Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello, I recently signed up for a certification through this company a couple months ago and did about 1-2 chapters. not knowing if i miss a payment i cant access the program if i make atleast one monthly payment per use. 3 months added up and I dont have the money to pay for this. This program was supposed to help me get a job and i paid originally in hopes i can rely on that. I was fooled to believe that because until i pay $580 I cannot access the training to get a job and there is no settling for less otherwise this company has threatened to charge me another month on top of the $580 and send my debt into collections of over $1500. I did not agree to any of this and it makes no sense for this company to offer training and a job take my money but without paying large amounts i cant access the training when i was using this to get a job since im unemployed. All this company has to do is delete my account and take what they already got out of me which was about $300.

  

  Business response

  12/24/2024

  NASM/**** clearly outlines our not in good standing policy in our terms and conditions which are agreed upon when customers enter their agreement with us (found in section 5.2b). NASM would be happy to investigate this customers options, however we have been unable to reach the customer since 10/2024. We advise this customer to call in so we can discuss their options for when their account is made current.This also applies to the customers account deletion request we will need customer to call in to go oversteps to review if they are eligible. The customer can call us or email us with the info found on our website. We have linked it here for your convenience. ******************************************************************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  When I signed up in June I was told I have a year to take the exam. At no point in any email did it say I have 6 months. They called me today for my final monthly payment and told me my exam deadline passed a few days ago and I would have to pay additional money to extend it. They threatened to report me to collections over the final payment of 42 dollars if I don't pay now without anything for the payments and no warning or information that my exam date deadline is approaching and just passed. I asked for 1 week to take the exam. I am currently on hold for 48 minutes now waiting to speak to the next person that may or may not help me.

  

  Business response

  12/13/2024

  Our members are shown the active expiration date on the upper right hand of the screen and are advised to read the candidate handbook before beginning the course that goes over expiration date, testing protocols, and other general exam information. This member was able to connect with *************** via phone on 12/09/2024 and an additional callback was made on 12/13/2024 advising of a resolution of their dispute. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I filled for an appeal to cancel my plan due to the extenuating circumstances that living in ********* during Hurricane ****** has caused. I am an **** eats driver and for awhile I was unable to do my job because the restaurants were closed or destroyed, there was no cell service to make the app work, and there was a ton of road damage . Also the Asheville city government put out a notice that there should only be absolutely necessary travel as they were trying to fix things. I made an appeal on October 3rd. I reached out to see if there were any updates on Oct 22 since I havent heard from them. I did not receive an email back so I called. The women I spoke to said that the deadline for them to make their decision was the next day (fair enough) but because I sent them another email asking about the status of the appeal, that the process of waiting 15 business days will happen again. I found this ridiculous considering there was nothing in the email that they could consider in making their decision about the appeal. After arguing about this specifically, I asked to talk to someone higher up, which was denied. They decided to do me a favor and stick with their original decision date (wow thanks) after arguing about it. They said I did not provide enough evidence so I sent them photos that prove I live in *********, am an **** driver, and emergency texts telling us to evacuate and that the water is not usable. This was on oct 24th. They finally sent me a decision email on Nov. 20th denying my request but offering to extend test deadlines-this is in no way helpful as it is not about a lack of time but a lack of financial resources due to a natural disaster that affected thousands. They also gave this response 19 days after I gave them my documents which is clearly over the 15 day deadline. They very clearly do not care about how extenuating the circumstances are-they will deny you. I even qualified for SNAPS due to my financial situation. It is obvious they do not care.

  

  Business response

  11/30/2024

  We fully recognize the hardships the Customer has encountered due to Hurricane ******** impact, which has understandably affected their financial stability. 
  
  In handling the initial refund request, our team adhered to the standard guidelines set forth in our refund policy. That said, we're aware that the exceptional circumstances caused by natural disasters might call for a more adaptable approach. We apologize for any stress this process may have caused and for any communication delays that occurred.
  
