AIU - American International University Online destroyed my life, need help ASAP with possible lawsuit for ripoffs Hoffman Estates Illinois

After filing my original complaint, I wanted you to know that AIU has still ripped me off. I recently, received a form for my taxes from AIU that says that they have charged me $4,500 for two months and three classes. I have had numerous talks with the banks on possible Fraud charges on the school. The last time that I talked with AIU they assured me that they would pay the money they had taken from the bank back. They were taking money for me when I wasn't even in school etc. I am devestated and I hope that I will get this taken care of shortly. I think it was a tragic mistake to try to make me believe that I owe so much money only for three classes and only two of which I completed. Thank you for filing this report.....

THANKS, SO WHAT IS THE OUTCOME WITH YOUR BEING IN TOUCH WITH THEIR LICENSING AGENCY ANHOW, I BELIEVE THAT THE RESEARCH ABOUT THIS MATTER HAS BECOME QUITE INTERESTING LOL. GET BACK TO ME SOON, THANKS.

Dear Sondra,
The # for the Dept. of Education is 1-800-621-3115. Also, I have been in touch with the school's State License Agency.

yes your welcome, if the departmentof educastion finds out that this so called aiu is the way they are, they may just shut the illinois location down as well, they did that in texas and i would like to see governor rod blagoiavich do something constructive with his time and look into shutng aiu out of vusiness. your welcome anyhow. just thaught i'd give that advice since that is not the legalest way to deal with things, calling a student or so called student day after day after day 20x a day is just not the way it should be done, if they are calling you and you are on the fcc's no call list, you can report that as harassment. just go to either the no call's site at www.donotcall.gov, or call 800 966-2255 that's 800 9-no-call. thanks truely.

Thanks Sondra,

I appreciate your comment. I am seriously thinking of taking your advice, and turn to the DEPT of EDUCATION..... Thanks again....

HI THERE DARLA

i think that this aiu thing is a lot of trash, yes they say they are the best world leader in education but now that i have seen threads on this entire subject, i dont think i believe em now because all i have seen is "they cheat" or "they treat their employees porrly". they are NOT a professional school like they say they are but a bunch of busy body slave drivers. FILE A LAWSUIT NOW. thanks.

Hi again,

A couple of weeks ago, I received a phone call from a Dept. of Education. A lady with authority wanted to know my story!! I told her that I would email her with the details. I emailed her. Later on, I received a response via email that she would help me with this matter of the money and the grade problems at AIU. To my surprise, I also got a phone call from a spokesman from AIU. A very nice girl who said she worked with the President/Dean of the school called. Her recommendation was to return the money and change my grade of F to at least a passing C grade. She later wanted me to let you know that AIU will do what is right when she fixes these problems for me. I let her know that when she these problems go away, I will let you know that the school has made good on their promises. I have yet to hear from her or the school on this matter yet. I asked for a signed copy as well as an email copy of the changes. I am very leary of online schools now because of this bad faith caused by AIU. I would like to go on with my life and since I have no job I need to go back to school somewhere. When I do, as I promised AIU, I will let you know that they (AIU) have fulfilled the promises to me, regarding my problems with the school. Until Later - I couldn't have done this without your help!!! Thanks again!!!

Hi again,

A couple of weeks ago, I received a phone call from a Dept. of Education. A lady with authority wanted to know my story!! I told her that I would email her with the details. I emailed her. Later on, I received a response via email that she would help me with this matter of the money and the grade problems at AIU. To my surprise, I also got a phone call from a spokesman from AIU. A very nice girl who said she worked with the President/Dean of the school called. Her recommendation was to return the money and change my grade of F to at least a passing C grade. She later wanted me to let you know that AIU will do what is right when she fixes these problems for me. I let her know that when she these problems go away, I will let you know that the school has made good on their promises. I have yet to hear from her or the school on this matter yet. I asked for a signed copy as well as an email copy of the changes. I am very leary of online schools now because of this bad faith caused by AIU. I would like to go on with my life and since I have no job I need to go back to school somewhere. When I do, as I promised AIU, I will let you know that they (AIU) have fulfilled the promises to me, regarding my problems with the school. Until Later - I couldn't have done this without your help!!! Thanks again!!!

