David,

Couldn't agree with you more.  I attended the 3-day $495 "training" in Washington DC about 6 months ago.  What a scam........... I couldn't believe how bad I had been had.  They put you down by telling you that if you don't take the "advanced" training, you might as well go back to being nothing the rest of your life because you will not succeed without their system.  People, don't waste your time and more importantly your money on this.  Find some good books...read and do...

Dan

My sister and I attended one of these "free" two hour lectures in Jacksonville because we had read so many of Robert Kiyosaki's books and we really thought that he was a wise financail guru. We trusted his writings and admired him to the point of idolizing him...almost.

Like you said, the "free" two hour lecture was nothing more than a sales pitch to get you attend the three-day workshop, which was also in Jacksonville about six weeks later. Since my sister and I trusted Robert Kiyosaki, we immediately signed up. We were very excited and were really looking forward to this "training". We couldn't wait to learn as much as we could so that we could begin making money in real estate.

Imagine our surprise when we discovered to our dismay that this too was nothing more than a sales pitch...this time, to get you to attend their "advanced training", since you can't possibly expect to know everything in three days. The price: $9,000 to $44,000!!!! And that was the DISCOUNT price!!! If you waited until after the workshop, those same courses would cost you $13,500 to $90,000!!! WOW!!! You may as well have kicked me in the stomach!! I couldn't believe that I was stupid enough to fall for this crap! I had read so many of RKs books, where he went on and on about how he wanted to "help" people find their way financially and about helping your fellow man and giving back to the community. So you can imagine the disappointment and utter betrayal that I felt when I learned that this man that I had idolized turned out to be a crook! What is worse, he says in one of his CDs that "you can get rich by being a crook, but at the end of the day. you are still a crook." What a f--king hypocrite!! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!!!

When I returned home, I notified the local news and even posted my experience on the local radio station's blog. Hopefully, no one else will be victimized by these crooks! I came home and hauled all of his books to the trash dumpster, where they belong!!

So, if you are thinking about attending a "free" two hour lecture or the three day real estate "training", please stay home and don't waste your time. It isn't nothing but a bunch of crap and time wasted!! Robert Kiyosaki and these Rich Dad fools should burn in Hell!!!!

Michael. 

My partner sent this link after attending this 3 day seminar that I spend $495 on. The reason he sent it to me was because I decided to purchase the program and begin getting out of the "Rat Race".

I read this article and the comments and then went to the Rip Off report and read those comments and this is the pattern I saw:

Many were real estate agents

Many went to the free seminar and didn't buy or bought the 3 day seminar and left early.

Those who purchased the the program had buyer'sr remorse and wanted their money back before going to the actual classes.

Everybody was stuck on how the free seminar wasn't free or that the $500 seminar was a waste.

I saw the marketing that everyone is calling a scam and I myself was skeptical, especially after the first morning of the 3 day "training course". I was so upset and mad and couldn't believe this was happening. I decided to go to lunch come back and wait till the end of the day to see if I would learn anything, because they didn't teach anything from that point. I actually was curious if they were going to  do the motivational stuff for 3 days straight.

Long and behold I was impressed after the end of the day, more impressed by the second day and more than happy by the end of the 3rd day. Why? Because I earned a bachelors degree and was not able to get out of the "rat race" and so I went to get my Juris Doctorate and I'm now half way done in law school, but everything that I learned in those 3 days, I haven't learned in my 18 years of education. I learned more about real estate than I did in one year of property law in law school! I just finished taking Business Association (the legal aspects of corporations) and I learned more in one day of this seminar than I did in the whole semester!

What a rude awakening. To further it, the credit card "increase limit" scam that everyone talks about. I was taught to pay off your cards and keep low debt. After the seminar explained why you need credit cards and how to PROPERLY use them, I was amazed. How did I know this works? Because my mother, single mother of two, did the SAME EXACT THING and had impecable credit. The only difference is that she spent and "floated" her cards on things that did not return an investment and thus eventually ran out of credit and could not float anymore. Luckly, it took her 20 years to get there and she had since remarried, payed off her home and took a home equity loan to pay it off. But it works. I know she has good credit because I saw her credit and she has the credit to co-signs all of my student loans!

The information they taught was worth more than the $500 I shelled out. I pay 20K year  for business school, $27K a year for law school (not including an additional $20K borrowed to live off while not working) and now I know I got ripped of by the undergraduate and law school education system. $17K for 4 classes that was sold to me in the seminar with software, and help from professionals? Where else can you get that? I won't have attorneys answering the phone when I have a question or a problem. I don't get software with pre-made contracts, analysis, case reviews and so forth to help me practice law.

Real estate agents have a hand up from everyone else going to the seminar because they are in the business and may not see the benefit of learning all this. Do I think that they can expand their knowledge and most likely learn in the advance course, yes I do. Why do I think that? Because the real estate agents I spoke with in the 3 day seminar are WORKING. They work to make a living. If you are working to make a living in real estate, then there is something they are not doing right. Just because you do something for a living doesn't mean you are doing it right. I can graduate and be a lawyer, doesn't mean I'm going to be making millions and living the highlife like the attorneys in the show Boston Legal. Hell, the first thing you learn is that you will be lucky to make near a 6 digit income and you are going to pay through the nose to pay back those student loans.

Those who didn't stay for the whole 3 days seminar or didn't buy into paying $500 for it: How the hell do you know its a rip off if you didn't stay to hear the whole seminar. I reiterate, I thought it was a scam too until I stayed and listen to the whole program. When I did, I learned so much, they used examples to apply and prove that it works and "sold" me that the information they can provide has value. The speakers do this for a living, why would he do this for $30,000 a year if he makes millions of his real estate? If you want to be taught by the best, you have to pay for the best, which means you have to pay for his time. Duh. Would I want to be taught by professors who where NOT attorneys? No, you want attorneys who know what they are talking about to teach you.

People only see the bad, but never try to see the good. They see a red flag, they are put on alert and assume the worse. Hell, I did. But I try not to let my emotions run me and that's why I stayed for the seminar and saw the benefit. Those who let their emotions run where the people who write negatives to this program because they attended the first free seminar and didn't buy the 3 day seminar, they bought the 3 day seminar and didn't stay for the whole 3 days or they did attend the 3 day seminar, bought the "advance training", had buyers remourse. Thelatter are the worse emotional buyers because they were "contaminated" by everyone else they know who are "NOT INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY" so they wanted their money back or they didn't try to use the software to their benefit and not give a good effort to the program. They went back to their 9-5 jobs where they know its comfortable and safe. The education program offers your money back when you attend the first day of the advance training course when you decide its not for you, but I didn't see anyone writing rip off reports from them, why? Maybe, because they actually went, learned and saw the benefit of the education system offered.

Of course they will try to "Sell" you this program in the way they do. If they told you or advertised that they were offering a free 2 hour seminar to sell you $10K to $117K schooling, would anyone go. No. Why? Because if the only thing the poor people see is the price tag, they automatically will say they can't afford it (I would). They sell the $500 to get the people who are serious, provide investing information to show that it can be done and then sell the schooling. This is the marketing/advertising they teach you when you get your business degree in college! Of course, those who go are not highly educated, and they assume its a scam when its a type of marketing/advertising.

WORSE CASE SCENARIO:

It doesn't work, what I learn on the first day I don't like and I get a refund. Let's say I don't get my refund, I'm out $17K. That's a lot of money, but its a risk that I have determined is very worth while with the information learned. I paid out $130,000 in my college and law school education, so what's another $17K for the opportunity to be independently wealthy? Do I listen to everyone who is stuck in the "rat race" working their 9-5 jobs, living pay check to pay check or do I think for myself, use the knowledge I have gained in my 18 years of traditional" schooling and life and take the chance? What makes the rich, rich? It's not by listening to everyone else because if they did, they wouldn't be where they are. It's following the lead of those who are rich. Warren Buffet's 90% of his wealth came from the mobile home market and the founder of FedEx who was told in college his business plan would not work, Bill Gates dropped out of an Ivy league school to persue Microsoft, and the list goes on. Donald Trump went "bankrupt" once or twice and look where he is now.

People are wanting to get rich quick for free, no work and have it done tomorrow. It's not going to happen, and the seminar didn't hide this fact. You will have to invest in yourself, work your ass off and have patience. If it wasn't that way, we all would be rich.

Real Estate agents, can you afford to quit your job? Can you do it and live a life that you dreamed of? No? Then why are you not doing something about it? If you know the business and what these "advance trainings" would be teaching, why haven't you implemented the techniques?

I think its funny how people get ripped off by those e-mail scams from Nigeria by sending money to get money, even doctors, attorneys and highly educated people. Why do they do it? Because its fast, easy, money. I also think its funny how everyone complains about gas prices, loss of retirement, loss of job, etc. but they're not willing to take the big step to change that, but they are willing to critize the very thing that is willing to educate you and make you independently wealthy. Knowledge is not power. Implementing knowledge is power.

Still have doubts? Go to the Rich Dad forum this coming February in Orlando and learn of all the people who are making it in the real estate business. Do you think those are making it care what those who criticize the method think? No, because it's not worth the energy. People listen to the news and think there is no money to be made, money to borrow and the system is crashing, but it's not. We figured this when we called (Bank of America) to increase our limits (when we said they wouldn't due to the banking crisis) and guess what, they did increase it. Isn't funny how we get scared into believing the worst, but when someone tells people something good, we become skeptics and don't believe them and assume the worst?

Why do I waste my time writing all this out, when I really don't care? Because, as I said in the beginning, my partner himself is a skeptic even after I told him almost everything I learned. So if he doesn't understand it when I speak, maybe when he reads it. If not, I'll continue on my journey to success without saying another word because there's no point in trying to convince someone who's scared into not taking opportunities when they knock at the door.

you suck will

I agree....Will does suck! Anyone that agrees with these crooks is not okay in my book! But then again, he did say that he was a law student. That should tell you something right there!

I am currently attending the three day course.  In thinking about whether or not I will purchase the advanced training which is 35k for the one I would do if I chose, I decided to search for some negative comments about the training.

What I have found is that all the skeptics are saying this is a scam and don't do it because god for bid if you get suckered.  I see no one that has taken the advanced training saying it is a scam.   However, I see one person who is taking it who seems to think it is well worth it.  My question to everyone else is how can you say its a scam if you havent done it?

Was everyone's college education a scam?  I spent 40,000 on four years of college and when I graduated I landed a job making 40,000.  Since I have been working my tail off for the past four years working for the man I have increased my salary by 50%.  I would think that some would define that as a scam.  I would not because I enjoyed college, am happy with the knowledge I gained by graduating with a civil engineering degree, and actually like my job as a construction manager.

This is an investment in your education.  When I do the advanced training, it will be an investment to gain knowledge.  If I never invest in real estate in my life it will be an investment where I lost 35k.  Many people in this country have lost much more than that over the past year.  I am investing with disposable income.  However, the opportunity to make something of it much outweighs the risk of losing 35k.  I don't need a new lexus.  If this doesn't work out, I'll drive my 2004 Jeep Wrangler that is paid off for another four years and be just fine.  Or buy the new car if I want to.

Bottom line is this is the farthest thing from a scam I can think of.  You are paying them to provide a service to you becuase you see the potential for a future gain.  It's the same thing anyone who has a college degree did for four years of thier life.  Someone else devoted thier time to teach you what they know.  Something is a scam if you pay for something and get nothing or something completely different than originally expected.

As I write this I get more frustrated with the false negativity and ridiculous mindset of so many people.  If you don't want to do it or do not think it will work thats one thing.  That doesn't make it a scam.  Is the stock market a scam.  I will invest if I think something is undervalued.  If I hedged my bet wrong then I made a bad investment.  Same is true for this advanced training.  No one can deny the fact that you are paying for a service that can potentially better your life.

If it doesn't work then I go back to working my 9-5 and no harm done.  I believe it will work and actually believe real estate will work without the training.  The reason I am investing in the advanced training is I think it will work faster and better with the triaining.  You learn from your past mistakes, the experiences of the people around you, and by having a relentless pursuit of the knowledge through books and study.  What you learn is useless if you do not apply it to your real life experiences. 

I know this will not change peoples minds but it is just a sharing of my thoughts on the subject. 

Well said, Mr. David Slavin! I won't go into a lot of details, as I have already posted my experiences with "Rich Dad Education" on this blog! I couldn't agree with you more and I will tell everyone that this is a scam until the day I die!!!

I am amazed that Will Concord and Ronald Moore spent so much time justifying their position and explaining why they didn't think that this was a scam! Makes you wonder if maybe they aren't working for "Rich Dad", doesn't it? You will never convince me that this so-called expensive education is a legitimate opportunity. If it were, they wouldn't pressure you so much into making a quick and hasty decision, and they wouldn't double the price if you don't take advantage of their "money saving offer" available for "that weekend only." Even colleges and universities don't do that. If the education is so great, then why are they pressuring you into enrolling, and try to make you feel like a loser if you don't? Whenever I went to my three-day "real estate investing workshop", they said things like, "Don't worry about the price", "Price is not important", or "You can make all of your money back all in one deal" to try to entice you into enrolling. If you chose not to enroll. they said things like "You will be just as broke now in two years if you don't sign up for our classes", or "Those that signed up for the additional training will be so much further ahead of you that didn't" I will never believe that!! There are other ways to make and invest money besides real estate investing, and these crooks shouldn't be trying to convince people that real estate investing is the only good investment vehicle that there is.

Mr. Slavin, I agree with your assessment 100%, and I agree that these crooks need to be stopped! What can I do to help make this happen?

Mike!

I took this course this weekend and it was the best thing that I could have ever done.  Yes, they do a little bit of selling of the other classes but they teach you a lot of things that I'll guarantee none of you either knew or cared to listen to.

This is NOT a get rich quick scheme which I'm guessing the OP and others were thinking that's what it was which is why they're dissappointed in the class.  Not only that but my teacher did not kick any one out. He didn't "rant" about how negativity won't be tolerated.  I also did not hear this that someone else said the teacher said if you don't buy the package:"You will be just as broke now in two years if you don't sign up for our classes", or "Those that signed up for the additional training will be so much further ahead of you that didn't"

We signed up for more classes and I am excited and happy that we did. I learned a lot about real estate investing and I will continue to learn more.  I know real estate investors who like this philosphy and who know it's not a get rich quick scheme!

Reality check:  There is no such thing as a way to get rich quick! If there was then everyone in the world would be millionaires!

I know this will take hard work, a lot of time and some money invested. If I make money doing this, great. If not, that's fine too. I'm only out the amount I paid for the courses and in the grand scheme of things it really wasn't a lot.

Jennie,

Well, it looks as if you have read my entry. I don't know what kind of "instructor" (and I use the term loosely) you had, but I can honestly tell you that is what happened to all of us that attended the course in Jacksonville. I can honestly tell you that whenever I went to Jacksonville to attend the three-day class, I went there with the intention of making it work for me. So, you can imagine my surprise whenever I discovered that Robert Kiyosaki, someone that I once admired, turned out to be a fraud. Obviously, their manipulation and their mind games worked on you, since you are the one that shelled out more money for these "advanced classes." That is a decision that you are going to have to live with.

Mike

I guess y'all dont understand not all information is free. If you want to invest in an education and actualy follow the steps they teach at the advanced class you can be successful. How do i know? My freind is proof that a high scholl drop out listened to these instructors, did what was told, and now has a successful business and helps people out of foreclosure. Look at both sides of the fence people. It seem like some people here were looking for a hand out or for some one to do deals for them. The SEC already looked into wealth intellegence academy and nothing of a "scam" was found. If you dont agree with pricing and that they put you through 2 stages before you go to trainings thats fine. But if you call that a scam you dont understand business or your just mad your broke and cant afford it! Some people have legit gripes about this company but a lot of what i see online is a bunch of crap! Im more than happy with my experience and would reccomend it to anyone who is SERIOUS about investing. Pretenders need not apply.

I am signed up for the three day course starting this Friday. I understand that they will try and sell me the advanced training packages that I will not buy mostly due to the lack of funds to do so. If I had that kind of money to spend on the training, it seems I would already have something good going on already. Instead, I have been recently layed off from a nine year stint at the corporate level in home building that, in the  end, got me nowhere.   Is there any benefit at all to be gained from attending the three day session? I have already given them the $495 so I feel I should try and get something out of it. If nothing else, motivation to start investing in RE instead of building for other people so they can benefit.   

I am a real estate developer, construction manager, and architect.  I can tell you I am highly skeptical about the education offered.  I've worked for National Real Estate Companies and Region Family Developers.  I have learned a lot form these companies but there's no secret education that lets you succeed at real estate.  I have never heard of a legitamite way of getting no money down deals.  I am going to one of these free seminars and see for myself.

Can anyone answer this question.  These $4000 to $64,000 courses, how long are they?  Is anything given to you other than study materials?  How many teachers are there?  I'm just guessing but it seems like these are seminars, correct?  Not a year or a semester or even a month of classes with a vareirty of professors.  How on earth do they justify a X day seminar costing $64,000?

Does anyone know?

What I find interesting is how most of the posters here were under the impression that they were going to become millionaires after spending only $500...

They are obviously of the "get rich quick" crowd and feel that they were ripped off because they wanted something for nothing but reluctantly coughed up the $500 thinking if they paid "all that money" they would learn "secrets" that would catapult them to wealth...

I have read two of Roberts books and I can tell you that this man knows what he is talking about.  Sure, he makes money from the sales of his training materials, but anyone who thinks they can pay $500 and become rich shouldnt even be taking the courses...they should keep punching their time clocks and working their 7-3:30 jobs because thats what their lot in life is with that mentality.

Its exactly as Kiyosaki said, these angry people are E and S folks rather than B and I folks.  Education is what its all about when it comes to finances.  How much do you think earning a million bucks is worth?  How about 2 or 5 million?

