JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A knock on the door led Jacksonville homeowners to what they believed was a government-backed program that would make their homes more energy efficient at no cost to them. Now, months later, they say they’re stuck with tens of thousands of dollars in debt instead.
“It’s supposed to be free,” homeowner Melinda Philpot said.
Kenneth and Oma Rampersad, along with Philpot, told Action News Jax they were approached by a door-to-door salesman claiming to represent a company called PureEnergy Solutions. The salesman allegedly told them their solar panels qualified them for energy-efficient upgrades through a two-part government grant program.
“They said that this grant was coming from the government,” Kenneth Rampersad said. “It’s supposed to be a 2-part grant.”
Believing they would be reimbursed through the program during tax season, the homeowners agreed to upgrades that included new equipment like water heaters and other energy-efficient appliances.
But when tax season came, they say they learned the program they were promised didn’t exist.
“He checked and said there’s no such program,” Rampersad said, referring to his tax preparer.
The financial backlash hit hard. The Rampersads say they were later sent to collections for nearly $40,000. The Philpots say they’re now facing roughly $15,000 in debt.
Action News Jax searched online and found multiple complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau connected to PureEnergy Solutions. State business records also show the company was dissolved in 2023, despite the homeowners saying they signed contracts in 2024.
Action News Jax then tracked down the company’s listed owner, Tyler Amos. Amos said impostors were using his company’s name to sell products he had nothing to do with.
“This sounds like a government grant scam,” Will Wirth with the Better Business Bureau said.
Wirth said it’s possible someone used the dissolved company’s name to make the sales pitch more believable by promising government money that never existed.
“The problem with scammers is if they’re not associated directly with that company or associated with any sort of company, they really don’t have to do anything to get that money back,” Wirth said.
The Better Business Bureau recommends researching companies before signing contracts and filing complaints with the BBB or the Federal Trade Commission if something feels suspicious.
Tyler Amos declined an on-camera interview, citing his security clearance in the Army National Guard. He told us he planned to send a written statement, but we have not yet received it.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.