View Full Version : Young and Happy
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 02:43 PM
There is an English Club advertised in some English magazines in Tokyo known as Young and Happy, run by an American guy called S****.
My boyfriend replied to the ad, and attended one of the meetings. There was S****, the "teacher", who stated that he is doing this voluntarily, and two other Japanese people. The next week, it was only S****, my boyfriend and a Japanese girl. S**** spent the entire 2 hours chatting up the Japanese girl, while my boyfriend just sat and watched. My boyfriend's English is not bad and he is definitely one for conversation, but S**** was totally ignoring him.
S**** says that he is doing the English Club on a voluntary basis, but he then asked my boyfriend for a 6000 yen yearly fee upfront. When the Japanese girl asked when she should pay, S**** said "oh, just give it to me whenever you want".
My boyfriend was disgusted with the quality of the class, and the fact that S**** was more interested in picking up Japanese girls than teaching English, so he requested over the phone that the unused part of his yearly 6000 yen fee be returned to him. S**** said that he could not do this, and the reasons were very hard for him to explain in Japanese and that he would send my boyfriend an email.
The email never arrived. Instead, my boyfriend got a call from S**** saying that classes had been cancelled for the next week.
So... I gave S**** a call and pretended that I was a Japanese girl. S**** said that the lessons were free, and do not require 6000 yen, and I would only need to pay the 6000 if I wished to become a member.
I asked if this weeks lesson (he told my boyfriend it had been cancelled) had gone ahead and he said "yes".
I asked how many people attended the English lessons, and he said that "numbers are increasing rapidly, yesterday we had 5 people altogether"... yesterday was the class that he supposedly cancelled... the most that have ever been there when my boyfriend went was 3, then 2.
I hope that any gaijin out there will warn their Japanese friends about this "English Club". It seems to me to be a quick money making venture for this guy who wants to pick up Japanese girls at the same time.
scumbag american. on a tourist visa likely
I recommend contacting Immigration & the Police. Now.
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 03:16 PM
Yeah, the guy is a scumbag, but not all Americans would do that.
What could the police do? On what grounds could they warn him?
He runs the class out of a waiting area in a fitness club in Shibuya.
First, notift the manager of the fitness center. Then call Immigration and have his scumbag ___ deported back to texas.
I doubt that the fitness club would approve of this shady activity. Complain to them.. If you know the guys passport name you may wish to notify the immigration abuse team as well. Please do it, we do not need these types in Japan making us all look bad.
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 04:00 PM
Thanks for the advice. I'll get my boyfriend to call the Fitness place.
However, he'll probably take his venture somewhere else.
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 05:14 PM
He is no more a scumbag than any EIKAIWA teacher working in Japan. It's ALL about money and PUSSY!!!
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 07:58 PM
The above seems to have neither
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 09:47 PM
It may not be worthwhile to call the police. What crime has been committed? Do the police really care about some Gaijin guy trying to pick up on Japanese O.L.s?
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 10:58 PM
So you think it is ok to rip off any Japanese guys that attend the class?
Would you be so indifferent if you went to a Japanese language class run by a Japanese guy, and paid your money, only to find he was only after hitting on foreign females and he didn't give a @!#$ about you or your money?
trip_hop
2002-05-15, 11:35 PM
The keypoint is to find out if the class is conducted with the consent of the fitness centre. If it is, they have a certain responsibility for it, and you can complain to them. If it is not with their consent, I am sure they will put a stop to it once you start complaining, as if anything happended, they would be liable as it is on their premises.
You might also inquire into the relationship between the teacher and the fitness club. He may be doing it without their knowledge or consent, and if indeed he is a staff member of the fitness club, his activities are regulated, and would not include paid ex-officio activities.
Once you know these details, you might also want to take it up with the magazines that display the advertisment.
I do not think it is not a criminal matter, nor a matter for Immigration. This forum has many posts from people wanting to bend the rules and work extra hours on student visas, perform visas runs, etc.. The "teacher" is taking advantage of his situation, in a very, exploitative way. But I also think that an English lesson held in the open (?) waiting area of a fitness club would ring alarm bells, and start you questioning the quality, in addition to his behaviour. It is not OK to rip off anyone, but it is also up to the buyer beware.
Are you sure of the fee? 6,000 yen for one year is very cheap. Or is it per lesson?
I look forward to some answers
Trip Hop
Anonymous
2002-05-15, 11:56 PM
Is your guy Japanese? If so, he must be too nice, or just a careless nut.
Don't worry, be happy!
