I need advice about someone doing courses that aren't accredited

[Bella Beautique]

I need some advice please. Someone is doing courses and advertising them saying you will be fully qualified and leave with a certificate. She is doing them from her home salon and has done, and is doing the following courses

Sewn in hair extension course
Full Body Waxing Course
Ear Piercing Course using CAFLON guns
Manicure and Pedicure Courses
Spray Tan Course

Here is a copy and paste of her advertisement for a course

SEWN EXTENTIONS COURSE
11th march 12-2pm/ 3-5pm
- you will learn how to sew Extentions in and all health and safety
BRILLIANT COURSE !!
you will leave with full qualification and certificate
£80
( deposit required for all courses )


Basically and unknowingly I did 2 courses with her and when I found out I couldnt obtain insurance I contacted ABT as this logo was on the certificates I received. I scanned and emailed them to ABT and they confirmed the person isnt accredited to offer any courses nor use there logo. What should I do now? I sent this girl an email and she has ignored it and got her mother to email me, threatening me and then saying I should have read the small print! The only small print I see if the line that says you will leave with full qualification and certificate. The mother then said that courses were for FUN only. How can a ear piercing course be for FUN ONLY!!!!

Do I contact Trading Standards? The Local Council or The Police in this matter? ABT are doing there own investigations into this.

Thanks x

 

[Lolly22]

My goodness that is terrible!

I really don't know who you should contact in this matter. Maybe ABT will sort her out? I how someone else comes along and helps you. I would be looking for my money back from her. She has lied to you. Maybe trading standards could help? Or the small claims court?

I really don't know I'm sorry. X

 

[Bella Beautique]

It's disgusting, she allows 3 people per session and as you can see that the copy and pasted course info she had 2 sessions yesterday, but shes been doing these courses since last year sometime....She will have conned many many young girls out of money, most will just be doing them and thinking they are covered on there insurance.

xx

 

[Rubytues]

It's disgusting, she allows 3 people per session and as you can see that the copy and pasted course info she had 2 sessions yesterday, but shes been doing these courses since last year sometime....She will have conned many many young girls out of money, most will just be doing them and thinking they are covered on there insurance.

xx

This illegal and apart from ABT who you've already contacted, next stop is Trading Standards!

 

[jcpark]

I would definately contact Trading Standards and keep all the paperwork, advertising etc. I'd be surprised if ABT don't take any action - did they say anything about that or ask for any information when you contacted them?

 

[Tinxy]

I guess it's up to you but personally I'd make sure you have copies of everything on her website that is misleading... and then I'd put in a small court claim. You can do it online and if she doesn't defend you will win by default. If she does defend then you will have all the evidence including the certificates with the claims it's accredited and her own website stating it will lead to qualification as well as a letter from ABT stating this is not the case. Keep copies of all mails from her "mum" and present them too. You need to make sure your claim is for costs and reasonable expenses and loss of earnings. So if this was 2 days make sure you include how much you have lost in earnings by being in training for those 2 days (as you will now have to loose another 2 days to re-train) - any cost for travel etc

 

[tigi]

trading standards need to know about this. Then, your next stop is CAB. they can give you advice about how you can try and get your money back.

Terrible and disgusting behaviour!

tigi

 

[Bella Beautique]

I now have contacted the police and have a crime log number, I have had other girls contact me saying they've done courses too. I have all evidence and screen shots of her advertisements for these courses. She's changed her name on Facebook and blocked and deleted everyone who has done a course with her. ABT, when I contacted them said they are going to investigate further

 

[GlamourEyes11]

Good for you for doing something about it! It's people like this that give beauty therapists a bad name!!!

 

[IBUK]

I know another company that is very successful and always booked up weeks in advance but their courses are not accredited. I think you need to check whether it states her courses are "accredited" by ABT as as far as I'm aware it is not illegal to offer courses and give people a certificate of attendance. Unfortunately Joe Blogs is unaware of the difference and trainers are laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Lush-Lash]

This is disgusting. I feel so sorry for you paying someone money to try & educate & better your life to just be robbed.

I hope she gets into serious trouble.

