The fall weather, stimulus money for green energy programs and eager environmentally conscious consumers are all good things, translating into new building construction, jobs and energy savings nationwide. Unfortunately, con artists have also noticed the trend. A recent AARP Bulletin offers a cautionary tale as well as great tips for avoiding energy-related scams.
A few good points to remember:
1 – Don’t pay for something that is free. It seems obvious, but scammers will make you think it is worth it to pay them to process your paperwork to get the tax credit. Do not fall for that. The federal government has made it easy to get the green tax credits -- you do not need any help (trust us!) with that, and it is so easy, you certainly should not pay any fee. On top of that, to “file for you,” the con artists will need a lot of your private information, including social security number. Keep your social security number to yourself.
2 – Ignore any e-mail message claiming to be from the Department of Energy promising a refund. The AARP warns that opening its attachment could unleash computer malware or gather your personal information for identity theft. The DOE does not send out unsolicited email spam!
3 – Your energy company does not go door to door, either. Some con artists will come to your door posing as utility company workers. AARP Reports that it is sometimes a ruse to get into your home.
To read the AARP Bulletin article, click here.
For a list of products that qualify for the energy tax credits, click here.
I liked these two simple suggestions to help save energy from NRDC’s website:
1 - Unplug! It will save you money if you unplug appliances you don’t use. If you aren’t charging a phone, unplug the charger. NRDC suggests that you use power strips to switch off televisions, home theater equipment, and stereos when you are not using them. I had no clue, but NRDC reports that even when you think these products are off, together, their "standby" consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously!
2 – Hibernate! Go to
the settings option on your computer and set it up so it will "hibernate"
automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity. The hibernate “mode” saves
energy and is more time-efficient than shutting down and restarting your
computer from scratch. When you're done for the day, shut down.
How do you reduce energy costs in your home?
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