Tatjana M. from Hesse was looking for a coach who would support her in her training to become a “happiness coach”. The young woman was on YouTube when she came across an advertisement for an online coaching course. When she first contacted us by phone, she was promised that she would be generating four-figure income after just a few weeks. All she has to do is sign a contract for a coaching product. For Tatjana M., the dream of coaching was over when she received the bill for several thousand euros. Since Tatjana M. did not consider the promised goals to be achievable, she wanted to withdraw from the contract.
“In such cases, it is difficult to get out of these contracts,” says Olesja Jäger, consumer law consultant at the consumer advice center in Hesse. “It is often not clear to those affected who their contractual partner is – coaching provider or payment service provider? The one who is responsible for the service or the one who creates the invoice. The services offered are also not specified in more detail. If those affected want to withdraw from the contract, they will be told that their right of withdrawal has already expired.”
Beware of dubious coaching providers
“If you feel pressured into concluding a contract during the initial consultation and you are suggested that you will achieve quick, easy and economical success, then all alarm bells should ring,” warns Olesja Jäger. “You should be careful with providers who promise super earnings without any effort. Most of them are dubious providers.”
If you want to protect yourself from dubious coaching providers on YouTube or other social media channels, you should heed a few tips:
- Don't let exorbitant promises lure you into high sales.
- Avoid consultants who pressure you into coaching products and want to get you to sign a contract straight away.
- Avoid concluding contracts over the telephone without really knowing who you are agreeing with and at what cost.
- Do not sign a contract if the contents of the contract are unclear to you or if you do not receive them in writing.
- Be wary of online coaches who advertise with lots of followers, likes and positive comments. These are no guarantee for the quality and seriousness of a performance.
- If you have already concluded a contract, do not use the service and cancel the contract by registered mail within the 14-day cancellation period.
Source:
Hesse Consumer Center
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