Smart Certify Direct ripoff, deceptive business practices, scam artist, FRAUDULENT COMPANY, HOSTILE EMPLOYEES, IMPOTENT MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, Clearwater Florida
Smart Certify solicited me via cell phone in May 2003. I ask them how they obtained my cell phone number and the sales rep would not give an answer. He already knew my name and much of my personal information.
He then went into his sales pitch about the "computer courses" they offered etc. I told them I was not interested. The sales rep continued with his sales pitch. Again I said I'm not interested.
Then the sales rep who I believe's name was "Hal" said to me in a very hateful tone, "Hey ____! What do you think I'm calling you for?"
I finally agreed to info by mail. He stated he would send by mail and send to my email. I agreed to look over the material. However, he continued to tell me about their great courses, online library, customer support etc. Said their money back guarantee was good for 90 days, said I could "pre-qualify" for financial aide.
I said I would read their information sent by mail. Several days later Fed Ex delivered a box of their "courses" to my doorstep. I was not home and did not sign for this delivery.
When I realized they had sent the entire course I mailed the box back the next day. I did not open or try any of their materials.
I did not and could not access their website online courses without the CD's and was not about to do that.
Tried to contact them by phone, could not get through to a real person. Did not have time to wait for real person because of my busy schedule. I sent them and email telling them to cancel any and all courses or information and that the box they sent was being shipped back.
They ignored my email.
A week later the box I had returned was delivered back to my doorstep with a postage due notice. The box was marked refused.
A few days after that I received a letter in the mail from a finance company called MBNA welcoming me to my "new account" for $3000! It did not say when or where this was opened etc. I did not authorize this account to be opened.
I called their company and was routed around finally to the fraud dept. The person I spoke with there told me this account was a "third party loan" opened by Smart Certify for online computer courses. The "liason" company was a company I had never even heard of before.
After several weeks of discussion with this finance company I was told that "I gave my personal information" to Smart Certify and I authorized this loan, and that Smart Certify had my entire phone conversation recorded! BULLSHIT!
Further I was told to "dispute" the matter with the "dispute department". I did. 30 days later I was told I gave my information to SC and that it was recorded. Again blah, blah, blah.
I filed a complaint with my attorney general. They forwarded it to the Florida Consumer Protection Svcs.
Their "investigator" finally contacted me and told me that they had gathered all info from SC and that I had given my info to their company. They would not refund the $1800 owed on their course and they would not accept the materials back. Further they stated that I was just a case of someone who had "changed" their mind about their product and services.
They also said that I was openly hostile to their employees. The investigator said they had a "recording" of the phone conversation but could not say that it was my voice. Then the Consumer Prot Svcs Inv. in so many words called me a liar!
Smart Certify is obtaining personal information from some source of harvesters or maybe even computer trojans. Then they are telemarketing people and "forcing them to buy their courses" by fraudulantly opening new loans with your personal information and making it appear that you authorized it. They are using some recordings which they do not tell you that they are using and then they dub the tape to words and phrases that comply with their goal - of stealing you blind.
If you challenge them the same way that everyone else who has reported them here at ripoffs by following the legal chain; Disputing the charges with your Credit Card Co, calling the loan co. they opened an account in your name with, filing a complaint with the AG in your state, FTC or Consumer Protective Svcs in Florida - SC will say that you are lying. They will also refuse to reimburse the money to you, your CC Co, and or the financial institution they used!
They will offer to extend your "online library" or some other ridiculous compensation or upgrade your service.
Essentially you are SOL with this company. Their customer service is a bad joke. These people are openly hostile and accusatory! The supposed "MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE" IS A HOAX...they use this line as bait and then when asked for it they will twist the guarantee to make it impossible to claim.
The whole notion that anyone will breeze through their courses and take the "2" tests and fail within 90 days of purchase is total cellophane.
They tout NASDAQ stocks, FORBES and providing the military with courses etc. Interestingly enough none of this information can be found outside of Smart Certify's self proclaimations! No one in the Military has ever heard of this company. I can not find them listed at Forbes or NASDAQ under their SC name or their mother company Skillsoft or softskill (whichever).