If I had the money, I would gladly pay it to learn what he has learned over the years.

me and my husband went to the three day class in davenport iowa.the first of april.i was not buying into the whole thing .we had about fifty people in the class on the third day after the if you were not buying they were more or less not interested in you they tell you good luck and see ya well my husband works really hard at his J -O -B AS THEY SAY well that job supports our family so we bought into the package went home i still didnt want to get on board wITH all our money so i started looking around and read up on alot .i have read his books two of them and it sounds so great. if it sounds to good to be true it usualay is to make a long story short we got our money back the next day.so please just becarefull and remember its your J-O-B  that gets them the M-O-N-E-Y.

i am new to investing and saw an ad for a class this week in connecticut. i am glad i found this site before attending. i was hoping to just get some info and have some questions answered but after checking online posts about this clown i guess i got my answers. thank you to all the people who are looking out for us and exposing this stuff. i know everyone is edgy about their income and if i had a few thousand to burn i would just spend two hours at the casino. thanks again

Here is what is funny about some of these posts....everyone who wrote something here obviously is looking for a better life for their family, otherwise they would not have responded to the richdad education free seminar.  I went to the free seminar knowing that it was to give us a taste of the bigger training.  I went to see if real estate was going to be the route I would take.  And i'll tell you, it is not.  Not because of the richdad program, which some call a "scam", but just my gut feeling on real estate itself right now.  That's just MY opinion and no need to argue opinions.  If you want to have a better life for you and your family, here is the secret.............find something that you truely feel passionate about and work.  If 8-5 does it for you for someone else, then that's fine.  If working for yourself, fine also.  However, to become monetarily wealthy there are a set of principles that MUST be followed. Learn the game of these principles, practice perfecting them and you will be on your way to the riches.  Here is what I've learned from seminars/education courses, such as richdad, if you are not interested in partaking in the course....then don't.  If you do, you will realize that you will not be going at it alone, remember Zig Ziglar "You can have anything you want if you help enough people get what they want first".  I am not passionate about real estate, that's why I didn't sign up for the course, you need to love what you do, otherwise, why do it?  I've learned a great deal of knowledge from Mr. Kiyosaki's books and CD's to grow my MLM (Yeah, one of those "things"!!!), but if its not your cup of tea, then don't drink it. 

One could spend the thousands of dollars acquiring a college education that will help them see through the scrams around them, acquire critical thinking skills. It pisses me off that these guys do nothing more than manipulate people.

What people should do is research on their own, and more importantly, looking within themselves at what their "passions" are, finding out what their purpose is in life and only then will they achieve the American dream...whether the American dream is financial, or something else. IT'S NOT IN A "QUICK FIX" SUCH AS ATTENDING A 3-DAY SALES PITCH WITH THESE MEN HAVING A "HIDDEN AGENDA" OF ONLY WANTING YOUR MONEY AND RUNNING TO THE BANK WITH IT....

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  I'm much closer to crying than laughing after reading each and every blog here.  I signed up (and paid) for this 3-day "training" beginning tomorrow.  My husband, who scheduled the 3 days off from him J-O-B, will attend with me.  I just called him at work and told him a synopsis of all I had just read on this website.  I apologized to my husband and told him that I thought that I was too old to be taken in, but apparently not.  He's very sweet and said, "Don't worry about it, we'll just go and see what happens."  Regardless of what happens during the next 3 days, I will continue to listen to the CDs, read the materials and books, and learn all I can (on my own) about real estate investing.  One of the CDs does say to "take baby steps" which is truly great advice.  All things considered, I'm glad I got the information and CDs, and I'm also glad I got the heads-up from your website.

I have read all that has been posted and feel that I am no better informed whether Robert Kyosaki is selling a bunch of lies or true investment training.  Having been in business for myself, and learning by making costly mistakes it seems that the cost of the seminars can a small investment if they help prevent costly mistakes.

However, what makes me wonder the most is that I do not see a single posting here by anyone who has actually taken the seminars and wants to voice their opinion about how they have wasted their money.  It would only stand to reason that, if there were many of these people or even a few, they would be jumping at the opportunity to criticise RK.  Yet those voices are not truly heard here.

Only after you have been through it and can truly attest to the futility of going through a learning process that was costly, time consuming and unproductive will I accept the negative claims made over and over again.  However, these folks have not chimed in here and is why am posting my opinion.

Hopefully we can hear from some of those folks to help me make up my mind.

O.K. Here is a post from someone who has taken the courses. I paid $9,000 for the Wholesale course and a basic real estate education course. It laste 6 weeks on line. I can honestly say that I could have bought a $20 book about wholesaling and signed up with my local REIA group for $140 and gleened the same information in about the same amount of time.

It is not rocket science, it is real estate. Their claim that you are going to pay for your education through errors made or through their courses is a great sales pitch, but is not real world. The truth is, as is many things in life, there is no lesson as valuable as experience.

The classes have value, but they are outragously over priced, just like the 3 day "seminar", just like the $200 board game, just like the $40/mo CRT system. Robert Kiosaki is a brilliant marketer, and I fell for the pitch, although maybe not as bad as some others, still the best lesson I learned from the whole thing is don't pay for a cadalac when your are getting a VW bug.

If a scam is paying a lot for something of very little or no value, this is a scam.

Wadley, Nashville TN

Hey folks...I ve seen all the posts above; I think I still have the option of pulling out from the 3 day course.  I dont mind taking the chance of going through al the aggressive selling of the advanced course - if I can get some real and lasting value for the $495.00. My question is - is there enough value in the $495 course for someone who has only rented in the USA and hasnt even bought a home here ever - to learn enough to at least do one real estate deal and make at least $5000.00 - in that. And that too by some way which they say doesnt need you to put your own money down. If I dont make a dime more - in my life - and I profit upto $4500 - from the knowledge in the 3 day program - I will do it. Can I do that ? I am willing to put in the work to make that happen.

I took the three day course last year and signed up for a package. I've taken one of the classes form the package (Rich Dad U) and I have found the information unbelievable. My husband was reading his books and a few weekends we'd go out and look for houses for sale.  We "ran the numbers" (or thought we did) and figured out what we could afford, if there were fixes that needed to be made how much those would cost, plus rent etc. After taking the class we realized that we were so far off base with our thinking it was laughable.  Had we decided to jump in and buy one of the houses that we saw for sale we would have had zero cash flow the way we were thinking of doing it.  We learned so much from the class and we've now been actively pursuing real estate and every time we go to a class we get fired up all over again and learn something new and fresh. 

Anything that's worth doing and doing successfully is going to take money, time and education to do it.  This is not a "Get Rich Quick" kind of thing and I think that the people who go to the seminar and think that way are the ones who are disappointed when they find out it's actually going to take some time, money and dare I even say it:  HARD WORK.  As for getting the same information from your local REIA (which I am a member), sure you can do that but guess what? It costs MONEY to join your REIA. You need to take TIME out of your evening to go to the meetings. They have speakers that come in that TRY TO SELL YOU STUFF, they have seminars that you have to PAY MONEY to go to and my local REIA has a coaching program that you have to PAY MONEY if you want them to help you out. 

No matter what you think it's going to take some time and some amount of money to do real estate investing. I prefer to spend the time and the dollars to become educated so that I don't lose absolutely everything I own because I didn't know what I was doing, I assumed the numbers worked and then later being foreclosed on because I hadn't a clue.

You can become very profitable in real estate investing if you do it right and you know what you're doing (there's that education again).  Like I said before this is NOT a "Get Rich Quick" type of thing and if you honestly feel that it is you need to find something other than real estate investing to get into.

Let me be clear. The 3 day seminar is a 3 day sales pitch. The small bits of info you get from the sessions are designed simply as didbits and sound bites to motivate you to be a buyer in the end.

Join your local Real Estate Investors Groups. Many of them have similar classes for much less $$$$. They also have CD's and books on these subjects that you can check out or rent for a few dollars. In addition you will come into contact with people in the Real Estate Investment business who have been doing it for years.

Roberrt Kiosaki is a really smart guy and a marketing genius, but he is simply selling an over priced system. Now if you have thousands of dollars lieing around looking for someplace to go, then go for it. I personally would rather put that same money to work, by actually buying real estate. Robert's premium package is upward of $60K+. In addition, you have to pay for your own tranportation to go where the classes are if they are not offered in your area or on line. You can buy a rent house outright with that kind of money in many markets. I ask you, which do you think you will see the greatest return on - suspect classes or actual investments?

Do not let them convince you their classes are equivelant to college... I assure they they are not.. and even so, unless you go to an Ivy league school you would be a fool to pay $60K+m for college anyway.

Show me the money!!! - Where is the best return for your investment? I paid $9,000 for information I could have acquired for less than $1,000. Does that sound like a good deal to you? I know what I would do if I had it to do over again.

Bob Wadley, Nashville TN

Well folks - I called in to Rich DAd education's 800 number to ask about Cancellation (within the 3 days deadline) (today is my 3rd day) and they were very professional and gave me their fax numer to fax the cancellation request - and said they wiill email me a shipping label for free shipping back to them. So it seems like a pretty professional setup. But I am still going ahead and cancelling - since I am clear that I cant spend 10s of 1000s at this time for "advanced" courses in Real Estate. Thanks to you all. I do agree that there could be real value in doing the whole "system" with them - but not for me - not NOW.

My husband and I just completed day two of the three day seminar for $495.  I understand that you can't be a real estate expert in 3 days but I had hoped to get a little useful information from a knowledgeable investor.  Both my husband and I took off from work to get a little education and we were very disappointed that all we got was a sales pitch.

I feel very cheated that I did not receive any useful real estate information and that I did not get what I paid for.

I will take more real estate courses because I do want to learn more about real estate transactions.  I will take classes at the university level and work with the local real estate investment group to find legitimate courses that give real information.

PS  Alan Swails (the so-called real estate expert) claims to be a trained killer.  What he is - is a trained seal...just performing all his circus tricks and doing his sales JOB.

I just went to the two hour presentation can you say greed - desire - urgency - take away - and the close!!! I smelled a scam and did not pay the $495, and thnx to this post I feel better I didn't I will make sure my 500 bucks is invested in REAL EDUCATION. SHAME on Robert Kiyosaki!! As for Kathy Becklin (Keller Williams Realty Maui) , hmm Maui, can you say Roberts friend or employee, WOW, that or she makes money off these seminars!!

I thought the funiest thing was how they say that, "Rich people use other peoples money to get Rich!" That will be $495 please, lol!! I have to thank the instructor for telling me that cause that instructor helped me to decide not to spend $495 of my money to help him get Rich!

Seminar is coming to Modesto.  I will blog  and write letter to editor at MOD Bee alerting the coming scam

Frank Thomas

asktheconsumeradvocate.com

I had signed up for a 3 day class on "Options Trading" which is being held in Dallas from Aug 13th - Aug. 15th, 2009.   I went for the class this morning and came out very disappointed at around 2.45 PM because the instructor/mentor had not even come on the topic of Option Trading or Stock Trading in almost 6 hours that I spent there.  

The first hour and a half was spent in motivational speach - which I understood to get the class pumped up - and I hoped that after the first 10 minute break something sensible will start.   But then the mysery continued and by 12.45 PM all the instructor had told was two things about options - what are call options and what are put options. Rest of the time was spent in telling the class how the economy was going into the toilet, and why it is good to invest in "Real Estate" - and why one should create a cash flow out of "Real Estate".  

Well - enough of beating the bush around - the instructor promised that now he has introduced Options to us - after 1 hour lunch - at 1.45PM when the class resumes - he will start talking about CHARTS - because that is the foundation for trading.   I consoled myself and thought that after I grab some lunch in that one hour (they did not provide the lunch either) - I will begin  learning finally.   Promptly the class started back at 1.45PM and - then our instructor friend went on a rant on the credit cards and credit card companies. And he spent the whole one hour on how should one call his/her credit card company and ask them to reduce the interest rates, and how to get the credit limit increased, etc.etc......including demonstrations of the phone call....  

To summarize - I am extremely disappointed and surprised that under the brand name of RICH DAD - such lousy time wasting class is what I had signed up for... so I decided to speak to the so called "Manager" of the class (sitting at the back) and requested him, if he could request the speaker to at least come to the topic after 6 hours of nonsense. But they told me "This is what it is - we cannot do anything", and for obvious reasons they became very defensive. Not wanting to create any scene there - I walked out of the class and decided to discontinue right there and save myself from further torture.   

I would like to comment though that in the two hours "Free Seminar" that I attended on July 22nd in Frisco, TX - I had been introduced to a WHOLE LOT MORE about OPTIONS   And yes by the way - in those 6 hours, now I know - how big a house Mike Power (the instructor) has, that he makes Boat Load of money, that his daughter was married to a "Bugg" and is now divorced - lives with him now - he is trying to get rid of her - by making her self dependent, how his son did not finish his college and how he works at a Pizzeria and how Mike and his son CRAVE for Pizza and the AROMA not the smell of Pizza......I wonder if Mike Power really had the Power to teach all the people sitting in the class how to make money in using OPTION TRADING  -  then why is his own son working at a Pizzeria - and why is his daughter starting a "Massage Parlor".......   What a waste of time.....

David Slavin, you are with Re/Max in Katy Tx. I bet Re/Max is proud of you for expressing your ignorance about real estate investing and putting their name all over this website.

I understand why you are so upset with the Rich Dad organization.  They have the nerve to explain to the general public  just how little a realestate agent or broker in general actually know about investing.  Had you spent a little of your commission checks on actually taking a few classes, you would have discoverd how little you as a realtor actually know about Real Estate Investing.

I have many friends that work for and own Re/Max franchises, and I know of what I speak.  For years I have listened to realtors advise me on investing.  After attending Rich Dad classes and classes of his asssociates, I know now how to properly invest.  Realtors in my opinion dont mislead clients intentionally, most just don't know how to invest.

Mr Slavin, please refrain from smearing a honest person that wants to educate the american public about investing, while making a fair profit.  Profit is not a dirty word in my book, I bet you have never turned down a realestate commission.

I will be in Katy, Tx in the near future doing as Rich Dad says, buying cash flowing property, and perhaps we can continue this discussion in person.

FYI, by following the Rich Dad program, I am now able to have enough cash flow to enjoy life with out a JOB

Thanks

David H

David H. - Thank you so much for taking the time to point out my faults.  If it wasn't for you doing this, I wouldn't be able to get a clue.  I have the guts to put my name out there and yet you, the one who thinks you're going to set me straight, don't have the guts to put your full name.  Hmmmm, I wonder why? 

Well Mr. H, I know that RE/MAX is proud to have me as an agent putting their name out there while being truthful with people.  Mr. H, I have a fiduciary responsibility to my clients which means that I have to hold my clients interests above my own.  Therefore, I have educated myself in real estate investing (not by Rich Dad classes).  I am a member of local real estate investing clubs that actually invest in real estate without selling classes.  Now that's a concept you're probably not aware of.  All Rich Dad wants to do is sell classes to make more money and I actually help people make money and I will educate them free (again a concept you can't grasp since you sell classes).  Thanks again for showing your true colors!

I have attended several of Rich Dad's 2 hr free seminars and always had this gut feeling that something was wrong when they were telling you "if you buy the 3-day seminar NOW it is $495, otherwise it is $995".  I had been previously exposed to this shameless selling tactic and felt something must be wrong! Hence the SCAM. 

It was disheartening to read the remarks of Will, the law student from Florida, legitimizing the way they mislead the public by inviting them to a "free" seminar, followed by selling them a 3-day "$495" training during which they pressurized the attendees to purchase "advanced" training for thousands of dollars.  He argues that "this is the marketing/advertising they teach you when you get your business degree in college", as if teaching that in college renders it legitimate.  Of course the whole business of "advertising" is to mislead people into buying a product. The majoprity of ads do not provide factual data about the product or service they are selling, rather they present models (actors and actresses) or nifty cartoons to tell the audience how good it FEELS, and how nessesary it is to buy the product.  So, if "Rich Dad" uses the same technique...it still walks like a duck and talks like a duck!

One thing to note though is that nowadays there is a whole lot of other scammers, e.g. Armando Montelongo, who have joined the the group.  I think we should form our own Educational Group to compete and REALLY make money. 

How about that?

Ray

I came across this site when I was looking for the software program Rich Dad offered because that's the one thing I thought would be useful of all the crap I heard the last 2 days.

Yes my wife and I just wasted 2 days this weekend at a Rich Dad seminar in Atlanta. We were smart enough to stay home on day 3.

The first 2 days of the seminar went exactly as you have read on these blogs. Two interesting notes. First:My wife told a friend of ours, who is starting to invest in real estate also, that we were going to this seminar. He attended a similar seminar not affiliated with Rich Dad poor Dad and they also showed their students on how to raise their credit limits and told them to go home that first night and increase their credit limits.

Second: The second morning the instructor went on to tell the students to stay away from the internet because people who didn't know what they were talking about were criticizing these programs.

We did learn about 15 minutes worth of real estate information during the 21 hours we spent there. The rest was a sales pitch 

The instructor even stoked the egos of those who had $100,000.00+ of money they earned through businesses by telling them that they were the only ones qualified for certain advanced classes. It's not coincidental that they were the most expensive and they were the only ones that could afford them. 

Here's why I consider it a scam. I knew they would try and sell me something at the initial workshop. Which they did. I went to the workshop to see if they would talk about foreclosures. They did. The reason I bought into the 3 day seminar was because the presentation was all about the foreclosure market and how they were going to show us how to take advantage of it at the 3 day seminar. I paid the $495. to learn about foreclosures. Through all the sales pitch and other crap the instructor talked about at the seminar I didn't learn anything more about foreclosures then I already knew. That  there is money to be made in this market. However, I did learn I could pay $9995 to attend another 3 day advanced training class about foreclosures.

Let me be clear. It's a scam because I paid for something under false pretenses. They did not teach me what they claimed they were going to teach me. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN.

For those that say you shouldn't have expected to learn everything in three days then why would I spend another $9995 on an advanced 3 day class.  