Hi again,

A couple of weeks ago, I received a phone call from a Dept. of Education. A lady with authority wanted to know my story!! I told her that I would email her with the details. I emailed her. Later on, I received a response via email that she would help me with this matter of the money and the grade problems at AIU. To my surprise, I also got a phone call from a spokesman from AIU. A very nice girl who said she worked with the President/Dean of the school called. Her recommendation was to return the money and change my grade of F to at least a passing C grade. She later wanted me to let you know that AIU will do what is right when she fixes these problems for me. I let her know that when she these problems go away, I will let you know that the school has made good on their promises. I have yet to hear from her or the school on this matter yet. I asked for a signed copy as well as an email copy of the changes. I am very leary of online schools now because of this bad faith caused by AIU. I would like to go on with my life and since I have no job I need to go back to school somewhere. When I do, as I promised AIU, I will let you know that they (AIU) have fulfilled the promises to me, regarding my problems with the school. Until Later - I couldn't have done this without your help!!! Thanks again!!!

After I filed this report, I want to change the tone of my complaint. I want to remind myself that I was very stupid to think that this school was for real - " It was too good to be true". I have lost a great deal of money and now I have nothing to show for it. I started this school March 20, 2005, and withdrew July 4, 2005. I took a total of three classes. I made an A on the first class, an F on the next, and an incomplete on the last. This was because, I had no more interest in staying in this stupid school. I told them I wanted to withdraw. They realized that I was serious in July and granted my withdrawl. I asked for my grades to be reviewed accordingly, but they weren't changed. The cheating scandal in the Marketing class by a classmate and eventually the whole class. My grades still didn't get changed. I have asked them for my transcript and they told me that they would have to charge me for it. Whatever!!! Then I questioned AIU and their professional finance department. I called Wachovia Bank where they finance for many students. The loans were all there and in two other banks. I found approx. $2.000 in Stillwater Bank ( Sallie Mae ) and then approx. $2,000 taken from Wachovia. These two distributions were made after I withdrew and left the school on July 12, 2005. The Wachovia Bank still had me graduating in 2006. They weren't informed of my departure until a third party told them. The last two distributions made were made after I left the school and the bank says they can't make the school pay the money back. I asked the school and of course they didn't do anything wrong. They can't answer the discrepancy. They owe the banks about $4.000 that I will end up paying for later. I don't owe this money!!! The school says that I owe 7,000 and something now. But according to the Department of Education, I have to write a letter to the dean of the school to settle this situation. I have no idea how to get this information on the dean. They also said I will probably have to sue the school to get this money back. How ridiculous!!!!! How reckless, and how many other students do they ripoff????? They can't fix my life, but I only want this money put back in the bank. If I file a lawsuit, I will go for the whole $9,000. I don't think this is funny!!! What a ripoff, the fleecing of America's student's!!!!!

In reply to this post, and many like it, I wish to respond as a professional businessman, educator and student at American Intercontinental Universtity. On-line, or distance-learning programs are difficult for many. This is not a traditional "brick and mortar" setting and, if your only experience in higher education has been a more traditional one, you will have difficulty with AIU, or any other internet based learning system.
I possess two Bachelor's Degrees, an MBA, and am a retired senior Army NCO. I am always dubious of any offer that appears 'too good to be true", but so far, with three classes under my belt, a phenomenal response and follow through from all departments of the school, and some of the most academically challenging courses I have ever taken. In sharp contrast to the poster's comments, I found my academic advisor, financial aid, Tech Support and my instructors to be superb. The bottom lione is research before buying and know YOUR OWN LIMITATIONS. Additionally, there are no instructors at AIU without a solid academic background and a clear understanding of the English language. This is easy to check out and there are many resources to deal with the individual you were faced with from your company. Primarily through your company. Your failure to handle that situation in a manner pleasing to you should not be an indictment of the school ingeneral. The colleges are SACS certified and accredited. That organization has an ombudsman as does the Department of Education. You need to contact Sallie Mae with specific concerns about your loans. The school doesn't issue the loan, it administer's it and, if services were rendered, payment is due.