Is International Finance Institute a scam?

Is International Finance Institute- IFI (financeinstitute dot com) a scam? How is the program?
Has IFI successfully help students in non finance and banking background switch into a IB job after the program? Thanks.

 

Oh yes, it is a Scam, they have no office in NYC or Chicago, I think they don't have any offices in Us that they claim to have. I went to meet with them and the guy told me that he is so busy and they do not meet personally. When me and my father went to their office, it was not there and no one ever hear of this company. And here is what they send to me: "International Finance Institute, the Global Leader in Finance and Investment Banking Training, invites you to join us for our upcoming training session in New York." Global leader? No one knows about them. These people operate from India or some other place and made their web look like other similar legit companies in us. Be careful people, they will take your money and you will never hear from them again.

 

Its a scam, I have researched them, they are scam and don't know what they are talking about. They are reading a script and prop. operating from India or other country. Stay away, there are other programms that legit and have a legal address.

Best regards,
 

Hi, i took the training last summer, and i can testify that the program and classes are legit. it has helped me a lot with my understanding and passion for Finance. i did my bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering and i am now switching to Financial Engineering. The International Finance Institute provided documents, materials and excel workbook that i currently own in my personal files. i am very fortune to have these workbooks because i can understand stock and market capital calculations. i have only meet the instructor David Huang, and it was a great experience. i recommend to anyone with a passion in Finance to take this training and get a certificate of completion.

Thanks Luis

 

I have tried to do some background check on them and was able locate the course instructors on Linkedin with some creditable looking credentials. However, a quick check with CFA indicated that they have ceased to be part of the CFA CE program providers since Dec 2014 (IFI still advertises in their website that they are accredited by CFA with certain CE credit hours for CFA members). So, the course being offered here seems a bit dodgy.

 
Best Response

The International Finance Institute seems very fishy to me. First of all I called their New York office to get some information and this guy named Zac called me back from an unknown number. He seemed kind of out of it when speaking with me, using slang words, not the type of language you would expect from a finance professional. I work on Madison Avenue and decided to stop by their New York office on the way to work one morning and I learned that they do not have an office at the New York location listed. After doing some research, I found out that they are like a travelling circus that keeps advertising classes but wont actually hold a class until it is filled, which is not that often. I also reached out to some former instructors who told me that they quit working with the Finance Institute because of the constant cancellation of classes and negative feedback it was receiving from disgruntled trainees. There are reputable options for I.B. training out there, but this is not one of them.

 

I should have read this thread first!! I was lead on by Dean, their so called specialist. They promise Industry contacts and resume editing service upon completing the course. I tried to call what appears to be their local line in Singapore, but it was a hassle to get through. I should have been suspicious. Eventually I signed up; the first day, I arrived in the classroom which is really a conference room rented, but no office. and there was the course which was 30 hours of trying to cram everything, if you are not from business or finance background, forget it. The instructor was an Indian : Hemant Jai who seems quite knowledgeable. But when we mentioned about Industry contacts and resume editing, he shrugged it off and mentioned that he was there only as instructor and knows nothing about these and suggest we have to talk to the IFI office (Dean) Time went on and the course was done, but the resume and contacts that they promised never materialize, despite phone calls and e-mails for 3 months, nothing happens which also what my classmates encounter. I am going to complain to the relevant authority next.

 

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