Fake School Flyer Led to Skating Lesson Scam

A school flyer was carried home by my child that had mistakenly gotten through the superintendent’s office—it was not a credible program for children's ice skating. The flyer indicated urgency to sign up "as there were only 20 spots available" — this was the first red flag. After scanning the QR code and paying to register my two children for once weekly lessons, I was notified that our local school district did NOT intend to send this flyer out and it was a mistake. The program was not credible or reliable—possibly a scam. Other community members also expressed concerns. Honestly, the program looked legitimate on the flyer, but if you look closely at the website, there have clearly been some issues with this program in the past—citing legal action if you try to get a refund! There were also details that were not clear until after we paid our fee: each child would be required to use a very "specific" brand of skate and uniform, and if they did not have it, they would NOT be eligible to participate. None of this information was given up front; it wasn't until after registering and paying that all these other requirements were pushed on the parent to purchase—i.e., links to other websites requiring $200 skates for toddlers in order to participate. This was an absolute scam. Additionally, the liability form we were asked to sign after registering and being locked in used unclear language and was sent via email (no address or phone number provided) as a Word document. We as guardians were not comfortable filling out and submitting that liability form for each child, but it was also required to participate. Upon emailing (the only option to contact) and politely asking for a refund, indicating the program was not fit for our two children, the email response was "too bad—no refunds given, all sales final." The person (no name given) emailing from that address provided an attached snapshot of the front page of their website, where it indicates ALL SALES FINAL. This program is a fraud, people. Watch out and don't jump to signing up your children without reading closely. Finally, it was also mentioned that the program is a non-profit. This is not correct—the program is not listed or registered as a 501(c)(3). They further falsified themselves to avoid having to refund our registration fees. In the end, we lost out. The credit card company is currently filing a fraud claim. It's important that all consumers hear our story and avoid falling prey.