Could Your Yoga Class Be a Scam?

Yoga is growing in popularity, being practiced by nearly 1 in 10 Americans. However, a growth in popularity will inevitably come with an increase in scams. Teachers trying to cut through the competition will offer you deals which seem too good to be true and then turn out to be just that. Yoga is a chance to experience personal growth, both physically and spiritually, so don’t let yourself be left with a disappointing and expensive experience. Here are the main scams to look out for and how to avoid them.

What Yoga Scams Exist?

Yoga is a holistic form of exercise, meaning there are many components which scammers may seek to exploit. Perhaps they are offering a course that doesn’t exist or are selling knock off yoga clothing. At the most extreme end, there was one so-called yoga guru who used his business as a means to sexually assault female participants. Sometimes scammers will pose as the most honest and ethical teachers, but turn out to be the exact opposite. So how do you protect yourself from these scenarios?

Scour the Web

These days, reputations are built online. A legitimate yoga company will have a transparent online presence, both on their own websites and across social media platforms. Check the reviews carefully. On sites like Facebook, you can usually click through to the reviewers profile to judge if they are a fake account. Check unsolicited emails carefully by searching for the credentials of the company concerned. A legitimate yoga course provider will never ask for bank details in an email. This is more commonly a phishing scam.

Set Up a Phone Call

In general, scammers are cowards. They target hundreds, if not thousands, of people and won’t risk revealing themselves if someone is doing some digging. All legitimate companies have phone numbers. If they don’t, you can assume that this is a scam or at least a company not worth dealing with. If you have any doubts at all, ring them up and have a chat about the services they offer. You should be able to get a better sense of their character through listening to their voice. If they make excuses, then they are probably best avoided.

There are so many legitimate yoga companies out there, so if you have any doubts, then walk away. You can’t be over cautious when it comes to scammers, since the consequences are too great. Be suspicious of tempting deals, searching for legitimate reviews before handing over any cash. This will allow you to seek out legitimate yoga classes that will truly benefit you.