It's funny how our instructor tells us that a college education is useless but he is paying for his daughters college education.

Here's the difference between a college education and their advanced training classes.With college you do not pay for four years of tuition up front. You pay for a semester at a time. If you decide after the first semester that college isn't for you or you change you mind about a major you have only spent money for one semester. With their advanced training you pay for it up front. If once you attend the first training session and decide this is not for you guess what. You are out big money.

I would run the other direction if any of you run across this workshop and are considering it.

No matter why the instructor and his elfs tell you why they do this the bottom line is they are and E. Theyare an employee they  work for this company.

Those of you defending this seminar and the practices of Rich Dad are missing the point. This is a warning for individuals that either don't know better or are in a desperate situation and hear only what they want to hear.

The information about the seminar is accurate. If you are looking for something else stay away. Do not spend your money. However, if you want to spend $495 to go to a sales presentation about advanced real estate courses that start at $9995 this seminar is for you.

Don't come on here and say that the seminar was anything but a sales pitch because anyone with even a small knowledge of real estate learned absolutely nothing.

There were people there who could not afford the $495 and would never spend $9995 on advanced classes but Rich Dad doesn't care as long as he gets his money.

I attended the free two hour Richdad Stock Trading Workshop at noon in Las Vegas.  I went there to see the pitchman's technique.  I think the real money is in selling seminars.  I hope to start my own seminar company.  There where about 40 people who showed up at the start of the class.  only fitfhteen including my self stayed the to the end.

I saw two people purchase the three day training course ( each was given a big bright yellow bag,  to show off their purchase).  I didn't purchase the 3 day course, but I got a two hour education in sales techiques.  The head pitchman uses a great deal of audience partisipation to hype the crowd.  The most common question requires the audience will respond with the word "education!"  A constant phrase used was "action" and "now."  Another technique used, was to say he was the audience's friend.  The government and the financial companys are the audience's enemy.  Also he took acomplex topics like, reading a stock chart or options trading, and make it into an easy money concept.  I've looked into trading options, it is complicated and risky.  Besides look at all the Yale and Harvard MBAs And PHDs on Wallstreet.  If they, with almost a decades worth of education ,decades of experince, and political connections, are ruining their company ( which are only solvent due to a government bailout).  What makes anyone think a three day course is going to make you a finacial guru.  Warren Buffet and Bill Gates have lost money in the economic downturn. 

It was an entertaining two hours. If anyone reading this post is serious about trading stocks, don't spend $500 on a three day course.  Create you own course, by spending 3 days reading articles on Yahoo Finanace. Yahoo has the information you need to know about: options, stock trading, reading stock charts, forex, derivatives, etc.  This way you still $500 to start trading with. The worst that can happen with yahoo, is you find out trading is not for you after a few hours.  You also get to keep your $500. 

The RichDad course may have made sense to take twenty five years ago, before the internet.  But today all the information you want to learn is online for free.  Besides, from reading the posts on this forum, the RichDad course is big hype and sales pitch, but low on actual stock trading information.  If you are in a desperate situation and want to take a course like RichDad's, sleep on it first.  Don't let the pitchman tell what to do.  Make your own decision.  And finally, answer yourself this question; If these people at RichDad make so much money from Stocks/Realestate, why do they spend so much of their valuable time trying to sell you a course?

Interesting posts! This summer I read and enjoyed the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad.  Recently, a friend and I were discussing concepts in the book when he shared with me that there was a free seminar coming to our area. I realize there will be a sales pitch to purchase books, etc. when you attend these kinds of seminars (which, other than perhaps a book on incorporating, I have no interest in spending money on - particularily spending $500 on a three-day event). Thus said, can anyone tell me if the two hour seminar itself is informative and worth attending?

Ken

     I just finished the second day of the 3 day course.  While I am quite displeased with the amount of time spent on sales.   I have learned a lot more than I knew about real estate.  I am at the basic level and have family and friends in real estate.  I took with me my mom, who has her license, but hasn't made any money with it yet.

     Between the sales pitch are some great examples of deals to use as guides as well as useful tidbits of information throughout.  There was also a few of the advanced training workbooks in the back of the room for viewing.  In those books I've gotten locations to find buyers and sellers as well as flow charts and steps to getting the deal done start to finish.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not sitting down with the books and copying the information, I'm sure they would freak over that, but during breaks and before/after class I would look at the books then go back to my seat and jot down notes.  If you focus on what material they do present and make available and use that later on, isn't the course worth it.  Even if all you get out of it is the drive to get to working on some deals and reading books or whatever, to fill in the blanks.

     Now I'm not satisfied by any means with the Rich Dad people or the overall quality of the 3-day course, but I plan to see a return on my investment one way or another.  I know that my thought process and actions I take in the near future are going to be different because I spent my weekend listening to their bogus sales pitch.

     It's all what you make of it people.  If you haven't paid for the course don't do it.  Follow the advise here and use a different method to get you going.  If you are taking it or already have, then by God, use something you picked up there to benefit yourself, even if it's malice.  At the worse you can stop someone else from going, exchange info and bam you've got a new business contact.  At the most you can apply something you learned or you apply a twist you picked up to something you already knew to make some money.

     Even though you may right me off, since I'm new to the market and haven't done a deal to make my money back from this yet, but I plan on it and I have a history of follow through.  Check with me later if your skeptical.  Tomorrow, I'm going to the class, zoning out during the sales pitches, passing out business cards to people that seem serious and shaking hands with the Rich Dad folks, thanking them for their time.

P.S. - I'm not arguing with you David, I understand your point and agree, just trying to shed a positive light on the situation.  I hope to cross paths with you in the market someday.

Ken, we got 3 basic strategies in the 2 hr event, might open your mind a little.  Small investment timewise for that and networking opportunities.  Just dont give any money like everyone says lol.

I came to this great Country when i was 13 years old. I did not have the opportunity to grow up wealthy. At the age of 27 learning the language better, I was given a book "Rich Dad Poor Dad", I then bought the board game one year latter and and played it; realizing how the game of life was really played. I had the courage in buying my first investment home i still own till this day. I cannot say how and what an impact Robert has had in my life. I now own 1 Hotel, 6 Main Street Buildings Commercial. 1 gas station, 30 single family residence, 3 mobile home parks. and I trade 2 million in the market for more cash flow. and I have to say I owe it all to Robert Kiyosaki. I'm now 38 years of age and worth something. Robert has one of the best sayings in this world " Cash Flow Will Set You Free" and it does work.

Thanks Jorge Cure

It is very interesting that the posts that are deffending the scam are the longest. A pesron happy with something woldn't spend that much time on explaining in such details what so great about ths course. I have seen other blogs with oposite oppenions where the disapointment generate much more energy to write.

it looks to me that Wealth intellegence academy has writters on staff.

Most people are numb!!!

The rich dad education is hosting several 2 hours seminar here in NM and I signed up for it becaseu I like Robert's book.   But their unethical business spractice is not acceptable. 

I am more frustrated why such practice is getting out of control, even for the big name business: Brain Tracy, Tony...  Making money is great, but  stealing is whole different thing!!!   Also, each of us take full responsibility not to fan such practice and become a victim...

The moral and emapthy need to be brought back to society, otherwise, this is a sick society and will only get sicker...

I went to the 2 hour in Honolulu and signed up for the 3 day.  I just called up the 800 number to get instructions on cancelling.  I had a nagging feeling and this confirmed it.

I just went to the 2 hour seminar last night because I love Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad book.  I agree with most everyone here that the Free seminar was a sales pitch and I knew that going in.  However, I still gain some valuable lessons from it and I do not regret going.  Sure, there were lots of sales pitches and they were really pushy in trying to persuade you in buying into their program.  You know what, they are trying to make money.  You may think it's wrong but go to any car dealers and they will try to sell you cars like that.  What I'm trying to say is what Kiyosaki is trying to say.  Use your most important asset!  Your Brain.  We are human beings that have the power to make judgements for ourselves.  I made the judgement that my $495 dollars and 3 days is not worth the investment when I can go to my local library and read free books based on some investment strategies they offered.  What they have done for me is to paint a picture of where I want to be at in the future.  The rest is up to me and my brain to decide how I want to get there.  Too many times in this country people are mad because they don't get a "step-by-step" way to get rich.  Get real people!!  The only step-by-step you follow is your brain giving you directions on what is right for YOU.  Please use some common sense and decide what is the best course for you to take.  I agree with the poster Ted above.  It is what you take out of it.  Personally, I still think Kiyosaki is pretty good because the fact is, he is rich, wether its through real estate or selling his success books.  There is more than one way to greatness.

In Roberrt mind:' Lady you are telling me that  you have great a idea for a book,but you are not sure if it is going to be a best seller one,Well you are right because best seller books are about best  selling and not about a great idea".

My Husband and I went to the 400.00 3 day seminar in Ocala Fl 1 year ago (2008).   I as his guest (so we had 2 for 1).      I took extensive notes, and we chose NOT to purchase classes. We did, after much haggling get them to sell us the computer program.         Moral of the story... we have charted our own course without Rich Dad education, used the information that we gleaned, and now have a (small) yet thriving real estate investment business.   We DID join a re investment group, and again take lots of notes reaping perles of wisdom from every available source.   Best education- LISTEN to other's  experience.  Copy what they do right, and avoid the things that they let you know were mistakes.   We have a small steady income that has afforded me to quit my day job, and get my real estate license in Fl.     Real estate investment  is NOT for get rich quick, or faint of heart. Follow your gut on ANYTHING that seems "too good to be real"... it probably is... but you CAN learn a bunch  if you really are willing to take lots of notes, read the books,  and listen.  good luck !! :)

Hello friends, I signed up for me & my husband to attend one of these 2 day seminars next week (oct 09) in Scottsdale. My schedule is very busy, so I am very glad to be warned about this! Thanks for everyone's post - now we won't have to waste 2+ hours of our day!!!

I just returned from taking the 3 day course in Charleston.

I want to learn and I am willing to spend the time and money for it.

However, when I feel like I have stepped into a world of people promoted out of the time-share pool ....the red flags glow bright. If you haven't been sucked into a timeshare sales pitch, you're lucky...they are painful.

Anyway, the instructor point blank asked me about my hesitation in signing up. There were 2-3 people witnessing the conversation, but by the time we finished talking there were about 15 people. I presume everyone wanted to know the same thing I did....if you're so great, why don't you want me to have anytime to think about it? I was told that I had 3 days to cancel so what was the problem? My response is that I don't need three days to cancel because I won't be signing up today.

I told them I wanted to do my on research on the company. They immediately told me there would be bad things on the net, because only the disgruntled people bother to post. I was very honest. I told them I wasn't looking for negative information, I wanted to find positive info....I want what they are selling. I just need to know you are going to deliver.

Unfortunately, there is not much good to find. Thanks to all for the warnings.

I am absolutely amazed at those on here who think they got something out of this 3 day scam.  Either, you are a plant from the Rich Dad folks, or you have no clue about business to begin with.  I did not go to this seminar seeking a "get rich quick" scheme, I went there to launch my own business.  I attended the free seminar and was told that we would do the following:

Put together my business plan - what a joke this was, "My Business Plan" turned out to be a bunch of physchobable such as "I will do what it takes to launch my business", "I will receive further education", "I will become a millionaire."  Can anyone on here actually justify this as a "Business Plan?"  Exactly which bank can I take these four pages of crap to and get a loan for my business?  This was their "Business Plan" that they were going to help us write?  Wow - totally ridiculous.

Next, at the free seminar we were told we were going to learn the "right way" to build a website.  I already have experience building websites, so I thought maybe I would learn something here that I wasn't doing correctly - Nope - just the basic overview again, and oh, if you want to learn more take the advanced training class on e-commerce. 

Then there was the mission statement for my business - they didn't offer any help here either.  The didn't tell us what should be in the mission statement other than focus on the customer - duh!  Did anyone really not know that businesses should focus on the customer?  Then again, if I wanted to learn more take the advanced training.

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that I spent $495 to attend a 3 day sales pitch brilliantly designed as and "educational seminar."  What finally did it for me and made me super angry was the comment on the second day stating that anyone who criticizes this 3 day training was just out looking for a get rich quick scheme.  No, that is not what I was looking for - I was looking for more information than I already had in my brain about starting my business.  I was looking for things like building the perfect business plan, how to approach venture capitalists and angel investors with a proposal, how to build a website that was different from what I already knew.  I did not expect a get rich quick scheme, and wasn't looking for one - I was looking for a legitimate educational training seminar which would help me launch MY BUSINESS!  Oh, but if you want that, you have to pay for "Advanced Training" at a ridiculously high cost.  Sorry, but go take a Business 101 course in a community college and you will most likely learn more, and it won't break the bank.  I thought they would teach me more than I learned in business classes.  They didn't teach me a damn thing, and on top of that, I was teaching people at my table more than the "teacher" (and I use that term loosly). 

So for all those who say, "what did you expect for $495" my answer is simple - I expected what they promised at the free seminiar.  They did not deliver.  Instead I paid them $495 to listen to a 3 days sales pitch with a tiny bit of information wrapped around it to make the more naive think it was "educational."  I truly feel sorry for those who bought into this and purchased advanced training - I didn't go to purchase more "training" I went for the originaly promised training which was well short of being delivered. 

So how do we do something about this scam?  Contact your local media, go to their "free seminars" and pass out flyers alerting the unsuspecting of what is really going on, go to the 3 day training and do the same; because posting on here, while it is a nice place to vent, is really getting us nowhere is it?  All that is going to happen is that their own "plants" will be on here telling us how great this seminar is, and how the rest of us (who are enlightened) are just angry because we were expecting something for nothing - NOTHING?  I spent money on this.  I spent money for a sales pitch - usually I'm more savvy to these scams, which is why I'm so damn mad that I got duped this time.  I'm calling Dateline...

I just attended the 3 day basic training. The reason the posts defending the "scam" are longer is that they have substance. David's argument against them..."...thank you for your comments. They are wrong..." Wow. Deep. It is, in my "wrong" and humble opinion, a disservice to tell people already strugling to invest in real estate blindly instead of investing in whatever education they can get. Even if they don't come out of there knowing what Trump knows, they'll be better equiped to handle the business. If real estate is as easy as you say (david), then they'll make their money right back and no harm will have come from the trainings. Does that make logical sense?

I didn't buy the classes because i don't have the money because I've spent a lifetime doing everything wrong financially. Honestly, i think I can go out and invest without them. I'll follow David's plan. However after talking to some of the people that attended the 3 day training i would NEVER send them out to invest on their own.  I know you'll just say that I'm wrong and I'm an idiot for buying into their "sales tactics" and that I should just give YOU the money if I want to throw it away, but I had to speak my mind. Not everyone is already a real estate profesional like you, so any bit of education helps.

On my way to the 3 day deal here in Fl. Yup, i expect to be "offered" the more expensive/extensive classes and services, but hell, for $500, and not knowing a tidbit about buying and selling real estate; I'm willing to go for it. Perhaps it will help me figure out if i would like to pursue  more formal grooming. eg. Real estate school. Day trading has opened doors for me to venture out and find other opportunities, and its by not listening to all of the negativity that most folks pound in our ears that i'm able to do this. Plus, well... to be continued.

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Appreciate the posts the folks took time to write.  A myriad of perspectives are presented.  I am going to the 2-hr free seminar today, thanks to Yahoo's online tracking intelligence, and I have been well warned.  I think it's fair to say that people who cannot afford to pay cash for their "education", should think twice before borrowing money to pay for an one.  But in an American economy that is based on borrowing money for everything under the sun, my previous statement is just wasted breath.

I have recently read RK's Rich Dad Poor Dad book, and I highly recommend it to everyone not for how to make millions but personal reflection.  He offers a very insightful perspective on the 2 kinds of lives with respect to money that most people lead.  Those who work for money, and the much smaller percentage who got to a point in life where their money works for them.  We absolutely need both kind of people to make the world go around.  Perhaps the greatest flaw in his premise is that EVERYONE can be rich, if they only have the know-how and the heart to pursue wealth.  (That's like saying anyone can make it to the Olympics or Carnegie Hall if they just have the want to.)  Imagine if RK employs no one who works for money in his many enterprises?  Given the high unemployment number today, I think we are all grateful that there are employers (rich dads), and hopefully many more could be minted and provide jobs to those who do need them.  Don't you just feel terrible for the "instructors" they hire to go out and pitch the Rich Dad's way while they are all working for money?  Quite ironic.  Perhaps one of RDPD seminar's problem is that they did not and could not possibly achieve the standard of quality that McDonald achieved with their burger stands.  Great teachers are like rich dads, there are very few of them out there.  RK perhaps should not have employees out there teaching his seminars; they are not rich dads (not even his well educated poor dads) but poor employees who work for a living.  Wrong messengers.

Earth to RDPD Central, perhaps you could consider going to the Basic Youth Conflict Seminar once and gleam some wisdom about seminars there, http://iblp.org/iblp/seminars/basic/  I first went to that seminar in 1980 where Bill Gothard taught me his understanding of the fundamental principles governing life and it totally changed my perspective and set my single life and later married life and now family life on a different course.  I went again in 2004, it's the exact same seminar but in video format: same teacher, same illustrations and same jokes.  I was so blessed to be reminded of those same truth again and encouraged to live wisely.  One of these is about "Gaining Financial Freedom".  He claims that freedom is not doing what we want to but doing what we ought to.

In response to TKT Maryland.  I was trying to keep my original post short, but I did get my $495 dollars worth of education.  No doubt about it.  

My problem was that the course was only taught 30% of the time, and the other 70% was selling.  I spent 3 days at this seminar, and I didn't get value for 3 days time.  I also didn't get enough education to warrant the travel and lodging expenses to attend 3 days and no to mention the absence from work.

If they offered this as a one day course and did a hard sell at the end, I may have went for it.  As it was, I was afraid to sign up for additional classes where they would spend the MAJORITY of the time trying to sell me the next class.

