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

terrible! They sent banged up manikins and dead batteries, no written instructions on how to set Up the manikin. They give you a link to watch a video, you can't even see what the guys is doing. I joined the class 3 minutes early. one minute after the class started, she told me I need to get off and join another class because I had the plastic insert upside down. when I reached out via email, the person responding was very rude and unprofessional. it seems like the company is run by children. Definitely not worth paying $165. Update: after posting my review, not even an hour later, the company wrote me several paragraphs over several emails, stating they saw my review. this is part of the email "I noticed your recent 1-star Yelp review and wanted to briefly respond, as it contained some rather interesting points. You indicated that our course provided no assembly instructions for the manikin, yet immediately afterward referenced the instructional video we provide--which, incidentally, clearly and effectively demonstrates each step. Thousands of students manage this each year without difficulty, so it's surprising this was problematic for you. Additionally, you mentioned spelling errors in our email correspondence. While we always strive for clarity and accuracy, the irony wasn't lost on us that your own emails had a few slip-ups ("costumer service," for example). Ordinarily, we wouldn't highlight something this minor, but given your approach, we felt it worth noting. We've seen this kind of contradiction before. Yelp tends to attract a small but loud subset of users who often skip key details, struggle with basic steps, and then blame the process. Meanwhile, we have over 500 five-star reviews on Google from students who actually completed our course and appreciated the experience. If you'd like to continue with the course, we'll honor that and expect full participation. If not, we're happy to offer a partial refund, minus the course access and shipping fees. And if needed, we're prepared to respond publicly, referencing your name, and walk others through exactly what you were sent, so they can see the full context of what you were provided, and just how simple and clear our process really is." I literally am in shock by how unprofessional this company is!! I never do reviews, but being a Director of Nursing and an RN, education is at the core of my career and belief. To be condescending and put someone down because I didn't know how to assessable a mannikin by a 3-minute video is absurd. If you express any dissatisfaction, you are immediately met with retaliation and rudeness. On a positive note, the actual teams meeting was great. The instructor was pleasant and knowledgeable. Do not give your money to ugly people. My assumption is after reading other reviews and seeing the emails this company sent to others, it sounds like this email is ran by one person. Pretty pathetic, you get this upset over a review! read more

Showed up several minutes early to the test center for my ACLS and PALS, went in the building with the code I was sent, got signed in and spoke to the employee that was there who told me they would let the instructor know I was there. I proceeded to hang out in front of one of their computers for about 25 minutes before getting a phone call from a corporate drone saying that I was a no show and that I would need to reschedule. When I explained to them that their employee signed me in and that I'd been waiting for close to 30 minutes, I was told that I was not at the test site on time and that the instructor had been waiting for me but had to leave for another commitment. I told them that I had driven 2 hours just to take the stupid tests and their response was "sorry for the inconvenience, but you weren't here on time". Maybe public school didn't teach me that well but I'm pretty sure walking in the building and signing in at 9:55 for a 10:00 appointment is well before the instructor supposedly left at 10:14 because he said I never showed up read more

I went today to get my certification. I arrived about 5 minutes early to the door of the facility on 07/24/2025 at approximately 11:55 am give or take a few minutes early. I realize upon arriving that I did not have the code that was sent to me to enter, so I rung the door bell. I then tried to pull up the message in my email and realized that my email was not working. So I went back to my car to think on how to proceed and then returned and decided to call the number. Spoke with a gentlemen who stated that I was late, now it was about 12:03 at this time and my appt was at 12:00 noon. I advised him that I had been out there trying to get in and had wrong the door bell which no one answered. I also told him but had internet problems pulling up the code sent. He basically stated somethint similar to this, " because you could not get into your email that is not our problem." I was taken aback by his brassiness as I paid you. He then offered to reschedule for which I accepted, I informed him that . I could see the pods where I was told to go to in the email and no one was at those pods. Now keep in mind I had been sitting in the parking lot waiting for this appt for about 15 minutes prior so I am almost one hundred percent sure no one went through the door as I was parked in front. so I was a bit appalled when he stated to me. Well you was suppose to be there at 12 noon as the class starts at that time. So ultimately I allowed him to rescheduled me for the weekend, but as I walked to my car, I realized that I had been waiting outside before 12 and there was no receptionst, no response to me ringing the bell. I felt that this was inappropriate. I called him back and asked for a refund or at least a partial as I had done part of the training on line. He told me and I am paraphrasing. He stated you signed the contract and basically no refunds, you agreed to this time. I mean honestly I am not sure what he thought, but i was floored. I advised him that I would definitely be telling nurses and doctors that I know about this ordeal and I was also going to put on the internet. First , I do not want people I know and respect to run into issues and be treated so poorly after paying these people money for a class that they should deliver with some respect and deceny. Second there should always be someone at the front as people can get sick or any number of issues can occur, such as internet issues, or phone dying. Third- I understand the need to be on time as I am a nursing instuctor/professor with my own business. I would never treat anyone like this who is less than 5 minutes late and trying to access my business. it is not decent or respectable. I will never return and anyone I know I will tell them about this ordeal and they can decide if they want to do business with this company. read more

