A1 Solar Power (Link for Threads on the Home Page)

This call is from A1 Solar Power, a solar company based in Van Nuys, California (with six branches throughout the state: San Diego, Costa Mesa, Carpenteria, Petaluma, Concord, and San Jose) or one of its telemarketing fronts.  

A1 Solar Power’s telemarketing fronts usually spoof both the Caller-ID name and the Caller-ID number or use recently disconnected numbers.  Occasionally, they will spoof the active number of an unsuspecting victim.


The following seven entities appear to be associated with each other:

1) A1 Solar Power, Inc. (Van Nuys, California) – www.a1solarpower.net/‎

(California) Contractors State License Board – Contractor’s License Details:
https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/Check ... x?LicNum=493623

2) Top Design, Inc. (Van Nuys, California) – http://www.topdesignremodeling.com/

(California) Contractors State License Board – Contractor’s License Details:
https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/Check ... x?LicNum=966819


The names of several of the telemarketing fronts shilling for A1 Solar Power’s follow:

3) Go Green (aka Go Green Education)

4) California Green Energy Center (aka California Energy Center) (run out of Top Design's office in Van Nuys) – http://californiagreenenergycenter.com/ 

5) National Renewable Energy Center – http://nationalrenewableenergycenter.com/

6) California Energy Initiative

7) California Solar Initiative


The offices of A1 Solar Power and Top Design are located just 2.6 miles away from each other in Van Nuys, California.


Caller: A1 Solar Power
Call Type: Telemarketer

There is definately a link between National Renewable Energy Center and A-1 Solar.  I took a "survey" from National Renewable Energy Center with the promise of its "only a survey we are not and never will be salespeople"  and 10 minutes late A-1 Solar calls to confirm an appointment for a solar estimate.  I asked what they were talking about and he said based on survey results I am a candidate.   These companies are connected and at the minimum less than transparen/thonest.

Set up a [fact-finding] "appointment" to see who actually shows up. Get their business card, take their picture [why do they try to block their faces w/ their notebooks?? - must have something to hide] and for sure their license plate and the contract, too.  It makes it much harder to deny culpability when the judge sees their business card,

   The Los Angeles Superior Court case directory lists one or two of these entities as defendants in small claims suits that often resulted in four-figure judgments of up to $2,500.  Hit them in the pocketbook.  

btw, excellent sleuthing work by you two!! Your posts are much more helpful than a generic 6-word sentence about "unknown" solar power caller.

Is Green Energy Foundation using a 949 # [Orange County, CA] also related to these entities. And how interesting that Top Design's webpage "Contact Us" doesn't have an address.

Thanks for the information.  The next telemarketer gets an "appointment" so I can accurately identify the company and representative at my home.  I have a very incredibly comprehensive audio/video recording system from street to living room and all the business card and related paperwork I can gather shall be beneficial.  

All they had to do is honor the DNC or one of my many requests and this would not have to happen.

Probably have two witnesses with you, as they might attempt to take your cell phone.

I appreciate your input.  Do you think they will attempt to use force?  That would turn it from a simple civil action into a criminal action at that point.  They will have to take more than the cell phone ... they will need to take the recorded security system data too.

Be careful and ask yourself if this is "worth it" before you do anything that might compromise your safety or your finances.  It's likely that the Renewable Energy survey is conducted by a 3rd party survey company so they are not lying (technically) when they say they are not sales people.  You are absolutely right that they are unethical and far less than honest but they may be operating within the limits of the "law."  At worst they are violating the DNC list and what repercussions does that carry?  Just be SAFE.

Thanks Also Mary, safety concerns are duly noted.

As far as third party,  I may be able to benefit from some of the recent vicarious liability rulings and decisions in other  TCPA cases. Additionally,  I am looking at some class action options if I can establish the elements of numerosity, commonality, and typicality. I am willing to burn some money, energy, and  resources to get this type of predatory marketing stopped.

A1 solar has call once again after I have clearly stated on well documented calls that I do not want to be contacted again.

A1 Solar you were given ample opportunity to stop the intrusive behavior.  I have made an appointment and  I will collect all of the data available and proceed accordingly.

Heh heh .... Can A1 spell TCPA? That's a sting video I would pay to see.

You've described the same "exemption by affiliation" garbage which got Versatile Marketing hosed by the FTC, as you're likely aware. A call which would normally be DNCR-exempt, including from a surveyor, loses that protection when its tacit purpose is to facilitate sales. When lead generation is disguised as a "survey", we all need to follow your example: straighten our backs and make lawbreakers pay for their deception.

We can flip this cautionary mood and note that it's the solar panel installers and their lead-generating cohorts who are put in danger when they target the wrong person, mainly an informed and activist citizen. While violent dispute is always possible, I have my doubts that the solar crews will start one. These schemes operate from a premise, however faulty, of being above suspicion. The last thing they need is arrest records at the PD and damning stories in the news.

Mary is seeing something you don't. Ostensibly the surveyors are not themselves conducting sales, but they *are* assisting a sales campaign. The whole point of separating the surveyor from the subsequent sales call is to confuse you into what you're thinking, that everyone is within the margins of legal compliance. If you read what the Telemarketing Sales Rule and TCPA and prior FTC actions tell us, that sort of incestuous affiliation does not wash.

Ignoring an opt-out list is not the worst transgression here. The sting operation is a dreary necessity since illegal sales callers go out of their way to avoid scrutiny. The callers *know what they do is wrong* and persist in breaking laws anyway. What this represents is invasion of a person's peace and sanity, and the support of a business model which thrives on fraud. I don't know about you, but I have too much care and sweat poured into my home to let some unknown gypsy contractors tromp on my roof while taking only dispatch orders from scofflaws. These transient crews are putting reputable local contractors at a disadvantage and will be long gone after damaging my property and probably making a hack job of the system installation.

Just got a call from 619-324-4312 (reading San Diego area call) I blocked the number but if this is helpful for anyone as far as known times and areas they are targeting I have a 951 area code it's 4:25pm August 28 2014.

Here is a list of the robo numbers I have received so far: They all start with 619 216: 0527, 0515,0672,8316, 0430. I wish I could make it stop! A different one comes at 8:30 every day.

Finally got so fed up that I'm now tracking calls.  We get multiple calls from (408)-264-XXXX.  

We've been on the Do Not Call list for years and I've repeatedly asked them to remove our phone number.   In fact, the number of calls has INCREASED. This morning I had 2 calls from 2 different telemarketers using 408-264-3227.  Filing yet more FTC complaints.

Yelp had a lot of telemarketing complaints, as well as http://www.businessconsumeralliance.org/.  A1's repeated responses are that they take the DNC list seriously and have asked NREC to remove customer phone numbers.

We're now redirecting Diane Miller 408-264-3227, Shelley Emata 408-3106 and Kevin Loar 650-306-9586, to A1 Solar Power's offices in San Francisco, 707-559-5683.