Thank God I read this post! Thanks David, thanks everybody. To hell with scams, guess there are no shortcuts in life. Live and learn guys, live and learn. I'll save my time for reading books rather than attend their agenda driven seminar tomorrow.

thanks once again guys, active rain rocks!

SCAM or NO SCAM!

I have always made it a habbit to learn from anything that happens around me.

I have never "attended" any of the seminars (so I haven't lost any money), I just download a few of his movies and books. If it agrees with my mindset I accept it, if not I don't.

I am a real estate agent and investor who tagged along an acquaintance to the $500 3 day course. I really wanted to see if the course had good information. I only went to day 2. Almost the entire morning was spent on selling the advanced courses. These advanced courses focus on creative financing strategies and the instructor never goes into detail except that they are streams of income. The "textbook" is the catalog of advanced classes! Each page was a different advanced class which would supposedly equal a new stream of income. No real knowledge was given.

Several other hours were spent on playing the Cashflow game. In the game, the instructor showed off his abilities to finance creatively. On a property in the game that had a market value range of 300k to 350k and currently selling for 300k with a needed 30k down payment - he would borrow the 300k to buy the property, borrow the 30k down payment and borrow 50k of equity by assuming the property is worth the max market value! He didn't pay a single game dollar to obtain the property and still came out with 50k of equity in cash for "other deals"! Everyone was amazed. When I politely asked him if that was possible in real life, he looked immediately irritated. He then made numerous indirect references to me while teaching the afternoon lesson about how people should not listen to "negative people" which was me.

The instructor hooks you with these amazing ways to profit enormously on real estate deals whereas many of these methods cannot work or will not work.

The instructor said he drives an Aston Martin and a Bentley and makes $1 million a year. Sounds like crap to me.

gullible yanks ha ha ha ha what do you exect where you all born yesterday Robert Kiyosaki is iconic you think he works for nothing

We have saved 30K to start our dream of investing in real estate, but after losing out on several deals mere hours after the properties we listed and meeting with a commercial banker that basically said it doesn't matter how good your credit is, if you can't bring 30% to the table you aren't getting a loan I have been feeling a little discouraged.  When I say the seminar I immediately signed up thinking that this was just what I needed to get off the ground and maybe learn the inside knowledge that I am convinced has me missing out on opportunities . . .I sure am glad I decided to do some due diligence.  I am sure I would have thought that training was worth $500, but now I can keep my money.  I am not sure if the free stuff is worth the 2 hours of pain I will have to endure at the seminar.  Thank you all!

I submitted my experience regarding the free 2 hour seminar a few days ago and it didn't post. What happened?

I went to the free workshop on stock trading in Fort Lauderdale last night. The presenter provided lots of basic information to give us a taste of what we would learn in the workshop if we signed up. It sounded really good, and since I have read most of Robert Kyosaki's books, watched his PBS specials, and belong to a Cashflow 101 group, I did not hesitate to hand over my credit card and sign up for the $495 seminar. However, after reading these posts, as well as those on other sites, I will be requesting a refund today. All of these people can't be wrong! Thank you for sharing your experiences.

David,

I Have a Seminar section, section that its being done every Friday. Right out side My Business. I Can Hear Them Talk of Type Of B/S.  And In 7+ Month they all still In the Rat Race. I Will Tell The Landlord about the Annoying Noises they make and get them out.

I went to the $495 seminar, knowing that there will be a hard sell. But half the people in there did not know. Half the people in there couldnt do basic math for the matter. I wouldnt say it was a scam. Take it for what it is. They give you a taste of what you can learn from the advanced training. I truly think you will get something out of the $495 seminar, but dont rely on it to make you an expert.

You have to hand to RichDad, they know how to put a pitch together and market their stuff.

People just have to do their due diligence. I did my research knowing that they were going to ask you to increase your credit to pay for the courses, but again half the people in there didnt know.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET RICH QUICK. Just keep that in mind. Unfortunately this prays on people who do not do their due diligence and people who are hard on their luck. Out of their job thinking this will save them. If you are down on your luck, spending $50K will probably dig yourself in a deeper whole. Who knows after you pay $50K learn the skill, maybe you will get the returns.

Has anyone taken the advanced training? How about feedback on the advanced training? Maybe the advanced training is worth it and that the tactics they use are just not appreciated.

Hey guys and girls,

I just attended the 2 hour free seminar. Wow this guy can market. First of all they say that Robert Kiyoski is coming and presenting and then after they tell you that he can't make it. Then the person who is presentiing has the whole power point personalized to his stories.... something seems fishy. I almost bought into it.

Thanks to all of you I am not paying my $500. thanks a lot guys it is very good that you post up these things to protect us from fraud and appear sincere. I hope others don't get scamed.

Thanks

I'm sorry, but I could go away to a University for 4 years, live in a dorm, be taught by various professors with Masters Degrees and PHD's for less than the $65,000 series of Rich Dad Education seminars.

These seminars are all high pressure sales pitches.  Remember those time share seminars anyone??  Rich Dad, Russ Whitney and Donald Trump all use the same tactics (like raising your credit limit to pay for their classes).  Do me a favor and Google a credit card APR calculator.  Input $65,000 at 10% for 10 years... it comes to $844 a month with a total of $101,225 (with interest)!  Ouch! 

I too enjoyed the Rich Dad books... that is until I attended the free 2 day seminar.  I lost all respect for the man after this seminar.  When you reread his books (after realizing the scam) you will see how you are constantly told you need a "financial education".  When he talks about his businesses he makes no mention of his education business, just his oil wells, gold mines, real estate, etc.  I also realized that I was sick of hearing how "well off" he was.  And by the way... there was no Rich Dad and Poor Dad... that's just something he created to make an interesting story.

I was suckered into buying the $495 three day seminar, however I cancelled it within the 3 days once I realized what it was going to be... a 2 day sales pitch with "maybe" one day of substance.  At least in college you know what you are paying for... here they are deceptive, manipulative and unethical.

Everyone is free to do what they want, but I would strongly recommend staying away from Rich Dad.  If he's so rich and his methods work so well... why would he teach it?  Why would his employees work for him rather than just "investing in real estate"?  He also talks about how bad stocks are yet he also offers a whole series of stock seminars for the same overblown prices.

Robert... you lost all my respect.  You are in it 100% for yourself.  You are yet another example of what is wrong with this country.  Is there a way to get rich WITHOUT scamming people in the process?  I am looking for that formula. 

Best of luck to those paying off your new $100,000 debt.

I live in England & just got a call from Corry who said Robert had asked to call me.Corry took a long time to tell me where he actually was based(Salt House City)

Corry said in was in  a 'passive aggressive relaxed state'.I then asked him just to cut to the chase. and just tell me want to do and the next step.But he was more interested in reading from his script and filling in the boxes on his computer screen.

The call was at 6:20 pm GMT and i wasn't asked if it was a good time to speak.

They should get their daddy to teach them some manners & also get some telephone training.

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Below is a letter we sent to Rich Dad.  It was well after the 3 day cancellation grace period that our state law allows.  I tell you and share this with you because we got out of it.  Got all $26k back.  Every penny!  If whoever is reading this made the same mistake we did, forgive yourself, have faith that you can get out and go for it.  This is the last time we do anything foolish like this again.  And the funny thing is we are smart people with 9 years of college who just happened to get caught at a time in life where we were looking to do something different.  Incidentally, just today we had 2 charges for the software system run through by WIA.  They refunded the software but today they charged us for 2 months use.  So they will be refunding this as well. I hope this helps others to be more careful and 

Wealth Intelligence Academy

Resolution Department

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter today to seek a full refund for money spent on ******, 2009 at a training in *******on ******* 2009.  The total I am seeking is $26,089.09 which I paid to you via 2 credit cards ($11,250 on each) and a personal check in the amount of $3589.09.  I feel I have been deceived by a bait and switch scheme.  I will detail the facts that have led me to this conclusion:

1.  First of all, after attending the free initial 2 hour seminar, we thought we’d be learning actual real estate information during the 3-day seminar, which we paid $500 for.  We did not.  We received bits and pieces that cannot prepare us to accomplish a profitable real estate deal.  We were disappointed that we’d have to spend more money to get “advanced training”.  But we decided to do just that.

2.  When deciding which program we wanted to buy, we relied on information provided to us by our instructor, Alan S.  He would continually say throughout the 3 day seminar “the mentor is the key”.  He described how the mentor would “look over your shoulder” and help you along the way.  He said there’s no risk involved when you have a mentor there to help you every step.  He said the mentor would help us make deals that were done correctly and that there is no risk in a deal done correctly.  Then, just before it was time to sign up and pay, he said that because this was such a small group of people, he would offer to be a mentor as well.  So, we’d be getting 2 mentors for the price of one.  He said he cannot do that for all the classes he teaches but because ours was small, he’d offer us that. ( I have come to find out that he does offer it to all classes he teaches).  He said we would be able to email him and he’d get back to us within a few days because the emails would have to go through the company first.   I have tried to email Alan Swails by the email address provided by him.  My emails have gone unanswered.  He told us a testimony of a lady who was a waitress, single mom.  She bought the mentor program, and he was her second mentor, and the mentors walked her through 52 real estate transactions in 52 weeks.  She was able to move into a house of her own and enroll her kids in private school because of it.  Yet he will not even return our emails. 

3.  We were told by Alan S. that we could buy the program that day and attend the first advanced training class.  If, during the first day of the first class, we were not satisfied and it wasn’t what we thought it would be, we could walk up to the instructor before the end of the first day and tell him/her that.  We were told we could get our money back at that point.  He kept saying there was “zero risk involved” in signing up for advanced training because we had that out.  We bought the program with that in our mind.  That we could get out, if we chose, before finishing the first day of the first advanced training class.

4.  Then we get a sales call from a guy named Kevin on 9/4/09 at 3:10 pm CST.  He tried to upsell us to a “coaching program”.  We were surprised because we thought we already had a coaching program.  It turns out that we did not.  We just had a “mentor program” which apparently involved a “mentor” coming up to our town for 3 days to teach us.  We were told on 9/4/09 that we had no other access to the mentor.  Well, we did not know that.  We thought someone would be there with us “looking over our shoulder” and helping us put together successful deals, as well as coming to our hometown for 3 days.  We were disheartened when Kevin called to upsell us and we have yet to receive ANYTHING from the company in regards to education. 

5.  We feel the “mentor program” was misrepresented to us by Alan S.  According to the Advanced Training Course Catalog given to us on *****, 2009 in ****** by Alan S., the mentor program page (page 36) mentions nothing about a 3-day trip to our hometown by the mentor.  It just details how the mentor will take us step-by-step through the system of evaluation and buying/controlling cash flow properties.  He also told us to get started on the on-demand trainings as soon as possible, trying to watch them multiple times before attending a live event.  It made sense to us to do that to be more familiar with the material that would be presented at the live training.  Well, we now know that he said this because it would null and void any refund if we attended online classes before the live event.  Since we have not taken any courses, live or online, we should be entitled to a full refund.

6.  Another misrepresentation by Alan S. that occurred during the 3-day training…he said the software subscription would not be activated until we called and gave WIA the credit card number to charge the monthly fee to.  I do not trust that this is the case and do not want any further charges whatsoever placed on either credit card or my checking account.  WE WISH TO CANCEL OUR SUCCESS SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

We have completely lost faith with this company.  We no longer want to do business with the company.  I contacted WIA on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 to ask for a refund.  They have said there are no refunds whatsoever and to write this letter to the resolutions department.  I have filed a dispute with the 2 credit card companies due to us not receiving what we were led to believe we were getting.  I am asking for a full refund in the amount of $26,089.09.  I have taken no advanced training classes yet or have not received any other resources by WIA.  Therefore it can be a clean break.  

First, we believe in the Rich Dad Poor Dad books that Robert Kiyosaki. We have followed his teachings takinga a duplex 7 years ago into a 256 unit porfolio of 3 large apartment complexes. Thank you - Robert.

Now the truth about these so called Rich Dad seminars where Robert is not in attendance. We the faithful signed up for this seminar .. paid our $495 for the class. On the first day they pass out a workbook..."Its blank" they tell you they want you to take note to learn more? OK? but from their there they continue the car sales approach to making money. You are "EST" and told more than 3 hundred times to take more clases ... and if you sign up during the 3 day event you recieve a huge discount. So the cost of the full blown education including a mentor is .. are you ready $40,000.00. WHAT a bargin! I have to tell you honestly .. you would be much better off buying the books and sitting down and reading for 3 days. Yes - you will have to buy your own lunch. But thats a good thing since the first day of the seminar they did not provide lunch until close to 2:00. All in an effort to break you down. Robert needs to go back to his roots .. clearly the goal is nolonger to help people but to selll .. sell.. sell product. Please, please don't fall for these so called seminars. Get the books read them and get rich.. o" and tell Robert to get back to his roots.

"TRUMP U" DOES THE SAME THING. AND BE CAREFUL OF ANY OF THE LONG-WINDED POSTS ON THIS PAGE THAT ATTEMPT TO RATIONALIZE THESE SCAMS -- OFTEN, THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE SCAMMERS.

I just came back from the free 2-hour seminar that was offered locally, so I'll share what I've actually learned.

What they try to get you to do first is to think, what you would do if money was not an issue. Then they get you into the mentality to convince yourself into buying (whether it be your first or your next) property in 90 days. The key to do so is being able to recognize Opportunity and having the Knowledge to do so and to be able to take Action. A lot of emphasis on "now" and "TAKE ACTION NOW."

Here's some relavent material you will learn (or what they have you take notes on):

Rules:

1. Rich don't use thier own money (a. Use Other Peoples Inactive Underused Money or b. Go into Debt)
2. There's a solution to every problem
3. Rich understand tax law
4. Rich creates wealth with creativity
5. Work to learn- Don't work for money

What are the money sources available to retail market:

1. Partnership
2. Seller Finance
3. Equit Line
4. Hard money loan

Cashflow solutions on Commercial Properties:

1. Raise Rents
2. Refinance better rates
3. Charge the user
4. Deferred payments

Exit Strategies for making money on private home property (he only discussed 3 out of said 5 that was in Kiyosaki's philosophies and I assume the rest are available through the paid courses):

1. Whole-saling property ($5k net cash)
2. Fix-Up and Rent (Cashflow = (Rent - Mtg Pymt - Expenses))
3. Fix-up, keep, rent, and leverage = use the monthly positive cashflow to leverage/buy a second mortgage and use the purchased debt to put into other RE opportunities.

About Foreclosures:

1. Pre-foreclosure
2. Auction
3. Real Estate Option (R.E.O.)

Now take everything I've written here, describe as broadly as you can in your own words, and then insert "And what do you need to do to learn more about this? That's right, ACT NOW. How? RICHDAD ACADEMY." For every bullet-point / summary numbering I've used. Insert also case study scenarios of purchased and sold properties and family anecdotes of the speaker's experience, to stretch it out to 2-2.5 hours. You can see from this list that if you're already IN the realestate business, you don't need to pay $500 to learn more about what you see here. You can spend the same amount of time reading on how without spending the money. If you have 3 days and $500 to waste learning a little more about financing, networking with other RE peers and getting a little entertainment out of playing the money game, I'm sure you get what you paid for.

What's good about the RICH DAD seminars is that it gets you excited and motivated to start if it's your cup of tea. If not, at least for me, it was a 2 hour seminar on what creative ways another person turned their financial problems around. I did not buy into the $500 training course and I don't intend to. I just wanted to see if I'd learn something about buying a house because that's what I wanted to do in the near future. I was a little disappointed that the model of financial success the RICHDAD seminars illustrate only work if you perpetuously continue buying, refinancing, and selling real estate. Since that isn't what I'm ready for or intend on, I was able to walk away knowing that there's some good tips on how to buy property in real estate, but not through buying "knowledge."

About the 3 day course.  I have just competed my 2nd day.

Yesterday, the information I learned about rentals, the logic associated with renting practices as taught there tonight, simpy saved me a $140K mistake. 

I have a degree.  I have been a skilled professional all my life, with masseive training, mentors and success.  But never financial success.  I have never seen any one play it safe and make any money of consequense.  I have  diverse group of friends.  Some poor, some doing the dream, and other who are finacially independent.  The wealthy ones, switched tactics from the traditional American Method of making a living, took risks, won, failed, won, etc, and now live quietly, making an impact on those who they believe they can have an impact on.

Simply put: I can choose to do what everyone else has been doing, what I have been doing for 25 years (which makes me look wealthy, but I live from check to check), or I can switch tactics.  Numbers do not lie.  The numbers I was shown are not massaged.  The formulas are the same, just applied differently.  It was the out of the box thinking that was new. 

Was I looking for a miracle? No. Was I cautious of a scam? Yes. The techniques presented do work, are legal, ethical, and I would say morally ok.  It is just a matter of how open are you or I to looking at something in a new & different way.

If you cannot hear, does that mean that sound does not exist?  I'm signing up. 

Michael

I felt the course was a bit of a con, but overall it taught me a valuable lesson.  You get out of something what you put in.  

During the course the instructor gave us homework to bring in the paper and locate motivated sellers.  I was one of 3 people in the room who even thought about the assignment. (really, you will bitch about a 500 dollar class but still not do the homework?) And it opened my eyes to the market in mobile homes.  Later that day I called the motivated seller and toured his mobile home.  I did not purchase the deal because the association would not technically allow rentals (even though the owner rented the unit when he first moved in).  However it got me looking and gave me the confidence to go into a real estate office and talk to a realtor about my strategy.  

This supposed villain of a seminar leader even gave me pointers about specific pitfalls in the mobile home transactions he had completed.  He was very impressed that I took the initiative, and I was impressed with myself.  

