Scuba Schools of America/Rusty Berry

[Leejnd]

I can understand that. But in my case, I was very excited about learning how to scuba dive, it was something I've been thinking about doing for a while. If you ever have the misfortunate of meeting Rusty, you'd understand. He can be charasmatic and friendly and treats you like your buddy. You walk in, offers you a glass of wine, he always has his son running around and you think, this looks like an honest guy. He does add things on to the receipt that you don't catch till you go through it with a fine comb. As for his guarantee, the receipt states a 2 day return policy, but during the "orientation", he takes you in the pool right away and it automatically becomes used, voiding that return. As for the more expensive Totaly Diving System, it is written and it's never shown to anybody until you ask for a refund, but he refuses to honor it, even when the student does exactly as it says, as in my case.

We were trusting because we were eager and excited about starting a new adventure...haven't you ever gotten a bit carried away when you're really excited about something?

Wait...I just gotta ask...did he offer you a glass of wine and then take you out in the pool for scuba instruction? Or did I read that wrong?

 

[Lina77]

I looked at his website because I was curious. Under FAQ the is the question "how much does it cost to get certified?" He states that it is between $300 and $900 per person at a minimum. That seems like a pretty broad range to me withought pinning prices down.

Under why SSA Montclair states: "The Only Money Back Guarantee on the Total Diving System in the Industry"

 

[Lina77]

Wait...I just gotta ask...did he offer you a glass of wine and then take you out in the pool for scuba instruction? Or did I read that wrong?

No, the wine is only offered when he was selling me everything. Not before going into the pool...I know better than that.

 

[sneighbor]

Okay, this sounds horrible. But what I'm having the most trouble with is, trying to picture this mad scramble to sell you things, and you just...doing it! To the tune of $2300! Please understand I'm not doubting your story, but I'm just having a hard time imagining this in a way that doesn't make you at least somewhat complicit. For example, the spring straps - you say he spoke of them, then he rang them up even though you didn't say you wanted them. If you didn't want them, why did you BUY them? If you saw him ring them up, but you didn't want them, why didn't you ask him to NOT ring them up?

I get that you thought they were all returnable, but did you ask to see that in writing? You just went on his word? I'm not sure I would be willing to lock that much money up in something I wasn't sure I wanted, without seeing an ironclad guarantee that I could get my money back if it turned out I didn't.

I'm not questioning for a second that the guy's a crook. Just the idea of selling re-breathers to noobs sounds criminal to me. I'm just having a hard time with both of these descriptions of the events leading up to your sudden revelations that you are now out of thousands of dollars for stuff you didn't need and ultimately didn't want, without a) doing any homework into what other, less expensive, options are available for getting certified, or b) asking to see the money-back guarantee in writing. I mean, that's a lotta money to give a stranger on faith.

Lessons learned, I guess.

And FTR, I'm not defending him. Just struggling with the idea of handing that much money over for things that I didn't ask for or need or want without doing at least SOME small amount of verification.

First you must understand that I fully intended to become scuba certified. Second, I trusted this guy at his word (yes, that was stupid of me). Thirdly, money was not the issue. I was actually OK with the gear I bought. I researched the stuff later and found that I had bought some good equipment. Atomic split fins for $189.00 a pair - expensive for a beginner? Maybe. But I expected them to last for a long time, etc.

No, it wasn't so much the money as it was the eventual realization that this guy was scamming me. I realized this when he started nickel and diming me on additional boat costs and extra rental fees. and how he was trying to convince me to buy a $2100.00 custom fit dry suit, etc. when I had only been in the pool for one lesson. Something seemed not-right. I lost trust in the guy. Would you dive with someone you didn't trust? So I canceled my lessons and called him on his verbal money back guarantee and he defaulted. That's when I fully realized the extent of Rusty's scam. And I don't think he should get away with it.

Sure, I'd like my $2300.00 back. Who wouldn't? Now it's very likely I'll never again use the equipment I bought. It was only used twice at Rusty's pool and is now sitting in a spare room untouched. But more importantly, I hate to see cheaters prosper.

Edit: Bottom line - this guy entered into a verbal contract with me and we shook hands on it. Now that may sound laughable to some, I can only imagine. But I guess I'm old fashioned. A handshake used to mean something and I'm counting on that it still does.

 

[dwaters]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mojo
Nobody likes to see Pi$$ing contests, but surely Rusty is aware of this thread by now. Anybody think he will attempt to defend himself?

If he is aware of this thread, he has not logged on yet...his last log in is nearly a year ago. But he could be lurking under the radar to gain some insight for his defense.
My only dealings (and last) with him and his shop was 5 years ago as a noob diver with about 10 post cert. dives under my belt. Went to learn about different equipment and gain further education. First thing Rusty says is that my PADI cert is worthless and he would have to re-train me the right way and if I were to do any diving in SoCal I HAD to learn to dive dry and I needed to buy his suits before I could be taught the right way...oh my computor, BC, fins, etc. was no good either...too many red flags and I ran out of there...I drive by his shop 2-3 times a week and count my blessing each time. Oh and I still dive wet..he was partially right about my orriginal BC and corrected that after seeing what others were diving with.
He has a great following but they are usually above my financial status or college kids that mommy and daddy paid for everthing Lina77, sorry you had to go through all this but please
check into things before jumping into anything that cost more than a days salary.
just my .02 cents.