Do not take CPR certification with this compan. They are unprofessional when I emailed them to try to set up an in person CPR training. I made a mistake and sign up for CPR at home with the dummy so I returned the dummy and kept trying to schedule in person training. I would have paid for it. I called, I emailed and I tried to schedule classes and no one responde. Oh wait, I did get a response from woman who did nothing but blame me for scheduling the wrong class. I kept telling her that all I wanted to do was to schedule in class CPR and she pretty much ignored my request. Do not use this company for any of your certification. Horrible experience read more

Great experience from the comfort of home! The package/mannequin was quickly shipped directly to the door and provided a return label. The class was very educational and straightforward, and the instructor for my course was great. Highly recommend if you prefer the convenience of completing from home! read more

I used this company 2 years ago for BLS and ACLS- both went smoothly and I had no issues. I renewed these courses recently... well, BLS went fine but the instructor never showed up for ACLS. This happened twice in one day. After scheduling my childcare around the course times, it was pretty infuriating to be no-showed twice. Especially by the owner of the company. I sent an email about this and received only notice that I had been refunded. No apology or explanation. Very unprofessional and will be looking elsewhere for my next recert. read more

Never use this company again. I went to Fair Oaks mall Classe, and I had to walk away. their behavior was foul and ignorant. the manager Christina Hoffman was even worst than the employees. This was my first time with this company and I will never ever use them again. read more

Wonderful experience from your own home. Instructors are great, letting you now how to and what they expect from you and what they are looking for. I didn't have to travel to a location just to take the class. Mannequins are delivers to your door quick and easy. Would recommend if you need to recert for BLS read more

Insanely convenient and so cool! They don't offer many re-cert classes near me and my BLS was expiring this month so this option saved me and my professional license lol! Signed up online, my package shipped the same day, easy instructions once received. Logged on the day of my choosing and clicked the link to join- did the class virtual with one instructor and one other person certifying. took about one hour and was more thorough than some of my in-person re-certs from the past. The instructor, Rebecca, was knowledgeable, helpful, professional and personable. Comes with a return label and packing. Then just drop off at UPS! Would 10/10 recommend. read more

company representatives are condescending. I spent close to $160 for "a process" that they stated themselves to me in my paid receipt that once someone completes the hands on video course you get your e-card "immediately " not only did it say it one time. it said it 2 times on my paid confirmation email . took course at 9am come 5pm no card they got super annoyed that I was emailing them to find out where it was and when I was sent an email that she stated a "different process " then the one I paid for ,she called me harassing and told me the matters closed . and refused to provide me with a supervisors contact info. the process she said was "same day" and also then said "a20 day process" I was like UMMM WHAT? I sent them copies of my paid confirmation highlighting what they sent me and what I paid for. finally she had someone call me claiming to be the president of CERT and he too was condescending and said can you tell me what the definition of IMMEDIATELY is ?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME ??? how unprofessional I read him the definition "WITHOUT DELAY" and he continued to say welllll that's not what we meant. it's same day but that's not what it says! it was a dead end conversation and at one point he said that the girl who was emailing me was going to refund me and cancel my certification even after I took it . and acted like I should be happy with all of this and that I will get it at some point today. it's now 6:14pm I took course at 9am. still no card !! read more