Fast Forward 11 months later.  I saved up money for a downpayment.  And because of those extra credit cards I applied for during the program (but never rang up junk on) my credit score improved.  I even got offers through my bank to get 0% on balance transfers for a year.  I took 10k on these terms for a 3% fee and am using that to supplement my downpayment or to complete repairs on an investment property.  Really being smart about credit is not just about buying more courses. 

I've picked a good realtor, and have multiple offers out on 4 plexes that will cash flow in a nice area less than 2 miles from my home.  

The key is getting into the market, finding a mortgage broker who will explain things, and finding a competent real estate broker.  Most RE agents are just puppets who sell single family homes for a national agency.  I found a great real estate broker who has a lot of experience, and he has taught me more about my local market and real estate in general than these 3 day courses can.  

I had a realtor try and steer me away from the 4 plex strategy, because their expertise was in single family homes.  I realized she was not a good fit and we have moved on.  The other realtor listened to my plan and explained the general areas of town with 4 plex development, and where I could be comfortable investing with my situation.  Each person I meet and conversation I have is teaching me about real estate.   

The courses are all about getting the balls to take action.  I got the balls, and I feel like the course was not a rip off.  If anything I am ripping off the RE agent and mortgage broker who are such good teachers and business partners.  Rich Dad teaches you what you need to get started and his coaching/ seminars are there to get you moving.  Some people require the full shock of 90k to make them comfortable to jump in while others just need to read rich dad poor dad.

If you are serious about real estate investing then talk to professionals and learn your local market, It's easy and builds your confidence/ knowledge.  Dont blame Robert Kiyosaki for not making you an overnight millionaire.

What you pay for is motivation.  You earn money through action not educational seminars.

wow! so much emotion...all i hear is fear. so much emotion around money! We should be focusing on desire and dreams. not how much it cost (scarcity mentality). I don't have and conventional education. didn't graduate high school to be more precise. but what i have learned is that when you choose desire over fear,dreams will manifest.

i have read most of rkseries as well as others. from that i have taken the best of ideas and applied them to my ventures. some of your bloggers said education is worthless unless followed by action. i think it is this action requirement that causes people to make excuses, i.e. this price is ridicules and information is lacking. this way there is no failure. truth be known there is no success without failure.

i have spent close to 30kin seminars over the past five years and 0 dollar's in conventional academia. my personal growth  in these five years has been exponential. if not for these investments, i have no doubt this same change would have taken a lifetime; if at all!

my company now employs cpa's, real estate agents, lawyers and contractors. and i only just begun. the subject of money creates alot of emotion usually from people who don't have it.

manifest your dream without fear and show up in this world. we are waiting for you.  

Went to the free session.  Felt like I was in a Pentacostal church, and they were waiting for me to come forward.  If this guy is really making tens of millions on a land contract, why is he here on a Saturday morning in a room full of people who do not even know what real estate is?  Come on.  This is complete BS.  I walked out when he told us that he could put the $495 back in our pocket if we brought our spouse to the training.  Hello?  What do I look like?

There were a couple of tidbits of wisdom, but I smell a bad deal a good ways off. 

It is your money.  If you have it to spare, and are planning to buy lotto tickets, go for it.  If not, GO TO COLLEGE.  It IS a great investment.  I promise.

Wow, this thing has a silly "person checker" entry and it doesn't save what you've typed.. that's crap. I'm not going to spend my time rewriting everything.

I will just say this: if you really feel that this is a scam, start a class action lawsuit. If there are hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of persons who paid for an apple and were given apple seeds, or pears, or nothing at all.. then I do believe there are these things called LAWS that protect them. Why not try that? Would that actually affect change, maybe..? Possibly?

Would that not help people who got scammed to get their money back?

Would that not help get the word out about the scam?

Would that not help stop this particular group of scammers?

No, I'm probably just completely out of my mind.

I have read 3/4ths of this page, and yes the above comment is mine.. I've come back thinking maybe someone would have told me I'm "just one of those lawsuit happy people" or somehow make me out to be inferior.

Anyway to the poster. "Michael C", and to everyone else.. if you buy a mobile home you CAN rent it. Legal mumbo jumbo and what is actually happening are two different things. Here's the deal, put the mobile home into a company, LLC for example, and make a "renter" a memeber of that "company". For a fee, members of the company are allowed to utilize company property as they wish. Hence there is no rental agreement.

It is a little more complex than that and you should certainly do your homework. Really my point here is that I am really fed up with the internet. ALL it is these days are a bunch of scammers, or negative comments that are uninformed, and hardly ANYBODY actually gives any real information about ANYTHING. It is ludicrous.

You want traffic? You want to actually be someone and help others? Put in the work to actually provide information, don't just come to a blog, website or forum and talk about how someone is a scam artist, or someone is the real deal, back it up. Provide REAL information. Start a website to help people find work - and not just another stamped out POS to try to "scam" people out of their money.

Maybe in a blog such as this it would be a good idea to compare and contrast. For example, instead of just calling out Robert as a scam artist (maybe he is, maybe he isn't I don't know) why not go ahead and SHARE some of that "REAL" real estate information with people. You say things like, just go out and spend your money on an actual property. OK! Except.. that's ignorant. It is ignorant because you aren't providng any information. None. Zero.

If you're really a real estate genius, then why not go ahead and do things like quote what is taught in the books or seminars and provide your own USEFUL information on how you feel it should be done and why. Then explain where the seminar or book is lacking by comparison.

Provide some real life examples, if possible. The internet is filled with total BS and I for one am quite tired of it. As far as I'm concerned 99% of the internet, including this very blog, is trash due to the lack of real information.

Are you afraid of being sued for making comments divulging the "teachings" of the seminars? How are they going to find out the post exists? How are they going to find out you made the post? Were you required to sign an NDA?

Although the information I provided regarding renting a mobile home is not by itself the key to the city allowing you all to run out purchasing mobile homes to "rent", it does actually provide SOMETHING. Every post I've read here provides NOTHING. See? I compared and contrasted, although lazily because I didn't quote people and turn it into a proper debate. But that's not why I'm here.

I'm here because I, like millions of Americans, am now unemployed. I've searched for work, struggled with trying to collect unemployment at all, tried to reach out to co-workers, friends, family. I've looked all over the internet for REAL ways to make money. Tried to find GOOD information. Know what I find? BS like this blog.

I've been an IT professional for 10 years. I am the guy that comes to your desk to setup Outlook, help you manage your email, clean viruses off your computer after you foolishly downloaded some junk, setup new systems, fix the tape backups, create your AD & email accounts, change your name when you get married, fix the printer, install your scanner. I think you get the idea.

Even while handling my job, when I look for REAL information about REAL problems do you know what I find more than anything? More CRAP. Fake antivirus programs. BS automated websites that "magically fix all your problems".

Marketing is to blame for this largely, I know, but it'd be really nice if for the first time in my life that when I went out to find REAL information on.. I don't know.. ANYTHING.. that it could actually be found without having to index half the damn internet.

Heck, for all I know this blog could easily be nothing more than a marketing ploy to slander others because their own business is being hurt by them (Rich Dad). It could be that Rich Dad IS a scam. How would I know? There's little to NO information here leading me to believe either are true.

I've recently got my feet wet with internet marketing. Almost every single time I research a product, or niche market, you know what comes up in Google? "x scam" I.E. "Rich Dad education scam", "money maverick scam", "work at home scam", "blah blah blah scam", "college education scam", "unemployment myths", etc.

Who the heck knows what is real and what isn't any more? The internet is the MISinformation super highway, spiraling us all ever further toward ignorance, paranoia and eventually annihilation.

My suggestion is that the next time you feel the need to write a blog, buy a domain, create a website, write a post, or even open your mouth to speak to anybody.. make sure you have something to communicate that actually has value in the first place. Else, just shut up.

Dan, while you do have some good things to say, I will say this:

1.  I don't listen to advice from unemployed people.

2. This so called "website" you suggest we start that quotes and compare what is in a book with what is really going on is already out there.  Why reinvent the wheel?

and 3.  You're a loser. 

Dan, while you do have some good things to say, I will say this:

1.  I don't listen to advice from unemployed people.

2. This so called "website" you suggest we start that quotes and compare what is in a book with what is really going on is already out there.  Why reinvent the wheel?

and 3.  You're a loser. 

Rich Dad is a scam to most of the bloggers, but I disagree. I didn't approve of the hard selling on day 2, but everything else was good and encouraging. I agree that it was too expensive, and that the same money and time could have been used in reading good books and taking less expensive courses. It wasn't enough trainning, but a start.

But I'm glad that I went, it opened my mind to many possibilities and improved my quality of life in the 3days. I'm motivated not just in real estate, to improve my net worth. There are many other avenues on which to turn to, in the process of becoming financially strong. And the 3day courses encourages these notions. I was able to network at the end, and have develop a good relationship with 4other students of the course. We have setup times to play the CASHFLOW GAME every week, and so far it has been fun and at the same time educational.

I do recommend going to the 3day training course, if you have the money to spend. But know that everybody is different, and there are precious info that can be obtain do to attending these meetings. It may not change you, but there is a possibility, it will. I don't think it's necessary to go the advance training, unless your serious, and again have the money. I believe that we must continue our education, and the 3day course will help, it's a start.

I've read as much as I could and my conclusions are as follows:

1. The philosophy of RD-PD can be more fully (and less costly) appreciated in the form of used books by endorsers of RK and RK himself.

2. While enticing, the circuit of workshops is really a marketing strategy to harvest as many high-paying "students" as possible.

3. We all have to be vigilant of savvy up-selling that can border on giving nothing for our hard-earned monies. A value buyer/investor logic would tell you don't shell out the monie for abstracts. On the contrary, buy cheap sell dear, which is quite the opposite of the scenario that these workshops present.

4. Most dangerously, some public figures have gotten into the name-branding business - example given, Mr. Donal Trump - who put their name on costly ventures only to get paid and walk if anything goes wrong. This appears to be a recent tendency. I will only recall Trump's pullout from two high profile development proyects: one in Puerto Rico and another one in Baja California, Mexico.

5. I enjoy playing with sharks - aka moguls - but I will not enter a tank alongside them without first studying their behaviour, temperments and being properly suited myself.

My only real reccomendation is self-growth by trial and error. The age-old method of building something out of nothing. Good luck to all.

I have read every post on here and only have a couple of things to say.  I do not know whether RD/PD is a scam or not, depends on the individual.  If I made a million dollars after paying 90,000 I probably would be happy.  I have attended many seminars ranging from free to over $9000 and have come away both satisfied and scammed at times.  I do not work for anyone in the seminar business but one that I do recommend is the James Smith Real Estate company.  I attended one of their 3 day seminars and paid around 2400 dollars for it.  I was taught by Justin Smith, son of James, and came away quite impressed.  Not just hype!

My own experience in Real Estate investing is that I have had a half million dollars in the bank and had 51 properties...I proceeded to lose it all.  Won't get into the gory details but will suggest that anyone pursuing RE investing do find  some sort of mentor, aka someone that is doing it themselves.  Most RE agents do not know anything about the investing aspect so be careful.  Excuse me for jumping around a bit, I would not discourage anyone from real estate investing, do some homework, read a lot of books on the subject, find an investment club, but most of all learn your particular market!!!!  Hire professionals who deal with this type of investing regularly such as attorneys for your contracts, brokers to help find properties, good RE tax consultants (CPA's or Attorneys).  Learn some creative real estate techniques, yes property can be bought with no money down, both in a good way for you and a bad way.  Bottom line is you make money when you BUY and hire competent advisors...their worth their weight in gold. 

I want to say that I love the series of books by Robert Kiyasaki, whether he made the dads up or not.  They at least teach you to change your mindset.  However, I have to say that I would not pay that much money for some of their seminars...Example 40,000 unless you intend to act and take some responsibility in your own learning as well.  I am sitting next to a library of books and tapes that I have paid over 30,000 dollars for (including some seminar costs in that) and I would not get rid of any of them...even the bad ones.  They all have provided some valuable lessons for me.

Currently I am getting back into the real estate investing arena with my 15 year old son...who attended the James Smith seminar with me at the age of 13.  He wants to rehab houses and I am very confident we will do well this time around.

It is what you make of it...the host is right in some respect that yes you can just get in the game and learn.  Take that 40 to 60,000 dollars and buy your first house or duplex...that is all it may cost in some areas where I live.  You will still need to learn about real estate management...and the local government..some tend to be not investor friendly!  Ask your attorney about 1031 exchanges...look into the government websites that list foreclosures such as VA and FHA, talk to your local experienced investor RE agent about these listings as well.  Look into asset protection.  Most of all take action.....if that is what you get most out of Robert's books then you have gotten well more than your money's worth. 

Be careful where you get your advice...Misery loves company!  Advice from the broke is free for them to give but may cost you millions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone wrote in this forum:

"Dan, while you do have some good things to say, I will say this:

1.  I don't listen to advice from unemployed people.

2. This so called "website" you suggest we start that quotes and compare what is in a book with what is really going on is already out there.  Why reinvent the wheel?

and 3.  You're a loser."

My Defense for Dan:

Who's really to losers here???

That's right Dan, there are lots of people out there who have employee mentality and this should come as no surprise, as 95% or more of the entire population is employed (or better said, "not financially independent."  And "NO" to the negative people out there - I'm not in any way employed by Robert Kiyosaki even though my post is "long."  I work at USF in Tampa doing some pretty mundane work for low pay.  I don't like what I do, but for now, it's expedient and you can be sure I'm working on moving out of that position in life at the age I'm at now.

Why you don't find many people (if any) who have successfully completed the advance courses?  Maybe they know when to keep quiet and many of the babblers on here who don't shake a stick at slamming things they don't understand are just about all you find on forums like this.

This doesn't include those who defend what is right and place the shame on the negative voices on here.  My advise to those is to save your energies and let those run the show in forums like this, who insist that because someone is unemployed they're not going to pay any attention to him.  I'm sure I'll get flamed for this one, but what the hell - I'm going to say what I have to say..."Don't cast your pearls before swine."

Becoming unemployed may be the very best thing for some people!  Note I said "some."

Why?  (this is for those of you who can think beyond employment...)

     It does rob me of my time.
     It robs me of my energy.
     It controls me.  I hate being controlled.
     My passions, interests and personal life get pushed down the priority list.
     It does nothing for creativity; in fact, it kills it, or at least diminishes it.
     I have to go whatever the weather, when I'm feeling under the weather, when I don't want to.
     They constantly shift around my scheduled time controlling me like a puppet.
     This makes it very hard to plan outside-employment endeavors. It controls what I do outside.
     It pays a fraction of what my services are actually worth, they know it, I know it.
     I'm below poverty and to get at the poverty level, ten hours per day would barely do it.
     Some of the people I have to work around are so uneducated it embarrasses me.
     I have to hear small talk all day which comes from employee mentality.
     I have to hear big talk all day which comes from employee mentality.
     I have to hear about sports and other mediocre thought.
     I have to hear about this one and that one and other gossip from small thought.
     I have to hear about enlightened conversations about that box truck that's supposed to come.
     I have to hear about this product, that product, and all the benefits and short-comings.
     I have to pretend that I give these things my most undivided interest and concern for.
     I have to hear about lotto, 401K, this one doesn't want to work, that one's milking the job.
     I have to hear fragmentary talk about political and current events derived from media snippets.
     But I hear nothing about issues that really matter.
     I can't just walk away from it.
     I have to say, "Sorry boss." for things I did that are not even wrong, and can't just walk away.
     I never get to even glimpse at the big thinkers.  They're not to be found, or at least very rare.  When they do come around, it's rush! rush!  Get this done get that done!  They're coming...they then walk through in a procession, take a few pictures and they're gone.
     I bear with puffed-up young managers whom the company has given a speck of power.
     The menial work bores the hell out of me (pardon my choice of words.)  It drives me crazy!
     It is nothing short of mundane, and is for mindless people who feel better being caged up.
     Oh what a good pet you've been today!  You get a red star next to your name!
     Don't ever put one near mine, if you please.
     It cuts up my days.
     It is now cutting up my weekends.
     They have the power over my destiny by turning the income dial up and down at whim.
     They control me like a puppet.
     I'm told what to wear, and when to wear it.
     I have to BUY, with my scant pay, uniforms I don't want to wear, and it's pretty expensive!
     I have to walk around with the company's advertisement on my body.
     I'm told what I can have and what I can't have.
     I'm told when to eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom.
     I'm told what I must say and what I cannot say.
     I'm told how to think and act, and what to think.
     I'm told I must conduct myself in a "professional" manner but not the income to match it.
     Never use earphones, mp3 players, ipods, or talk on the cell phone when in uniform.
     No educational materials allowed - only education allowed is company "higher" education.
     It is mandatory to sit through this "higher education" and what a joke this is!
     It insults my intelligence.
     Safety meetings on the same old stuff - back safety, slips and falls, and MSDS sheets.
     Propaganda about "Living the Brand - Orientation for Our Employees."  Aaaaaaaagh!!!!!
     Must plan all of my personal life around employment.  That's not easy!
     They make me sit in a review so they can tell me what a good or bad pet I have been.
     They reprimand me over the silliest things, like farting in a customer's face on accident.
     They leverage my compliance with fear.  That dreaded phrase, "You're Fired!"
     They leverage my compliance with ought of duty.
     They leverage my compliance with guilt.
     They leverage my compliance with a barrage of silly company policies
     They attempt to appeal to my emotions with diddly-squat pay raises and then cut the hours.
     They have the gall to shake my hand, congratulate me in the annual review because I've made a 15-cent pay raise!  "What a good worker you are!"
     They attempt to appeal to my emotions with stupid (yeeech!) company parties.
     They attempt to use guilt and sense of duty on me when I don't or won't go to these company events.
     The whole concept is so phony it hurts my brain!
     Employees are the most heavily taxed group on the planet.
     Everybody is telling me to adore what I hate because it does provide a little income.
     I've got to beg for more of what I hate doing!  What a contradictory and unnatural thing here!  They think "I want" what it is rather "I need."
     Spend half my conscious time at it, in preparation for it, and transportation to and from it.
     It's very rigid.
     It's Income for Dummies.  (not my own words but there's some truth to it)
     Must "look" busy at all times.
     I make somebody else rich - and I get crumbs.
     I have to live on the clock and that is making me very dizzy!
     I have to clock on.
     I have to clock off.
     I have been scored on how well I have been able to do the pathetically simple task of placing the palm of my hand on that germ-ridden palm plate which confirms the identity of each employee.
     I have to do it again, and again, and again, and again and...(how predictable)...again!
     I trade my time and energy (and talents - if needed) for a few dollars.

