Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

The Fraud Squad is investigating a matter in which a number of 'students' were tricked into paying thousands of dollars to attend an unregistered school for several months.

Investigators say the school, New Lifestyle Wholistic Academy, is not eligible to provide certificates and diplomas in spa therapy, massage therapy and reflexology as newspaper advertisements claim.

Before the courts

Corporal Orville Morgan told THE STAR that the woman allegedly behind the scam, Winsome Belnavis, former president of the Reflexology Assocition of Jamaica, is currently before the courts facing charges of obtaining money by means of false pretence.

"She was arrested and charged on October 3 and was granted bail in the sum of $200,000 and is to return to court on November 18," Corporal Morgan said.

Students have been fleeced

Investigations have revealed that at least 12 students have been fleeced of about $700,000, a figure which may increase as more persons are expected to submit reports.

Morgan said newspaper notices adver-tising the school, began as far back as February 2007. At that time it was advertised to be at Phoenix Avenue, St Andrew.

When the school is contacted, unsus-pecting students are urged to visit imme-diately, as space was limited. Upon visiting, they were given brochures outlining offers of certificates and diplomas in spa therapy, massage therapy and reflexology after which they are told to pay a registration fee of $1,500.

Certificate courses were said to last six months, while diploma courses were to run for 18 months.

Corporal Morgan said despite students' requests to tour the premises, they were told to wait until a later date as 'classes' were session. After a while students became suspicious when they noticed that Belnavis was the only person employed there.

The students became even more sus-picious when they turned up to empty classrooms one morning.

Bailiffs had visited

The police said the students reported that a neighbour told them that bailiffs had visited the premises earlier and removed a number of items for non-payment of rent. Students then started to demand a refund and subsequently made a report to the Fraud Squad in June. Subsequent investi-gations found that the school was not accredited in any way.

The school was also relocated to 18 Rochester Avenue also in St Andrew and advertisements were published yet again. Nevertheless, similar encounters unfolded, only this time one student tried to take matters into her own hands.

According to Corporal Morgan, one female student, having thought she had completed a course, attacked Belnavis with a chair and demanded a certificate in recognition of her accomplishment. Belnavis was not injured in the incident.

The police are urging persons who might have had an interest in such advertised schools to be very careful.

"We are advising persons who have seen the ads to make checks with relevant agencies such as the KSAC and the Heart Trust to find out if these persons are licensed to offer certification in these areas," urged Corporal Morgan.