I was scheduled for today's BLS class at 6:30 pm at their Chantilly location. The suite looks creepy with no signage on it. I showed up before 6:30 pm and stayed there in my car until 7:30 pm, and no one showed up. Eventually, no one registered for that class except the unlucky me, and no one from that pathetic company cared to email me or to notify me that the class was canceled, or that the instructor was possibly hit by a bus. Never again using them. Give me my money back. read more

Paid an extra $45 in order to take my skills test-out any time, and then they never sent me instructions on how to do that. When I requested a refund they said they'd have to send the request over to administration, that was last week and I still haven't heard anything. On top of that, the video of how to assemble the manikin was horrible quality and the person in the video didn't even show the parts he was assembling as he assembled them. They just assumed we knew what all of the parts looked like and were called, even though nothing was labeled. It also only showed you how to put together one part of the kit, even though there are several other parts of the kit that involve setup. Additionally, their website boasts about SAME DAY AHA CERTIFICATION. I took my skills test-out yesterday at 11 am and still have yet to receive my card, and when I emailed to ask them when it would be given to me, they said they have absolutely no idea. They said they're "waiting on a middle man" to upload them. This was such a waste of money and I honestly would rather have gone to an in-person class, where they actually give you your certificate the same day. I also would absolutely NOT recommend this for anyone doing first time CPR certification, because the skills test-out basically just consisted of us practicing along with the video on camera and then being done with the course lol. No feedback was given by the instructor, nor were people tested out individually. I do not understand how AHA approves of this organization. read more

Super easy process and course, received my card via email that same day. They advertised as 7 days a week but the weekend I tried (2 class times) and class never started. It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that they posted a notice on the website that due to "maintenance" classes were down. BLS course lasted an hour and instructor was pleasant and informative. He never showed himself on the screen, but didn't have any issues like some of the other reviews. A little on the pricey side after shopping around a bit more but was easy and would be VERY convenient if I didn't have issues getting into the class. read more

As a seasoned medical professional, CERT was informative and student focued more than a classroom environment. The instructor was attentive and ensured after every set if I had any questions or concerns. The follow-up was excellent and I felt prepared with the refresher course for another two years. read more

BLS was great. I called to sign up for PALS and ACLS, which states you can take them same day. I emailed multiple times and finally called when receiving no response. I was shown a 20 minute video and then asked to essentially regurgitate the video. When I said, "I'm unsure about this," I was mocked and told I wasn't ready and asked to reschedule for the following day. The instructor never showed up the following day, no one answered the phone when I called 3 times in a row and then my email response was "you can keep the mannequins for 7 more days if you require more time." Rude, unprofessional, and extremely difficult to communicate with. Terrible management. read more

I had a good experience with this company for my training. I was skeptical at first but everything was smooth and professional. I plan on using them again for recertification. The instructor was fair and professional. read more

I called the company twice becuase I was unable to join my scheudled ACLS class and was not able to reach anyone. Cnce I was finaly able to speack to someone- the man I spoke with on the phone was extremely condescending and rude. Very, very poor communication from this company. read more

Scam...you do the online portion and they ship you the mannequin and never do the online video portion. $300 fee if you do not return it within 7 days. read more

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE A COURSE WITH THEM! Especially if it will be your first time. If you're renewing and know your stuff, I get it, you do what you have to do. This is my first time writing a review on yelp. I also did not pay for this course it was provided by my agency, that's how bad this course was. I'm an NP in peds and an RN for 10 years. I'm writing this out of concern, because this company is just awful! To not drag it out, I will start in a cardiac unit for neonates, but was required to take ACLS. I chose this bc it was virtual and wanted to try it out. Once you pay they send you everything at home (took about 3 days), this includes a mannequin, AED, ambu bags...etc. You take your AHA modules like you normally would with any other course and then you show up to the skills session by clicking a google link that is emailed, no appointment needed, the concept is super easy. I showed up virtually to the course as instructed and waited for 30 minutes for no one to show up. I emailed them, no answer and texted a number they provide for "after hours", crickets. SO I call the CERT number, they were so rude. The other reviewers are not exaggerating. I finally get into a class hours later. The faceless instructor doesn't introduce him self, shows you some videos, then you do like 3 rounds of chest compressions and they finish with a scenario. Wouldn't mind if it was actually a positive and helpful class. I was in the course with another girl, they just rapid fire questions at you, they do not give any teaching points and it is NOT a collaborative effort. They kicked a girl out because she didn't know a proper range, this was 10 minutes before the 1 hour skills session was over. The instructor was condescending as heck and when I tried to answer, he told me I did not call your name, did I? So if I didn't call you why are you answering? Excuse me, what are we children! This is suppose to be a team effort like AHA advises lol. I felt so bad for her, because she could've been a new grad, new resident or simply nervous. As an instructor he could've used the times we did not answer things correctly as a learning opportunity. I have never taken a course like this. This was my first time taking ACLS, I have been certified in PALS and NRP for over 10 years, attended many different courses and never experienced anything like this! Stay away, simply to not support a company that shows no interest in improving provider skills, if they did they would actually teach, make it a safe learning environment and take the time to debrief. None of that was done, their camera wasn't even on during the virtual course. Such a joke! read more

