Rooftop Solar Subsidy and Installation Scam
A caller or door-to-door agent offers a rooftop solar subsidy for a fee or advance. See how fake installers and portals collect money and details.
As rooftop solar schemes are advertised, agents and fake portals use the news. A caller or visitor says you are eligible for a subsidy and can get panels for little or nothing if you pay a registration fee and an advance for the installation today. The portal or letter looks official, but the money goes to a personal account. The panels are never installed or are of poor quality, and the subsidy never arrives.
How the scam works
The scammer uses a copy of an official-looking portal or a printed brochure with the logo of a scheme. He visits homes and housing societies, or calls from a list of electricity consumers, and quotes your electricity bill details. He explains that the subsidy is 'limited' and that only a registered installer can apply on your behalf, which is why you must pay him first.
He asks for a registration fee and an advance of a big part of the cost, along with copies of the electricity bill, Aadhaar and bank details. Pressure comes from claims that the quota will fill by the weekend or the rates will rise. A fake sanction letter is shown, and some even bring a small panel as a demonstration to look credible.
The payoff is the advance and the documents. The agent returns with excuses, the installation does not happen, or an unbranded setup is installed which does not qualify for any subsidy. The buyer is stuck with a poor system and no refund. The documents given can also be used for loans or SIM cards in the buyer's name.
An example of what you may see
Example call (invented): 'Sir, aapke ghar ki chhat solar subsidy ke liye select hui hai. Registration Rs 2,500 aur advance Rs 40,000 aaj hi bhejna hoga, warna is mahine ka quota full ho jayega. Aapka bijli bill aur Aadhaar bhej dijiye, hum sab apply kar denge. Subsidy seedha aapke bank account mein aayegi.' A man then visits with a printed brochure and a small demo panel and asks for payment in cash.
This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.
Red flags
- A subsidy offered by a caller or visitor, not through the official portal.
- A registration fee or large advance paid to a personal account or in cash.
- A quota or a deadline that only the agent mentions.
- A sanction letter with no application number you can check.
- A demand for Aadhaar, bill and bank copies before any work.
- An installer who cannot show a registration or past installations.
What to do right now
- Apply only through the official scheme portal or the electricity board office.
- Do not pay any fee or advance to an agent at the door or on a call.
- Ask for the installer's registration and visit a past customer's home.
- Get a written quotation and an agreement from a registered business.
- Show the documents to a trusted adviser before paying.
If you already paid or shared a code
- Call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in if you paid online.
- Tell your bank on the number printed on your card about the transfer.
- Report the agent to the electricity board and the scheme office.
- File a written complaint at the police station with receipts and the brochure.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930. Report online at cybercrime.gov.in. Do it fast: the sooner your bank is told, the better the chance that money can be held.
Where this scam shows up
Read how it looks on each channel:
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's link check can look at a registration portal link you paste and warn about lookalike domains, and the scam check marks the quota pressure and the advance request in a message. Money Shield gives a checklist before a payment. It cannot judge the quality of an installer or the status of your application, which must be confirmed on the official portal.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions people ask
Do I need to pay an agent to get a solar subsidy?
A subsidy is applied for through the official scheme process, and benefits come under its own rules. Do not pay an agent for a subsidy 'registration' or send an advance before you confirm the scheme on the official portal.
How do I check a solar installer?
Ask for registration details, a written quotation and the addresses of past installations. Visit one, and confirm with the official scheme or electricity office whether the installer is recognised. A registered installer will gladly share these details and let you speak to customers.
What if I gave my electricity bill and Aadhaar?
Watch for odd calls, new SIMs or loans in your name and report any misuse. In future, give copies only to verified offices or after the contract is signed with a registered installer. Report the misuse to the police if anything odd appears.