Don't Use Accelerated Learning Group
Accelerated Learning Group (learngroup.net), based in Atlanta, did not give us the refund the promised after dragging me around for a few months and ended up cancelling the class on me.
In May, we paid $695 for Quark Xpress training class, promised for the end of the month. A few days before training date, Greg Parker called to let me know that the class has been cancelled because there weren't enough people in the class. He would get me into a private 1-on-1 class instead.
So I waited. And waited. He kept promising a date, and then cancelled the last minute a few more times. By July, he sent me an email apologizing for not being able to provide me with training class and referring me to another joint in Los Angeles. He said that he would offer us full refund.
A few weeks after that, there was no refund. We called. He was surprised that accounting has not sent us the money. And he confirmed that the situation has been fixed.
By August, we called again. And he said that there had been a miscommunication, and that the record showed a refund had been sent, but accounting hasn't sent out the money yet.
Last week, Tiffany has it and called directly. Greg Parker *is* the owner, the instructor, AND the accounting department. It's a one-man show!
So, where the fuck is our money, Greg???
He was supposed to call us back on Friday. Nope he didn't. Then Tiffany called again today, and he dodged her all over the place. We are moving to file a report with the credit card and Better Business Bureau as well.
Spread the words around, folks. You may save a few bucks going with Accelerated Learning Group instead of Sterling, but they will take your money to go float their business, give you empty promises, and then drag you along so your money would stretch a while for them while you're waiting for your refund.
TELL EVERYONE. DON'T USE ACCELERATED LEARNING GROUP!
*UPDATE* Thank you everyone who posted and voiced their opinions here about Accelerated Learning Group. Just want to give a quick up date that we did get refunded by the credit card company as further inquiry with ALG and Greg Parker went unanswered. Still no words from Better Business Bureau, but will follow up now that I got encouragement from others who've been cheated by ALG.
I have also sent in a complain to Quark who said they would look into the ALG, and offered to give me a discount at one of their authorized training facility. On Friday, per your suggestion, I also submit a complain to Adobe. Hopefully, someone would get this guy shut down real soon before more people get hurt.
Mike - Wishing you the best in your lawsuit. I hope you get the bastard for the rest of us. :-)
In May, we paid $695 for Quark Xpress training class, promised for the end of the month. A few days before training date, Greg Parker called to let me know that the class has been cancelled because there weren't enough people in the class. He would get me into a private 1-on-1 class instead.
So I waited. And waited. He kept promising a date, and then cancelled the last minute a few more times. By July, he sent me an email apologizing for not being able to provide me with training class and referring me to another joint in Los Angeles. He said that he would offer us full refund.
A few weeks after that, there was no refund. We called. He was surprised that accounting has not sent us the money. And he confirmed that the situation has been fixed.
By August, we called again. And he said that there had been a miscommunication, and that the record showed a refund had been sent, but accounting hasn't sent out the money yet.
Last week, Tiffany has it and called directly. Greg Parker *is* the owner, the instructor, AND the accounting department. It's a one-man show!
So, where the fuck is our money, Greg???
He was supposed to call us back on Friday. Nope he didn't. Then Tiffany called again today, and he dodged her all over the place. We are moving to file a report with the credit card and Better Business Bureau as well.
Spread the words around, folks. You may save a few bucks going with Accelerated Learning Group instead of Sterling, but they will take your money to go float their business, give you empty promises, and then drag you along so your money would stretch a while for them while you're waiting for your refund.
TELL EVERYONE. DON'T USE ACCELERATED LEARNING GROUP!
*UPDATE* Thank you everyone who posted and voiced their opinions here about Accelerated Learning Group. Just want to give a quick up date that we did get refunded by the credit card company as further inquiry with ALG and Greg Parker went unanswered. Still no words from Better Business Bureau, but will follow up now that I got encouragement from others who've been cheated by ALG.
I have also sent in a complain to Quark who said they would look into the ALG, and offered to give me a discount at one of their authorized training facility. On Friday, per your suggestion, I also submit a complain to Adobe. Hopefully, someone would get this guy shut down real soon before more people get hurt.
Mike - Wishing you the best in your lawsuit. I hope you get the bastard for the rest of us. :-)
posted by OakMonster at 3:32 PM
15 Comments:
You're not the only person who's been stiffed by ALG. He doesn't pay his contract instructors, either. I do hope you can get some satisfaction through your credit card company. Dispute the charge. Don't let it go. And, since the company is listed on the Adobe site, file a complaint with the Adobe Training Provider program:
http://partners.adobe.com/public/asn/tp/contact.jsp
Yes Greg has not paid me for classes taught in 2004. He also currently uses instructors which are not Adobe Certified.