Don't waste your money and time at this center as other reviewers say! The BLS online class instructor, Mark, is only interested in finishing class early. When the students make even small mistakes, the way he gives instructions was extremely rude, condescending and ignoring. I was upset and offended and this is not what you should feel after paying $99 for 2 hours class. I won't be taking any CPR classes at this center in the future just because of this rude instructor. He does not deserve to be an instructor. read more

Buyer beware! I ordered an item, and they never delivered it for my course; when I attempted to call and correct this, I was hung up and yelled at, and refused service. It felt very racist and highly unprofessional. Unfortunately, I needed to handle the refund with my credit card company as this business has unsafe business practices. read more

Sadly, the reviewers were right! The staff I have encountered in this center were rude and condescending. Spare yourself for the NEGATIVITY and go somewhere else who respects healthcare workers time and effort. read more

CERT was able to easily take care of my certification needs. I do however think that they might be overwhelmed with being national. Might need more employees. That's just the vibe I was picking up from the demeanor and time it took to reach someone. But, businesses grow. And I know how that feels being in the hospital when it's too busy. Overall, I had a good experience and would use this company again. read more

Im just gonna keep this review short. After calling the company phone number 5 times because i was lost and couldnt find the classroom, i received a call back from someone who was very condescending over the phone with me and told me there was no point showing up because it was pass the 10minutes. Ok. I totally understand. My fault. Ill take the L on that one. But if i ask if there is a possibility of rescheduling and you defer me to emailing the Admin, im expecting a response back. Anything to acknowledge the multiple unanswered emails that I've sent out days ago. So ill take my business elsewhere. read more

As usual, CERT was able to take care of my urgent certification needs in a timely and well thought out process. I recommend CERT to any medical professional who needs a recertification. You won't be wasting your time or your money here. read more

I would remove the mandatory star for this review. Stay away from this business. The male instructor is rude and disrespectful. Save yourself time and go elsewhere to a place that is professional. Bad experience and will never go back to them! Would never recommend!!! read more

it's too bad yelp doesn't allow 0 star reviews. the man i interacted with at this business was extremely rude and actually made me cry after 5 minutes of dealing with him. there's never a reason to treat people the way this guy does. i tried to call afterwards to see if i could set up a new appointment with a different instructor, and i got through to the same man who pretended to be someone else when i asked if he was who i had just spoken to. i know i'll never forget how low he made me feel as long as i live. read more

C.E.R.T. is great for renewing your CPR certification. Classmate and I took the online BLS course with the skills check. Online modules are straightforward and the instructor for the skills check is efficient and thorough. Look forward to taking their course again. read more

This was one of the most amazing simulations I have ever taken. I did the online course and simulation 2 years ago at another location and the technology was not nearly as advanced. This simulation makes you feel as if you are really experiencing a medical emergency. My instructor was very helpful explaining the set up and facilitating the training. I would definitely recommend CERT to my colleagues. read more

Extremely rude instructor. Seemed more interested in trying to show off that he knew more than I did than teaching. I have been renewing certifications for years and this was by far the most malignant and unhelpful skills course. I would not go back to this particular place and I do not recommend them. read more

