Complaints flood in about online fitness firm set up by fraudster
Scott Wolfe admitted six criminal charges relating to running businesses offering online fitness courses. Photo: YouTube/FitLearn - Credit: YouTube/FitLearn
Customers of a Lowestoft fitness firm say they have been left with no qualifications despite weeks of work after the people behind it were convicted of fraud.
Scott Wolfe and Katie Hope. Photo: Fitlearn/Archant - Credit: Archant
The customers paid hundreds of pounds each to earn personal trainer qualifications with a company called FitLearn.
The firm was based at the Phoenix Enterprise Park in Lowestoft but when we visited on Monday the warehouse was locked up.
FitLearn's founder, Scott Wolfe, and tutor, Katie Hope, pleaded guilty in February to running fake online nutrition courses.
They are expected to be sentenced in May for offences which were not linked to their time at FitLearn.
FitLearn's now closed base at the Phoenix Enterpirse Park, Lowestoft. Photo: Archant - Credit: Archant
But FitLearn customers have now complained that they too feel let down.
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Christopher Hole, 32, from Swansea, said he signed up in February for personal trainer courses at a cost of £399.
The former teacher has almost finished the qualification, but can no longer get hold of anyone at the firm and has no idea when and if he can complete it.
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'I feel I am not getting what I have paid for,' he said.
Wolfe posted a video on YouTube of driving a Lamborghini to FitLearn's base in Lowestoft. Photo: YouTube/FitLearn - Credit: YouTube/FitLearn
Other customers also said they had paid for incomplete courses and could not get hold of anyone at the firm.
'I am a paying customer like many others and we deserve to receive the service we paid for,' wrote one reviewer on the website Trustpilot.
Another said: 'FitLearn are not answering any emails or phone calls from very concerned students who have worked hard and paid money.'
The company also has positive reviews on the site from customers who did complete their courses.
FitLearn has not responded to our requests for comment but in a message sent to students it said it had new owners who were looking to sell the firm.
They wrote: 'The level of support being provided to you has reduced over the past two weeks. We apologise for this.'
'The learning portals will remain open and you will be able to continue to complete your courses, however the support will be unavailable in the short term.'
The message said that the previous directors left the business three weeks ago and the new owners were now looking to restructure before selling it.
The new director is a man called Neil Debenham.
Mr Debenham works for an investment firm called CGI Markets Ltd, according to his Linkedin profile.
