By December 2025, the Swedish Consumer Agency had received 150 complaints against educational institutions alleging poor advertising labeling, misleading marketing or unfair contractual conditions.
Some of them have names that suggest they are about e-commerce, dropshipping, or other ways to make money online. Some can also be identified by media reviews that have highlighted problems or exposed fraudulent operations.
“We are absolutely aware of the problem and regularly receive notifications about this type of training,” says Sandra Troedsson, a lawyer at the Swedish Consumer Agency.
But the applicants don’t get any Help. The authority’s general assessment is that they should not be classified as consumers.
– The training is for business purposes. “This means that in this course you are considered a dealer and not a consumer, which means this problem is outside of our mission,” says Sandra Troedsson.
The fact that you sign a contract with the company as a private individual, pay as a private individual and that the course is about learning how to become a businessman doesn’t help.
– If you make a purchase with the aim of becoming a trader, this is not covered by consumer law. However, this may be reconsidered depending on what notifications and documents we receive and what we see in our monitoring of the world around us.
Has the same assessment The General Complaints Board (ARN) has taken action in several cases where individuals have reported online courses that they regret purchasing. For example, at least 18 people reported the Nextlevel course reviewed by DN to ARN.
In most cases, ARN has recommended that the company behind Nextlevel should refund customers. But in at least one case, ARN has closed its investigation because it believes the person who purchased the course was a company and not an individual.
– You have to pay attention to what is stated as the basis for withdrawing from the contract. A consumer can’t complain that he didn’t make as much money as he thought with training like this, says Elin Envall, a lawyer at ARN.
Regardless of the outcome, ARN’s decisions are merely recommendations to companies. Several of those found in the committee have still not received any money back.
Facts.The law on distance selling contracts
The Distance Contracts Act applies in situations where a consumer purchases something from a business remotely, for example over the internet or telephone. The consumer has the right to cancel his purchase at any time within 14 days of receipt or collection of the goods. If the company has not informed about the right of withdrawal in connection with the purchase, this can be extended for up to one year.
There are exceptional cases in which the right of withdrawal does not apply. This applies, for example, to certain foods, specially manufactured goods and lotteries and games. The consumer can also waive the right of withdrawal when purchasing digital content such as a game or video.
In several cases where people have canceled the purchase of online courses, the companies behind the courses have pointed out such clauses in their purchase contracts and explained that the right of withdrawal therefore does not apply. At Nextlevel, ARN has repeatedly expressed the opinion that the right of withdrawal still applies. The course includes mandatory live question and answer sessions and personal coaching. Then it is a digital service and not digital content, and then the right of withdrawal cannot be waived.
In the gambling inspection department If there are indications that a pyramid scheme is suspected, cases related to online courses are also increasing. According to Marcus Aronsson, the agency’s expert in the field, price activity appears to be the latest trend among pyramid schemes.
These are often schemes that make the participant rich quickly, giving them the opportunity to get off the squirrel wheel and take control of their own existence, he explains.
– You often play with these feelings and in the end it is a course or a tool that you have to buy to achieve it.
According to the definition of the law Is it a pyramid scheme if profits come primarily from recruiting new participants and depositing new money, rather than from selling a product?
Marcus Aronsson cannot answer how the displayed courses should be classified because the authority has not examined the cases. However, he states that some may be in a gray area.
– We rarely receive tips from someone who is involved in what they are tipping about, because as long as you are involved, you believe it. Therefore it is difficult to investigate, he says and warns:
– Never pay for the right to make money. And if the model is based on having to recruit others to earn that money, the risk that it is a pyramid scheme is very high.
Read more:
Everyone is selling the same thing – but no one tells you what it really is
Tiktok deletes accounts – if DN checks promise of wealth
The course seller’s promise to the DN reporter: 100,000 per month
