UPDATE 2020.
Looking for reviews on online TEFL courses? Fake reviews, lies and scams are abundant in TEFL. This video will cover some things that you should look out for in your search for reviews. And below you will find more.
You might like this updated post:
www.reddit.com/r/ESLinsider/comments/mnqf1r/before_you_read_those_online_tefl_course_reviews/Newer video on "Rigged reviews"in TEFL:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXZ1zXife5sIs site "Trusted" TEFL reviews & TEFL online pro a fraud site? And run by the same person?
www.eslinsider.com/blog/is-trusted-tefl-reviews-tefl-online-pro-a-scamwww.complaintsboard.com/tefl-online-pro-a-potential-fraudulent-company-backed-by-a-fake-tefl-review-site-c1212899He used to have another scam set up called ITTP and "teflonlinereviews.com":
www.holysmoke.org/scam/neville-thomas-ittp-tefl-prague-review/www.tefl.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6183www.complaintsboard.com/tefl-online-pro-a-potential-fraudulent-company-backed-by-a-fake-tefl-review-site-c1212899TEFL affiliates 01:25
Fake reviews 10:25
ESLinsider's 3rd party reviews 13:30 Or watch this video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwKa_shMtYAn affiliate review is a paid review. In TEFL lots of bloggers leave affiliate links.
www.eslinsider.com/blog/tefl-course-affiliates-lies-bias-ulterior-motivesACCREDITATION is also a kind of paid review (unless it's fake). The accrediting goes on behind closed doors and no one knows what they do AND there is an exchange of money.
goacta.org/images/download/why_accreditation_doesnt_work.pdfwww.eslinsider.com/blog/why-tefl-tesol-accreditation-does-not-matterIn TEFL there are some fake accreditations.
ABOUT FAKE ONLINE REVIEWS:
Yelp estimates 25% of it’s reviews are fake.
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Millions-of-Fake-Online-Reviews-Fool-Consumers-Originate-Overseas-458400353.htmlThis source suggests Amazon has 200+ million fake reviews.
www.buzzfeed.com/nicolenguyen/amazon-fake-review-problem?utm_term=.df4X5x6W2X#.vn329jo0P2Some companies may offer discounts or pay customers who write reviews.
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Millions-of-Fake-Online-Reviews-Fool-Consumers-Originate-Overseas-458400353.htmlPossible example:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTO-cjVtwbgSome companies hire PR firms or someone on Fiverr to write fake reviews (positive or negative).
www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Whos-Really-Behind-Fake-Online-Reviews-475227103.htmlThere are even FAKE VIDEO reviews:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbyfhGHX0VgCompanies may also manipulate their customers to write reviews. I remember reading on Reddit that one girl had to write a review before she was given her TEFL certificate.
ANONYMOUS REVIEWS
I would take any review with a grain of salt, but keep in mind that some reviews are left by "anonymous" people. You can say anything and lose nothing.
I have had trolls write fake reviews on me, lied or tried to make me look bad, but these reviews are by "anonymous" users or someone with a fake alias. Example:
www.eslinsider.com/blog/the-owner-of-mytefl-is-the-troll-that-wrote-that-slanderOne website called "trusted" TEFL reviews should be called trusted BS TEFL reviews. As the owner also owns tefl online pro.
Full details:
www.reddit.com/r/ESLinsider/comments/ddv6jg/trustedteflreviewscom_is_a_fake_fraud_of_a_website/www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/smarter-living/trust-negative-product-reviews.htmlFake reviews can be on ANY SITE whether it's the companies site or a 3rd party site.
Remember Amazon above and Yelp?
Some sources suggested Amazon had 200,000,000 FAKE reviews and Amazon is a 3rd party site. So if you think some 3rd party site is necessarily more "trustworthy" then think again.
3rd party sites are middle man sites. I don't like middle men or recruiters and you are likely to come across one in your search for a job. I made a video on them too.
Are there "UNBIASED" REVIEWS?
I found some article on the Teachaway recruiter site that runs the UofT course. They said something about "UNBIASED REVIEWS".
They don't exist.
Every human is biased.
BUT...
There is a difference between bias and a "lie".
Ever heard of ASTROTURFING???
This is marketing where a person from a company pretends to be someone who took the course and then they go out and spread the word. Here's an example of what it looks like:
www.reddit.com/r/TEFL/comments/cc7zo7/ever_see_sock_puppets_around_here_heres_one/ESLinsider is not accredited & PROUDLY so, but has 7,900+ subscribers on Youtube, millions of views and I have one video I made called "Teaching English to kids in 5 fun steps" with 290,000+ views.
Yay!
medium.com/@ESLinsider/online-tefl-course-reviews-fake-paid-and-manipulated-reviews-997f44d532bwww.eslinsider.com/reviewswww.course.eslinsider.com
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