Maybe you should name & shame her to save any others being caught in her devious little trap.

xx

 

[Kim Lawless]

That's awful. I really hope that you get your money back. Be positive. x

 

[Clairet]

Thats terrible. Awful that we have to double check everything, but unfortunately, we do. Always check if courses are accredited before you book on. I really hope you sort it out xx

 

[fozzyo]

Talk to trading standards, they will be able to advise if you are able to submit a claim through the Small Claims court for misleading advertising. If you can its not too expensive, and she will be liable for the costs anyway.

You make the claim through the website so you don't need to worry about solicitor fee's to do it.

Mat

 

[HWilliams]

I hope this person goes to prison for fraud!!!

Let us know how it develops.

Things like this sicken me!

Big love,

H x

 

[Bella Beautique]

I know another company that is very successful and always booked up weeks in advance but their courses are not accredited. I think you need to check whether it states her courses are "accredited" by ABT as as far as I'm aware it is not illegal to offer courses and give people a certificate of attendance. Unfortunately Joe Blogs is unaware of the difference and trainers are laughing all the way to the bank.

Her courses were advertised saying YOU WILL LEAVE FULLY QUALIFIED and with a certificate. She used ABT's logo which is a trading standards offence in itself seeing as she isnt accredited with them, she told other girls who had queried there certificates that she would contact ABT and find out what is wrong, she then told others they were for FUN ONLY....She cant get her story right. If for FUN only you wouldnt advertise the courses as leaving you fully qualified and you certainly wouldnt be doing Ear Piercings Courses for FUN either xx

 

[Bella Beautique]

Quick update -

I telephoned Trading Standards and they were very keen to hear my story. Told them about the use of ABT's logo on fake certificates, told them of the threats from this girls mother saying she wasn't refunding anyone any money back at all, told them how she cannot get her story right and how 10 girls who had come forward so far had all been informed that they would leave the course with a FULL QUALIFICATION and Certificate. At present we are trying to local other girls who have done courses, but this is proving hard seeing as the "trainer" has deleted, blocked and changed her facebook name so those who did do a course cannot contact her through facebook. Trading Standards have the police log number and I also informed ABT of the Police Log Number and the Trading Standards Ref Number.

I hope the girl in question does get into trouble for this, innocent people have been conned here. She is now out to try and ruin the reputation of professional girls saying they arent qualified in ANY treatments and not to use them. Some of these girls are hairdressers, and have been for a number of years, who wanted to add something extra for there clients and have now had to prove to everyone that they are FULLY QUALIFIED in Hairdressing and Hair Extensions etc just not the courses that she had taught them

xx

 

[little voyce]

I would imagine ABT could take some form of legal action for fraudulent use of their logo, damage to their reputation etc etc.

The whole issue of training and accreditation is a hot potato IMO. I was surprised that trainers were able to have only 1 year's post-qualifying experience themselves, in order to train others. And as many of us know, PTTLS can be done in only four or five days. Is that really sufficient? Am I being obstructive?

I think too many people are seeing training as an alternative cash-stream to performing treatments themselves, particularly in this economic down-turn. That's fine, obviously, if you truly think you are in the league to train others - but it shouldn't be seen simply as an adjunct to every beauty business.....

What think you geeks?

 

[hippy-chick]

I would imagine ABT could take some form of legal action for fraudulent use of their logo, damage to their reputation etc etc.

The whole issue of training and accreditation is a hot potato IMO. I was surprised that trainers were able to have only 1 year's post-qualifying experience themselves, in order to train others. And as many of us know, PTTLS can be done in only four or five days. Is that really sufficient? Am I being obstructive?

I think too many people are seeing training as an alternative cash-stream to performing treatments themselves, particularly in this economic down-turn. That's fine, obviously, if you truly think you are in the league to train others - but it shouldn't be seen simply as an adjunct to every beauty business.....

What think you geeks?

totally agree, jumping on the bandwagon is all very well and good, but do you have the skills to have a prolonged and fruitful career in teaching.

 

[skindeep72]

This is truly shocking. If you are on Facebook name and shame her. This way everyone will share this information and it will spread very quickly. Hopefully she will be caught before she puts out another ad!!!!