Solar Panel Scams via Phone Calls
Unsolicited callers claiming to represent government solar programmes or certified installers pressure homeowners into booking surveys and paying deposits for solar installations that are substandard or fraudulent.
Part of: Solar Panel Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Cold-call solar fraud typically opens with a claim of eligibility for a government-backed scheme, using the authority of the government's name to bypass the scepticism a homeowner would ordinarily apply to a commercial sales call. The script is designed to sound informational rather than promotional, with the caller presenting themselves as helping the homeowner access an entitlement rather than selling a product.
The phone channel is particularly effective for solar fraud because the decision to install solar panels is often made over multiple calls and visits — a pattern that scammers can exploit to progressively deepen the homeowner's commitment before the fraud becomes apparent.
How this scam works on Phone calls
A homeowner receives a call from someone claiming to represent a government energy efficiency programme or a certified solar installer partnered with a national subsidy scheme. The caller explains that the homeowner's property qualifies for a discounted or free installation and offers to send an assessor at no cost.
The assessor visits, confirms the property is 'highly suitable', and presents a quote with a deposit required to 'lock in the subsidy rate' before the programme closes. Some operations deliver and install panels at this point but use cheap, non-certified components that fail within months and carry no enforceable warranty. Others collect the deposit and the scheduled installation date passes without any work being done.
Following up with the company is met with reassurances, rescheduling, or silence — by which time the homeowner's cooling-off period has often passed.
Common red flags
- Call is unsolicited and the caller implies the homeowner has already been identified as eligible
- Caller cannot name the specific government programme or provide an official reference number
- Assessor creates urgency around a closing programme window at the end of their visit
- Deposit is requested in cash or by bank transfer rather than a traceable card payment
- Quote does not specify panel brand, wattage, inverter model, or warranty terms
- Installer cannot provide a current certificate of accreditation from the relevant national body
How to protect yourself
- Hang up on unsolicited solar calls and investigate government solar schemes independently through official websites
- Request the government programme reference number and verify it on the relevant agency website before booking a survey
- Obtain at least two written quotes from accredited installers before agreeing to any installation
- Pay any deposit by credit card to preserve chargeback rights if the installer fails to complete the work
- Confirm the installer's accreditation on your national renewable energy installer register before signing
How to report it
- Report the call to your national telephone preference or spam reporting service
- File a complaint with your national consumer protection or trading standards authority
- Contact your national energy regulator if the caller falsely represented a government programme
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a solar phone offer is connected to a real government scheme?
Real government energy efficiency schemes are administered directly by government agencies or their contracted delivery partners. You can verify programme details on your government's official energy website. A legitimate programme will not require a same-day decision, and its delivery partners will always be willing to provide a written quote without an immediate deposit.