Glenski
2002-05-16, 06:43 AM
I agree with Trip Hop. Whether we're talking about a one-time payment (which seems to be the case), I'd say just live and learn. After all, look at the circumstances. Not to offend "Disgusted Gaijin", because I feel for her and her boyfriend's plight, but 6000 is little money to lose, and after all, why would her boyfriend think he could get a decent language lesson plan from a place located in the waiting area of a fitness center? I wouldn't. Disgusted Gaijin, I feel sorry for your boyfriend's predicament, and I'm glad neither of you seem to blame all Americans for this situation, but I'm sure you're both a little wiser now, too. Unless you're willing to get deeply involved to kick that American's butt legally, I'd say just move on, but keep spreading the word about Young and Happy.
Glenski
Anonymous
2002-05-16, 11:20 AM
Haha.. yeah I think my boyfriend could have realised the place was a little dodgy... and 6000 yen isn't a huge amount, but the point is that this guy is ripping people off. My boyfriend is going to notify Tipness and see how things go from there.
The 6000 yen is a yearly fee, broken up into 500 yen a month, but apparently has to be paid all at once.
It has been a lesson.. but if you do know Japanese people looking for English Conversation Clubs.. warn them about Steve Fisher at Young and Happy.
Anonymous
2002-05-17, 12:37 PM
Duuuuuhhh......I am Bukowski......duuuh....I try to sy reactionary things over the internet.....uuuh..because no one listens to me.....
Uuuuhh......Americans have more power and are better than everyone.....duuh......I am a virgin.
I _____ guinea pigs.....
etc.
Anonymous
2002-05-17, 12:53 PM
The above post is a fake!
I am Bukowski. Only me!
Yup. I guess you have to make a report. I believe your boyfriend is not the only one. This guy maybe a pro conman. However, why are you so sure that he's american?
Sometimes, people who work illegally with sweat and tears, are far better than this guys who's having the working holiday visa, and start abusing it.
All the best to you.
trip_hop
2002-05-21, 08:16 AM
The first post of this thread says clearly, "Run by an American guy called S****". "Disgusted gaijin" is quite clear on that.
There is nothing about a person with a working holiday visa?
Where has that come from?
Anonymous
2002-05-21, 09:11 PM
**** NOTE ****
After long discussions with the organiser of Young and Happy, the organiser has agreed to refund the fees previously withheld.
************************************************** **************************
trip_hop
2002-05-21, 09:25 PM
And what happended with the fitness club management?
Do you find out his relationship to the centre?
Is he free to carry on his business?
Cool to know you got back the money... Gotta be more careful in the future.
Anonymous
2002-05-22, 07:20 PM
He agreed to return the money if neither the fitness club nor the police were notified.
Therefore, neither have been contacted.
trip_hop
2002-05-22, 08:36 PM
So he is free to carry on. Sounds like he got the best end of the deal. Call it a marketing percentage!
Anonymous
2002-05-22, 09:31 PM
Therefore, he got off scot-free!
Anonymous
2002-05-26, 11:02 AM
get your money, THEN contact botht he police and the fitness center. One good handjob deserves another.
-k
trip_hop
2002-05-26, 01:59 PM
What is his crime? He may be abusing his privileges at the Fitness Centre, but he has committed no crime, except to try to earn a few thousand yen - and that is no different to nearly all of the people writing on this forum. No-one knows any facts about his visas status, other than wild guesses. He is no different to the visa runners, overstayers, students who work full-time on study visas, contracted teachers doing private lessons, contract breakers, desperately-seeking-spouses and others who are want to stay and work in Japan.
And 6,000 Yen for a year of English lessons, surely that is either the bargain of the year or a serious alarm bell ringing. Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware.
Again, look at the above paragraph, and tell me what is his crime.
Leave him alone and get on with your own life!
Anonymous
2002-05-26, 08:56 PM
His crime is stealing money from someone! I dont care how many people do something wrong, that doesn't make it right. Its like they say, if someone else jumps off a cliff doesn't make it a good thing to do.
trip_hop
2002-05-26, 11:54 PM
Love to see you try to make that stick in a court of law!
Just one lesson a week - allowing for 2 weeks holiday a year - would cost only 120 Yen a 2-hour lesson. Even if he only spoke five minutes, which it sounded like, it would be over twice the value of an "Eikaiwa" at 2,000 Yen an hour.
He's just a hustler, not a criminal. One with very little self-worth if that is all he charges.
But what can you really expect for 60 Yen an hour!