Why Doesnt The Do Not Call Registry Stop Robocalls
The National Do Not Call Registry is designed to stop sales calls from real companies that follow the law. The Registry is a list that tells telemarketers what numbers not to call. The FTC does not and cannot block calls. Scammers dont care if youre on the Registry.
Even though the Registry cant stop all of the unwanted calls youre getting, being on the Registry could reduce the number of calls you get and make it easier for you to spot scam calls. If a caller is ignoring the Registry or making an illegal robocall, hang up. Theres a good chance its a scam.
Learn more about unwanted calls at ftc.gov/calls.
Learn more about the Telemarketing Sales Rule that governs robocalls on the FTCs Business Center.
Thank You For Sharing Information About The Calls You Received
When you report these calls to our office, you are helping us with our work to identify and bring to justice the businesses that make these annoying and harmful calls.
Once we collect this information about robocalls and telemarketing scams, we can
Once we know who is making these calls, our office can investigate whether these businesses and individuals are doing so in violation of the law. If they are, we can bring enforcement actions against these companies and can ask the courts to stop them from doing business in our state.
Thank you for your assistance in our fight against robocalls and telemarketing scams.
Avoiding Solar Scams: Conclusion
The experts at NRG Clean Power understand the innumerable benefits of going solar. Homeowners can take back control of their energy, reduce their monthly bills and lower their carbon footprint. However, the level of competition within the industry has sparked a growing amount of solar scams.
While the information presented does not act as a comprehensive list of all the current solar scams, it can give you a good idea of what to look out for. That said, the best thing you can do is find a reputable company that offers reasonably priced solutions. Solar doesnt have to cost an arm and a leg, but it always has some cost.
If you want to make the switch to solar with a reputable installer that leverages almost 40 years of experience, then contact the experts at NRG Clean Power. We guarantee a fair, transparent and direct quote.
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Scenario : Solar Panel System Fraud:
Watch the video below to see in action the sneaky Solar Panel Installations Scam exposed:
There are reputable solar companies out there that will save you money, but scammers are also in the game, luring you into paying a huge deposit to a contractor who doesnt deliver the system. Some would just vanish with the deposit, others would deliver a bogus system thats not even close to provide what is supposed to.
It is the same type of fraud that happens when home improvement crooks stop by your porch promising to either fix your shingles or deliver an effective alarm system.
What Are Spam Calls And Where Do They Come From
When people talk about spam calls, they tend to refer to four types of calls:
- Telemarketing: These calls originate from a live person who is trying to sell you something from a legally registered business. Such calls are annoying but generally not fraudulent.
- Legal robocalls: Legal robocalls are automated calls for notifications, services, or sometimes bills. A robocall is not inherently spam. Everyone gets legitimate robocalls from doctors offices confirming appointments, political campaigns looking for votes, debt collectors pursuing money, charities contacting prior donors, or schools making announcements.
- Illegal robocalls: Illegal robocalls include many prerecorded messages you didnt sign up to receive. This category includes calls such as a sketchy auto-warranty call, student-loan scams, or a call that went out during the presidential election telling people not to vote . In some cases, such as the auto-warranty call, youre asked to press a button to connect to a live person, who then attempts to scam you.
- Scam calls: When a live person calls and tries to defraud you in some way, thats a scam call. This category includes everything from the aforementioned car-warranty scam to kidnapping scams. There are so many robocall scam variations that the Federal Communications Commission keeps a glossary of different iterations.
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What To Do If Youve Been Scammed
If youve been scammed, the FTC has advice on what to do next. There arent many ways to get your money back, but you can sometimes cancel payment. If youve given a scammer access to an account, you should change your password .
As phone companies adapt to regulations and implement necessary features, the public will hopefully see a dip in spam calls in the future. But its just as likely that spammers will simply find new ways to get through these filters. Spam calls will probably never disappeartheyll change and adapt, and perhaps theyll vanish for a while, but chances are, theyll be back. Scammers, like life, always find a way.
What Else Is The Ftc Doing About Robocalls
The FTC continues to bring enforcement actions against robocallers and has already stopped people responsible for billions of robocalls. You can read about recent FTC cases and other robocall-related actions in the FTCs press releases.
The FTC also works with other law enforcement agencies and encourages industry efforts to combat robocalls and caller ID spoofing. The FTC has led initiatives to develop technology-based solutions, including a series of robocall contests that challenged tech experts to design tools that block robocalls and help investigators track down and stop robocallers.
