Federal agencies band together to warn against solar scams

As the country turns to clean and efficient energy alternatives, federal consumer agencies have come together to warn consumers about fraud and misconduct in the residential solar panel market. The U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission released consumer advisories advising the public on how to spot unscrupulous conduct by solar panel sellers and financing companies. They also formed an interagency partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to work on preventing bad practices in the market.

According to the press release, consumer agencies have noticed a spike in consumer complaints regarding businesses “that pressure consumers into predatory contracts or purchases, including with unfair financing, and/or fail to install or activate residential solar systems as promised.”