Several Somali Mothers say they were Duped into Paying for Poor Tutoring Services
Source: https://www.mprnews.org/
Waris Mohamed, a mother from Savage, enrolled her three children in what she believed was a free after-school tutoring program in the fall of 2022. Encouraged by a teacher at her kids’ dugsi school, she was told the program was available because her household earned less than $35,000 a year. However, things took a turn when an unknown man contacted her, asking for personal information like her Social Security number. He claimed to be part of the tutoring service, but it later turned out to be a scam, costing Waris thousands of dollars for subpar tutoring services.
Waris Mohamed is one of 18 Somali mothers who shared similar experiences with Sahan Journal. They were promised free tutoring for their children, but later discovered that thousands of dollars had been deducted from their state tax returns to cover the costs. Despite the promises, the tutoring turned out to be ineffective, with children often just playing games on iPads instead of learning.
The mothers are confused about what happened, as they were not informed that payments would be taken from their tax returns. Many of the mothers, who come from low-income households, now face financial hardship, having lost crucial savings they depended on for essentials.Three Minnesota mothers Raho Hussein, Sawda Ali, and Lul Mohamud publicly shared their experiences of losing thousands of dollars to a questionable tutoring program. Raho lost $3,200, Sawda $6,000, and Lul $5,400, all from what they believed were free educational services.
The tutoring, which was often remote with instructors from overseas, was ineffective, leaving children unable to understand the lessons. Despite numerous attempts to get refunds from the tutoring companies, local nonprofits, and government offices, the women have received no satisfactory resolution.
After their story aired on a Somali YouTube channel, they received threatening phone calls, with one voicemail directed at Raho warning of harm. The women believed these threats were retaliation for speaking out. The mothers had unknowingly enrolled in a state program that provided loans for educational services, which were repaid via state tax returns, mistaking them for grants.
The K-12 Education Credit, launched in 1997, allows low-income parents in Minnesota to claim up to $1,500 in tax credits per child for educational expenses, including tutoring. In 2000, the K-12 Education Credit Assignment Program was introduced, enabling parents to access these credits faster through loans. Nonprofits like the Venn Foundation and Youthprise help connect parents with tutors, offering no-interest loans to cover education costs, later repaid via tax credits.
Several mothers were also audited by the state Department of Revenue, further complicating their situation. Some families couldn’t provide the necessary documentation, risking the denial of their education tax credits and leaving them responsible for repaying loans they hadn’t knowingly taken. The most frequently named tutoring company involved in these issues was Success Tutoring, which was accused of misleading parents about the costs and quality of the services.
Two nonprofit organizations, the Venn Foundation and Youthprise, connected families to the state education credit program but declined to comment on the specifics of the case, citing privacy concerns. The mothers now feel unsafe and regret their involvement in the program. Despite the organizations claiming they have supported families, none of the mothers have received refunds or satisfactory resolutions. The experience has left the mothers feeling scammed and insecure, with some losing significant amounts of money they relied on for basic living expenses.
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