How to identify Prometric Study Material Scammers

Dentists on Facebook, Whatsapp and Dental Facebook Groups have been experiencing a wave of fake posts from different User IDs making some unrealistic offers for DHA, HAAD, MOH, QCHP etc. study materials.  

The pattern is familiar.

1. Attackers often use Prometric in their Trade-names and steal logos. Prometric is a registered trademark of a testing center, and should only be used under License.  Prometric does not sell test preparation or practice content in any form. Any website or training provider using this trade-name or claiming to offer the official test content is unauthorized and not supported by Prometric Testing or an Health authority. If you come across any such website, this is a reliable indicator of a misleading and unprofessional organization. They also use the logos of Health Authority to misguide affiliation. The Health Authority of any country is never affiliated to local agents who sell on social media.

2. Attackers use ‘inbox’ to provide additional details/information instead of a public forum: If you ask for details of exams/services, scammers typically will not reply to you unless it is using a private messaging service. This is to push users to purchase their products immediately without giving you enough time to think. They also use private messages so that they can quote a sum of money that is unreasonably high. Always make sure you choose a registered company that is upfront and transparent of any costs involved.

3. Most of their posts are practically word-for-word copies of posts in many other groups, with images of ‘model-doctors’ lifted from Stock-photos from Google. They use a lot of exclamation points or other symbols and text in all caps to make you act spontaneously without thinking critically about the story’s veracity— which is the most reliable indicator of the scam.  

4. The attackers will also use private messaging on Facebook or Whatsapp or Emails to provide bank transfer details along with a bunch of tear-jerking statements – e.g. Leaked questions, 100% guarantee, without attending exams, upgrade score for past attempted exam, done through the backdoor, 100% legit, 100% genuine, 100% original etc.  If you find any such suspicious users, posts, behaviours, block them and avoid any communications immediately. They can put you in serious harm by scamming you off your hard-earned money as well as manipulating your certificates.  

5. Check for their email ID. If the scammer contacts you using email check for the domain name of the email. If they use a gmail ID (@gmail.com), yahoo or similar accounts, this may not be a professional/legally registered organization and may not be trustworthy.  

6. Do not have registered business address on their website or social media pages. Although a company may be operating online, they must be registered by law. Check for this information on the company website. The address must include full building and street address- not just a one-liner. Registered business will never scam you, as you can legally take them to court.

7. Find out if there is a proper office you can go and meet them at. 8. Use fake reviews to promote themselves- over the top reviews that appear over a single day or a short pace of time, self-made certificates, whatsapp snapshots with promising claims are all too common.

9. Use self-acclaimed and self-initiated certificates and Whatsapp snapshots to garner interest rather than unbiased open testimonials inititated by users of their services. Reviews should ideally come from a person voluntarily in a public space from immense satisfaction after using a service or product. Whatsapp snapshots and self-made certifficates are easily manipulated for their own benefit.

10. Find out a little bit more about how the person or company sources questions and what their qualifications are. Does your trainer have proper teaching qualification? If there is no transparency in the process, it is likely a poor resource to invest your money and time in.

10. If you see any company providing Prometric Dental Study Materials or Application guidance- make sure they are professionals. i.e. – Professional companies will never make tear-jerking statements – e.g. Leaked questions, 100% guarantee, without attending exams etc. These practices are illogical and illegal. It is not practical and these are false claims made to trap desperate people in need. 

            Self-respecting organizations usually do not resort to such measures (making claims like 100% legit), because it is more important for them to build trusting relationships with dentists and be able to continue assisting those in need in the future. Therefore, they explain their products and services in professional language, without strong emotional appeals, and they provide detailed descriptions of how their platform works. Loose claims are usually made because the claims are not legit- Hence, they feel obliged to expressly make such statements.

A professional company should be able to have complete transparency of all the work they have done so far, offered so far and testimonials in support of their work from multiple original people.  It is wise to ask such claimants for a trial version of their content. You will notice that the questions they provide are of poor quality that does not make comprehensible sentences, which they have lifted from freely available online sources. The answers provided are often wrong too. These are usually people who have no additional qualification or understanding about the exams more than a typical exam-going dentist like you.  

Think critically

The desire to study is a wonderful impulse. However, just as is true of many other things in life, you stand to benefit more if you don’t act impulsively, but rather think critically.

To ensure that your money is really put to good use and doesn’t just line scammers’ pockets, spend a little bit of time verifying their claims and any request for payment that you receive. Perhaps the best way is to get Study resources from a known organization and never from individuals who seemily make too-good promises. That way you can rest assured that your money will get you the quality and outcome you intend from it. 

There is also absolutely no real need to attend coaching centres in Kerala, Maharastra, Telengana or any other place/country for preparing for your exams. You can prepare by learning from the comforts of your home easily on your phone or tablet or laptop from eDental Portal. Start solving questions now by clicking here