While the Summer of Trump is beginning a slow fade towards winter, Donald Trump is still in the running for the Republican nomination. His popularity is apparently undiminished by the unabashed red meat he continues to throw to elements of the Republican base. However, the attention being given to him for his campaign technique may be easier to handle than closer scrutiny of certain business dealings that have resulted in a number of lawsuits related to Trump University.
Starting with a Bang
Founded in 2005, the so-called Trump University did not offer degrees. In fact, it was ineligible to do so, as it lacked any accreditation or licensing as a school that would have made it an institute of post-secondary education. Instead the courses were real estate seminars held in various facilities around the country, not unlike other for-profit motivational seminars. Instead of professors or real estate experts, students were faced with a salesman who pressured them to spend more on additional courses, online training programs, and personal mentorships, even to the point of maxing out personal lines of credit. Though never explicitly promised, meetings with Donald Trump never emerged. Would-be students were consistently upsold additional courses, special events, and even books by aggressive “instructors” who were on commission. The name was changed in 2010 to the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative in a somewhat belated attempt to avoid charges of running an unlicensed school.
Ending in a Lawsuit
At least in the case of the New York lawsuit, it was too little too late. A judge found that Trump could be held personally liable for operating a university without a license. But that came with a bitter pill for former students to swallow, since the judge also ruled that the state of New York is prevented from seeking restitution for any student taking courses before May 2010 because of the statute of limitations. Trump also faces class-action suits in California and Florida. The Donald has responded with his usual barrage of lawyers and insults, but very little in the way of actual responses. Perhaps he’s saving it for his deposition.
Get Ahead the Right Way
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve your financial situation, and move up the ladder. However, you need to keep in mind two of the most common signs of a fraudulent school.
- The school is not accredited or has accreditation that is not issued by the US Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. Fraudulent schools love to use official sounding words and claim accreditation from organizations just as shady and ephemeral as they are.
- The only documentation you need to supply is a valid credit card. Instead of asking for educational transcripts and current standing, the first thing you’re asked for is a credit card.
With so many for-profit universities that actually had accreditation going bust and facing allegations or findings of serious propriety, it is urgently important that you know your rights when facing this kind of situation. Please give us a call, and let us help you.