offer being a secondary use of the captured information.
Common red flags
- Email sender domain does not match the official government energy agency named in the message
- Eligibility form link leads to a domain that differs from the government programme website
- Email uses urgency language around a closing programme window for an initiative you have not heard of through official channels
- Form requests bank or card details to 'register' for a free survey
- No installer accreditation number or government contract reference is provided in the email
- Reply address differs from the sender address shown in the email header
How to protect yourself
- Verify any government solar programme by navigating directly to the official government energy website — do not use links in emails
- Check the sender domain against the official government energy agency domain before submitting any form
- Never enter card or banking details into a form reached through an unsolicited email about energy rebates
- Search the programme name plus 'scam' or 'warning' to check for prior consumer alerts before responding
- Report suspicious energy rebate emails to your national consumer protection agency
How to report it
- Report the email as phishing to your email provider and to your national cyber-reporting centre
- Forward the email to your national energy regulator's consumer protection team
- File a complaint with your national consumer protection agency if you provided personal information or made a payment
Frequently asked questions
Would a government energy agency contact me by email about solar panels?
Government agencies typically do not proactively email households about eligibility for specific installation programmes without a prior application. Any email claiming you have been identified as eligible for a government-funded installation should be verified on the agency's official website before any personal information is submitted.