On June 06, 2025, I placed an order with CERT At Home for the "Skills Only" portion of the BLS course for two individuals. The following day, I contacted the company by email and phone to request a cancellation, as the order had not yet shipped and my university required in-person training within a set timeframe. I was unable to reach anyone by phone.
In response, CERT At Home acknowledged my cancellation request but stated that the order was non-refundable per their registration terms, even though nothing had been shipped or processed at that point.
Initially, I cited the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Rule (16 CFR Part 435), which requires refunds for canceled merchandise orders that have not yet been shipped. CERT At Home responded that the rule does not apply to bundled educational services. After they provided that explanation, I did not continue to argue a legal obligation but instead expressed my concern that it is unethical and unfair to withhold a refund for an unshipped and unused order.
I informed them that if they refused to issue a refund, I would accept the order. However, I made it clear that their decision would inform my public review of their business practices. In response, the company confirmed they would ship the order, but also issued a strongly worded email warning that any public criticism could result in legal action.
Verbatim, "If any of your comments constitute false or defamatory claims about our business or practices, we will not hesitate to take appropriate legal action. We will also leave a professional and factual review of our own on your Healthgrades and other public profiles to reflect that an attempt was made to coerce a refund in violation of agreed-upon terms with a small business."
I am requesting that CERT At Home refrain from issuing retaliatory commentary or threats against customers expressing dissatisfaction. I believe their response was disproportionate and unprofessional, and I am concerned about the tone and nature of their communication.
While I understand that businesses may have policies regarding refunds, I believe consumers should be treated fairly--especially when no services have been rendered and no materials have shipped. I am filing this complaint in the hope of a fair resolution and to raise awareness of these practices for future customers.
June 09 update: Email I received from the company, you can form your own opinion:
Hi Amanda,
We have reviewed your submitted complaint to the Better Business Bureau, along with all related correspondence. Your complaint presents a selective and misleading narrative that omits a critical fact: you explicitly acknowledged and agreed to our non-refundable terms prior to completing your registration. These terms are clearly displayed during the checkout process and must be accepted in order to proceed. They apply whether or not your materials have shipped, as your purchase was for a bundled educational service--not a retail merchandise transaction.
Your decision to publicly mischaracterize our business practices and frame our adherence to clearly stated, pre-agreed terms as "unethical" or "greedy" is not only disingenuous, but also potentially defamatory.
Additionally, it is important to clarify that the Better Business Bureau is not a government agency, nor does it possess regulatory authority. It is a private organization that collects and publishes consumer reviews. While consumers are free to share honest feedback, when public statements are made without material context or imply legal or ethical wrongdoing where none exists, they cross the line into defamation. We take such matters seriously.
As a small business, we operate with transparency and integrity. Our policies are consistent with those of educational institutions and certification providers across the country, and we have treated you no differently than any other customer.
Because of the severity of your claims, we are issuing this final notice:
You have until Wednesday, June 11th at 12:00 PM ET to remove or revise any publicly posted complaints or reviews--on the BBB or any other platform--that contain false, misleading, or defamatory information.
If you do not comply, we will:
Respond publicly on all relevant platforms, including the BBB, Healthgrades, and others, using your full name and a factual timeline of events;
Submit a formal complaint to Healthgrades and any professional licensing boards if necessary, should you continue attempts to discredit our business using inaccurate claims;
Forward all correspondence, documentation, and evidence to our legal counsel to pursue appropriate remedies, including for defamation and tortious interference. read more
