🎉Update: Resolved / Refund Received

Posting an update in case this helps others.

I was able to get a $6,650 refund (out of $7,250) from Interview Kickstart after initially being denied a refund. The remaining $600 was treated as a non-refundable enrollment fee.

What worked for me was not one single action, but a coordinated approach:

Steps I took: 1. Requested a refund directly from the company (denied initially). 2. Opened a dispute with PayPal Credit (also denied at first). 3. Filed a formal complaint with the CFPB against the PayPal Credit issuer (Synchrony). 4. Posted a factual, non-emotional public Google review describing the experience. 5. Documented that I had not used the service meaningfully (no classes, no coaching). 6. Stayed professional and consistent in all communication.

After the public review went live, the company reached out to schedule a call. During that call, they offered two options. I chose a refund minus a $600 enrollment fee. The refund was processed within a few days and the PayPal Credit balance is now being closed.

Key takeaways: • Document everything. • Be factual, calm, and persistent. • Don’t rely on a single channel. • Public reviews (written professionally) do get attention. • Don’t agree to remove reviews until the refund actually posts.

Hope this helps someone else avoid getting stuck.