Rooftop Solar Subsidy and Installation Scam on social media
How it looks on social media, the red flags and what to do.
On Instagram, Facebook or YouTube the scam can be an ad, a direct message, a giveaway or a "trader" who shows profits. Rooftop Solar Subsidy and Installation Scam is one of the ways this shows up: 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.
What rooftop solar subsidy and installation scam looks like on social media
- An ad with a celebrity face and a payment link.
- A "friend" account that is a copy of someone you know.
- A comment thread full of identical "thank you" replies.
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.
Red flags to check on the social media message
- 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.
- The offer is far better than any normal shop or job.
- The account asks you for money after a short friendly chat.
What to do
- 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.
- Do not pay, share codes or move to another app.
- Check the account: when it was created, who follows it, and whether the real brand links to it from its own website.
- Report the account or ad inside the app and block it.
Use Report on the profile, post or ad. If money was lost, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in.
If money or a code is already gone
- 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 at cybercrime.gov.in.
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.
Full guide: Rooftop Solar Subsidy and Installation Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: phone call, WhatsApp, SMS.
Questions
How do I know if a social media message about rooftop solar subsidy and installation scam is a scam?
Check the red flags above: a stranger moves the chat to whatsapp or telegram. a prize needs a payment or a code first. When in doubt, do not act on the social media message; open the official app or website yourself or call the number printed on your card or bill.
What should I do first if I receive this social media message?
Do not pay, share codes or move to another app. Check the account: when it was created, who follows it, and whether the real brand links to it from its own website.