  At this time we will revisit the appeal and a member of our *************** leadership team will be in touch with the customer to discuss the next steps and work towards a resolution.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I scheduled my NASM CPT7 exam with PSI and completed a compatibility test on my MacBook before the exam, which showed everything was working fine. On the day of the exam, I couldnt load the test. I restarted my computer, cleared cookies, and tried again, but nothing worked.I called *** support right away, and thats where the real frustration began. I was hung up on multiple times and transferred around with no resolution. After waiting on the line for over 30 minutes, I finally spoke to someone who told me the issue was that PSIs software isnt compatible with MacBooks. This was news to me because there was no disclaimer about this during scheduling or anywhere on the website.Even though the problem wasnt my fault, *** insisted I would need to reschedule and pay an additional fee. I explained that this was their failure, not mine, and asked to speak with management. Instead of resolving the issue, I was met with rude and dismissive customer service.This situation raises serious concerns about your business practices. Failing to disclose the softwares incompatibility with MacBooks before the exam could be considered misleading or deceptive under consumer protection laws, as it prevents customers from making informed decisions. Additionally, insisting that I pay again due to an issue caused by your lack of transparency could be classified as an unfair business practice. This might also constitute a breach of contract, as I was not provided the service I paid for.The lack of a disclaimer regarding device compatibility and the unprofessional handling of my issue have caused unnecessary stress and financial strain. I believe its PSIs responsibility to address this and provide a resolution, including waiving the rescheduling fee and ensuring transparency about device compatibility moving forward. If unable to handle responsibly. I would like a full refund or the remaining charges waived as I would rather go work with a business that shares my values.

  

  Business response

  11/21/2024

  A member of management successfully communicated with the customer and received a proposed solution that can result in ongoing business with NASM. In light of the problems encountered with generating the exam using a MacBook and the third-party testing service, we have decided to waive the absent fee and provided a free exam record. The customer will re-schedule her exam when she's ready.

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 3/13/23 I purchased an educational course to become a Certified Personal Trainer from NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). NASM offers a Job Guarantee to candidates who have purchased and completed their Certified Personal Training course, which I did on May 18, 2024, and who also purchased the Gymternship which I also did. NASM's contract states that if they fail to place you in a job within 90 days of completing the Gymternship they will completely refund the price of the course, in this case $1,627.17. NASM is in breach of contract for having failed to even provide me with the Gymternship within their stated timeline of 45 days of the date I applied. My Gymternship place-by date was August 4, 2024. It is now nearly 3 months beyond this date. They have been unresponsive to my email and telephone requests for a refund.

  

  Business response

  10/31/2024

  A member of our management team contacted this customer. They are eligible for a refund per our Job Guarantee/Gymternship Program which will be provided to them based on the standard refund time frame. This complaint has been resolved. 

  Customer response

  11/02/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and as long as they follow through with the refund they promised, find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** *******
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  It was earlier this month (I forget the exact date, Oct 12 or 13 maybe), that the NASM website was down for maintenance. While the site was down, there was a notice that everyone would be able to purchase the nutritional coach course for free because of the inconvenience. Since I'm already enrolled in the course, I asked how else I can be compensation for the inconvenience and how will they credit my account. Their reply was that they won't since more than 28 days had passed since the promotional period. However, it was not a promotional period. They were compensating their customers for the inconvenience. As of today, according to their website, the going rate for the nutrition coach class is $674. I would like at least a $337 credit place on my account, if ********************** won't agree to any other sort of compensation. Thank you

  

  Business response

  10/25/2024

  We would like to address the concerns regarding the promotional offer available on October 12th during our website update. For one business day, customers who purchased a new CPT course were eligible to receive the CNC (Certified Nutrition Coach) course at no additional cost by using a designated promotional code.

  
  We understand the importance of flexibility in online purchases. NASM offers a 28-day return policy, **** to retail standards, allowing customers to contact *************** within this timeframe to request returns, upgrades, downgrades, or exchanges. Beyond this period, all sales are considered final.

  
  In the case of the customer in question, the initial purchase was made on July 12, 2024. This provided a window until August 9, 2024, to make any desired adjustments to their order. We trust this clarifies the terms of the promotion and our return policy.

  
  Should there be any further questions or if additional assistance is required, please do not hesitate to reach out to our *************** team.

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My son got solicited and this company NASM sold him a $2500 package, when he realized the amount of money was unbelievably high then he downgraded to a lower priced packaged and he was told by representative ******* that he was a also entitled to another discount for already been working at a gym, after all this time, we just fount out the discount was never applied and my son does not have the time or the money to engage in this expensive course.. many attempts via calls trying to cancel this membership and unfortunately this company does not have any sympathy for change of circumstances in peoples lives, it is not fair to be obligated to pay for a product that has never been usedcompanies like this should not be in business.

