Scuba Schools of America/Rusty Berry

[Johnny Mojo]

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.

This is a good point.

Does SSI know about him and how he "sells"?

J.

 

[mdb]

The guy is a scum, of course. This store is well know as a sucker punch. The old NASDS sales model, take on the new diver and talk them into gear they do not need at prices that are inflated. Perhaps this thread will save a few folks from the scam.

 

[diver_doug]

This is a good point.

Does SSI know about him and how he "sells"?

J.

I don't think they really care. After my "interview" with Rusty, I called SSI and filed a complaint and I suspect nothing ever came of it. Also, after I had my Atomic Mask fiasco, I called atomic and detailed to them what happened and, well, I'm sure he still sells atomic merchandise. As shady as Rusty is, he is good at what he does. I would imagine he generates a pretty decent amount of business for Atomic and SSI. If the complaints start flooding in maybe something will be done, but a couple of complaints probably aren't gonna be able compete with SSI's and Atomic's desire to make money.

 

[Johnny Mojo]

I don't think they really care. After my "interview" with Rusty, I called SSI and filed a complaint and I suspect nothing ever came of it. Also, after I had my Atomic Mask fiasco, I called atomic and detailed to them what happened and, well, I'm sure he still sells atomic merchandise. As shady as Rusty is, he is good at what he does. I would imagine he generates a pretty decent amount of business for Atomic and SSI. If the complaints start flooding in maybe something will be done, but a couple of complaints probably aren't gonna be able compete with SSI's and Atomic's desire to make money.

Agreed, that volume (of bad reviews) is key with something like this regardless of agency or Mfg. Hopefully the OP will follow Jim's recommendation and get the ball rolling is that forum as well.

That being said, I hope that Karma remains a Bitch!

J.

 

[Lina77]

I actually asked a lot of questions because I did have some issues with being underwater. I asked about equipment and what it was for or which is better for use. I asked and I got answers to the questions. I should've done my homework on pricing, but I didn't because I trusted him on his claim of low prices. I was also inexperienced when it came to a lot of stuff and he had 30 years of diving experience so I trusted him as an expert as well.

I told him I wanted to rent all my equipment until I decided if I liked scuba diving or not. He went into a whole speech with statistics about how people who dive on rentals don't do it regularly and it's a lot more comfortable with your own and so on. The ONLY reason I agreed to buy the stuff is because of his guarantee that if I had "any problems, don't feel comfortable or just don't like scuba diving, we buy everything back from you at the price you paid for it!" Those were his exact words. I even asked him again when he was fitting me for the dry suit if that guarantee included the dry suit and he said, "yep, it includes everything you buy today!"

I didn't have any problems until I told him that I wasn't comfortable diving and I didn't like it and actually asked for my money back that he started scheming, lying, insulting and refusing to keep his word. That's the problem there, I had gone along with everthing because I was excited and eager to learn and he completely turns on you the second you don't do what he wants.

 

[Lina77]

This is a good point.

Does SSI know about him and how he "sells"?

J.

I emailed SSI and never heard back from them.

 

[cbm32]

Wonder if he is registered with the BBB and what kind of rating he has there?????

 

[boulderjohn]

The guy is a scum, of course. This store is well know as a sucker punch. The old NASDS sales model, take on the new diver and talk them into gear they do need at prices that are inflated. Perhaps this thread will save a few folks from the scam.

Point of information: NASDS merged with SSI quite a while ago, discarding the NASDS name and keeping SSI. The former head of NASDS then purchased SSI, so, in a sense, NASDS is now SSI.

 

[cgvmer]

Damm I trained and equiped (sans tanks) myself and 3 kids for about half your cost.

 

[Lina77]

Wonder if he is registered with the BBB and what kind of rating he has there?????

Reviews for Scuba Schools of America/Aquatic Outfitters - Scuba Diving Equipment and Supplies Retail - Montclair, CA

Read for yourself. All those "5 star" postings appeared after the negative and they're all his buddies...I still have a pending complaint with the BBB too that he hasn't responded to yet.