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Save A Pretty Penny With Solar
Its a shame there are so many misconceptions around solar today, but thats part of the game when a new technology disrupts a centuries-old industry against the backdrop of politicized facts.
At the end of the day, the most important thing you should know is that solar is an amazing investment. Itll beat the stock market for 30+ years. See for yourself our calculator will analyze your exact roof and provide an instant estimate on your savings with solar.
Just another day at the Solar.com office busting myths in every comments section on the internet!
Homeowners Should Do Research Before Investing In Solar Panels
Reports of this scam have come through in several ways. Some homeowners have reported a door-to-door salesman ringing their doorbell, while others have received calls, emails, or texts, all with the promise of installing solar panels for free or at a very low cost. After the initial point of contact, the salesperson will stress the urgency of getting the solar panels installed as quickly as possible so you dont miss out on the deal.
Some scammers have asked their targets to pay them before the project starts, noting that all of the funds lent out will be reimbursed by the end of the installation by a government organization one that doesnt exist.
Other scammers will ask homeowners to send over all of their personal information bank accounts, Social Security numbers, etc to get a preapproval before the project starts. They can then use that information for other scams, which puts consumers in hot water.
In either scenario, this is dangerous for homeowners. For those who pay the scammers upfront, it can be difficult or impossible to get that money back. While those who provide the scammers with all of their personal information could be on the hook for future scams or identity theft.
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C Manufacturing Solar Panels Is Very Toxic For The Environment
Common photovoltaic solar panels use silicon as their primary material for energy generation. They also contain copper wiring and casing made of metal and glass.
While it is true that there are environmental consequences associated with harvesting any of these materials, the overall environmental footprint of electricity generated from solar panels is significantly less than that of any other energy generation source.
Can You Get Free Solar Panels
Well, unless your friend donates them to you, beware of any offers of free solar panels even if they are thrown in as a special deal from any company trying to promote themselves. Were not saying refuse them, but do a bit of homework first. Make sure you check the name of the company offering on the Better Business Bureau website. Better safe than sorry.
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How To Discern A Us Census Worker From A Scammer At Your Door
There have been scams, and you should stay alert over the next few weeks in case anyone comes to your door posing as a census worker, warns Jerome Garza, the assistant regional census manager for the Dallas region.
Another scam, that appears to target those stuck living and shopping from home, is a text suggesting an update to a package ready to be delivered. To get the information, all you need to do is click the attached link which would likely load destructive malware onto you phone and open-it up to the crooks. “They want to access the information that you have on your phone,” says Guevara Torres, “That way, they can pull you into paying them.”
The Better Business Bureau’s Dan Parsons has a tongue-in-cheek description of what makes the scams possible, these days. “It’s called ‘isolation disconnectus’,” says Parsons, “We are at home, locked away, and our guards are down.”
He says crooks recognize potential-victims are overwhelmed: trying to work from home, keep families organized, and stay healthy. Trying to avoid con-artists may not always be front-and-center.
“The people who that do this stuff are not stupid. They know your antenna is down, and your demand for fulfillment is up.”
The overarching advice, to stay safe, is to be suspicious:
– Don’t click on links when you don’t, really, know the source. Instead, call or go directly to a company or service’s website.
– Let unwanted calls go to voice mail.
What To Do If A Scammer Contacts You
If you suspect a phone call, email, or personal visit is fraudulent, remember:
- Never reveal personal information to anyone, including your SCE Account information, credit card, ATM or calling card number
- Never use the call-back number provided by an unknown caller to verify billing information
- Ask for the callers name, department and business phone number
- End the call or interaction and report the incident to your local law enforcement. Call us at the telephone numbers on this page or on your utility bill.
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What Should I Do If I Get An Illegal Robocall
Hang up. Don’t press any numbers. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might lead to more robocalls instead.
Report the call to the FTC at DoNotCall.gov. Report the number that received the call, the number on your caller ID, and any number youre told to call back. Also report the exact date and time of the call, if you know it. Knowing all of this information helps the FTC track down the scammers behind the call. Even if you think the number on your caller ID is fake, report it. The FTC analyzes report data and trends to identify illegal callers based on calling patterns.
The FTC takes the illegal callers phone numbers you report and releases them to the public each business day. This helps phone companies and other partners that are working on call-blocking and call-labeling solutions. Your reports also help law enforcement identify the people behind illegal calls.
