Complaint Review: Ashworth University PCDI

I visited the website of Ashworth University (formerly PCDI), and browsed their online and correspondence couse offerings. I decided to register for their Marketing Communications Diploma course. I registered online, and paid using my credit card. All seemed well.

When my initial package arrived, it was not from Ashworth University, but rather from The Professional Career Development Institute in Canada (I live in Canada), and instead of Marketing Communications, was apparently for a Marketing Specialist program - with no indication of whether it was a diploma (I assumed not), certificate, or neither.

I contacted Ashworth immediately to explain this problem. They offered no explanation, but only indicated that if I cancelled, I owed a $132.00 cancellation fee. Their lack of explanation led me to belive that they were not at all surprised by my complaint. I believe that this cancellation fee is unfair, and moreover, their bait-and-switch practises are underhanded.

The fact that they advertise a product on their website, and then - after payment - substitute it for something completely different, is not acceptable, and that's what has happened here. All I ask for is a full refund, and an explanation as to why I didn't receive what I paid for.

Marc
Newmarket, Ontario
Canada