I did go to a website and found that their mother company is involved in a lawsuit in Florida.
They are a HOAX, THIEVES, LIARS, AND SCAM ARTISTS!
Has anyone on this board banned together and filed a class action lawsuit AGAINST THIS FRAUDULANT CONGREGATION OF CRIMINALS?
The legal chain aforementioned above in disputing SC does not work. The AG's offices, CC companies, financial institutions, Consumer Protective Svcs, and the BBB will blow you off! There is definite skullduggary going on in this company and its time to stop it!
Anyone interested in a class action?
CLICK here to see why we deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
M
Versailles, Missouri
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Smart Certify
STOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... CLICK HERE to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! It has been reported, when there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide. ..Remember. The BBB membership is not earned, it's paid for!
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Wade
Clearwater,Florida,
U.S.A.
You need to double your dosage buddy
#5UPDATE Employee
Wed, December 10, 2003
First of all let me start by saying this: You said that you spoke to a salesman and agreed to take a look at a few of the products that we had to offer. Then you had a package delivered to your door and a bill from a company called MBNA for 3000.00 total. Let's get a few things straight... MBNA is a finance company. When a person has a sincere interest in our products and cannot afford to pay by check or credit card, we offer them financial assistance. This I would classify as a student loan. When a person asks for this, we run them through a finance application. One in which you would have given the sales rep your SS#, Date of birth, and other personal information. You knew exactly what you were doing. For you to receive that bill, you would have had of of told us that you wanted us to disburse the funds for the training. So now we know that first part was a complete line of lies. More than likely, you are suffering from frustration and pointing fingers at everybody else when you really should be blaming yourself. This is common. The guarantee that we have on our product is solid. I have had a few orders come back after the student has failed twice within the 90 day period. That is OK. That is what the guarantee is there for. To make people feel secure in knowing that they are either going to get certified or they aren't going to be out of any money. Also, I think that you need to get some help with researching companies on the internet. We do train all four branches of the military and most of the fortune 500 companies out there.. If you look at us you will see that we are the top IT training company in the world. We have over 4.5 MILLION students world-wide. we must be doing something right. I suggest that you see a shrink and rethink what you put in writing on web-sites. What you have put here could be considered SLANDER because about 99.9 percent of everything that you claimed here are too far from being close to the truth. Do yourself a favor,,,,,,, Waste your time writing up companies that deserve to put written up. I would encourage everybody to try the material.. Get everything in writing,,,, follow the guidelines of the guarantee and see how it works for you. Thanks for reading this and good luck...
Wade
Clearwater,Florida,
U.S.A.
You need to double your dosage buddy
#5UPDATE Employee
Wed, December 10, 2003
First of all let me start by saying this: You said that you spoke to a salesman and agreed to take a look at a few of the products that we had to offer. Then you had a package delivered to your door and a bill from a company called MBNA for 3000.00 total. Let's get a few things straight... MBNA is a finance company. When a person has a sincere interest in our products and cannot afford to pay by check or credit card, we offer them financial assistance. This I would classify as a student loan. When a person asks for this, we run them through a finance application. One in which you would have given the sales rep your SS#, Date of birth, and other personal information. You knew exactly what you were doing. For you to receive that bill, you would have had of of told us that you wanted us to disburse the funds for the training. So now we know that first part was a complete line of lies. More than likely, you are suffering from frustration and pointing fingers at everybody else when you really should be blaming yourself. This is common. The guarantee that we have on our product is solid. I have had a few orders come back after the student has failed twice within the 90 day period. That is OK. That is what the guarantee is there for. To make people feel secure in knowing that they are either going to get certified or they aren't going to be out of any money. Also, I think that you need to get some help with researching companies on the internet. We do train all four branches of the military and most of the fortune 500 companies out there.. If you look at us you will see that we are the top IT training company in the world. We have over 4.5 MILLION students world-wide. we must be doing something right. I suggest that you see a shrink and rethink what you put in writing on web-sites. What you have put here could be considered SLANDER because about 99.9 percent of everything that you claimed here are too far from being close to the truth. Do yourself a favor,,,,,,, Waste your time writing up companies that deserve to put written up. I would encourage everybody to try the material.. Get everything in writing,,,, follow the guidelines of the guarantee and see how it works for you. Thanks for reading this and good luck...