Solar Panel Scam Reports
05/10/2017
Green Energy Electrical have received several reports from customers who have received cold calls warning them about potential hazards with their solar panels.
In some cases, the customers have been told that their panels are a potential fire risk and that an urgent risk assessment is needed to determine whether protective measures are required. These are false claims, being used to put pressure on the customer to agree to a visit. Once in the customers home, they are told that their solar panel systems require solar isolator devices. Claims are made that without them, the fire service will not attend a fire caused by the solar panels and that home insurance is invalidated. Again, these are false claims and customers have been quoted up to £3000 to have these isolators installed.
In other cases, cold callers have told customers that a health check or maintenance is required on their solar panel system. During these health check or maintenance visits, customers are then falsely told that their system is in need of upgrade. It might be that the inverter is no longer functioning properly or that the system would be made more productive by adding different components. On some occasions, these cold callers claim to be connected to the MCS or even the original installation company. These people are not to be trusted.
More information published on the MCS website can be found at:
https://www.microgenerationcertification.org/solar-pv-scam-reports-update/
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Scam Preys On Homeowners Tars Solars Reputation
The phone rings with a 561 area code. Hello? I answer. A voice on the other side says, Hi, how are you doing today? Who is this? I reply. They then ask if my FPL bill is higher than $50 dollars and I answer no . **CLICK** They hang up.
They call again later in the day. The same conversation takes place but this time I dont say yes. They say they are the Florida Energy Center. We can save you money going solar. I say there is no such thing. **CLICK** They hang up.
You cant call them back. They call constantly. Each time, the phone number changes. This makes it pointless to try to block them. If you ask them to remove you from their list, they wont. The last time they called, the gentleman on the phone yelled at us when we asked him to remove us from their list.
These scammers are using enthusiasm about solar to con homeowners. And this scam is doubly harmful because it drags down the name of a wonderful solar resource, the Florida Solar Energy Center . Homeowners have told us the scammers have said they are from the Florida Solar Energy Center from UCF. One homeowner was not only told this, he was directed to visit floridasmartenergy.com. This website and company are not affiliated in any way with FSEC.
FSEC has put out an advisory to alert the public about this scam. Please let us know if you have been become a target of these telemarketing calls. If so there are several steps you should take:
Aggressive Sales Tactics Are Also An Issue
In addition to misleading online ads, we too often hear about aggressive door-to-door solar sales tactics being deployed by some unscrupulous companies.
Confronted with pushy, high-pressure salespeople, homeowners can feel pressured to sign a solar contract or financing agreement they dont fully understand.
If youre approached by a door-to-door solar salesperson, here are some red flags to watch out for:
- Stating or implying that a special financing rate or incentive program will only be available for a short time to pressure you into signing a contract on the spot.
- Exaggerating the value of small energy efficiency upgrades to over-inflate projected return on investment.
- Implying that a solar system with battery storage or single brand of technology is the only option available.
- Overestimating future utility rate increases to exaggerate your return on investment.
- Offering an instant rebate on an above-market-rate system that will cost you more in the long run.
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How Do These Tactics Affect The Solar Industry
Pushy, aggressive solar salesmen lower the value of solar. When homeowners are repeatedly targeted with unwanted telemarketing calls with free or cheap solar installations, it changes their view on solar as a whole.
There are many reports of pop-up solar companies that come up out of nowhere, offer subpar panels, do the installation poorly, and go out of business. This leaves the customer without a workmanship warranty and a BIG headache. Overtime these panels need to serviced or repaired by a different company when the installation starts to fall apart. It is important to research solar companies that have been business for several years to avoid being stuck with a company that will not last the length of the warranty and offer high quality panels that are highly efficient.
Many people have been burned from these shady tactics stated above. This has led to a decrease in public trust in the solar energy industry. Solar genuinely helps homeowners save money on electricity and help the environment. Many people think twice about going solar despite knowing how the benefits can improve their life in order to avoid being hassled or burned.
Solar Panel Installations Scam: How It Works
Solar panel installations and fake products all are back in the news. This year one of the biggest scams around is the Solar Power System or Solar Panels for Your Home scam. It is part of the home improvement fraud group and is doing its rounds again. Well explain in detail how it works below meanwhile, if you are looking for legitimate solar services here is a verified vendor.
Victims of this scam are consumers who want to cut their energy bills using rooftop solar panels or windmills. How does the scam work?
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