The FTC is sending payments totaling nearly $50 million to more than 147,000 University of Phoenix (UOP) students who may have been lured by allegedly deceptive advertisements. Should You File a Lawsuit Against University of Phoenix? I was ripped off and stopped going. The FTC said some of the ads targeted military and Hispanic consumers, specifically. The FTC is sending a total of almost $50 million to nearly 147,500 students of the University of Phoenix. The money comes from the Universitys 2019 settlement with the FTC, when the FTC charged the school with using deceptive ads to attract students. The FTC also alleged that Phoenix's advertising gave the false impression that the online division worked with those companies to create job opportunities for its students and tailor its curriculum for such jobs. The Federal Trade Commission is sending payments totaling nearly $50 million to more than 147,000 University of Phoenix students who may have been lured Loans given directly by the school will likely be affected by this settlement, but it does not affect Federal or private student loans currently. Required fields are marked *. I am a veteran I nearly used all my Va benefits paying for it. These relationships can often help graduates find jobs at those companies, and many companies hire specifically from universities with whom they have a relationship. They never did. How do I do something about that, Add me. You have /5 articles left.Sign up for a free account or log in. Those who have questions about their payment can call the refund administrator at 1-877-310-0487. Graduates of the University of Phoenix were allegedly told that the school had relationships with a number of high-profile companies. Those who receive a check have 90 days to cash it. In one of these University of Phoenix ads, the logos of these companies appeared on the screen while a voiceover said, at University of Phoenix, were working with a growing list of almost 2,000 corporate partners, companies like Microsoft, American Red Cross, and Adobe, to create options for you. This misleading campaign ran from late 2012 to early 2014. WebThe FTC is sending payments totaling nearly $50 million to more than 147,000 University of Phoenix (UOP) students who may have been lured by allegedly deceptive The letter's second paragraph reads: "You no longer owe any money to University of Phoenix. WASHINGTON (WWLP) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will be sending nearly $50-million in payments to former students of the University of Phoenix ", The remaining $50 million in the settlement will be paid in cash, which the FTC says "will be used for consumer redress. The FTC is sending a total of almost $50 million to nearly 147,500 students of the University of Phoenix. The lawsuit charged the UOP, claiming delusive recruiting methods, misrepresenting the income and job replacement rates. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending almost $50 million in settlement payments to University of Phoenix students for advertisements that may I graduated 2010 the expectation that they would get me a job, Your email address will not be published. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. did not get debt cancellation as part of the FTC's settlement with UoP did not opt out of the University of Phoenix providing the students contact information to the FTC administrator or law firm. Those with questions about this refund should contact settlement administrator Analytics Consulting at 1-888-440-0371. You may be able to take part in a mislabeling, false advertising, consumer protection lawsuit. On top of the false promises that the FTC argued that the University of Phoenix used to attract new students, the ad campaign also allegedly targeted certain vulnerable groups in particular, including people of color and military veterans, reports Forbes. The university has admitted no wrongdoing and continues to believe it has acted appropriately. The FTC accused the university of "giving the false impression that UOP worked with those companies to create job opportunities for its students and tailor its curriculum for such jobs. Were You Misled by Job Placements Offered to Graduates of University of Phoenix? Privacy Policy | What Were Graduates of University of Phoenix Offered? The school was taken private, purchased by Apollo in 2016 for roughly $1.1 billion. Apollo both owns and runs the university. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Plus I was out for 8 years need 3 class of elective classes to graduate and they told me all my credits expired and I would have to start all over and pay another $40,000. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information. Using data-driven research, scholars are looking at how mounting student debt affects other aspects of the economy and of society. Itll come from the FTCs refund administrator, Rust Consulting. expected to be mailed out. Top Class The University of Phoenix has agreed to pay $191 million to settle charges that it used deceptive advertising to recruit students, according to reporting by NPR. Subscribe for free to Inside Higher Eds newsletters, featuring the latest news, opinion and great new careers in higher education delivered to your inbox. If you would like to get email updates about this settlement, please sign up here. The university claims the marketing campaign concluded before the FTC began its inquiry and was carried out under previous ownership. June 21, 2022. ftc v university of phoenix refund administrator 7167. andrea bocelli daughter bad things about athens back then. Most students will get a check in the mail. Web 2023 Tableau Software, LLC, a Salesforce Company. The settlement includes a plan to cancel $141 million in student debts that are owed to the school by people who enrolled from October 2012 through the end of 2016 the period in which the FTC says prospective students might have been duped. My IBR plan over the years is proof positive that my degree obtained no advantage and I now owe more than I did at graduation because of layoffs and the lack of validity of that degree. Which Companies Were Promoted in the University of Phoenix Job Placement? All Rights Reserved. It's the largest settlement the FTC has obtained against a for-profit school, said Andrew Smith, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. The fact sheet concludes with a section titled "We Are Committed To Responsible Marketing. Please add me to the list on this class action suit, I started 2009 and graduated 2018 in business management. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. I also attended and graduated from them as was told the same thing but never got a job or even assistance as they advertised getting one. The FTC alleges that the schools deceptive marketing campaigns targeted active-duty service members, military spouses, and veterans as well as Hispanic consumers. Further compensation may be available through civil court, as well. your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are University Of Phoenix Reaches $191 Million Settlement With FTC Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. April 27, 2023 | Roundup Class Action Investigations, April 27, 2023 | Personal Injury Investigations, used deceptive advertising to recruit students, the school claimed to have a relationship, claiming relationships with businesses can greatly influence a universitys enrollment, Roundup users may develop cancer, including non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Nursing home neglect and elder abuse lawsuit claim review. The FTC will send an email to people who will get PayPal payments before PayPal sends the The FTC states that these businesses were chosen by the university as a part of their marketing campaign purely to bring in more students. WebPhoenix Arizona Settlement Agreement. Nobody has looked at my UOP degree as legitimate, ever. The consequences of student debt tend to branch out into families, communities, governments and the court system. Despite the more than $100 million in relief, its a drop in the bucket in terms of the total amount of debt that these borrowers owe, said Seth Frotman in an interview with NBC News last winter. Your account balance will be cleared within 45 business days.". To erase those balances, students would need to apply for loan forgiveness through the borrower defense repayment program. settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding The FTC never requires you to pay fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. And instead of graduating with the promised career prospects and connections the university had promised, students would often graduate from the University of Phoenix with dismal career prospects, minimal ongoing support, and a lot of student loan debt that could be impossible to repay, according to the Forbes report. WebWashington,DC20580 Telephone: (202)326-3039(Widor) Facsimile:(202)326-3768 Email:twidor@ftc.gov Attorneysfor the Federal Trade Commission UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF ARIZONA FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, Plaintiff, v. THE UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX, INC.,an ArizonaCorporation;and APOLLO The FTC will In the settlement, University of Phoenix then-parent company Apollo Education Group agreed to use $141 million in forgiving student loans. The remaining $50 million went directly to the FTC, and the commission is now passing that money to students. Students who get their refund via PayPal have 30 days to accept the money, the FTC said. The letter also states that the school has 55 business days to tell credit reporting agencies to delete the debt from students' credit reports. ". According to the FTC, the University of Phoenixs ad campaign gave a false impression that it worked with companies like AT&T, Microsoft, Twitter, the American Red Cross and more to provide job opportunities for its students. You must contact the These relationships can often help graduates find jobs at those companies, and many companies hire specifically from universities with whom they have a relationship. On December 10, 2019, FTC announced the settlement with the University of Phoenix. I was told that they would help place me in a job in my field by my financial advisor, then my academic advisor was constantly changed, I was also pressured to attend by the mounting calls and persuasion of how attending UOP would change my life and benefit me with the ability to make more money, it took me some time to finish due to Cancer and trying to push through so that I wouldnt lose my credits. WebThe Federal Trade Commission is sending payments totaling nearly $50 million to more than 147,000 University of Phoenix (UOP) students who may have been lured by The settlement applies to graduates of University of Phoenix who enrolled between Oct.1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2016. document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); @2023 Top Class Actions. After this student loan class-action lawsuit, the University of Phoenix settled $10 million by ED. Search Terms college debt job training jobs You don't have to do anything to get this relief. If the FTC contacts you about a refund, youll find information about the case at ftc.gov/refunds .You can be sure the phone numbers and links on this page are legit. They also implied that these businesses directly influenced the curriculum of university classes. However, this does not include any federal and private loans these students may have taken out in order to afford enrollment with the University of Phoenix. This was at the University of Phoenix in Fayetteville NC but none of us ever got student loan relief even after the school closed here. All Rights Reserved. Below is an example of a University of Phoenix ad that allegedly implies a working relationship with these companies: To be eligible to receive a payment, a student must have: Enrolled in a masters, bachelors or associates program at the University of Phoenix between Oct. 15, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2016; Paid more than $5,000 with cash, grants, federal or private student loans or military benefits; did not receive a debt cancellation as part of an earlier settlement between the FTC and the University of Phoenix; did not opt out of the university sending students contact information to the FTC. Its common for students to choose their university based on what company they would like to work at eventually, so. Terms and Conditions. A1 DocPrep FTC Refunds More than $223,000 is being returned to consumers who were illegally charged upfront fees for debt relief and previously filed a report about the fees with law enforcement.