Wade
Clearwater,Florida,
U.S.A.
You need to double your dosage buddy
#5UPDATE Employee
Wed, December 10, 2003
First of all let me start by saying this: You said that you spoke to a salesman and agreed to take a look at a few of the products that we had to offer. Then you had a package delivered to your door and a bill from a company called MBNA for 3000.00 total. Let's get a few things straight... MBNA is a finance company. When a person has a sincere interest in our products and cannot afford to pay by check or credit card, we offer them financial assistance. This I would classify as a student loan. When a person asks for this, we run them through a finance application. One in which you would have given the sales rep your SS#, Date of birth, and other personal information. You knew exactly what you were doing. For you to receive that bill, you would have had of of told us that you wanted us to disburse the funds for the training. So now we know that first part was a complete line of lies. More than likely, you are suffering from frustration and pointing fingers at everybody else when you really should be blaming yourself. This is common. The guarantee that we have on our product is solid. I have had a few orders come back after the student has failed twice within the 90 day period. That is OK. That is what the guarantee is there for. To make people feel secure in knowing that they are either going to get certified or they aren't going to be out of any money. Also, I think that you need to get some help with researching companies on the internet. We do train all four branches of the military and most of the fortune 500 companies out there.. If you look at us you will see that we are the top IT training company in the world. We have over 4.5 MILLION students world-wide. we must be doing something right. I suggest that you see a shrink and rethink what you put in writing on web-sites. What you have put here could be considered SLANDER because about 99.9 percent of everything that you claimed here are too far from being close to the truth. Do yourself a favor,,,,,,, Waste your time writing up companies that deserve to put written up. I would encourage everybody to try the material.. Get everything in writing,,,, follow the guidelines of the guarantee and see how it works for you. Thanks for reading this and good luck...
Wade
Clearwater,Florida,
U.S.A.
You need to double your dosage buddy
#5UPDATE Employee
Wed, December 10, 2003
First of all let me start by saying this: You said that you spoke to a salesman and agreed to take a look at a few of the products that we had to offer. Then you had a package delivered to your door and a bill from a company called MBNA for 3000.00 total. Let's get a few things straight... MBNA is a finance company. When a person has a sincere interest in our products and cannot afford to pay by check or credit card, we offer them financial assistance. This I would classify as a student loan. When a person asks for this, we run them through a finance application. One in which you would have given the sales rep your SS#, Date of birth, and other personal information. You knew exactly what you were doing. For you to receive that bill, you would have had of of told us that you wanted us to disburse the funds for the training. So now we know that first part was a complete line of lies. More than likely, you are suffering from frustration and pointing fingers at everybody else when you really should be blaming yourself. This is common. The guarantee that we have on our product is solid. I have had a few orders come back after the student has failed twice within the 90 day period. That is OK. That is what the guarantee is there for. To make people feel secure in knowing that they are either going to get certified or they aren't going to be out of any money. Also, I think that you need to get some help with researching companies on the internet. We do train all four branches of the military and most of the fortune 500 companies out there.. If you look at us you will see that we are the top IT training company in the world. We have over 4.5 MILLION students world-wide. we must be doing something right. I suggest that you see a shrink and rethink what you put in writing on web-sites. What you have put here could be considered SLANDER because about 99.9 percent of everything that you claimed here are too far from being close to the truth. Do yourself a favor,,,,,,, Waste your time writing up companies that deserve to put written up. I would encourage everybody to try the material.. Get everything in writing,,,, follow the guidelines of the guarantee and see how it works for you. Thanks for reading this and good luck...