Some Sam Houston Electric Cooperative consumer-members have reported receiving door-to-door solicitation from solar companies. Several vendors have even said that they are working with Sam Houston EC or on the Cooperative’s behalf, which is not true.
“Sam Houston EC is here to support our members who choose to install solar panels, but the Co-op does not suggest any vendor, or have an authorized installer,” said Chad Simon, communications specialist. “We are here to provide factual information our members can trust about installing solar at a location, but we are not selling solar services.”
Members are encouraged to call Sam Houston EC if they are interested in exploring their options in distributed energy resources, such as solar panels.
“All Sam Houston EC employees will be able to identify themselves with a company badge and logo on their vehicle,” said Rachel Frey, chief communications officer. “Our contractors will also be able to identify themselves with contractor signs on their vehicles and identification. If a member is unsure if they are speaking with a representative of the Co-op, we encourage him or her to call us at 800-458-0381 to verify a person’s identify.”
As summer heat approaches, consumer-members should also stay alert for potential scammers. Many become more active in summer months, and can try to scare members into either providing payment or purchasing prepaid cards to pay a bill.
“Members can trust that Sam Houston EC will never call demanding immediate payment,” Simon said. “This is the most common scare-tactic scammers use. They demand payment or say that a home’s electricity will be cut off shortly if payment isn’t received immediately.”
If you get a call that demands payment or sounds strange, hang up immediately, and call the Co-op at 800-458-0381 and speak to a member service representative.
