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Thread: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

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    WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!


    Someone at Scam.com confirmed that these two companies are run by the same people. I have also come to that same conclusion. But that person said the company has not done anything "illegal" and only has one complaint in 2010. I beg to differ and here is why...

    What is legal in one country may not be legal in another and we are talking about a company that fishes for victims in one country to go work in another. Also there is a very fine line between what is "legal" and what is "ethical". I believe lying to people to buy something is a scam. Specifically these companies tell people that they can get guaranteed teaching jobs and internships in China, but ONLY IF they buy one of their TEFL courses and get a TEFL certificate. THIS IS A BLATANT LIE. You do not need a TEFL certificate to teach in China. And even if that was true, their certificate is not recognized nor accepted. Only the CELTA & TESOL certificates are internationally recognized. I taught as and ESL teacher in China for almost 3 years and know what I am talking about.

    Lastly, it was suggested that this company only had one complaint. Not true. I found many complaints (over a dozen) like this one below that goes back to 2008. There are others from 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. Google "i-to-i scam for yourself or onlinetefl scam since there are two companies involved (maybe more that we do not know of yet?) Anyway, I am curious to know the names of the owners of these two companies that have been accumulating victms and complaints for the last 5 years. Here is the 2008 complaint found at this link:

    Tefl Spin: Volunteer to be a Sucker

    Monday, July 7, 2008


    Volunteer to be a Sucker



    Following on the heels of the discovery that the TEFL certificate course I completed six years ago is essentially worthless, I'm in a nasty mood regarding all things related to TEFL training.

    ***

    If the ostensible motive for any action is to help out those in need, basically anything goes. Even if the end result is huge profit for those making the supposedly altrusitic effort.

    Take a look at this ad dressed up as a "news story." An outfit called i-to-i, a self-proclaimed "volunteer travel operator," will hook you up with schools in Cambodia, where you can teach without receiving any remuneration and feel as if you're making a difference.

    The catch, of course, is that you cough up $1425 U.S. dollars for the privilege of doing this for three weeks. Curiously, the dollar figure has an asterisk next to it but nowhere is there an indication what the qualifier is. The payout covers a 40 hour online TEFL course, accommodation, meals and miscellaneous things like "24/7 emergency support."

    I've always found that such hand-holding set-ups always play on any newbie's sense of fear when making their sales pitch. It would be interesting to know what this emergency support consists of.

    Much of what is stated in the ad strikes me as disingenuous, misleading or just plain out of line.

    This kind of arrangement takes away jobs from those who are working as English teachers. Someone might respond by claiming that isn't the case since extremely under-funded schools wouldn't be able to afford foreign teachers anyway. There may be something to that logic but if so, then no one should be reaping a profit from such an undertaking.

    For anyone really interested in working with poor children in third world countries, there are numerous NGOs that could help to organize a similar experience. Or, you could simply contact schools online and offer your time or show up in person. Either way, many would welcome volunteers with open arms.

    i-to-i (what does that stand for anyway, "ignorance to insipidness"?) should also answer a simple question: are they double dipping? In other words, together with the fees from the volunteers, are they paid by the schools or given government grants for performing such an honourable and selfless service?

    They continue on with their misuse of punctuation and other language conventions at the end of the ad when a quote is provided: "The beauty of these projects is that the rewards are mutual..."

    The problem is, the words are attributed to no one (presumably they are from the mouth of the individual mentioned five paragraphs previously.) It simply stands alone as if the fact that someone somewhere made the statement lends it credence.

    I have no problem with an organization offering such a service and trying to make a buck. But I also feel it is my duty to point out the spin and absurdity.



    Posted byKenat12:20 PM

    Labels:Tefl News




    6 comments:

    tuckyusaid...
    Interesting insight into the TEFL industry. I imagined that i-to-i sounded a bit dodgy but never imagined the extent of the extent of the scam. Thanks for your warnings!

    July 25, 2008 at 2:35 PMAnonymous said...
    leaving aside the volunteer aspect of i-to-i, what do you think of the actual certification they offer? if you don't care for that one, is there an online course that you would recommend?

