"Learn first, pay later" guarantees money? Many people are in debt! The trick is revealed
2024-08-10
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Learn first, pay later. After learning for a week, you can start taking part-time jobs and earn money, with a guaranteed monthly income of 2,000 to 3,000 yuan? Recently, many people on social platforms have complained about encountering the "learn first, pay later" scam.
In recent days, the reporter visited and investigated and found that in addition to claiming "learn first, pay later", businesses often use slogans such as "zero threshold", "low registration fee" and "good part-time income" to attract consumers. When consumers apply for "learn first, pay later" installments, the part-time income is not ideal, and they are blocked from canceling their plans, and they are also left with debts.
Study first and pay later to work part-time
Guaranteed to make money?
Ms. You (pseudonym) told reporters that she is from Zhengzhou, Henan Province, and is 20 years old. In March this year, she found through a social platform that Chongqing Youxiangxue Network Information Consulting Co., Ltd., located on Jingwei Avenue, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, could provide learning and part-time opportunities in dubbing. She was interested in dubbing, and thought that she could also earn some pocket money while learning, so she added the WeChat account of the company's staff to learn more about the details.
The WeChat conversation showed that the other party said that one could pay a deposit of 100 yuan first to enroll, and then pay the first installment of tuition the next month after enrollment. The rest could be paid in 12 installments, with each installment being 565 yuan. One could work part-time after studying for one week, and they repeatedly emphasized: the first month's minimum salary would be two to three thousand yuan plus commission.
▲The other party said that the minimum monthly income for part-time jobs is 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. Photo provided by the interviewee
Afterwards, the two parties signed an agreement. According to the agreement, Ms. You first paid a deposit of 100 yuan, and then paid 565 yuan per month for a total of 12 installments.
"My monthly part-time income is not even 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. I'm lucky to earn 1,000 yuan." Ms. You said that she proposed to terminate the contract, but the company told her that she had to pay liquidated damages. "But it was clearly their fault. I have been overdue for many months and my credit rating may be affected."
On the Black Cat Complaint Platform, there are dozens of complaints involving Chongqing Youxiangxue Network Information Consulting Co., Ltd.
Many consumers complained that the company induced them to apply for installment payment to pay for their studies by claiming that they could work part-time as broadcasters or dubbers. The company promised that they could study first and pay later, and earn money by working part-time while studying, with a guaranteed monthly income of 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. However, the reality was that they either could not take part-time orders or did not have much work, and did not make any money. Their requests to cancel the agreement and deduct the installment payment were rejected. Judging from the people who complained, most of them were college students.
The company is "empty"
Market supervision department: processing
The National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System shows that Chongqing Youxiangxue Network Information Consulting Co., Ltd. is located at No. 11-3A, Building 2, No. 333, Jingwei Avenue, Yuzhong District, and is currently in existence. However, because the company could not be contacted through the registered residence or business premises, it was listed in the abnormal operation list by the Yuzhong District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau in July.
▲ In Yuzhong District, Chongqing Youxiangxue Network Information Consulting Co., Ltd. has been deserted. Photo by reporter Zhu Ting/Visual Chongqing
Recently, the reporter went to the address and found that the company's door was locked during working hours. The public contact number could not be reached.
A staff member of a nearby company said that the company had moved out for more than a month, "This company used to sell courses."
Industrial and commercial information shows that the company's business scope includes information consulting services (excluding licensed information consulting services), education and teaching testing and evaluation activities, business training (excluding education training, vocational skills training, etc. that require a license), enrollment support services, etc.
In this regard, the reporter reported the situation to the Market Supervision and Administration Office of Daping Street, Yuzhong District. The staff said that after verification, the company has stopped operating in the place of registration. If there are consumer complaints, the company has a dedicated person to handle after-sales, and the market supervision department will also contact the person in charge of the company to follow up on the consumer complaints. The staff also said that the market supervision department included it in the list of abnormal operations in order to warn consumers to "avoid pitfalls."
Journalist Investigation
There are these routines in "learn first, pay later"
On major social media platforms, many people complained about the "learn first, pay later" scam they encountered when applying for a job. On the Black Cat complaint platform, there were tens of thousands of complaints about "learn first, pay later."