I was an instructor for Greg Parker. Greg sent me bounced checks, fedex tracking numbers for checks that were never sent. He is committing serious criminal acts. He did pay me for previous classes with checks from his personal checking account. I am suing him and my lawyer says they will proabbly be able to auction his home (even if he moves as we have 18 months). He is claiming me that he has no money to pay for the classes I have taught. If he had attemtped to come clean I would have given him a break, but now will be going for 10% interest monthly as my invoices and aggreement with him are.
Mike Gondek
If you can make it to San Diego, we'll provide you with a 20% discount on one of our classes (see http://www.ledet.com).
We have the unfortunate distinction of having had Greg Parker work at our organization. Don't worry, we've paid much more handsomely than all of the others who have posted here put together for that transgression.
- Sterling Ledet
For a public record of all the people who have had to file suit against William Gregory Parker aka Greg Parker and Accelerated Learning Group, do a search at http://www.gwinnettcourts.com for William Parker and one for Accelerated Learning Group.
Not including Mike, who doesn't seem to have filed yet, and Sonya, who hasn't filed, I see six others in addition to Sterling Ledet & Associates, Inc. who have had to sue Greg Parker.
Of course, Greg is pretty slick and has successfully damaged my business reputation with several former business associates by framing me to be the bad guy in his disputes with me. I think time has proven though, that is not the case.
Congratulations to Mike Gondek! He finally won his case against Greg Parker and was awarded the maximum amount allowed in small claims court of $15,000.
Parker's spurious counterclaim was summarily dismissed.
Way to go Michael! I applaud you for taking the time to pursue this and avoid letting Parker off the hook so he can go take advantage of someone else.
You people are pretty sad. I've taken several courses from Accelerated Learning and they were some of the best classes I've ever had. I'm sorry for those who have had a bad experience, but I for one will be returning for more classes in the future.
You must have come in after he already got our money and therefore he didn't have to cheat you out of yours.
We're not sad. We're pissed.
Thanks for stopping by.
Funny how the "student" above found it necessary to post anonymously.
Of course, I don't doubt that there is a possibility that, if it was a post from a real student, that they might have gotten a good class. Parker did have a very good list of contract trainers that he stole from me, and if he had actually paid them, instead of stealing services from them to the tune of between $5000 and $10000 each, he might still have access to them.
Check the records at http://www.gwinnettcourts.com to see all the judgments against Parker for failure to pay the contract trainers he used.
Unfortunately, a lot of reliable professional instructors realize Parker is a thief. They don't take business from him anymore.
Therefore, the likelihood of getting a good class from him is probably pretty low. The anonymous poster fails to get the point that it's not just about problems with the quality of the training classes themselves, its about crooked business practices of William Gregory Parker, the owner.
What's actually quite sad is that the justice system in this country lets people like Parker get away with so much. Since so many of the people Parker has stolen from are out of state, and Parker has gained so much experience with the civil courts through being sued so often, he knows how to play the game and dodge the people he owes money to. It's blogs like this that help expose criminal activity when DA's decline to prosecute.
Notice that I'm not scared of being sued for libel or slander or anything, because Parker would have to prove that he is not a crook. He can't do so as I have proof that he is a crook.
Sterling, thanks again for updating! I can't believe this blog entry has started things rolling! And here I was thinking I was just going to vent. :)
BTW - I think I lost your email address...
Too bad I saw this posting too late. In January, I registered for a computer class in Chicago. The company name: Accelerated Learning Group.
I cancelled my courses and ask for a refund. Guess what, I still haven't go it. I have emailed Greg Parker, faxed etc many time. He answered me I would get it the same week but so far he told me this 3 times in more than a month and I still don't have my money.
I contacted the Better Business Bureau, thanks to your advices and if I don't get my money back quickly I will sue him in court.
UPDATE on my case,
Two months after I asked for my refund I still didn't get it so I follow the advice of somebody on one of your posting. I contacted Visa a second time and they were able to put the $1500 back in my account. They told me to keep the proofs I accumulated against him in case this story wasn't over.
Thanks to your blog man.
As a web person I will make sure I spread the word about this crook. I have contacted Adobe as well to let them know.
This is all very disappointing to hear. Many Adobe Authorized Training centers spend a lot of time and money to play by the rules in terms of using certified instructors and following a moral compass when it comes to our businesses. All I can say is that I’m glad we had advance warning, and just a general “smarmy” feeling from Greg Parker and didn’t do business with him. What goes around does come around.
Greg Parker used our office space to conduct training in Washington,DC and attempted to pay with rubber checks and stolen credit cards.
I must say its amazing learning about all the drama within the Adobe Community. I guess there are bad apples in every bunch. Sorry to hear about all of this. Seems like we might be able to create a new docudrama out of our little Adobe family.
see you at the next summit!
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