    July 28, 2008 at 1:05 AMAnonymous said...
    I was recently very interested in doing one of the classroom courses, especially seeing that the price was so competitive. I was emailed the dates and venue of the courses in my city. I phoned the alleged venue and the manager said she has no record of this company holding a course there on those specific dates??

    November 26, 2011 at 10:17 AM Anonymous said...
    Why is it that when I phone the RSA number they advertise on their website (in order to make enquiries), no one ever answers. There is only a recorded message to say that all the operators are on the phone. I phoned the UK number, and it doesn't exist. Eventually, so fed - up, I requested a call back and the same lady who was on the voice recording phoned me. Are there even any real operators and advisors?????
    November 26, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    If you google "onlinetefl scam" or "i-t0-i scam" you will see that is just one of very many complaints and problems this company has. My personal experience is limited to two phone calls with these shysters. That was enough for me to realize they would say anything to get my money. Here is one of the 12 complaint links I found about them. You can find more if you look: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...3170222AA7AW44

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Just found another complaint going back to 2008 at this link at this link The TEFL Blacklist: i-to-i TEFL - Up to their Old Tricks Without a doubt they have some experience screwing people over...

    Sunday, January 27, 2008
    i-to-i TEFL - Up to their Old Tricks



    "Come Into My Parlour Said the Spider to the Fly......

    This outfit are cowboys and dangerous to boot. Check out the tales of woe from the Chinese section on the TEFL Blacklist and compare it to the absolute idiocy they claim below. As with Cactus Tefl it's all about selling courses, in the case of i-to-i of less value than parrot droppings. Do NOT be conned by the bullsh*t below. The TEFL schools in China are in dire need of some form of accreditation not the teachers.

    You may get lucky and find a decent school. But google the hell out of it first or you could have a very very nasty experience.

    Why is it that such outfits as i-to-i who know that TEFL in China can be very dodgy print such rubbish just to make a cheap buck.

    Shame on you i-to-i.

    EFL teachers avoid them and their rubbish curses (what a freudian slip! I should of course have written courses but curses is more appropriate) like the plague. If you seriously think a weekend course will teach you how to become good teacher then dream on because they are taking you for mugs and making megabucks. They are a total disgrace.

    As for the four week tefl course. These cowboys sell loads of weekend courses. Here's what they have to say....

    Become a fully qualified TEFL teacher in just 2 days

    We've been running Weekend TEFL courses for more than a decade and in the last year alone we have trained more than 4,000 new TEFL teachers. Our courses are accredited by two leading independent organisations and our TEFL certificates are recognised by thousands of language schools worldwide. You can do a Weekend TEFL Course in the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Ireland and Greece.

    Spotlight Asia
    Seeing as its Spotlight Asia month we thought we'd give our monthly update a bit of an oriental theme, so you'll find it's packed full of information about one of the world's most popular TEFL destinations - China!
    China
    If you're looking for the complete cross-cultural experience then you need to consider China. This incredible country boasts a unique and intriguing cultural heritage. It flows through every strand of modern Chinese society, from architecture and fashion to crafts and lifestyle. TEFL teachers will find themselves on a journey of discovery, as they live in the local community and work with the local people.
    A few words from China…
    I've always wanted to go to China so after spending three years studying history at Hull I decided to reward myself with a well-deserved holiday. I went away for two weeks and I loved every moment of it. When I got back I tried to settle back into life in England but all I could think about was going back - so here I am, three months later, teaching in X'ian!
    The city is great, it's so filled with history that I never get bored. I've been to the Terracotta Warriors museum which was great and I even met some of the i-to-i volunteers there! I've done a bit of travelling on weekends too but I'm just as happy to go out walking in the hills. It's really beautiful here - nothing like living in Hull - and I can't get over how green everything is. I'm finally starting to get to grips with the language but I can't say I'm very good. It's given me a lot more respect for my students and I'm a lot more sympathetic now, but I don't think I'll ever be fluent!
    The teaching is going really well too. It was a bit scary at first but I soon settled in. It doesn't feel like a job, more like an extended game, which is just what I wanted.
    Dawn, 23, Cambridge, UK
    Jobs in China
    Immerse yourself in one of the world's most fascinating cultures by choosing a teaching opportunity in China! With such a rich cultural history, China offers one of the most incredible travel experiences available and teaching English will give you a unique perspective as you explore the land and work with its people.
    Our Paid Teaching Placements have been specially designed to make finding work abroad as stress-free as possible. We'll train you, find you a job and even pick you up from the airport so you remember your first hours in China for all the right reasons. Click here to find out more.
    TEFL Abroad courses in Beijing
    China's sprawling capital, Beijing is everything you could expect from the world's fastest growing economy; a center of commerce, culture and community which throws up surprises at every street corner. In this incredible setting you could find yourself learning all the skills you need to teach English as a foreign language.

