Report Filed: Smart Certify, Skillsoft, CBT ripoff, fraudulent, misleading, liars, cheats, deliberate misconception, Clearwater Florida!!
It was October of 2003, I was called by Smart Certify after visiting their website telling me I could get free training. I never got free training, and I ended up spending $3500.00 on a bunch of garbage. I was told that the courses I would be taking were basically like live computer simulations and I was ready to login to a system that had actual server simulators where I could work on a server and learn how to use it. I shortly found out that it was not live simulation, but a fancy interactive Flash program. This was most terrible, and I called them back several times to try to get my money back. I also didn’t realize that they were going to open a credit account through a credit card company (MBNA) in my name without my permission ( I didn’t know this was how it was going to be) I thought I would have a student loan and start paying it back when I was through with the course. I didn’t have to start making payments right away, BUT, and I say BUT, interest was accumulating on the account on a daily basis until it was paid in full. I found the money and paid it off after one month. I certainly could not afford to have $3500.00 accumulating interest for 2 years ( Course Life )and then paying it off. I had to borrow money from family to save my skin. I was really pissed off that they setup a credit card account for me without explaining this was exactly how they were going to do it. My telephone conversations were all recorded according to the sales rep I talked with on a regular basis. He also told me I could not get my money back unless I failed the same test 2 times, and that they did not offer a Satisfaction Guarantee. I was appalled and I told them after 3 or 4 phone converstations that I would seek legal assistance to retrive my money. My sales rep told me that I was free to do as I wished but that there was no way I would be able to fight a large company that had millions of dollars to back them up. I basically felt the defeat and tucked my tail between my legs and never called back. Since then, I have been contacted by several different people from Smart Certify, to see how my progress was going. I always told them the same story that I have posted here. They just say “have a nice day”” and politley hang up the phone. Just yesterday Oct 3
