A doorknocker has signed vulnerable Ballarat people up to TAFE courses and left them possibly owing thousands to the government.
An illiterate Wendouree man was given a laptop and signed up to two online courses run through a private training college in Melbourne.
“The reason why he stooged me so bad is that I can’t read,” the 19-year-old said.
He was given an Acer laptop and told he would get $100 for each other person he successfully referred for the scheme.
The community service and management courses each cost over $2000, a bill sent to the government under the VET FEE-HELP scheme until the student earns $54,126 in a year.
The man said he thought he was signing up for a course at Phoenix P-12 College.
In the wake of media reports on door-to-door salespeople promising free gadgets to vulnerable people, the government acted quickly to stop the shady practices.
Inducements such as laptops and tablets were outlawed by Assistant Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham in June but have continued.
The worker who verified the Wendouree man’s enrolment was Jay Thakur, who works for Aarnav Global group, an external broker for the Phoenix Institute.
He denied the man was illiterate and said everything was explained to him during the over-the-phone verification process.
“The guy (on the phone) explained everything to him,” Mr Thakur said.
“He knew what he was doing.”
He said he had heard reports that the rules around inducement had changed but said they were still allowed to offer people laptops.
“It’s for studying...when studying is finished they give them back,” he said.
Mr Thakur said they were only a small broker and others had signed up many more people in Ballarat.
The Wendouree man’s sister said he referred their mother and seven others to Mr Thakur.
“My mum asked for a contract and (Mr Thakur) refused to give her a contract, any real information,” she said.
Mr Thakur said people had the course details emailed to them.
The training college was contacted for comment.