    What you'll get:

    4-week intensive 120 hour TEFL/TESOL course.
    An internationally recognized certification.
    At least 8 hours of practical teaching experience in a real TEFL classroom.
    And much, much more…
    Click here to find out more about our TEFL Abroad courses.


    TEFL News
    Increasing demand for TEFL certification in China

    Demand for TEFL teachers in China is extremely high but with no laws covering the qualifications required to teach English problems have inevitably arisen. Prospective teachers without TEFL qualifications or a thorough grasp of the English language have invaded the market, lowering the standard of teaching and creating a bad reputation for foreign teachers. Demand remains high but employers are becoming increasingly suspicious and it is now vitally important that TEFL teachers searching for jobs in this area of the world make every effort to impress their prospective employers.

    Taking a TEFL course with a respected TEFL provider is the first step toward proving your commitment to quality teaching but if you want to avoid the problems entirely you might want to consider one of our Paid Teaching Placements. We work hard to build strong relationships with language schools around the world, so that you can secure a TEFL position with as little stress as possible.

    We've developed a four step guide "Your International Career in Four Easy Steps" to show you exactly how to do it. Click here to take a look"

    Here's another from 6 months ago... ESLwatch - Information, News and School Reviews - Red Alert! OnlineTefl.com - Scam In Progress | ESLwatch - Information, News and School Reviews and one from just a week ago! Warning! China OnlineTEFL.com and i-to-i Scam Alert! - The Student Room Legal or illegal these folks need to be avoided!

    UPDATE: Just found this comment going back to 2007! http://teflblacklist.blogspot.nl/200...to-1-tefl.html

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    You forgot to include a link.

    I-To-I & OnlineTEFL.com - Legit or Scam? Same Company?


    And don't forget this link;
    http://www.realscam.com/f8/beware-cr...401/#post56546
    After all, Meteor started the thread being discussed in that thread too.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    The number of coincidences appearing here is rather uncanny.

    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    I really don't trust much of anything out of China that recruits people for jobs and internships they can get for themselves. I have learned one thing from reading all the horror stories on the internet; It doesn't matter how long a company has been around or how beautiful their web site looks, and no matter how many glowing "testimonials" they buy and post, if they have to lie to people to make the sale, they should be ignored. It took me all of ten minutes to find no less than 21 complaints about them online so I think they have a problem with honesty. And I also wonder why they would need three different entities registered in different countries to promote the same scheme through different channels. It is almost like they are expecting the police to shut down one company so they already have back-ups in place. Here is another complaint from 2011 i-to-i travel/TEFL courses and placement Complaint 36661 | Scambook

    I also did some checking at three TEFL sites and 4 ESL Forums and they ALL say NO TEFL CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED TO TEACH IN CHINA. Maybe I-to-I should tell people the truth and stop lying about this. But then again they would have less clients who would probably thinks it is stupid to buy training that is not really needed to teach in China. I am also turned off that this training does not include an instructor nor any personal attention - all online computerized training. For me it would be cheaper to just go to Amazon.com and buy some CDs!

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    I would not trust any online person or network where there are no trusted persons who are fluent in the language/s.

    Perhaps we should do a stock check on RS members who have contacts who speak the languages.

    I believe that RS member Kasey Chang is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and that he may be able understand or speak other dialects.

    Eagle has s US Secret Service agent assigned to him to follow his posts. There must be people in US secret service who can speak most Chinese dialects.