I could add much more to this list.  All I can say to this forum is, maybe it behooves you to pay attention to some of the "unemployed" here.  They may be tomorrow's millionaires - and you're still stuck in your jobs getting crumbs off the rich master's table like dogs!

Insofar as Robert Kiyosaki, I have no comment.  Haven't been to any of the workshops let alone the advanced courses.  Maybe someday I will have that opportunity, but I will NOT speak my mind on it - and there's no evidence in this entire long forum of voices that convince me that it's a scam.  I've read all of it and found nothing but a bunch of negative talk.  I've read some of Kiyosaki's most prominant books and they're great!

So Dan, and other posters who not so much defend Robert Kiyosaki, but point out this negative cancer, this post is for you!

Euergetes well said loser...too.

I can see how many people can feel this is a scam.

A few truths are that:

1. I can see in the negative posts is that the seminars and courses might be overpriced (might be)

2. Going into credit card debt in order to enroll would actually hurt most people (most people).

3. You can get the majority but not all of the information sold for much, much cheaper. I've gotten a lot of it "for free". Or without spending money.

Although it is overpriced. It is definitely not a scam.

A fee is charged to filter out people who do not see taking their future in their own hands seriously.

Nothing is "free".

Everything comes at a cost. Money, time, loss of previously conceived and ingrained notions and beliefs.

I've learned many of the Rich Dad techniques "for free". That is what most people call free. Without spending money. What I did spend is time. Sacrifice of the things you think are making you happy, but are actually keeping you blind to all of the opportunities out there to make you financially secure by your own hands.

How did I get all this information "for free"?

I wouldn't tell mass amounts of people "for free". Because most of them will not beleive me and waste my time.  I'd rather spend my time applying what I've learned, doing more research, and becoming more and more financially educated.

I've become more financially educated in the last three months of my life than I have in the previous 32! The basis of this is the Rich Dad education system.

If you want to get this information "for free" I can tell you how.  But I'm not going to do it "for free" and waste my time on lazy people. A fee is a fliter. Pay me so you can then spend your time calling me a scammer instead of opening your mind and learning how to further educate yourself based on the foundation I can give you.

All of the negativity is why 9 out of 10 people maintain middle to low class FINANCIAL standards until the day they die.

I strongly beleive that most of the wealthy people out there don't want you to know these "secrets" though. Then they wouldn't be wealthy any more. You'd be just like them. And they'd have to work harder to leave you in the dust yeat again.

To those who actually can get through all of these posts to this one, my reccomendation is do your research and empower yourself.Do not listen to the negativity.

If you don't want to do the research then guess what? You're going to have to pay someone for their knowledge that they worked and sacrificed so much for. I'll give you my guide for a small fee and most of it is going to have to be spent on lawyers and attorneys to protect me from all of the lazy people who would rather take me to court and call me a scammer than take action and do something bigger than they ever previously dreamed of for themselves.

But I probably won't be back on this site. I'm too busy taking control of my financial future. It's a lot of work.

12/15/09 Chattanooga, TN

Spot on!  I had time to kill and sat through the 2 hour sales pitch.  As a professional Salesman, I admired the polished attack of the presenter.  I mainly went to see who was there and be seen by people wanting to get into Real Estate.  I left without signing up for the three days.  For me, wasting three days is worth far more than $495.

My policy that saves me from being sucked in (again) is that I have to read/watch/implement all the things I've already bought before I buy something else.

Ellis Gardner, ReMax Renaissance, Broker, CRS, GRI, ABR, e-Pro

To whom it may concern - I hope this ultimately ends up with Robert Kioysaki.  

 I went to the 3 day seminar this weekend and could not be more disappointed. Promises were made and not kept by your organization. We were to be taught how to use different types of real estate concepts, instead the instructor breifly talked about a concept but not discuss how to use them in the real world. Instead he used this time to try to up sell us on the other programs you have to offer. He spent most of his time telling us silly stories that had nothing to do with real estate concepts. For example, on Saturday, when we came back from our morning break, he spent the first hour talking about blue crabs and fear. Just because he throws a few numbers on an overhead, is not teaching us how a concept works. He also was using information that is completely wrong - he said millions and millions of dollars are flowing out of the stock market because it fluctuates so much and all this money is going into real estate. Actually there are millions of dollars flowing into the stock market.  

 The sad thing is that when I was at the free seminar to sign up for this one, I was ready and willing to work with a mentor, however, the person I spoke to there told me I wouldn't need one. He said "this 3 day seminar will change your life". I didn't change my life, but it did change my mind from thinking that Kiyosaki is one of the nice guys to now knowing that he is a scammer. I am making it my mission to tell everyone that I talk to to let them know how I feel and with the holidays coming up I will be talking to many people. Soon, when people think of Kiyosaki and rich dad, they will think SCAM!  

You guys should really be ashamed - having people pay money and implying they  will learn how to use real estate concepts then once you get them here to not only not teach them the concepts you promised but to then up sell them. Especially in northern California where unemployment is higher than the national average.  

 There was one thing that resonated with me this weekend. "Time is more valuable than money". So why did you waste mine?

I would like to comment on this subject.  I can certainly see both sides of the argument, however I would place my support for Robert and the things that he is trying to accomplish.  I read Rich Dad Poor Dad, then when to the free 2 hour seminar and them visited the $500, 3 day training.  The CDs that were included in the training were worth more than $500 just on their own.  By listening to those CDs I was able to begin on my journey to financial freedom, and I am undergoing a Pardigm shift.  I am currently a renter, however after listening to the Rich Dad program I am preparing to buy my first house.  I am going to buy a multifamily property in the next 5 months that will cash flow $200-300/month and I will be able to live in for free.  Without the program I would not have thought of attempting such a bold move and would continue to rent for several years.  At my current rent of $875, I will more than recover my $500 investment within the first month of buying the property. 

In my opinion, the Rich Dad program is designed to provide a shift in the mind set of the individual that takes the classes, not to provide them instantly with everything they need to know about real estate investing and they have accomplished that mission with flying colors.  For those who would consider the program to be a scam, perhaps it would be better to consider what benefits you could receive from the program with an open mind, and determine the value of the education based upon that.  I did not continue with the program after the $500 3-Day training, however I do believe that the continued education would be worth while.  I can safely say this based on the following: The $20 Rich Dad Poor Dad book was far greater in value then the cost, the $200 cash flow game was far greater in value then the cost, the $500 3-day training was far greater in value then the cost, and therefor the $8000-$60000 classes would also be worth it.

I recently attended the initial 3 day seminar.  I would advise anyone to do research about any potential investments that are under consideration, why wouldn't you?  As for the value of the course, that has yet to be determined...but I'm moving forward with the education on my own, as I haven't found any real estate agents who have volunteered to share their time and experience for free.  Also, just a little note about the RIPOFF Report...Ed Magedson, the owner of the website has been accused of several crimes which include but are not limited to racketeering, fraud, and harrasment to say the least.  Google his name, you'll see for yourself.  HIS racket is to charge a hefty fee to companies that have complaints listed against them in order to "Clean Up" their pr.  Unfortunately, at the end of the day, it seems that everyone has something to sell.  The best defense I've learned in my 39 years is to make sure you have as much first hand knowledge as possible.  Knowledge is power.  So for what it's worth, I'm ready for the education.  I'll be happy to post my findings after I've participated further.

Have a GREAT day!  I will!

What do you want Robert to do?  Take all you crybabies by the hand and do it for you?  I have purchased aobut 10 of Robert's books and Rich Dad Advisor series books.  You take the information and run with it.  I first started investing in 1986 in Real Estate.  I put my heart into it and got as much education as I could.  I read everything I could read on real estate investing.  I went to Real Estate School, (Now I know why Realtors are order takers and not invetors, they know nothing about real estate except how to negotiate a contract), Real Estate Appraisal School, Home Inspection School, Property Management School, and even became certified as a Commercial Loan Broker. I wanted to learn as much as I could.  I began to build my "Team", with a several Title Companies, Appraisers, and a very good Real Estate Law Firm.  I read Roberts information in his books and learned things I never knew.  I haven't attended any of his training seminars, but the information I learned from his books was very enlightening and helpful.  Using what I have learned on my own, and from Robert's Rich Dad Series and Advisor Series of books, I started 4 companies, and own commercial real estate (Apartment Buildings and Storage Facilities), in 5 states... Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Arizona, and Nevade.  I now live in Las Vegas. 

You have to take the information you are taught and do something with it people.  Nobody is going to do it FOR YOU.  And from what I have seen in these comments, most of you are crying because you can't get anyone to do it for you.  One comment from David Slavin was "where's the system".  You make your own system with the information dummy.  I made my own system and it works.  I took the information and did something with it.  I didn't cry about it.  That's why you will always stay a realtor.  I am astounded that more realtors aren't investors.... but then again, my training has shown me that 95% of realtors are just order takers and paper shufflers.  I never do business with a realtor who owns no investment property themselves.

Ok.  you can all bad mouth me now.  And, I don't care, because I am out of the Rat Race.  All I have to say is thank you Robert Kiyosaki.  You and your team of advisors through your books have shown me many things I did not know, opened my eyes to many opportunities, changed my way of thinking on many fronts, and gave me a good education on money, and business.  I took it and ran with it.  Unlike all these wanna be crybabies.    Jed Howe... Las Vegas, Nevada.

I went to their stock options  training 3-day course and their real estate investing 3-day course.  They use the same sales strategies for both.  After the options seminar, I read some trading books and found that you can get all the info from books.  I feel bad for people with no $ who get manipulated by them and sign up for a heavy debt.  Unfortunately, they  can easily take advantage of desperate and nieve people, and these are  the type of people who are not likely to succeed in the first place.  They sure tell you what you want to hear, so I wonder how much of it is really true. For example, the instructor I had in December told us about a 2-year plan in which we should start buying 2 properties a month starting January, with no details of how to do this. Then at the end of the semminar, we found out that we would have to pay thousands of dollars for this "plan".  In the beginning of the seminar, the instructor also told us that we would all have her contact info when we leave.  Then at the end of the seminar, someone in the class asked her for her contact info and she said it is only given to the people who sign up for "advanced education". So they change what they say as it suits them. There was a bit of good info in the middle of all the manipulation but I don't trust to get a great education from a company that agressively manipulates people to get lots of money from them.

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Wish I would have found this info prior to shelling out the 500 for a 3 day sales pitch.  I will say that RK is a brilliant Network Marketing Genius.  His claims of caring about people and wanting to give back to humanity are I fear untrue. The 3 day "class" is a sales pitch and no I didn't think I was going to learn how to be a millionaire in 3 days but I thought it was going to teach me something.......anything.  I recieved basic teaser information about streams of real estate income that if I was willing to "invest" in my financial education I could learn at a later date.  I kind of wish they would just give you the pitch the first day and I could have saved a weekend and yes Greg......"Time is more valuable than money"  I don't think the RD people are doing anything illegal but I do have serious questions on how moral it is to get young couples to max out their credit cards paying for a $45,000 financial education that are 7 classes taught in 3 day increments.  The notion of moving the balance of 45000 to another credit card for 30 days and then moving again to another card being sold as "creative" financing is scarry at best.  The claim is that after 90 days you will be able to do a "deal" that will pay off the card.  Bottom line is if their system is a fool proof - proven system of processes to make you a millionaire then why don't they finance the students......I mean what do they have to lose........right.  Sorry.......No financing but they do take credit cards.  Also would like to say that there are some people on this list of comments that are very supportive of this "Business".........I would just like to say that my 3 day salesman was named Greg and one of his seconds was Michael..........Things that make you say.......Hmmmm.  I hope all those young couples that bought into this program make their money back.

Obviously the super rich hide their secrets of how they got there wealth. Theyr monopolies would be threatened if the citizens created their own wealth. They want people to be poor and get poorer, while the rich get richer. Same thing throughout history. You all know that quote, "behind every great fortune there is a concealed crime"? If I was rich and I want to be rich, I'd actually help other get out of poverty and perhaps wage war against the super rich by making them obsolete, they pratically deserve it. I'd start with rockefeller interests, slowly destroying them by doing good things and then move on to the elite of the elite & rothschild family. transffering the wealth they stole from every american, back to the americans. And then I'd fire everyone in the united states government, except for Ron Paul and a few others. Although, I just realised....U can't bankrupt them, they are to rich and their wealth is hidden...dam. But I wonder, can the media be "forced" to report the truth instead of hiding it?

Oh well, what ever. The federal reserve has to become extinct eventually. Support the bill to audit it:

ah, yes, heres the link: http://www.ronpaul.com/on-the-issues/audit-the-federal-reserve-hr-1207/

Very interesting blog. I'd like to make a few points based on what I've read. I've skimmed through the RDPD book, and it seems like there's some useful info that could change people's mindset for the better. But I couldn't agree more with David Slavin that spending $40,000 on a RDPD seminar is a joke. I laughed out loud at the poster who said it was equivalent to spending $40,000 on 4 years of college. I haven't been to a RDPD seminar, but I've seen firsthand what a waste of money some real-estate presentations can be. My wife blew thousands of dollars on Marshall Reddick seminars and books, and was coached into buying some inflated properties at the height of the bubble. Although I had never been "enlightened" by MR and his staff, I knew it was a bad idea to buy any investment at the top of the market. Furthermore, when I saw how easy we could get hundreds of thousands in loans, it made me wonder if the whole system might be broken. Time has proved me right. Fortunately for us, we dumped the most overpriced properties before the market really tanked, and didn't lose our shirts like so many Americans. Since the market has hit bottom, we just bought a bank-owned 3-bedroom house in a middle-class neighborhood near Atlanta for much less than that $40,000 RDPD seminar. Meanwhile, Marshall Reddick has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. I guess these gurus can't really defy gravity after all. Bottom line is, use your common sense and don't put blind trust in anybody.

One last point about all this- Getting rich is not the end-all be-all of life. If that's your goal, great. However, I think it is very possible to achieve financial security even as an employee, if you know how to live below your means. I'm an artist, and I get immense enjoyment from my work. I also enjoy playing the real estate fix up and sell game on the side, but I'm not going to leverage myself to the point where I can't sleep at night.

I just attended the 2 hour seminar 1 hour ago. I didn't sign up for the 3 days training. This is what i believe:

For those that you attend the 3 days training, which costs $495. If you walked out of the class and you can't make $1000 the next month, don't even think of investing into the advanced training, which costs $35k.

If you can't make $1000 after you invest $500, and you still need to spend even more (10 times more), without even making money back, this is not an INVESTMENT. This is called SCAM. Simple, right?

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND, THIS IS A SCAM.

I have read above blogs, realizing that if this is not a SCAM, you won't have so many people spending time to creatively write stories to claim that this is a scam. Those you really learn and make 100,000'ish of money after attending those classes won't have all that time to sit here and defend that this is not a scam.

Those who got rip-off, I hope you will get your money back, miracle happens. Those who work for this organization to trick money from those broke people, what GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. Whatever money you rip from people today, you will lose it 10 times more to others IN THE FUTURE.

Johnny Giap, Irvine

Has anybody here ever calculate how much money they are making in a day of seminar? I was thinking about this question during the 2 hours seminar. There are at least 100 or more people attending it. It's $500/person. If 90% of the seminar sign up for the 3days training, they are making at least $45,000/night within 2 hours. Also, they are 2 sessions/day. It's ~ $100,000/day. Usually, they have 4 ~ 5 lor more ocations within a month. It's going to be $100k x 5 = $500,000 per month CASH.

Can anyonoe tell me that if you will not be interested in making $500,000 CASH per month? Will you? This definitely encourage more and more people to be part of the group to sell this, even though deep inside their hearts that they believe they are doing SCAM jobs.

$500,000 CASH per month during this recession for them to turn around more properties, all greedy people want to do it, even it is a SCAM.

Here is a great look at this scam from the Canadian Broadcasting System programming:
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/road_to_rich_dad/main.html

Very interesting and informative blog.  David, thank you for putting this out.  The most interesting fact is that all the stories I read here about people thinking it's a scam is that they are all consistent.  Generally, this is agood enough proof for an existance of a deep underlying program.  Another interesting fact is that the Canadian Broadcasting company did a hidden camera investigative report on the Rich Dad Seminars and they concur with everyone's experience mentioned here.  The great twist is when the confront Kiyosaki with those questions, he is visibly left dumbfounded and gives highly inconsistent answers.  So much for a smart guy with net worth of $50 to $100 million.  I know this is subjective, but he looks guilty like hell.  It's a very interesting viseo report and a must see for anyone considering RDPD as an investment guru.  Here is the link for people who are interested: 

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/road_to_rich_dad/main.html

David thanks again for this blog..

Folks:

I attended this seminar last week end in Redwood City, California. I understand the negativity and advise from some experts here.

How ever, I like to throw some facts here for those who are looking at some facts so that they can take informed decisions.

I agree that the topics covered are not for people who are already experts.

There were around 80 people attended this 3 day event in the age group between 25 and 65.

I did not see any high pressure selling at all in the event. People voluntarily approached the 3 staff to get more clarification and signed up if they were convinced.

Here is the deal. The mentor asks some basic questions such as how to calculate ROI in a real estate transaction. Less than 15% of the audience knows how to do it. Then he challenges how many of the audience were knowledgable about Tax laws and again less than 20% of the audience raises hands. There was no compulsion at all.

