I have a friend (and someone very close to him) who recently got involved with a company that does exactly the same thing as that Legacy outfit mentioned in another thread. The text on their website is pretty much the same, as is the pricing structure. I'm devasted by what has happened to my friend, but especially by what I saw done to his friend...I was there.

I had some idea of what goes on in these workshops and thought doing the initial one could be useful for me in some very specific ways (it has been, by the way). I signed up at my friend's urging. I expected a hard sales pitch to get customers into the more advanced course, but I wasn't ready for the manner in which the "empowerement" techniques themselves ended up being used to make sure that everyone either signed up, or got the idea that anyone who didn't (not many!) just wasn't part of the group.

Because I didn't want to expose myself to the abuse and left before the trainer got to me, I was not able to participate in a significant number of last day events and post-training activities. I'm beginning the fight to get as much of my money back as I can. I have a bad feeling that locking horns with this outfit is going to cost me a friend...

Anyone here have experience with companies doing trainings/workshops/seminars based on National Training Laboratories models? About how many companies in the US do this? How many NTL-trained "floating" trainers (those who go from outfit to outfit hosting workshops, not permanently employed by one firm) may there be in the US? The trainer claimed he's one of just half a dozen, but I find that hard to believe. In an off-hand remark, a staff member indicated that he's the son of one of the method's progenitors, though I'm not quite sure if that meant NTL. I'd like to track down some info on the trainer because knowing about his past affiliation with the company may help my case. All I have is some sketchy biographical info, not even a lastname.

Thanks,

John

is actually the source of their material.

Never take someone's word for it. We have to fact check everything.

A bit of web research has yielded some interesting results. The outfit I got involved with is a direct SpringLife descendent, and (DRUM ROLL......) the trainer was none other than John Hanley, Jr. Should I feel honored or what?

So, anyone have experience with doing cc chargebacks on these outfits? I sent a letter demanding a refund, but the reply in the negative came through my friend (despite explicitly stating in the letter that the company is to not have any contact with me through other customers...I'm reading them quite well!), so I guess that's what's next.

I'm afraid the company is not going to just roll over and let the chargeback go through because my friend would know, upsetting the insider/outsider group dynamic.

Any thoughts??

John

Can you explain the deception to your credit card company (put it in writing) with documentation? Like any other product or service that is misrepresented or defective, credit card companies will often support their customers in getting refunds.

If the credit card charge hasn't gone through yet, you can have your card "lost or stolen", and cancel the card right away.

Beware though, if you signed a contract, they could sue you for the money.

It all depends on the contract you signed.

A last ditch effort is to go to the local media, cry fowl, and often this will spark a refund.

Coz