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Connor Mycroft

Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has told residents to be cautious when signing up for educational courses after receiving 94 complaints in the first two months of the year, including one of an individual losing HK$34,800 (US$4,477) despite being offered a “100 per cent refund guarantee”.
The Consumer Council said on Monday that complaints had been made over courses in social media marketing, life coaching and personal finance management.
In one case, a woman had signed up for a social media marketing course priced at HK$87,000 and offered by an undisclosed company.
During a free consultation with a course adviser, she was told tuition could be paid monthly at HK$8,700, plus an additional HK$520 for advertising on related social platforms.
The course adviser also reportedly offered the woman a “100 per cent refund guarantee” if she enrolled immediately.
Four months into the course, the woman discovered that she would have to spend an additional HK$1,400 per month for various digital tools.
Unsatisfied, she requested a refund for the HK$34,800 she had spent on tuition up to that point, citing the guarantee, but the company reportedly refused.
When approached by the council, the company said the woman was not eligible for a refund because she had paid the tuition in instalments and had not followed course instructions.
The council recommended that the woman seek legal advice before pursuing action against the company.
In a separate case, a woman received a free voucher for a five-day life coaching course from another undisclosed company. During a meeting with a representative, the woman was told to pay a HK$7,800 deposit which would be refunded upon completion of the course.
While the woman agreed to pay the deposit, she later discovered numerous scam reports online related to life coaching courses and asked for a refund.
The company refused, claiming that the woman would have to complete the full programme before getting her deposit back. Shortly after, the company became unreachable.
The council said it made repeated attempts to contact the company, but was unsuccessful. The watchdog recommended the woman seek legal advice.
In a third case cited by the council, a man signed up for a HK$48,000 personal finance management course through social media which promised investment tips and asset optimisation strategies.
However, he soon realised the wealth strategy was simply a proposal to invest in overseas properties either by himself, or through the companies agent at a cost of over a hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars.
The man requested a refund, but was unable to receive one after six months of trying and brought his complaint to the council.
After an intervention by the council, the company eventually agreed to a full refund.
The council warned that service providers who failed to uphold their guarantees or claims could violate the Trade Descriptions Ordinance.

“If courses do not deliver their promises or have hidden commercial agendas, consumers may feel deceived,” said the council, which revealed complaints had increased in recent years, rising from 576 in 2022 to 688 in 2024.
“This not only compromises consumer rights but also seriously damages the reputation of Hong Kong’s education and service industries. It is therefore crucial for the industry to recognise and address these issues promptly,” it said.
The council urged residents to stay “clear-headed” when assessing advertisements for products and services on social media. It also said that if a course offered a refund guarantee, it was important to ensure the terms and conditions were clearly outlined.
Residents should also keep all transaction documents after enrolment as evidence, the watchdog said.
The council added that while the rise of online distance learning has expanded the options for consumers, it was difficult to pursue redress across jurisdictions, making it essential to assess the credibility of the course beforehand.


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News

Hong Kong

Society

Calls for the industry to ‘recognise and address issues promptly’, after 94 complaints made in first two months of this year


Calls for the industry to ‘recognise and address issues promptly’, after 94 complaints made in first two months of this year.


Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Consumers

Social media