During the course of the day, we were given real life scenarios and asked to solve the problems as small teams. many of us struggled even to solve some fundamental problems in real estate related transactions and the mentor showed how to approach in a creative way.

After covering various areas (around 10) in the Real Estate business, on the 3rd day, the mentor says, you pick your battle and based on the area you like to be an expert, you can sign up for the courses.

Note that, I am not at all related to this Rich Dad education at all. I just saw the Rich Dad poor Dad book on 1st Jan in Barnes & Nobles. I was so broke financially and looking for avenues to increase my knowledge. Being a small business owner and got heavily impacted with the economical cloud for more than 2 years, some education and mentorship like this was really an eye opener.

If there are better ways, why no one is reaching out to people like us folks ????

Also, I have 17+ years of work experience, I have $400K worth of real estate and I have ventured 2 startup companies so far. With out gaining the proper financial IQ and wisdom, I am not able to create enough cash flow though I have my money locked up in real estate. If I had this wisdom, 5 years ago I would not have trapped into a situation like where I am.

I am not asking any of you to change your mind after reading this. How ever, I ask you to read similar highly negative forums with a grain of salt. I read this forum prior to taking this class 2 weeks ago. But I was determined to come back and share my neutral opinion after I attend the 3 day seminar.

One thing is for sure. No one is coming back and repoting the positive news.

My humble question is "when 80+ people sit there for a 3 day seminar, do you think that they were sitting there at a gun point ?".

Also not that I have not signed up for any of the courses. But I will once I get some cash flow. Will come back and update about what I find.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/204201/my-experience-at-rich-dad-education

Those who are keen on talking to a person who has taken the training, please go through this link. One attendee has shared the e-mail id and volunteered to share more clarification.

Have a nice day!

The room was thick with irony in Boise, Idaho.  Our instructor spent a good amount of time talking

about Predatory Lending which was rife over the past 10 years.  The ironic part is that the Rich Dad

Education is Predatory Training.  I witnessed several retirees throw what little money they have

saved up for retirement at this scam.  The 2nd day was spent going over types of transactions like

Sandwich Lease Options and Assignment of Contract (when we weren't hearing a sales pitch), but I

got the impression he was teaching advanced subjects in order to convince us of how stupid we are

and how much we need the advanced training.  The best colleges in the country screen all of their

applicants before they take their money - Rich Dad Education will take anybody's money...young or

old, no problem.  Save yourself a lot of time and money, don't attend.

Wow what a scam. Thanks for this Blog everyone!  I just came out fresh from the Day 2 of the 3 day "training" course in Mt. Pleasant, SC, with very arrogant,  eloquent, slick, and persuasive instructor named Allen___?.   No one ever revealed last names, my first suspicion.   Day 2 was a total sales pitch to the advanced training and mentoring ranging from $9900 - 45000+ (their "discounted" price to buy now).  And of course you just have to have the software and attend the next rah rah event in Las Vegas ($2995 + airfare), to meet Mr. K himself.  And lets dream on in buying the Costa Rica RE / Intl package and getting property deals there.  Holy cow. 

I think the 3 day course info for $495 may be marginally worth the value, the purple bag materials are very informational.  The computer software seemed quite valuable.  But after reading all this, thank you writers for dissuading me from buying an advanced training package deal.   Yes, I see it as definitely a scam with the advanced deal.  Of cause at the end of day 2 tonight, those in the group were asked to stand if they were committed and were asked to proceed to the back of the room and sign up, putting the pressure on the rest of the group.  The instructor actually belittled a couple there were the poor guy's wife was blocking his decision to do what was best for this family.  He made that clear.  What really got me was the instructor "Allen", claimed to have been a former Baptist Minister in his days, yet divulged his great wealth, homes, cars, and other material goods, on top of belittling those in there room who were not on board.  That was it for me.  He spent about 30 - 45 minutes talking about his family, kids, and his poor mom and dad, that he had to support, while working 2 jobs.  His Dad, he claimed died an early age of 49 due to Lou Gehrig's disease.  I paid $495 to hear all this on top of the extreme sales pitch.  I just hope this former Baptist Minister Allen gets enlightened again by the Lord on his evil ways of deception.  God help him.   Another questionable thing was they never opened up the room for questions, actually discouraged it, and wanted people just to approach him or the assistants for any specific "advice" after the training modules.  He claimed he didn't want to interrupt the training modules, yet each night ended up finishing early, with no indication to the audience that there was a time for Q & A.  I felt really bad because there was another couple that did "commit", and they were both unemployed with 5 children.  They may have had some $$ saved up, or they were desperate to make something happen, or both.   I could sense some stress in their demeanor. 

What got me also is they make a great effort to emphasize the number one goal to "get out of debt" in the initial day, but then hit you at the end in belittling you that you have the middle or poor class thinking and need the advanced training, and of course the mentors, with the mentor starting package at $25k.  Then they have the gall to tell you to the strategies to increase your credit limits and activate all your pending credit cards because the banks are tightening up their credit limits due to the recent political actions taken on them.  And then hit you with this deceptive extreme sales pitch to get the package deals.  Scare tactics and deception for sure.   As an earlier writer mentioned, if they were truly confident of their system, why not offer RD/PD financing the students (using their money - OPM), what they have been teaching all along.   And yes, wouldn't this $25-45K of borrowed (OPM) be better utilized in applying to a property deal right out of the gates? 

I could go on and on, as this is all fresh on my mind tonight.  I'm going to Day 3 tomorrow, a Sunday, the Sabbath, Mr. former Baptist minister.  And I'm going to be armed with all 50+ pages of this blog.  Tomorrow is their commitment day to the advanced courses, and I'm probably going to make a statement to some effect, if not a scene.   The instructor threatened on day one to kick people out if they didn't follow the class "rules".  I just may be one of them.   Might try to get the software, beforehand,  if they make that an option to me.      No loss if not.  Just glad I'm not maxing out my credit card on this pie in the sky program.   Thank you all again.

Wow ! am I glad I stumbled on this site. I've read a couple of his books and was pretty excited when I herd today  a radio advertisement on a "free" seminar coming to town. I definetly wont be wasting my time. I thank you all for your feedback.

Dan 

Is anybody doing anything legal to get their money? please let me know, it will be very good if all of us can get together to stop this and get our money back, Robert does not need any more money, all we did is just make him Richer.

I just went to one and thank God I didn't fall for the sales tactics.  The presenter was very good I will have to admit but PEOPLE... you have to be aware of how they twist and manipulate you.   Here's the basic flow, you go into the meeting, learn how "ignorant" you are about investing (otherwise you wouldnt be there) and how great people have fallen because of the lack of financial education.  But if you sign up for the 3-day seminar, you will ultimately learn how to make your money work for you.  At this point, they'll say it costs $1000 BUT if you sign up today only $495.  What's wrong with this picture? 

From the examples, they will mention how what you learn, will help you pay that off easy.  Sounds good right?  The presenter will force you to interact and raise your hands to questions that ultimately convince you that you should sign up for the training.  Seats are limited.  I was sad to see 3 people literally run to the back to sign up.  According to the presenter, those people seized an opportunity and they will have no regret.  I saw people leaving and found it very aggressive that the sales guys ran after them as they were walking out. 

Obviously this is NOT worth attending.  You can learn most of the material that was presented from the Rich Dad poor dad book and doing your own research online.  Its true, "you can't get something for nothing" and that is a point the presenter touches on.  "Free?"  No i just lost 2 hours of my life and $8 parking fee.

Thanks to that so called scam of Rich Dad, now I have 4 properties, 1 3/2 SFR, 2 4plexes and 1 10 unitis apparment complex.. I learned how to do it at Rich Dad classes. I think it depends in if you take action or not. Of course if you are short minded and do not want to get out of your percent from comission is going to be harder. But you pay attention, learn and act, you will be succesfull.

I had not previous experience on Real Estate, not even had college education. I just did what they adviced me and now I'm out of the rat race, full time Real Estate Investor.

So, VIVA for those scams that teached me to make money, of course I was willing to learn.

Blessings for everybody..

Fatima

Just took the 3-day course last weekend, after shelling out $495, and trying to schedule this thing for 4 months. The original post by David sounds almost exactly like what I experienced...as if he was there at my meeting, then went back in time by 3 years, and posted it in 2007!

I'd say overall, it was informative, but only about 30% of the time totalling ~24 hours was really spent on the education. The rest was rehash of the introductory free session, playing the cashflow game (which was mildly interesting), and hard-selling the advanced courses. But the informative stuff was spaced out just perfectly between all the rest of the junk to keep you there, wondering when he's gonna go back and teach you some stuff. I left a bit early on day 2, 'cuz I just couldn't sit there after hour #2 of the hard sell.

I loved how the speaker trained the audience to say "Yes Scott!" every time he wanted them to agree with him, as if we were at boot camp. Even funnier was how many pathetic impressionable minds were brainwashed in this quasi-evangelical 3-day mission, and would actually repeat "Yes Scott!" I thought they would eventually start speaking in tongues.

We attended the 3-day seminar this past weekend.  We signed up for the "education" package that cost $35K.  We hadn't quite worked out the financing for the majority of the amount, and they gave us two weeks to do so.  The next night I happened to tell someone that my wife and I had signed up for this course.  He asked me whose course it was.  When I told him it was Rich Dad Education, he said that he had bought that course, and said that it is not worth anything near what you pay for it, and to not waste our money on it.  Fortunately, the 3-day cancellation period had not expired, so we cancelled.  I found out the next day that this guy had only taken half of the courses offered in the package he purchased.  He also said that, while you learn something about real-estate investing, there are significant gaps in the information such that you don't have all you need to go out there and do it yourself.  He also said that the information is not current and that most of the techniques they teach you will not be effective in the present RE market.  I asked him if he had worked with a mentor, and he said that it was a waste of time.  No deals got done while the mentor was in town.  The guy I talked to has since purchased other RE investing courses, and has made some money from short sales, though he says that it can take a lot of time and effort to make this happen, much more than one is led to believe in the 3-day seminar.  He said that, while there is money to be made in real estate, there are better ways to be educated.  And really, how much can you learn in 3 days, even taking a "course" devoted to a certain real-estate strategy?  Proabably just enough to be dangerous, to yourself as well as others.  It makes me think that the trainers in the room, ostensibly real-estate investors themselves, learned the rest of what they needed to learn some other way.

I admit my gullibility in this case, and shudder to think how close wy wife and I came to making a huge mistake.  It is so easy to con yourself into thinking that what you're listening to is true.  After all, didn't the guy doing the seminar make a lot of money using these techniques?  Probably before the RE market went south in 2005.  I own that I didn't do my "due diligence" until it was almost too late.  After I spoke to this fellow who had been taken, I went home and got on the Internet, and found a lot of people who said that the Rich Dad Real-Estate Investing course is a scam.  The universe was looking out for us.  How fortunate I said what I said to the right person at the right time.  While we may someday invest in real estate, Rich Dad Education will get no more of our money.

Kiyosaki is in bed with some questionable people.  He evidently joined forces with Russ Whitney's organization, another real-estate guru thought widely to be a scammer.  On one of the CDs we got for signing up for the $495 seminar, Robert was having a "conversation" with a man named Dolf DeRoos, a supposed real-estate investor.  He has a book out on real-estate investing, and makes a lot of the same claims on the CD that he made in his book.  A guy named John T. Reed took him to task, debunking many claims Mr. DeRoos made in his book on his (Reed's) website.  Mr. Reed also looks at many different real-estate "gurus" and gives you his opinion as to the veracity of the information they impart.  If Kiyosaki were above board in his dealings, why would he be in business with such people?  I also checked out Tigrent Learning (the company doing the Rich Dad training) and associated companies with the BBB, and they gave Tigrent an 'F'!  I would have done things differently if I had known that piece of info.

Again, we came close to making a huge mistake that could have put us in financial jeopardy.  I encourage anyone reading this to not invest in the Rich Dad real-estate course.  Your money would be almost certainly be better spent investing in other real-estate courses.

Lol.

Guys:  If you're going to write something in a public space, SPELL CHECK IT for crying out loud.  David:  r-e-c-E-I-v-e. "I" before "e" except after "c."  People will take you much more seriously if your grammar and spelling are correct.

LOL. Wow everyone I couldn't believe what I have just heard. Yes the RE programs can be work on and refined yet again we are sold a dream. We all desperately want to make all our financial problems go away. Just thinking about it we are sold a dream and then suddenly we realize that we actually have to work at it. Yes, Scam or not I defend no one but what was this all about anyway. Rich dad is a business they run on numbers and derivatives they make money regardless of if people complain or not. They dealt the dream and you find yourself with your pants at your ankles. Why? I don't know maybe all the infromation they gave people sat on with hope that they deal of the life time was going to fall on your lap. You get caught without doing your homework is it really their fault. They always deliver what they promised it you who takes it and make it into a business. What people lack is not the mental aptitude but they lack the business basic in which govern decision. Which intern makes you money. So dream on dreamer there are guru dime a dozen stop complaining about the world for selling you stale bread because you were hungry.

I've been on one of these 3 day seminars with many speakers, and paid only 59 pounds for it.  It was the best thing I could have spent my money on in 43 years, even if I had to pay 500 pounds for it.

There were a few presenters that were there to sell more courses.  But a few did actually give the attendees a lot more value than they had paid for.   I was a privillage to be able to attend. I have learnt so much than I would have learnt in a 1000 years; much more than I have learnt from my masters degree. Its called leveraging on other peoples knowlege.  I wouldn't have been able to access this knowleged easily otherwise.  I have been stuck for so many years because of not wanting to pay for this information.

And I am putting this knowlege into practice, and getting great results, not getting trapped in the cycle of going on more courses, getting more knowlege and not putting it to use.  I found alot of the people I spoke to trapped in this cycle of self deception.  Don't blame the scammers, put the responsiblity where it really lies.. peoples' greed.

A lot of people who attended had a lot of good to say about the seminars, and were able to identify the bad apples amongst the speakers.   I would recommend these programs. 

As people do not eat a whole fish with the bones, eat the flesh and leave the bones. Use desernment.  Don't pay for what you cannot afford, and you will minimise your risks.  Don't be coerced into spending.  Think before you spend/invest: When you can really afford to do so, or risk your investment.

Robert Kiyosaki Scam exposed in Canada!  At least he admits there is a problem to the interviewer.  Basically he sold his Rich Dad brand to another company who pretty much took advantage of Roberts credible brands and turned them into a scam designed to get people to raise their credit card limits to buy the rest of the "course": sometimes in excess of $40,000!  You can probably buy a good distressed property for $40k, fix it and resell it for a 20k profit!!

Check it out here:

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/road_to_rich_dad/main.html

Kiyosaki is a stooge and a media hack. Nothing more.

My fiance and I attended a 3 day in February 2010 and it was nerve racking! The presenter with Trigent Company said, "Go Big or Go Home!" His crazy advice to increase all our credit cards and take classes seemed so inconsistent to the books.

He wanted us to max out all our credit cards and take out loans to pay for their real estate education. A woman in a mobile home and one person already in $80K of debt were among the takers.

My fiance wanted to sign up for a $25,990 package and sdd to his debt! I tried everything I could to get him not to sign up and had him call other real estate investers to see if they had taken a course. Everyone said it was a scam and bad advice. They said with that money, you could have a down payment and buying homes is not rocket science.

I was releaved that he did not fall for it completely and we got away only losing $500. It left me angry, disgusted and bitter.

I asked one of the assistants in what ways he tithed. He said by helping us all out to sign up for classes was his way of giving back!

Do not take this class or fall for any of it!!!!

Intersting how about 90% of people call this a scam and 10% are thankful for it.

Its more interesting that about 10% of the population holds 90% of the wealth.  Which group are you in?

Use your brains folks...

As much as i cant rationalize the descisions made by the 90%, I think there is no other way.  In am in a way, appreciative of them.  Someone has to hold down the shity 9-5 jobs that make the world go round. 

Do what you think is right.  I think God designed it this way for a reason.

Happyness to all,

-Paul-

Aloha folks,

I JUST ATTENDED THE FREE 2 HOURS AND IT WAS ABOUT STOCKS AND SWING TRADING.  THE GUY DOING THE SALES PITCH WAS VERBOSE AND REPETITIVE.  HE DID HIS TIE DOWNS QUITE WELL BUT THEY SEEMED LESS THAN GENUINE ON HIS PART.  I PAID $200 FOR THE 3 DAYS CUZ I AM GEARING UP TO GET MY SECURITIES LICENSE AND I AM HOPING THIS WILL HELP.  DID YOUR FREE COURSE START WITH STOCKS AND MOVE TO REAL ESTATE?  .....DEBRA

Those opposed to the seminars and training seem to be providing logistical and principled reasons, why they are opposed.

Those in support of the seminars and training seem to be repeating sales pitches and platitudes.  If the Rich Dad training was a viable consideration, you would expect to hear individual enrollees rejoicing over actual success stories in realestate, and hear of times when the instructors and mentors  bent over backwards to help personnally help others above and beyond the call of duty.

I would like to see a real person in my local area whose life is changing significantly for the better through his or her participation in these educational programs.

I would like to see those who are defending this Rich Dad program to shut the f@%& up until you can relate some personal experience that justifies your time and trouble.  

I don't put money out for promises.  If you pre-pay for nothing more than a package of promises, especially through use of consumer debt, you have disrespected yourself.  Once you have done that, don't expect to be treated with any respect by those who sold you the bag of promises.  They look upon you as a poor slob willing to believe in a fantasy, and their main job becomes that of keeping the fantasy alive any way they can until they get tired of you.  Soon you realize what you have avoided for so long, that it was all a high powered sales pitch and you wasted your money.  The final educaton:  never pay up front for promises.

