RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced a temporary restraining order on Friday against a Greensboro utility company that allegedly made false promises to seniors.
Cooper sued Carolina Energy Green Solutions; William Berkelhammer, the company's owner; and Michael Stapleton, the company's manager, alleging they participated in a home insulation scheme in which they falsely claimed they could save consumers 25 percent on energy bills.
Carolina Energy allegedly called consumers, offering to perform a free insulation survey in their homes. A representative of the company came to the homes and allegedly pointed out supposed energy leaks that would benefit from Carolina Energy products. The representative would offer to install the products, allegedly promising savings of 25 percent on utility bills.
Consumers were allegedly given the option of financing the approximately required $3,000 for installation costs or paying the costs up front. The products allegedly failed to make any impact on consumer power bills and consumer efforts to obtain refunds were denied.
“Many consumers struggle to pay their power bills and claims that you’ll save 25 percent or more can sound very tempting,” Cooper said. “Our office is here to help when the reality doesn’t match the promise.”
Wake County Superior Court Judge Lucy Inman issued a temporary restraining order against Carolina Energy, Berkelhammer and Stapleton that bars them from performing home insulation work in the state. Berkelhammer and Stapleton are also barred from operating any new insulation companies in North Carolina.
“Be skeptical whenever someone promises that paying them a lot of money now can somehow help you save money in the future,” Cooper said. “If you’ve done business with this or a similar company, don’t keep waiting for the promised savings to materialize. Instead contact our office and file a complaint.”
Cooper's lawsuit seeks a permanent ban against the defendants, civil penalties and refunds for consumers.
TRO entered against Carolina Energy Green Solutions
