By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-03-17 07:41:29 | Updated at 2025-03-17 10:39:43
2 hours ago
Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has urged residents to exert caution when signing up for educational courses after receiving 94 complaints in the first two months of this year, including one of an individual losing HK$34,800 (US$4,477) after being denied a “100 per cent guaranteed” refund.
The Consumer Council on Monday said complaints had been made against courses in social media marketing, life coaching and personal finance management.
In one such complaint, a woman had signed up for a social media marketing course offered by an undisclosed company priced at HK$87,000.
During a free consultation with a course adviser, she was told tuition could be paid monthly at HK$8,700, plus an additional HK$520 for advertising on related social platforms.
The course adviser also reportedly offered the woman a “100 per cent refund guarantee” if she enrolled immediately.
Four months into the course, the woman discovered that she would have to spend an additional HK$1,400 per month for various digital tools.
