TEFL Institute

TINA.org investigated the TEFL Institute, an Illinois company selling “Teaching English as a Foreign Language” training and certification, and found that it falsely advertised its accreditation status.


Highlights

  • Sent warning letter to company
  • Filed complaint with Illinois attorney general
  • Notified BBB, which had given company A+ rating
  • Company removed false claims
  • BBB changed its rating of company

Timeline

2014
February

The TEFL Institute removes the reference to accreditation by NATEFLAC from its website, though the Institute still falsely claims to be A certification process and quality assurance method that’s designed to distinguish schools that comply with a set of educational standards.  But not all accreditation agencies are created equal.  Many are recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as being reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions they accredit.  Those are the ones you want to see when you’re evaluating a school.  Others are unrecognized and some are completely made up, and scam artists will claim their school is accredited by such organizations to make it seem like their institution is legitimate and well-respected when, in reality, it’s a sham. by another organization, ACCREDITAT.

In addition, the BBB changes its rating of the company to an “F,” and then later to a “D.”

January 7

TINA.org sends follow-up letters to the Attorney General of Illinois and the BBB alerting them to additional false accreditation claims made by the TEFL Institute, both on its own website, as well as on its Facebook page.

2013
December 31

The BBB informs TINA.org that it has changed its rating of the TEFL Institute from A+ to “No Rating” while it reviews the company’s alleged accreditation with NATEFLAC.

December 17

After receiving no response from the TEFL Institute, TINA.org sends a complaint letter to the Attorney General of Illinois urging her to take action. TINA.org also sends a letter to the BBB asking that it reevaluate its A+ rating of the company.

December 5

TINA.org sends a letter to the TEFL Institute asking it to fix the false NATEFLAC accreditation claim on its website.


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