    Jake The Snake had a moderator known as "wanrou" who claimed to have lived in HongKong for (I think 10+ years) and claimed fluency in Mandarin Chinese plus two other dialects. Jake's old forum was closed down and rumour had it that he sang like a canary when questioned by the authorities. They could not have done this if "wanrou" was able to keep ahead of the law givers.

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Frankly My Dear... View Post
    I really don't trust much of anything out of China that recruits people for jobs and internships they can get for themselves.
    China???
    Please elaborate on what is being discussed in this thread this is "out of China".

    Oh, and Frankly My Dear... long time no see.
    You haven't posted here since 16JUN2013, over two months ago. The same day you made this post in this thread.

    Still waiting for an answer to this;
    Quote Originally Posted by nomaxim View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Frankly My Dear... View Post
    but this CRCC group goes way out of its way to delete and hide all their complaints and the host 8 fake review sites that praise only themselves and find problems with all their competitors.
    And the url's for these 8 review sites are?
    Its been two and a half months.
    Still no luck with the url's for those 8 fake review sites I take it?

    Wow, if these coincidences keep building up like this I may just run out and but a lottery ticket.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    I got a PM from a buddy who found more on these people who are NOT based in China but the U.K. It appears the owners are Brits, not Chinese nor Americans. It matters not. They are peddling TEFL certificates that are worthless in China and at least 47 other countries from what I can see. Here are the rwo links my bud sent me this morning...

    TEFL Forums • View topic - WARNING! i-to-i China internship is a scam to me and Ripoff Report | I-To-I.com And OnLineTEFL.com Fake China Internships & Worthless TEFL Certificates Complaint Review Internet: 1078645

    People can waste their own money any way they like, but my own $ will not go to swindlers who con people with lies.

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    I got a PM from a buddy who found more on these people who are NOT based in China but the U.K. It appears the owners are Brits, not Chinese nor Americans.
    Yep, that information has already been posted in this thread at Scam.com. It is in Post #2. The information appears on the business registration with Massachusetts. It gives the names of the officers and directors of the Corporation, their address's (one is in the US) and also shows the 11 year old business registration in the UK.

    It is again pointed out that this information is there in Post #4 of that thread.

    The information has been there for almost a week and it's been linked to in this thread.
    Is there some reason why you didn't see it there?
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Oh, and in case you missed it in the ROR that you just linked to.
    Ripoff Report | I-To-I.com And OnLineTEFL.com Fake China Internships & Worthless TEFL Certificates Complaint Review Internet: 1078645

    That individual clearly states that they never had any type of business dealings with the company themselves.
    This individual also shows that all the links they posted came from another post made four months ago at OnLineTEFL.com - Legit Or Scam? - Yahoo! Answers in the post by 'Liz'.
    So, most of that post at ROR is a cut&paste from another post made at answers.yahoo four months earlier.

    And why is it that so many of these 'complaints' you keep linking to contain 'ChinaScamBusters.com' and 'CHINASCAMPATROL.ORG'.
    I pointed out in Post #8 of the CRCC thread here at RS that CHINASCAMPATROL.ORG is no longer active.
    Same for CHINASCAMBUSTERS.COM.

    The WhoIs info for both of these domains shows that the domain registrations have not expired, yet neither of them are online (404 error).
    It appears that both of them have been shut down.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Thank you nomaxim. I found the UK street address. I guess you do not have to be Chinese to operate a China scam. The travel and teach angle is quite creative. I give them an "A" for effort. I also found this link on them today OnLineTEFL.com - Legit Or Scam? - Yahoo! Answers I guess what I am really curious about is why people would buy a TEFL certificate that is not recognized nor accepted, and not even needed to teach in most countries? I think only the truly ignorant would fall for this scam.

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    Thank you nomaxim. I found the UK street address. I guess you do not have to be Chinese to operate a China scam. The travel and teach angle is quite creative. I give them an "A" for effort. I also found this link on them today OnLineTEFL.com - Legit Or Scam? - Yahoo! Answers I guess what I am really curious about is why people would buy a TEFL certificate that is not recognized nor accepted, and not even needed to teach in most countries? I think only the truly ignorant would fall for this scam.
    If you have a UK Street address, please publish it here or send me a PM. They can con you fairly easily if you do not know the area. TVI Express gave a street address as London W1 but they had stupidly added a picture of a building that could not have existed in fashionable Mayfair which is London W1.