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Why are adults not adults anymore? The goal of the 3-day seminar was to TEACH you ways to do real estate investing in a very basic 'boot-camp' type introduction. Since there are a lot of ways to do deals on wholsales, lease options, foreclosures, etc etc, you will NOT learn everything there is to know about real estate investing in 3 days. That will be an overload of information that will leave you forgetting what you have learned. You will walk out of there learning 1-2 ways if you're a beginner, or 3-4 ways if you're experienced. With that, you can make deals and make your $500 back (plus other expenses while you make deals).  Since David is a real estate agent, I am surprised that he thought they would teach him everything there is to know about real estate investing at his expert level while the majority of the 'students' were beginners. I'm also shocked that he did not ask the speaker or the mentors there any questions regarding investing. Its also hilarious how he is trying to get a team of lawyers and poor souls to file a lawsuit against Robert's company (i'll get to that in a minute)

Here is my 100% all real review of this 'scam' event.

I did attend the Rich Dad Education 3-day seminar. I didn't think it was a scam. I learned what i needed to learn and was happy with the outcome. I also knew that I didn't have to do everything that Lee (the speaker)  said we should do when it comes to real estate investing. He was just teaching us various ways to do things.

I don't know how the Guide To Real Estate Investing book was written back when David Slavin took the seminars, but I liked the way it was put together. I also like the simpler workbook that was given during the seminars. I also don't know who David's speaker was, but I can say that Lee Escobar's teachings were fantastic.

A lot of people get surprised at the $10,000 and above for their teachings. Some are even hesitant to pay for the courses and try to get a refund back right away. Seriously, why are adults so irresponsible? And why are people surprised that the speaker tries to sell advanced courses and spends 30 minutes talking about them? If i talk to a real estate agent, I don't get surprised that he/she will flash his/her contact card and e-mail me and call me asking what properties i want to look at attempting to get me to PAY them. If you purchase something from amazon.com and they show something like "you might be interested in this.." They are doing the same thing the folks at Rich Dad Education are doing. Trying to get you to pay for more products. Whether you like the product or not is up to you.

The most controversial subject is the 'deadly' credit card. The reason behind teaching how to increase your credit and buy real estate with credit cards is because its just another way to use other peoples' money. It does NOT mean you absolutely must use credit cards every time you buy real estate. It also does NOT mean you have to use YOUR credit card. It also does NOT mean that you have to use credit cards at all. These are called financial options to use. I also did not raise my credit limit because I don't feel comfortable doing that at this moment in time. I did however check my credit score the night of Day 1. How dare they scam me into checking my credit score!

If some people don't like the 'book camp' 3-day course that costs $500, (i payed $200 for mine) then thats fine. Everybody is different. Just don't call it a scam when its actually not a scam. If it were really a scam, those who payed $500 would attend the seminar at the scheduled date and place only to find an empty conference room. THATS a scam. Paying $500 dollars only to say "well i didn't learn every single way to do real estate investing in 3 days this company is a scam!" is NOT a scam. Also, those who hesitantly pay $20,000 or more when they knew weren't financially secure enough to be able to spend that much money, or weren't too sure about spending that much on advanced training, then say "i'm out $20,000 to this shrill company" is NOT a scam. Also, those wanting to be coddled into being financially free and get angry that Rich Dad Education doesn't do it for them is NOT a scam Thats called being irresponsible and stupid! I'm 22, and I have better judgement, common sense and responsibility than these 30+ year olds who blindly yell "SCAM". I find that to be very sad.

One more thing. The speaker who presents the teachings, the Guide To Real Estate Investing book, the simpler Learn To Be Rich workbook, and every single 'Rich Dad' book say one thing, "Talk to your lawyer before making investments, starting up businesses, and making/signing contracts!"

I know i will talk to my lawyer before I make deals or use contracts that are on the "Fast Track" card after the seminar ended.

Whoa, John!!!! How much is this Robert Kiyosaki fool pay you to lie for him?

Mike!

I don't get paid for supporting Robert Kiyosaki. I'm just smarter than 95% of people who read his books and attend seminars. If i can't afford to pay a hefty price for a seminar, then i won't do it. I'll just use what i learned at the seminar and research the rest. It's just really irritating to read the same ole "i got scammed because I payed for something i can't afford" crap.

Its just like me having you show me properties while you do whatever you can to make a sale, then me doing a deal with you to invest in some real estate that I don't know how to manage and that I couldn't afford, then the investment doesn't go well at all. So then I have to pay you for your business and pay the mortgage then I say "Michael scammed me out of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and now i wanna get people to sue him!"

Its irresponsible people that get themselves scammed. Not Robert Kiyosaki and his company.

Now here is what I have noticed on this blog and others like it that really gets to me.......those that feel as if they got scammed get right to the point and tell of their unsatisfactory experience. However, those that defend this crock of crap will write a very long entry, first, tearing down anyone that calls this a scam.....then, they will spend about another third of their time talking about how wonderful this program is. Then, they will conclude by bragging about how much money they are supposedly making because of this system! It seems to me that if anyone was really making that kind of money by buying, selling, and investing in real estate, then they wouldn't have time to come on this blog and write a book about how wonderful it is and degrade others that think that it is a scam!

I was once a Robert Kiyosaki supporter...until I had my unfortunate expereince at the three-day workshop! I can't speak for other people and about their experience, but with my experience, we WERE promised to learn everything in three days, only to be led astray (or attempted to) by the "salesman" promoting the "extra classes". I can even understand "extra classes", but what I fail to understand is how they spent probably 50% of the time promoting "extra classes", and the other 40% of the time bragging about how rich they were for having done this! Only 10% of the time was actually spent talking about real estate investing! If they had just spent HALF of the time teaching actual real estate investing that they did promoting "extra classes", then we might could have actually learned something about real estate investing!

And not only that, but how do you justify the "extra classes" costing $9,000.00 to $44,000.00?!? This makes no sense to me! Like I said before, I can understand encouraging "advanced classes" to further your learning, but the entire workshop should not have been used to promote this, and it sure as hell shouldn't have costed $9-$44K!! Not to mention, how do you also justify these crooks almost demanding that people empty out their 401(k)s and IRAs, max out their credit cards, take out a HELOC, and other things like it to pay for this crap?!? If this isn't a scam, then I don't know what the hell is!!!!

Just to let you know, since then, I have become debt-free and am working toward saving for my retirement and my future.....something that I wasn't when I was following this Rich Dad crap!!! And if any of these "instructors" are reading this, I want to also tell you that you were wrong.....I was NOT broke in two years like you predicted that I would be for not buying your classes! In fact, I am better off! I have more money now than I ever had when I followed Robert Kiyosaki's teachings!!!!!

Mike!

My husband and I just attended the 3 day class (we skipped the third day because we cannot stand the crap!). It is a total scam. The first free seminar was tease you into spending several hundred dollars for the 3 day seminar and this one is just a waste of time and money to tease you into the more than $10,000 each trainings!

We didn't learn ANYTHING that can be applied to make money. Yes, we did konw some terms, some "knowledge" about real estate. But if you sit back and think about it, what can you use it for? How much it helps to make money in real estate? 

I agree that if you had the money, just invest in a piece of real estate and learn from that. If the "Mentors" can earn $2000 an hour, why would they waste their time to do this class? I don't believe in the crap that god called him to do so. 

Don't let the people talk you down for what you do, a JOB or anything else. They spend all the time bragging about how rich they are, just to make you feel bad. But look at what they did after they become rich (out of your money)? they just lay on couch and try to make money on "uneducated" people. IF that is the life you want to choose, you better join their team to trick other "uneducated people" and imagine how can you tell a lie to your kids.

Ming

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It saved me few hrs of my time and possibly money. I wanted to check it out their BS. Robert, Shame on you for stealing money from people.

SCAM ALERT June 1, 2011: I am angry at myself for falling for this. I spent $36,000 and lost my last savings to what I thought and hoped was my financial freedom.  Lee Escobar was THE PUPPET MASTER!  A Chaplain using this to gain your trust.

 I hope you all read this, cause they have to be stopped.  Kiyosaki MUST be held accountable as he receives money and puts his name on it.  I will continue to post as I gather my thoughts, lost dreams and self-esteem. Is there a group lawyer?  I want to be added.

 - Forced us to say OhYa after everything he said.

- Black list people if you don't sign up immediately. You CAN'T EVER ATTEND anything from them.

- Help U set up CC, so it will pay for ADV Training.

- FREE?  I had to pay for $199 for the Free Seminar, so I could listen to the Upsell.  Or else.  THEY LIE!

- only 1 bathroom break a day to keep you in your seat listening. 

- CANCELLATIONS: 3 DAYS OR ELSE YOU PAY!! Interesting that they have a cancel form ready, cause they KNOW a % with cancel and thats ok, cause the masses end up paying anyway.

- Teacher put "L" in front of his forehead, SAVINGS & 401K plans are for LOSERS.  Repeat After Me!

- Lee Escobar WON'T ANSWERS your questions, saying you are disruptive and STARES AT YOU UNTIL YOU SHUT UP OR LEAVE.

- Lee Escobar says hes a Chaplain and uses his preacher voice and claims he was sent here to help YOU!!

- Actual Training over 3 days: 2 hours  (NO QUESTIONS ALLOWED AT ALL)

...take the Cash flow game and copy the DEAL Cards and that's what they taught.

- Actual UPSELLING over 3 days: 22 hours

- Surveys ARE FIXED to make THEM LOOK GOOD!!

Lee has a Mobile home park development in a binder.  This binder was horrible, lacked content, was missing the plot location of the actual park, and ONLY showed you pictures of what a Mobile Home Looks like.  JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE IN CANADA that went thru the 32 Million dollar SNOW-JOB.  IF THIS GUY REALLY IS A MILLIONARE, these PROPOSALS would be Dynomite.  A fifth grader did this as a class-room project.  THERE WAS NO PLOT where it was going.  HE MADE IT UP!

Watch Robert Kiyosaki Admit he is having issues with learning partners

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/road_to_rich_dad/main.html

May 23, 2011: BY THE BBB WARNING WARNING 

http://www.workathometruth.com/blog/2011/05/23/rich-dad-seminar-warning/

John T Reeds detailed list of why Robert Kiyosaki is a phony  Huge list here, about 30 pgs.  Even shows where the marines gave him a great Review even after he bashed the Marines

http://www.johntreed.com/Kiyosaki.html

 "Law 27 - PLAY ON PEOPLE'S NEED TO BELIEVE TO CREATE A CULTLIKE FOLLOWING. Judgment - People have an overwhelming desire to believe in something. Become the focal point of such desire by offering them a cause, a new faith to follow. Keep your words vague but full of promise; emphasize enthusiasm over rationality and clear thinking.

Give your new disciples rituals to perform, ask them to make sacrifices on your behalf. In the absence of organized religion and grand causes, your new belief system will bring you untold power." (p. 215)

Law 32-Play to People's Fantasies

"The truth is often avoided because it is ugly and unpleasant. Never appeal to truth and reality unless you are prepared for the anger that comes from disenchantment. Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them. There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses."

- If Robert Kiyosaki & Kim Kiyosaki were sitting there, it would be a TOTTALLY DIFFERENT Seminar.  OR WOULD IT?  PLS MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE, their names are on the game cash flow and supports this group by receiving Millions of dollars.

WhenI go to Tony Robbins, I know I'm going for a motovational speach, here we are all Blind sided.  We thought it was a Basic Training to Real Estate.  LIARS!!

- Warns against using Realtors for anything, DUH, caused most of its illegal.

- did you know every teacher has experience is Motovational speaching to church masses.

- why do I have a motovational bracelet?  Failure is not an Option? 

I may not be like LEE ESCOBAR (BENT-Lee), but atleast I have MY Morals.

Tag words: SCAM Tigrent Learning Rich Dad Poor Sucker Robert Kiyosaki Kim Kiyosaki Lee Escobar

Raegan and his tax "simplification" act took most of the profit out of owning rental real estate and two hundred people selling get rich courses flooded the market with sucker who bought into it and are now renting their properties at desparation rents hoping to hang on long enough to sell without losing all their money.  There is something to be said for owning a single fourplex or 3 or four houses in a decent area, but count on putting a bit of your own time and not making money the first four years. 

Some people need to wake up and realize we live in a world of possibilities, in a world where we reap what we sow, in a world where what you get what you put into it. 

The laws of cause and effect;

The effect:      Being broke at retirement or dependant on family, friends or the gov.

The cause:       Having had the opportunity to design my destiny I chose to play it safe and follow the masses or follow the herd. (Quite possibly over the cliff)

Albert Einstein when asked what he believed insanity is said this; insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

You know I've involved in real estate for a long time, about 20yrs. Involved as realtor helping people buy and sell, working with investors, doing appraisals and mortgages. I had gone to other trainings on real estate investing. I guess i was too young and dumb for choosing not to get into investing myself. I wanted to be great at selling and did.

I'll tell you what; I completely had an S mentality for soooo many years. I went to the 3 day seminar and Lee Escobar was doing the training.   You know what, even though I've been involved with real estate most of my life; a lot of the stuff taught by Lee, blew my mind. Some of it I knew before, but it hadn't really clicked how the strategies could be used. 

All I know is that absolutely education, desire and focused action can accomplish great things.

For all of you who think, it is a scam, especially the real estate agents; how many of you actually know any of the techniques Lee talks about and have used them either to buy property or to help someone buy property?  I had, but almost always for my clients.

If nothing else that I learned and will keep is the reality that today is a new day, that yesterday’s events and statistics of how I view my reality and myself; do not have to determine how I choose today that my life will be tomorrow.  Wake up today is a new day for everyone. If you're stuck in the rat race and have forgotten how to dream, don't be a dream stealer. Let people dream and follow their dreams. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE IS BY DESIRING TO FOLLOW AND CHASING THAT DREAM, LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. Because it does. Some day you might wake up and realize 10, 20, 30 yrs, a life time has gone past you and the dreams you might of at one point had vanished with the grains of time.   What has the highest risk, risking losing your money now and always living the life you live now, ( if you are already rich, I mean you have money, freedom of time to work or not work or work for free, health and peace of mind, does not apply to you), sometimes struggling for certain things, at the mercy of the "economy" (others) or the weekly paycheck,  or waking up one day when your old and grey and thinking back, I could have done this or could have done that, even worst having family or friends in need and thinking if I would've done that today could be soo different.

Better to lose the time and money on learning how to not only chase my dream but how to catch it, and not get it, than ever having the regret of not risking money on my life because of FEAR.

The training was great; I learned a lot of tools to use for investing and also for my clients.

Last thing, if you think about it, actors get paid lots of money because they are worth it according to our dollars that pay them.  And you know great actor is just another way of saying great liar.

I'll tell you what; if all of this is a scam and Lee is a liar then that means he is a great actor. If help fund great Hollywood actor's bank accts, why not Lee Escobar?  

If all of this was just snake oil they were selling, and blowing everybody's mind through this spill.

As a sales pro, that was an awesome performance, i should learn to sell like that. If nothing else, but to learn to do that in my business, it's worth the 2 or 3 hundred bucks at least. Excellent sales job, if that is all it was. (I know i learned a lot.)

Lee, I was at your show this past week end, you were awesome, my hat goes off to you and the team that was there, you get a standing ovation, cuz I was inspired!

P.S. this might be or might not be a scam, the network marketing companies ;might or might not be a scam, all the training and courses on investing stocks or real estate or cars or whatever might be a scam. What I do now is that in most of those things, while some folks complain and cry because they've been scammed, a few others from the same "scam" learned, applied and arrived at financial freedom. So scam or not you choose what you want. If you can still dream, if you still want to change your life, choose to ignore the cries saying come with us of the herd or the masses as they go over the cliff.

If not this do something to change your financial future, there are a lot of different vehicles.

DARE TO DREAM BIG, AND GO FOR IT WITH ALL YOU HAVE! LIFE ONLY HAPPENS ONCE HERE ON EARTH, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE GIFT OF YOUR LIFE TODAY?

HOW SAD!! for all of you who try to "promote scams" like "rich dad"... tell me? what's YOUR purpose ;] lol no hard feelings friends. just wanted to say that practice what you preach dave- jim- and also nancy. i'm pretty sure you have to be willing to "learn" to be rich in order to do so... my question to you DAVE JIM AND NANCY- is have you even been to the program for real ? didn't think so... at least if you did ya didn't pay much attention. or you pretended to be fed by a golden spoon? ---- here's the truth.

i went-

i learned-

now i'm rich... yes that means i don't have to work and i have positive cash flow coming IN and has more than 10000000000 times over paid for my 500 dollar training (which i would have paid more for)

peace bitches.

Thanks for this post! I almost went today to a two hour free seminar here in Puerto Rico. Most, definately, I will not waste my time in this.

I just finished the 2nd day of the 3 day seminar in San Jose - it is a total waste of time and money. When i went to the free seminar i had a feeling that this is a scam but i bought into it - and i found my intuition to be true. You spend most of the time during the seminar subjecting yourself to the most aggressive sales techniques i ever witnessed. 

They devide people into the Left and Right (Poor employees vs Rich investors). Their game is to convert people from Left to Right - which means basically to buy their outragously priced courses. Anyone who is "negative" is considered a Left. They will work on resolving any internal resistance or doubts you have with their program. The instructor is having you write "I will xxxx" statement all day to inject his wills into class attendees to make them think that that they made those self-claims. Guess what? "I will enroll in Rich Dad advanced training" is one of the statements! They will play with your head. They will make you think that all you have to do to become a millionaire (and you "must" become one, "failure is not an option") is to buy their advanced training course. You will have to be very strong to say no. I felt sorry for some of the people in the room who are desperate enough to fall for this scam. These poor people need help!

If you want to sell expensive courses, why not make an honest advertisement and say it upfront? This brainwash that they are using is hard to resist so i suggest DO NOT SUBJECT YOURSELF TO THIS 3 DAY SALES PITCH! 

To be fair, they do provide a very minimal of actual real estate materials just to keep people interested in the advanced training. Most time is invested in motivational speaking and agressive sales.

Shame on you Robert for doing business like this and making money from saking the poor!