Complaint Review: Hardcore Techies

I joined Hardcore Techies Inc. (HTI), late June 2004 with the intention of starting their Internship program to begin late September or early October 2004. The program began fine; finished their 2 week MCSE class at end of June 2004, and returned home to study and earn the remaining MCSE certifications. They guaranteed me to pay ALL Vue MCSE testing fees, in addition to guaranteeing me an Internship position.

I quit my $75k a year job to begin this Internship program and study for full-immersion in networking. When I returned home after the initial class, it didn't take long for my suspicions to grow. Whenever I would call so they can arrange and PAY for my next certification, they avoided taking my call. They didn't even contact me about keeping me up-to-date on the Internship program like they said they would. I heard NOTHING from them. I contacted the other people who had also enrolled in this Internship program and they heard nothing form Hardcore Techies as well.

Finally someone in the group had the owner of HTI's cell phone and got ahold of him. He said that there would be "no refunds and no Internship". When I paid my deposit ($5000), the guy who recruited me, told me that the deposit was in case I broke any equipment and that it would be refunded to me after completion of all obligations to HTI, which meant after they received all the monies I promised them after I completed my Internship. Since there was no Internship, shouldn't they give me my deposit back? This has happened to many other people besides me.

This is NOT the first time the owner of HTI closed his business and shut-out current students and kept all of the deposits. He had a company that folded back in 2003 in the same fashion. One day the students in their 2 week class went to class only to find the doors locked and a sign indicating that they were permanently closed! I did not find that out until someone from HTI, a disgruntled former employee posted it in a MCP forum, and that forum thread was deleted for some unknown reason.

If I had known about this previous corruption, there is no way I would have joined HTI! So now I am desperately seeking a new job, my plans for networking are almost derailed, and I have this huge hole in my pocket ($5000 hole!) I feel ripped-off and scammed. I think this guy, the owner of HTI, simply collects as much money in deposits as he can, closes shop, declares bankruptcy or some other form of protection and keeps all deposits. Is this legal? Can someone please help?

Jack
Salinas, California
U.S.A.