    Also if they are based in UK nobody should deal with them if they do not supply a VAT registration number.

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    I also found this link on them today OnLineTEFL.com - Legit Or Scam? - Yahoo! Answers
    That's the same link you posted in post #1 a few days ago (It's at the very bottom of you post);
    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    You can find more if you look: OnLineTEFL.com - Legit Or Scam? - Yahoo! Answers
    I also posted that same link yesterday;
    Quote Originally Posted by nomaxim View Post
    That individual clearly states that they never had any type of business dealings with the company themselves.
    This individual also shows that all the links they posted came from another post made four months ago at OnLineTEFL.com - Legit Or Scam? - Yahoo! Answers in the post by 'Liz'.
    So, most of that post at ROR is a cut&paste from another post made at answers.yahoo four months earlier.

    The url for all those links is the same;
    answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130503170222AA7AW44
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by path2prosperity View Post
    If you have a UK Street address, please publish it here or send me a PM. They can con you fairly easily if you do not know the area. TVI Express gave a street address as London W1 but they had stupidly added a picture of a building that could not have existed in fashionable Mayfair which is London W1.

    Also if they are based in UK nobody should deal with them if they do not supply a VAT registration number.
    This is their address in the U.K. Do you have a way to find the name of the owners? I also found this link today Beware OnlineTEFL.com Is A Sophisticated Scam In Progress – Targeting Work Abroad Teachers | Global TEFL Scams & Reviews

    Organisation Name: i-to-i (UK) Limited
    Contact Name: Domain Master
    Address Line 1: TUI Travel House
    Address Line 2: Crawley Business Quarter, Fleming Way
    City / Town: Crawley
    State / Province: West Sussex
    Zip / Postcode: RH10 9QL
    Country: UK
    Telephone: +44.1293645700

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    This is their address in the U.K. Do you have a way to find the name of the owners?
    You can get current information from Companies House.

    1.
    Go to companieshouse.gov.uk/WebCHeck.

    2.
    Enter either the company name "I-TO-I UK LIMITED" or company number "04539983" in the proper field and click 'SEARCH'.

    3.
    This will take you to this page;
    (Companies current registration)
    Quote Originally Posted by Companies House
    On this page click on "Order information on this company' which appears on the right.

    4.
    This will take you to this page;
    (Four screen shots needed.)
    Quote Originally Posted by Companies House
    (Shot 1)
    (Shot 2)
    (Shot 3)

    (Next Page)

    (Shot 4)
    5.
    Select which documents you want by clicking the boxes marked 'Order' on the right.
    The 'Current Appointments Report' is free, other documents you will have to pay for.

    These documents are for various thing like changes of address and changes of officers.
    They go all the way back to the original founding documents filed on 19SEP2002.
    So there are 11 years of documents on file with the UK Government there.
    Last edited by nomaxim; 09-03-2013 at 05:44 PM. Reason: Added screen shot titles.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    This is their address in the U.K. Do you have a way to find the name of the owners? I also found this link today Beware OnlineTEFL.com Is A Sophisticated Scam In Progress – Targeting Work Abroad Teachers | Global TEFL Scams & Reviews

    Organisation Name: i-to-i (UK) Limited
    Contact Name: Domain Master
    Address Line 1: TUI Travel House
    Address Line 2: Crawley Business Quarter, Fleming Way
    City / Town: Crawley
    State / Province: West Sussex
    Zip / Postcode: RH10 9QL
    Country: UK
    Telephone: +44.1293645700
    I telephoned the number which they had given and it was not recognized. I thought that it it could be a Crawley number if one replaced the period (.) with a 0. Sure enough +4401293645700 gets you through to TUI Travel House. The receptionist told me that there is no company known as i-to-i that trades from Travel House in Crawley. She took the trouble to check the firm's intranet to see if they traded from any other division of TUI.

