"Scam do not purchase!!!!"

Scam do not purchase!!!!

"BEWARE 'RECRUITMENT COMPANIES' ENCOURAGING YOU TO DO CIFA COURSES"

A 'recruitment company' led me to believe that CIFA were one of only two possible providers for a qualification which would help me to get a job with 'a reputable financial company'. However, I have been unable to find any roles advertised away from that questionable recruitment website that require any form of CIFA certification. It is not obvious to me that CIFA are not complicit in these misleading attempts to sell their product, so while I did not personally fall for the 'recruitment company''s trick, I feel that it is important to share my experience here. If CIFA really care about their customers they would address what appears to be a worrying trend: people being tricked into buying their product. The fact that they take issue with me discussing this pattern is interesting, as it is in the public interest for this matter to be discussed and resolved. For those who are considering writing a review describing your experiences, you should know that CIFA will ask, through Trustpilot, for your contact details. I refused to give them these details and my review has stayed up.

'Recruitment websites' trying to mislead you will encourage you to do CIFA qualifications. They claim that simply because they are a form of CPD (continuous professional development) that some employers ask for it as a requirement. However, these "qualifications" are not listed in the FCA handbook as an "appropriate qualification". Google "FCA handbook appropriate qualifications" to check. The idea that any potential employers would require you to enrol in a CIFA qualification is incorrectly implied by questionable recruitment companies.

Furthermore, while the website domain (.ac) might at first glance seem to indicate an academic organisation (as, for example, .ac.uk does), this domain actually indicates that the website is registered in Ascension Island, and is not, therefore, an academic address. While anyone can choose the domain .ac, not just any anyone can use .ac.uk , because that's reserved for legitimate academic institutions.

CIFA will likely threaten legal action against anyone who leaves a negative review of this sort, as they have done with me. However, they obviously have no issue with all of the EERILY similar positive comments. They will try to have my comment removed on the grounds that I managed to avoid paying for any of their courses, but a recruitment company did try to trick me into doing so, as many have described, and I believe that is pertinent to some potential customers. If the bulk of CIFA's customers do not arrive through the deceptive efforts of 'recruitment companies' then this comment will simply read like the ravings of a lunatic to most people. It will only resonate with those who have had a similar experience to me. If, as they simultaneously claim, CIFA have no agreements with recruitment companies AND my comment and others like it are part of a defamatory attack, surely it is a completely useless, idiotic defamatory attack, that will ring true with only a very few unfortunate people who had an experience like mine? I can surely not be causing any significant reputational damage unless CIFA is particularly concerned with its reputation amongst the, apparently very few, customers who are being misled by recruitment companies into buying CIFA certifications?

If you have been misled by a recruitment company who have strongly implied that you need CIFA certification in order to get a job, I recommend you leave a review and an honest description of your experience here. They can't take legal action if you are just honestly describing an experience with them and encouraging others to do the pertinent research. And if they do try, I think they will lose, because comments like this are simply in the public interest.

"I found the FWM bundle really"

I found the FWM bundle really useful for understanding securities and investment. The course was well-structured, and the investment strategies were explained in a way that made sense. Definitely helped improve my knowledge!

"The course was concise and practical"

The course was concise and practical, covering everything I needed to know about UK financial services regulations.

"Up-to-Date and Comprehensive "

The AML course covers the latest trends in anti-money laundering and terrorist financing. It’s essential training for anyone working in compliance or financial regulation.

"Exceptional Value "

The course at Cifa simplifies complex concepts like derivatives and compliance. A fantastic choice for advancing financial skills.

"A Great Learning Experience "

The course explains complex investment concepts like risk-return analysis and tax planning in an easy-to-digest format. Highly recommended for students.

"The real-world applications of the content,"

The real-world applications of the content, especially on reporting suspicious activities, were incredibly useful. It's a great resource for anyone in the financial industry.

"The Financial Planning course at cifa…"

The Financial Planning course at cifa was insightful, particularly the retirement and investment modules. It’s an easy-to-follow course packed with helpful content.

"Perfect for Professional Growth "

As someone already in finance, this course helped me refine my knowledge and develop better advisory skills. The focus on ethical conduct and client relationships was especially valuable.