 

[Lina77]

I appreciate that dwaters, but I also agree with sneighbor, I had every intention of getting certified and money wasn't necessarily the whole issue. It was the lying and the scamming that pissed me off in the end. I was excited and motivated, but when I got stabbed in the back and completely taken for a fool, I was not happy and now I'm just spreading the word and waiting for my day in court.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I would also file a complaint and start a thread on this is the SSI forum here on the board. I'd love to see their response since he is teaching or at least using SSI materials.

 

[Leejnd]

No, the wine is only offered when he was selling me everything. Not before going into the pool...I know better than that.

Well that's a relief! Still, I can't help but think that handing out alcoholic beverages when selling scuba gear is pretty slimy. And consuming alcoholic beverages when about to purchase what really amounts to life support equipment is not very wise either. I'm sure these are all painful lessons learned, but that was among many red flags. I'm very sorry you experienced this, and at least from what I'm reading in this thread, he sounds like a crook.

First you must understand that I fully intended to become scuba certified. Second, I trusted this guy at his word (yes, that was stupid of me).

I've trusted people before too, and gotten burned. I do have compassion.

I just had a hard time with the description of him tossing in all this gear that had never been mentioned before, and you going with it. It's a difficult scene to imagine, and it comes across as someone just standing there allowing someone to fleece them - grab this, ring it up, grab that, ring it up, you standing there silently accepting it. Where were the questions?

No, it wasn't so much the money as it was the eventual realization that this guy was scamming me. I realized this when he started nickel and diming me on additional boat costs and extra rental fees.

I don't mean to harp on this, but when my husband and I looked into certification, we asked about everything - where each class would take place, etc. Was it never mentioned to you that part of the class would be on a boat charter? When we went through all the costs, we saw there were two boat trips involved, and we asked if they were included. They weren't. In the end we did our classroom/pool work here, then did our boat dives while on a Caribbean cruise so we got to do our certification dives in warm water. Anyway, I know you know this, but parts of your story definitely could have been prevented with just a bit more research.

...and how he was trying to convince me to buy a $2100.00 custom fit dry suit, etc. when I had only been in the pool for one lesson. Something seemed not-right. I lost trust in the guy. Would you dive with someone you didn't trust? So I canceled my lessons and called him on his verbal money back guarantee and he defaulted. That's when I fully realized the extent of Rusty's scam. And I don't think he should get away with it.

This is the part where it appears he's a scummy salesman. This, and selling rebreathers to noobs. When we were looking into certification, we were told to learn in a wetsuit so we could learn the basics first, and not introduce the complexities of a drysuit until we learned to dive. In fact, we were advised to rent almost EVERYTHING at first, so that we could ensure we even liked it before we invested a lot of money! We only had to buy the "personal gear" (mask, snorkel, fins etc.). We even rented the wetsuits, and we didn't buy until we had over 20 dives in rental gear.

Sure, I'd like my $2300.00 back. Who wouldn't? Now it's very likely I'll never again use the equipment I bought. It was only used twice at Rusty's pool and is now sitting in a spare room untouched. But more importantly, I hate to see cheaters prosper.

Ebay is your friend. Or better yet, go get certified at a dive shop. That you research.

 

[sneighbor]

Anyway, I know you know this, but parts of your story definitely could have been prevented with just a bit more research.

You are absolutely correct. I guess what happened is that Rusty gives you this choice: join now at the show for $100.00, or join later for $350.00. Doesn't allow much opportunity for research. So I relied on his answers to my questions. Guess I was asking the fox if the chicken coop was secure...

I'm sure that is a classic hard sales technique. I usually don't fall for that stuff. But like I said, he was a friend of a friend...guess he capitalized on that fact. Shows how cut-throat he really is.

There is a good chance that I may not recoup my losses. Yet, there is some satisfaction in knowing that others are now aware of this guy, and his schemes, and hopefully he will no longer profit by taking advantage of the unwary.

 

[diver_doug]

Lina77 seems to be catching a pretty decent amount of flak here. I agree that she certainly bears some culpability, and I think that she realizes that. But you don't know how Rusty is. He has a nice shop, he smiles, he formulates some fairly clever jokes, he has tons of experience both as a diver and a retailer...I could totally see how someone could easily get suckered into taking his course and doing whatever he wanted without questioning him. Like I said, I had an uneasy "something ain't right" kind of feeling which prompted me to start asking some hard questions and that was when I got the answers (or non-answers) that I thought were lurking in the background. I think he knows the questions you ought to ask and he puts forth a concious psychological effort to keep you from doing so. Also, honestly, there's something scary about him...he puts off a very intimiditating energy. When I told him I needed to go home and do some more research before making a decision, I thought he was going to punch me in the face. Again, I'm not trying to void Lina77 of responsibility, but Rusty really is rarity.