    There is no such company known to TUI in UK

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by path2prosperity View Post
    I telephoned the number which they had given and it was not recognized. I thought that it it could be a Crawley number if one replaced the period (.) with a 0. Sure enough +4401293645700 gets you through to TUI Travel House. The receptionist told me that there is no company known as i-to-i that trades from Travel House in Crawley. She took the trouble to check the firm's intranet to see if they traded from any other division of TUI.

    There is no such company known to TUI in UK
    And I do believe that this is their websites contact info; tuitravelplc.com/contact-us
    Quote Originally Posted by TUITravelPLC
    I do believe that is the telephone number you called.


    Now, lets look at i-to-i's domain registration at whois.domaintools.com/i-to-i.com which gives;
    Quote Originally Posted by Domaintools
    This is where it starts to get interesting.

    Guess what we get if we enter tuieducation.com as a url?
    Quote Originally Posted by TUIEducation
    Well, isn't that fascinating.

    And it gets even better.

    The domain information for tuieducation.com at whois.domaintools.com/tuieducation.com gives;
    Quote Originally Posted by Domaintools
    Guess what?
    The domain information for TUITravelPLC.com at whois.domaintools.com/tuitravelplc.com gives;
    Quote Originally Posted by Domaintools
    Needless to say the domain info for whois.domaintools.com/tui.com leads back to TUI.de.

    Your receptionist appears to have been somewhat out of the loop.

    How's your German?

    TUI AG (Wiki);
    Quote Originally Posted by Wiki
    PS.
    There is a reason I made Post #5 in the thread over at Scam.com on 27AUG.
    That's over a week ago.
    And so far I've found ~2,000 website domains linking back to TUI AG.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

  18. #18
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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by nomaxim View Post
    And I do believe that this is their websites contact info; tuitravelplc.com/contact-us
    I do believe that is the telephone number you called.
    And so far I've found ~2,000 website domains linking back to TUI AG.
    Yes that was the number which I called but I did not get the number from their web site. I guessed that if I replaced the period with a 0, I would reach a Crawley number.

    Something is very odd about the whole thing as a company which is quoted on the British stock exchange should have a VAT registration number. Any idea why this is missing?

  19. #19
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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by path2prosperity View Post
    Yes that was the number which I called but I did not get the number from their web site. I guessed that if I replaced the period with a 0, I would reach a Crawley number.
    The zero is a Trunk prefix (Wiki) or 'trunk code'. So, yea you most likely would have to add the zero as you are in the UK. Myself, and 99.9% of the world, would not add the zero.
    For me to call and reach that number from the US I would dial 011 44 1293645700.
    When making international calls the country code (44 for the UK) replaces the trunk code (zero for the UK).
    So the number in the WhoIs is in the proper international format.
    These wikihow.com instructions actually tell you to omit the leading zero if it is there (step 3).

    Quote Originally Posted by path2prosperity View Post
    Something is very odd about the whole thing as a company which is quoted on the British stock exchange should have a VAT registration number. Any idea why this is missing?
    Which company is on the British stock exchange, 'TUI Travel PCL' or 'I to I'
    Many large corporations have divisions, branches, etc.. registered under different names and in different places.
    For example,
    My local Volvo dealer is registered in Ohio and not in Sweden (here's their registration). And there could a 'Volvo America INC.' (or something like that) registered in another state that my local dealer is part of. AB Volvo itself is likely not registered in the my State or anywhere in the US for that matter.

    TUI Travel PCL was formed formed in 2007. Look them up at companieshouse.gov.uk or check TUI Travel PLC (Wiki). And remember the 'TUI Travel PLC' is a division of 'TUI AG' a German company. Even though 'I to I' was formed in the UK in 2002, it was registered in the US State of Delaware about 6 months later {File #4527491}. They also registered in the US State of Massachusetts in 2009, and the BBB currently places them there.
    delecorp.delaware.gov/tin/GINameSearch Sorry cannot direct link, you'll have to run a search yourself.
    (NOTE I have discovered that this company may have actually registered in Delaware back in 2001 {File #3429887}.)

