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One of our favorite things to do at the FTC — whenever possible — is to return money to people who lost it to scammers. That’s what we’re doing today. If you lost money to a business coaching scheme that did business as Coaching Department or Apply Knowledge, among other names, you should be getting a check in the mail soon.

According to the FTC, these companies made millions of dollars by falsely telling people they could earn thousands of dollars a month by paying for business coaching services and creating an online business. People spent thousands — and sometimes tens of thousands — of dollars on these coaching services before finding out they didn’t deliver on their promises.

This is the third check the FTC has been able to send to people who lost money to this business coaching scam and brings their total recovery to 48% of their losses. Previous checks were sent out in October 2019 and June 2020. The checks going out today total $25.6 million dollars and average $2,388.

If you paid money to these companies but didn’t get the earlier checks, reach out to the refund administrator Analytics LLC at 1-844-982-1005. To learn more about the FTC’s refund program, visit ftc.gov/refunds Remember that the FTC never requires people to pay money or give account information to cash a refund check. Spotted someone doing that? Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

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Ms.BBJ
December 08, 2021
I feel like such a fool. In 2018 I fell for a Ebay Training Program Scam somewhere NORTH of $8000 with many smaller scams in between with Cash App and PayPal! I HAD NO IDEA WHO TO REPORT IT TO! I tried to negotiate with these people and they wore me down, BUT I have lots of proof in emails, text messages, credit card bills, and other paperwork. Are you able to help me? I tried to pay off the credit cards, but I'm on a fixed income and finally this year, I declared bankruptcy to my stressful and shameful dismay.
FTC Staff
December 09, 2021

In reply to by Ms.BBJ

You can report that to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The information you give goes into a secure database that the FTC and other law enforcement agencies use for investigations. After you describe what happened, you'll get information about what you can do.

Thankful
December 11, 2021
I am very grateful to FTC for catching and prosecuting these companies. I had been at a point in life where I was trying to find a way to make extra money as a single parent, when I inquired about the coaching program from there as it is said I ‘fell down the rabbit hole’. I was pressured into every step of that program and each time I tried to say that I wasn’t comfortable continuing I was made to feel like I was making the biggest mistake of my life backing out. In the end I spent over 15 thousand. I never thought I would see a refund of any kind but I’m so very fortunate that they were caught. I just want to say thank you and I hope that maybe I can help just one person not make the mistake that I did.
Washington Bla…
December 17, 2021
We are so great full never ever thought we would see one penny of it and in no better time Thank you