I just finished this class ran by Mark Dikun, I am a BSN, RN in the medical field for 14 years and my friend who is a MD was watching in the background for fun, we both agree to say this man was the rudest, most arrogant, unhelpful, belittling, miserable instructor we have ever encountered and he was 5 min late. If you are reading this, do everyone a favor and chill out man. read more

I have done two CPR skill sessions here and had a great learning experience. My instructor , Mark Dikun, was friendly and insightful. The course was quick, simple and easy. I was able to retrieve my certification online right after I finished the session. I would highly recommend this course to others! read more

This is my second time getting certified by the same person and the same company. Both time, I have had a pleasant experience. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. Would definitely recommend. My instructor was Mark. read more

Unprofessional. Go anywhere else but this one. Late for appointment, slow, rude. Just awful. never answer phones/ mailbox full/ unresponsive. How is this center still open? read more

I would highly recommend people look elsewhere for their BLS or ACLS courses, as the staff at this business have been rude, condescending, and abusive towards me, and it looks from other reviews that I am not the only one. They didn't honor the promotional code advertised on their website/AHA site, they changed my appointment time and then claimed I was late for the appointment when there was no one there to greet me, and they were exceptionally rude and coercive in attempting to force me to reschedule on the spot. The CERT representative in particular was very unprofessional, and continually mocked me with claims that I didn't comprehend their policy. They refused to refund my payment, so I personally had to resolve it with my credit card company since CERT was accepting money without having provided me any services. Their online representative never returned my request for a call, and only after I posted a poor online review did they call me up and attempt to get me to remove the review. I had to block their number to prevent from being further harassed. Similarly, they sent a threatening email to me with regards to my online review, asking me to remove my review by the next day or they would claim (falsely) that I was discriminating against their representative who is special needs because of a stuttering problem (I work with special needs and cognitively delayed populations, and this gentleman was neither. He had no stutter, and was simply rude and condescending). They also threatened that their response to my review would have dire consequences towards my future job prospects, and that they would use all resources at their disposal. In short, they went to extraordinary lengths to harass and bully me in an attempt to cover up their bad customer service, when a simple apology would have served them much better. read more

I needed a quick and easy way to recertify as a healthcare professional for my BLS. Getting to the right place on the website to sign up took a moment but once I did, everything was seamless. Signed up, got an email right away with my passkey. Started the on-line training that evening. EXCELLENT educational materials. Interactive. High quality scenarios and integrated learning principles utilized. I had my appointment two days later for a skills check. Received e-mails and text messages to remind me. The gentleman who greeted me was kind, professional, knowledgeable and walked me through all of the steps. Coached me through when I forgot a concept. I had left my certificate at home but he helped me through finding it online and e-mailed directly to them. I WILL use this service again and recommend others to use this company as well! read more

Stay away! Mark, who I assume is an owner of this business, is both rude and arrogant. Customer service skills are non-existent! I certainly wouldn't spend my money at this organization again and wouldn't recommend them to a friend or an enemy. Perfect example: As was reported by another Google reviewer, the company representative with whom I spoke actually stated that he had spoken with their attorney and threatened to sue me as a result of the review I had left on Google. I informed this person that, as a customer who had paid for a service, I had every right to state my opinion about my experience through a review. Again, Mark, the appropriate response to a poor review is "I'm sorry" and "What can we do better the next time?"...NOT resort to threats of lawsuits with a customer! Buyers BEWARE! read more

The class was great, but I wish they hadn't told me to buy a BSL student manual because they provided one in class for free and I can't get a refund from AHA on my ebook. read more

This is a ridiculous company with an even more ridiculous owner. If you have a problem, the owner denies responsibility and pretends you aren't even a customer. Despite what the other reviewer says, they do not offer daily skill sessions which run throughout the day. A single session for a course is available every 2 or 3 days. I needed to meet a deadline to get my certification by a certain day and when a class was rescheduled to a future date, pushing me past my deadline, I took a class with another provider that had an opening that night. When I asked for a refund from CERT, the owner refused, pointing to some refund policy that didn't apply to me, didn't offer an apology, and told me he would get back to me and never did. When I wrote a review on google, he lambasted it and tried to make it look like I was a fake reviewer and that everything was my fault. Who does that? Seriously? All I wanted was a refund for a class I couldn't take for reasons outside of my control. read more