TAMPA, Fla. — Parents from all over the state contacted ABC Action News over their experience with All Florida Safety Institute.
Karen Trucios is one of the dozens who told us they spent hundreds of dollars on driving lessons for their teenagers that the company failed to provide.
Both Trucios and Kimya Parker paid for the driving school in late 2022 and said they never received a refund.
“I called to try to reach them and schedule the services and could never reach them,” Parker told ABC Action News.
Last fall, Tania Baumhover shelled out $1,400 for instruction for twins Emma and Jackson. She said they got nothing in return. Tania got her money back by disputing the charge with her credit card company.
In the last three years, 261 customers filed complaints about All Florida Safety Institute with the Better Business Bureau. Many said the school failed to provide paid-for lessons.
In September 2022, All Florida Safety Institute filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization listing $1.7 million dollars of debt. The school continued to collect money for lessons last year before closing.
Manager Mark Allen refused to grant us an interview. But responded by email saying in part:
We are all devastated by the closing of the school in bankruptcy, we made every effort to correct and recover for our students…... There are no words to describe how terrible this feels or the impact on anyone involved.
Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said it’s still investigating. Customers who lost money can file a complaint with the state by contacting the Class E Third Party Administrator Program, at 850-617-2421, or TPA-assistance@flhsmv.gov
If you paid for lessons you never received, file a dispute with your credit card company. You can also file a claim with the bankruptcy court, but any payout could be pennies on the dollar.
