World TEFL Association Skye Holdings Ltd (Hong Kong)(1648191)Thailand ExperienceTeach Abroad ThailandiTEFLeSkype I was probably the first victim of this ongoing scam Hong Kong koh samui, Surat Thani, Thailand

In June 2012 I entered a contractual agreement to purchase an online TEFL website and marketing system franchise for US$30,000 from a Mr Jimmy Crangle of the World TEFL Association. The contract was finalized with full payment on the 15th September, 2012. This was hugely influential on my decision to move to Thailand to live out my retirement.

The franchise agreement promised a monthly revenue of US$8 to US$10,000+ after 6 months and guaranteed a full refund if it did not generate a turnover of at least US$50,000 in the first year. The franchise did not generate or produce any turnover whatsoever - zero !! Jimmy Crangle / WTA did nothing to implement the so-called Marketing Secrets, Google Adwords campaign with so-called 'proven strategies'.

Jimmy Crangle / WTA confirmed the failure of the franchise, accepted responsibility and confirmed their contractual obligations and refunding all franchise fees in their emails in March 2013. They used a very duplicitous system of using one company staff member to communicate tidings of woe to the failed franchisees while using other company members names to communicate in very upbeat terms (to potential franchisees) of the great success stories of their courses and subsequently qualifing teachers. 

Jimmy Crangle confirmed in writing that he would personally refund my franchise fee. They were blatently deceitful in stating that the stated Jimmy Crangle was resigning from the company as a result of fiasco and he no longer believed that there wasany future in the 'TEFL Language business' in Thailand.

They continually offered pleadings of inability to pay the subsequently agreed installment repayments using all sorts of contrived excuses - political unrest, martial law, army takeover and unfortunate tourist deaths - yet their own website seemed to show that all their courses were fairly well booked.

Jimmy Crangle / WTA misappropriated enqueries from other franchisee websites for their own benefit. [ I did two blind email enquiries to my own website as a student looking for information and details on TEFL courses and neither appeared on my infusionsoft back office system. These enquiries were handled to their unsuccessful conclusion by Jane Openshaw on their own system. 

Additionally I registered in my own name on another franchisee website and all information and condiderable follow-up came from the same Jane OPenshaw. Jimmy Crangle sold non-functioning or non-existent franchises, using false accounts, financials and budgets from then until at least 2015 still claiming preposterous potential earnings of US$80 to US$100,000.

I would allege that they used fake legal paperwork under the name of a Brian T. McGovern at Lawyers.com. I tried to make direct contact on several occasions without success. As of now this crook is still selling fake franchises by email and Face Book.