ExpertRating - ExpertScam!

This year, I was googling some online courses and that's how all started. I found about ExpertRating.com that claims to be the one of the world's largest and most widely recognized skills assessment providers (my ass!).

I enrolled and started my course normally. As a language teacher, I couldn't help feeling uncomfortable about the spelling mistakes and the missing words in the course material, but well... I paid for it! so I just let go, finished and passed my exam.

A month later, I received their so-called certificate... First "huh" reaction was when seeing the envelope... with 3 Mother Therasa and 6 Ghandi stamps... they didn't look like US stamps... It was shipped from India...!!!



The certificate I received looked just like fake. I can assure you this is a crap document. The seal is a bad quality printed one. It's not first time I start a distance learning course, I already did with the UK, France and the USA, they have REAL seals that cannot be falsified. The rest of the text on the certificate is poorly printed.

(the oddest seal I ever seen in my life!)

I was quite puzzled and wanted to re-check their website in case I was the blind one not reading that they are established in India or something... but actually their privacy policies provide you with an address in the USA and their contact info lists a contact form, a fax in the USA and their email. (no telephone number!)

I tried to log in to my course, in vain. I felt like banned after I was shipped the crap paper. I tried to even ask for my password retrieving (in case I also got Alzheimer disease...), but they NO LONGER RECOGNIZED MY EMAIL ADDRESS!!!! So, I was just BANNED from coming back to my course!

I blamed myself for not searching about their domain info before taking my course. On whois I can see that they are an Indian company:

Registrant:
ExpertRating Solutions
DLF IT Park, Block D,
Ground Floor Chandigarh
Technology Park Chandigarh,
Chandigarh 160101
IN
+91-172-4656989


I felt pissed off, scammed, and decided to publish this experience on Shvoong.
Here is my article: ExpertRating.com
Published on the 20th of April 2010.

On the 22th (2 days later!!!), Shvoong administration contacted me:

Dear Scorpionelyyours,

please find below the email that made me contact you. I ask you to read it with attention and decide whether you want or not to delete your summary. Please answer me with an explanation, so I can contact them as soon as possible.

I thank you in advance for your implication.

Respectfully,

Shvoong Support Team

---

From: Chakshu, ExpertRating

Sent: Thu 4/22/2010 12:54 PM
To: english@shvoong.com
Subject: Comments by Shvoong.com user: scorpionelyyours

Dear Shvoong Team, I would like to introduce myself as Chakshu from ExpertRating Solutions, an organization engaged in Online Skill testing and courseware development. This communication is with regard to the review page created by Shvoong.com user scorpionelyyours: http://www.shvoong.com/internet-and-technologies/commercial-companies/1994693-www-expertrating-com/

We understand the comments have been expressed by the individual user and this is all part of free speech. We would like to know if the comments can be removed and what is required to do so. We would also like to contact this user so that we can refund him and he can remove his comments. We fully respect the freedom of expression and right to free speech, but would like to request the removal of this content, as we are unconditionally willing to reach out to the user and refund him/restore his access to the course. As per our business policy, we are committed to attend to grievances of any of our clients in the best possible manner, or offer them a complete refund, whichever is preferred by them.

Kind regards,
Chakshu,
ExpertRating Solutions


If this company is legit and serious, and really respects freedom of speech, as they say, and if I'm a liar, why would they bother or hurry up contacting Shvoong to get my published article removed? And how dare they think they can buy my silence? They want to refund me in exchange of removing the article - truth about their company?

But bravo! That was quick to track my article. Your company must be very prepared to seek customers' reactions on Internet about your service.

Nope, I will not remove my article. I'm not interested in any refund Mr. Chakshu or Pikashu.

And I am conscious about my FULL rights in my country to speak about whatever I want, especially when I have proofs. I won't like my relatives, friends all over the world and even my own co-citizens purchase such ugly certificates that lead nowhere.

Ha!