  

  Business response

  10/15/2024

  NASM has a 28-day cancellation policy in effect for all customers. Prior to the 28th day we can make loan modifications to a customers order. ********************** does not allow discount stacking and will do our best to help our customers get the best discount available to them for the package they are purchasing. Unfortunately, there was no customer information shared within the details of the complaint, so we are unable to investigate further to see if this customer received the best discount available to them at the time of their purchase for the package they enrolled in. We would be happy to investigate further once this information is provided. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  NASM is a prominent certification body in the fitness industry, but many find its coursework and policies questionable. NASM's coursework is often criticized as subpar, presenting information that is easily accessible through basic research or free resources online. Topics like exercise physiology and anatomy, are widely available, but NASM packages them into high-priced courses, offering little beyond what's already public domain. This raises concerns that the org focuses more on credentialing than providing quality ************ addition to charging high fees for certification, NASM encourages registrants to purchase additional study materials, which merely repeat the same content. This creates the perception that students are paying for the credential itself rather than gaining valuable knowledge.A significant issue is NASM's restrictive time limit to complete the examtypically around six monthswhich does not accommodate the schedules of working professionals or parents. People with multiple responsibilities, like myself, face difficulty in completing the coursework and exam on time. Moreover, NASM does not make these deadlines easily visible, causing many to miss them without realizing. When this happens, the organization offers no flexibility. NASM refuses to provide extensions, even for valid reasons like family or work emergencies, leaving registrants in a bind.Worse, NASM's customer service has been described as snarky and unhelpful when addressing these issues. The coursework remains indefinitely available online, but the rigid deadlines force students to rush or pay extra fees, creating an exploitative situation. NASMs refusal to offer extensions or compassionate support suggests they prioritize profit over the well-being of those seeking certification. Their approach can turn a legitimate career step into an unnecessarily stressful and expensive process for professionals.

  

  Business response

  09/27/2024

  A management team member contacted the customer and discussed their complaints. The customer has accepted this solution.

  We did want to respond to the customer's complaints though regarding our business practices.

  First, NASM is widely regarded in the fitness industry for both our certification standards as well as our content value. We offer an ****-accredited certification that is viewed as the industry standard for Personal Training. We also pride ourselves on our course design and content. We utilize the OPT model, which is a proprietary method of training, that was created and continues to be developed by industry-leading fitness experts. This information cannot be found in other authorized (free) sources.
  
  Second, NASM does recognize extenuating circumstances and has a review team for these types of situations. After of the customer's account, it appears that they have never initiated this process or even indicated to us that they have had circumstances that might be eligible for a courtesy extension. Additionally, we prominently display expirations for both our content and exams so that customers are aware of deadlines and can prepare adequately for them. We have included an example screenshot of a customer portal that is required to be accessed prior to getting into the course.
  
  Finally, we dispute the claim that we are exploitative to our customers. Just as academic institutions have deadlines for content and exams we offer generous amounts of time for our customers to take our self-guided course. On average most individuals complete the *** exam within 3 months, however, understanding that some may have differing situations we offer a full 6 months to complete the course. Most of our other courses have an expiration of a year so that they can be completed at the customers pace.
  
  If the customer has future questions or complaints they are welcome to provide feedback through our customer service teams or through surveys.

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  //I was charged ****** as a down payment to a payment plan and i canceled the order two days latter on 09/09/2024 and was told my money went toward a 10 percent restocking fee. this is an electronic course online and not a physical product that needs to be restocked. I would like my ****** refunded to me.

  

  Business response

  09/27/2024

  A member of our management team attempted to contact the customer on 9/27/2024 but was unsuccessful in doing so. We have advised the customer that we will be providing a full refund as a courtesy. That refund will still arrive within 15 business days

  Customer response

  09/29/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *********
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I initially signed up for CPT with NASM because they assured me the VA GI Bill covered the courses. I got signed up and paid the initial start up costs and was excited to start. I reached out to the VA to let them know and find out what I needed to do from there. The VA stated this is NOT one of their approved courses and would not offer reimbursements for it nor the certification test. I reached out on April 30th to immediately cancel and was told I wouldnt receive any refunds but the account would be closed. Today, now in August, I am being threatened to be sent to collections for a second account I was unaware was accidentally created during their cancellation. The *** says she cant cancel it despite the error and says I need to continue paying for it. This error on NASMs end is now a $1600 bill I cannot afford and for me to figure out. On top of that, they misled me to believe my VA benefits would cover the course. Bad business practice and very much a scam in my opinion.

  

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  The customer originally purchased the program on 04/11/2024 with a program advisor utilizing military benefits as stated in the complaint.However, once notified the benefits were not applicable, the customer had the original order returned as stated, then repurchased a new order and downgraded their program with another program advisor on 04/30/2024, setting up the plan with installments and signed an installment contract. On 05/02/2024, the customer connected with *************** via phone and advised the courses were not loading onto his account, and the MS ***** was able to add the courses for access once more.

  
  Per the Terms and Conditions, section 5.3,  All sales are final twenty-eight (28) days after the date of purchase (the Return Period). In other words, as of the 29th day following the date of purchase, NASM/AFAA will not provide refunds or accept returns.

  
  At this time, a representative of the *************** management team will connect with the customer for an amicable resolution. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