The reporter found through multiple investigations and interviews that "learn first, pay later" is mostly aimed at college students or people looking for part-time jobs. Part-time jobs often involve picture and video editing, broadcasting, dubbing, etc. Because of the banner of "learn first, pay later", consumers often let their guard down. When consumers come to their senses, they find that they are already in debt.
First, the claim of "zero threshold". Many consumers said that they were college students and saw the "zero threshold" part-time job information on campus or on social platforms. After actively or passively adding the company's WeChat, the other party would send them promotional posters for various learning courses and claim that "zero threshold" part-time jobs are also possible because there are teachers to guide, it is not difficult, it is easy to get started, and you can take orders after learning.
▲The so-called "learn first, pay later" by the merchants claims that the registration fee and tuition fee are low and can be deducted from the fees earned.
Secondly, verbal promises of "good income". Some consumers said that the other party would mention the income from part-time orders as soon as they came, but would not say the income was too high. The rhetoric was often "earning 5,000 or 6,000 yuan is unrealistic, but 2,000 or 3,000 yuan, 1,000 or 2,000 yuan is still possible" and "the more you work, the more you earn" to gain trust. However, these are WeChat messages sent by the staff, and the guaranteed income will not be written into the agreement. The agreement sent by Ms. You shows that the content is only the tuition fee, payment method, etc.
Then, they get to the point and start introducing the "learn first, pay later" model, which often induces consumers to pay a deposit or registration fee of several dozen or a hundred yuan first, and then claims that "you can use the money you earn to pay tuition", and only pay a few hundred yuan in installments each month. A consumer told the reporter that the routine he encountered was: a company provided a part-time job as a photo editor, promised to take a few orders a day, and earn a hundred or so yuan a day, and asked them to pay a registration fee of 39 yuan first, and then pay 300 yuan in installments each month. It is often agreed in the form of an agreement.
When consumers find that they cannot earn money from part-time jobs and have to pay fees in installments every month, they will either be rejected or have to pay a penalty first if they want to terminate the agreement.
lawyer:
Merchants use the guise of "learn first, pay later" to lure people into applying for installment payments, suspected of fraud
Lawyer Pan Xingwang, partner of Chongqing Kunyuan Hengtai Law Firm, said that merchants use the guise of "learn first, pay later" and "interest-free installments" to lure students to micro-loan platforms to apply for installment payments, which is suspected of both false advertising and consumer fraud.
Regarding the question of "whether failure to repay will affect personal credit", if the microfinance company, as the lender, is connected to the central bank's credit reporting system, it will affect personal credit; if it is not connected, it will not be affected. Generally speaking, platforms that are not connected to the credit reporting system often fail to meet the access requirements.
To this end, Pan Xingwang recommends consumers:
1. Report the complaint to the relevant departments or organizations. Collect relevant evidence, such as chat records with the merchant's sales staff, transfer records, signed contracts, etc., and report the complaint to the industrial and commercial administration department, local financial regulatory bureau, consumer association, Black Cat complaint platform, etc.
2. Report the case to the public security organ. If the merchant and the students are in the same area, you can report the case to the public security organ and ask the police to handle it. If the other party has teaching qualifications and the police do not handle it and require negotiation or litigation, you can ask the police to issue a "police record" as relevant evidence for subsequent prosecution.
3. File a lawsuit in court to cancel the agreement or contract. If an educational training institution uses returns as an excuse, fails to clearly inform the victim of the nature of installment repayment, and has no evidence to prove that it has teaching qualifications when signing the contract, causing the victim to sign a contract with it against its true intention, then the victim can request to cancel the contract on the grounds of fraud. Courses that are not actually used do not need to be paid, and no liquidated damages are required. The merchant's unconditional refusal to allow refunds or for consumers to bear all the remaining course fees is obviously contrary to the principle of fair trade, an act that increases consumer responsibility, and is an invalid standard clause. The victim can claim to confirm that the standard clause is invalid and does not need to bear the expenses after the course is stopped.
