A Salesperson Knocked on His Door and Made Him a Promise-Dave Ramsey Says It's a Scam You Need to Know About
There are few things as nerve-wracking as trying to figure out if an opportunity you've stumbled across is the real deal or an elaborate scam. That becomes even truer as we age, and our ability to identify the difference between a really good purchase and something that is too good to be true.
One person called into The Dave Ramsey Show recently to talk about how he fell into the latter category after being scammed by a solar energy company. Dave Ramsey had some really good advice for the man and anyone else planning to sign a contract anytime soon.
A Salesperson Showed Up at His Door With a Deal That Seemed Too Good to Be True
Ramsey posted a clip of his June 21, 2026, conversation on Instagram, featuring a man who called in for advice on a contract he had signed with a solar company. "I was scammed into making a long-term deal with them, and I was trying to find a way I can get out of it."
According to the man, a salesperson showed up at his house, promising the caller that he wouldn't have an electric bill if he signed up for solar, because the company would pay his electricity bills going forward. All the man would need to do is make a monthly payment for the solar panels and installation, which he says he confirmed by viewing the contract on the salesperson's iPad.
To sweeten the pot, the solar company's representative said the caller could walk away from the deal after five years if he decided it wasn't a good fit.
Ramsey quickly began asking questions about the interaction, including whether the man received a signed copy of the agreement after completing the online paperwork. "He said they don't give out paper copies," he responded.
Related: Dave Ramsey's Advice to a Caller With $300 in Debt Is Dividing His Fanbase
Dave Ramsey Had a Warning for Everyone Who Signs Contracts
This scam is actually quite common, and the Federal Trade Commission (FCC) even has a section on its website dedicated to solar fraud, highlighting how Ygrene Energy Fund was found guilty of duping homeowners into taking out loans to finance clean energy systems. However, homeowners quickly learned they were trapped in unfavorable contracts that made it hard to sell their homes down the line, prompting the company to offer $3 million in monetary relief to customers it had worked with.
According to Ramsey, the first step in dealing with these types of scams is to avoid them in the first place. He advised the caller on his show to be wary of signing any contracts without getting a hard copy of the signed version and comparing it to the document you originally filled out.
Next, he told his caller to reach out to the FCC by visiting their website. "There are a couple of those deals that they have shut the solar companies down, or they've gone out of business, and they are releasing people from the liability of the finance contract."
If that doesn't work, Ramsey said the next step involves hiring an attorney. "I'm not a lawyer, but it will probably cost you some money to do this," he continued, adding that it will likely be worth the upfront cost thanks to the money he could save by getting out of the deal.
Ramsey's Followers Said They'd Seen This Before
The comments on Ramsey's posts are usually a mixed bag. However, it seemed like more people had experience with the iPad switch-a-roo and were a little more sympathetic to what the caller was going through.
"That's the new way to scam people by having people sign a contract electronically and then say there's not copy of agreement, I learned my lesson before signing printed and get your copy," one person wrote.
"These solar guys are pressuring old people into [an] unrealistic deal that's the scam, should be illegal," another person added.
Only time will tell as to whether this caller is able to get out of this contract, but for those who may be considering solar panels (or any other type of contracts), it's worth taking Ramsey's advice to avoid getting scammed by door-to-door salespeople who are offering you an opportunity that sounds too good to be true.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 12:28 PM.