    If 'I to I' is based in the US I don't believe they need a VAT number.
    They sure wouldn't need it for US customers.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

  20. #20
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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by nomaxim View Post
    TUI Travel PCL was formed formed in 2007. Look them up at companieshouse.gov.uk or check TUI Travel PLC (Wiki). And remember the 'TUI Travel PLC' is a division of 'TUI AG' a German company. Even though 'I to I' was formed in the UK in 2002, it was registered in the US State of Delaware about 6 months later {File #4527491}.
    Clarification.
    "I to I' was registered in Delaware about 6 months (2008) after 'TUI Travel PCL' was registered in the UK in 2007.
    'I to I' may have registered about 6 months before (2001) they registered in the UK in 2002.

    Sorry about the confusion there.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    This all seems like a lot of extra paperwork bullshit to conceal the links between all these identities and it seems to me the public company TUI wants to distance itself from the i-to-i and onlinetefl names. Maybe the complaints will affect share price. Anyway, thanks for all the hard work. Is it safe to say that Andree Eckhard is the owner of all these companies?

  22. #22
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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    Is it safe to say that Andree Eckhard is the owner of all these companies?
    Umm, no.
    He could merely be someone in their IT department.

    Besides, per the above Wiki article TUI AG only owns 68% of TUI Travel PLC.
    No idea who owns the other 32%.
    Since it is a publicly traded corporation anyone can own stock.
    Even you.
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post
    Maybe the complaints will affect share price.
    Actually, TUI TravelPLC's stock as been rising for a week or so. In fact, it has been climbing nicely all year.

    londonstockexchange.com;
    Quote Originally Posted by London Stock Exchange
    And while TUI AG's stock took somewhat of a dip beginning in early AUG. it appears to be recovering nicely.
    boerse-frankfurt.de;
    Quote Originally Posted by Frankfurt Stock Exchange

    Here are some little tidbits;
    TUI AG (Wiki);
    Quote Originally Posted by Wiki
    Quote Originally Posted by Realscam.com
    Figure that I alone account for about 40 (or 10%) of those 381 views.

    Why would you even think that some anonymous claims on an internet forum would have any effect on a multinational corporations stock?
    Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -C. Darwin

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    I have the i-to-i TEFL certificate and it has done well for me in Viet Nam. I am a native English speaker but really had trouble completing the online course. It took far longer than i thought and really gave me what i needed to start setting up full lesson plans. With 1.5 years teaching experience from this certificate, I doubt that it can be fake. The managing director on my certificate is Gordon Mathie, I am just telling you because I found quite a bit of information that i didnt see posted here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-mathie-a799aa1
    Look forward to hearing more.
    kr matt


    Quote Originally Posted by Seattle View Post

    Someone at Scam.com confirmed that these two companies are run by the same people. I have also come to that same conclusion. But that person said the company has not done anything "illegal" and only has one complaint in 2010. I beg to differ and here is why...

    What is legal in one country may not be legal in another and we are talking about a company that fishes for victims in one country to go work in another. Also there is a very fine line between what is "legal" and what is "ethical". I believe lying to people to buy something is a scam. Specifically these companies tell people that they can get guaranteed teaching jobs and internships in China, but ONLY IF they buy one of their TEFL courses and get a TEFL certificate. THIS IS A BLATANT LIE. You do not need a TEFL certificate to teach in China. And even if that was true, their certificate is not recognized nor accepted. Only the CELTA & TESOL certificates are internationally recognized. I taught as and ESL teacher in China for almost 3 years and know what I am talking about.

    Lastly, it was suggested that this company only had one complaint. Not true. I found many complaints (over a dozen) like this one below that goes back to 2008. There are others from 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. Google "i-to-i scam for yourself or onlinetefl scam since there are two companies involved (maybe more that we do not know of yet?) Anyway, I am curious to know the names of the owners of these two companies that have been accumulating victms and complaints for the last 5 years. Here is the 2008 complaint found at this link:

    Tefl Spin: Volunteer to be a Sucker

    Monday, July 7, 2008


    Volunteer to be a Sucker



    Following on the heels of the discovery that the TEFL certificate course I completed six years ago is essentially worthless, I'm in a nasty mood regarding all things related to TEFL training.

    ***

    If the ostensible motive for any action is to help out those in need, basically anything goes. Even if the end result is huge profit for those making the supposedly altrusitic effort.

