There is no single desk for every solar problem. Which agency you contact depends on what went wrong. Here is the order we would work through.
First: stop the damage
If you handed over banking details, a card number or login details, ring your bank on the number printed on your card and tell them. Ask them to block or replace the card and flag the account. If you provided identity documents, contact IDCARE, the national identity and cyber support service, which helps people plan a response.
Change passwords that could be affected, starting with email and myGov. Keep screenshots, call logs, emails, contracts and receipts. Do not delete anything.
Scamwatch
Scamwatch, at scamwatch.gov.au, is the ACCC’s reporting service. It takes reports of calls, texts, emails and doorknock approaches. Reports build the picture of what scammers are doing and feed into warnings. Scamwatch does not generally recover lost money or handle individual disputes, so a Scamwatch report is one step, not the whole response. Searching “scamwatch solar rebate” gets you to the same reporting form and the current warnings.
ReportCyber
If the scam happened online, including phishing emails, fake websites and online fraud, report it through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au. It routes the report to law enforcement.
State fair trading and consumer affairs
If the issue is an installer, a contract, a deposit that disappeared or a product that was not delivered, your state or territory fair trading or consumer affairs office is the right place. They can investigate, mediate and in some cases prosecute. If your installer has gone out of business, see what happens if your solar installer disappears after taking a deposit.
The Clean Energy Regulator
If the problem concerns STCs, such as certificates claimed on a system that was never installed, or someone who used your details to create STCs, the Clean Energy Regulator administers the scheme and has compliance powers. In Victoria, issues with Solar Victoria rebates go to Solar Victoria. Electrical safety concerns go to your state electrical safety regulator.
What to include in any report
- Who contacted you, how, and when.
- The number, email address, website or business name used.
- What they claimed, and what they asked you to do or pay.
- Any money sent, with dates, amounts and the payment method.
- Copies of messages, contracts and receipts.
Reporting a scam you have only been targeted by
Even if you spotted it and did nothing, reporting is worth the two minutes. Patterns across thousands of reports are how warnings get published. See how solar rebate scams arrive for what to look for next time, and is the STC rebate a scam for the difference between the scheme and the con.
What this means for you
Act in this order: bank, then the right regulator, then Scamwatch and ReportCyber, and keep a paper trail throughout. If you are an installer who has seen your name or certificates misused, our compliance guidance and pricing page explain how claims are checked before lodgement. Official contact details change, so confirm them on each agency’s own website.