    Take a look at this ad dressed up as a "news story." An outfit called i-to-i, a self-proclaimed "volunteer travel operator," will hook you up with schools in Cambodia, where you can teach without receiving any remuneration and feel as if you're making a difference.

    The catch, of course, is that you cough up $1425 U.S. dollars for the privilege of doing this for three weeks. Curiously, the dollar figure has an asterisk next to it but nowhere is there an indication what the qualifier is. The payout covers a 40 hour online TEFL course, accommodation, meals and miscellaneous things like "24/7 emergency support."

    I've always found that such hand-holding set-ups always play on any newbie's sense of fear when making their sales pitch. It would be interesting to know what this emergency support consists of.

    Much of what is stated in the ad strikes me as disingenuous, misleading or just plain out of line.

    This kind of arrangement takes away jobs from those who are working as English teachers. Someone might respond by claiming that isn't the case since extremely under-funded schools wouldn't be able to afford foreign teachers anyway. There may be something to that logic but if so, then no one should be reaping a profit from such an undertaking.

    For anyone really interested in working with poor children in third world countries, there are numerous NGOs that could help to organize a similar experience. Or, you could simply contact schools online and offer your time or show up in person. Either way, many would welcome volunteers with open arms.

    i-to-i (what does that stand for anyway, "ignorance to insipidness"?) should also answer a simple question: are they double dipping? In other words, together with the fees from the volunteers, are they paid by the schools or given government grants for performing such an honourable and selfless service?

    They continue on with their misuse of punctuation and other language conventions at the end of the ad when a quote is provided: "The beauty of these projects is that the rewards are mutual..."

    The problem is, the words are attributed to no one (presumably they are from the mouth of the individual mentioned five paragraphs previously.) It simply stands alone as if the fact that someone somewhere made the statement lends it credence.

    I have no problem with an organization offering such a service and trying to make a buck. But I also feel it is my duty to point out the spin and absurdity.



    Posted byKenat12:20 PM

    Labels:Tefl News




    6 comments:

    tuckyusaid...
    Interesting insight into the TEFL industry. I imagined that i-to-i sounded a bit dodgy but never imagined the extent of the extent of the scam. Thanks for your warnings!

    July 25, 2008 at 2:35 PMAnonymous said...
    leaving aside the volunteer aspect of i-to-i, what do you think of the actual certification they offer? if you don't care for that one, is there an online course that you would recommend?

    July 28, 2008 at 1:05 AMAnonymous said...
    I was recently very interested in doing one of the classroom courses, especially seeing that the price was so competitive. I was emailed the dates and venue of the courses in my city. I phoned the alleged venue and the manager said she has no record of this company holding a course there on those specific dates??

    November 26, 2011 at 10:17 AM Anonymous said...
    Why is it that when I phone the RSA number they advertise on their website (in order to make enquiries), no one ever answers. There is only a recorded message to say that all the operators are on the phone. I phoned the UK number, and it doesn't exist. Eventually, so fed - up, I requested a call back and the same lady who was on the voice recording phoned me. Are there even any real operators and advisors?????
    November 26, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    If you google "onlinetefl scam" or "i-t0-i scam" you will see that is just one of very many complaints and problems this company has. My personal experience is limited to two phone calls with these shysters. That was enough for me to realize they would say anything to get my money. Here is one of the 12 complaint links I found about them. You can find more if you look: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...3170222AA7AW44

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    Re: WARNING! I-To-I.com & OnlineTEFL.com Scam History - Buyer Beware!

    These two companies have quite a history of complaints on line and they are notorious for peddling ESL & TEFL "teacher internships" in China that are really full-time jobs. They use the "internship" label so they can get away with stealing 50% of the wages and then convincing the teacher intern, that "interns" in China work for half price! Truth be told, China internships for foreigners have been illegal since 2013 if they are not offered directly by the "Direct Employer" See these two links for a better explanation...

    https://www.balglobal.com/News/NewsD...-Students.aspx

    http://antifraudintl.org/threads/bew...a-scams.96692/

    https://answers.yahoo.com/question/i...3170222AA7AW44

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