by Structured Settlement Watchdog®
Settlement Broker’s Two Pronged Lie about four-day professional certification course
“Attended Notre Dame” implies matriculation: 1 Lie and 1 Insinuation
Matriculating, attending, or graduating from the University of Notre Dame is a far cry from completing a 4 day certification course. While the certification course is impressive in its own right, it won’t get you a cap, gown and full-throated “Go Irish!” bragging rights that come with the real deal.
Ignored NSSTA Posted Guidelines
It seems that even as of February 11, 2014, a veteran of the structured settlement industry continues to present himself this way, despite the facts about the designation having long been posted on NSSTA.com, the industry trade association’s website.
An Embarassment to the Industry at best
The structured settlement broker’s misrepresentation is, at best, an embarrassment to the industry and, at worst, unethical—potentially violating NSSTA’s bylaws as well as state insurance advertising laws.
Mocks those past and present who academically earned the right to attend University of Notre Dame
It makes a mockery of those past and present who academically earned the right to attend University of Notre Dame through scholarships or pay its tuition. It also demeans the value of the CSSC designation itself for those who accurately promote it because of their association with the errant colleague.
How Does NSSTA Promote the CSSC?
The National Structured Settlements Trade Association (NSSTA) expressly states on its website that the industry’s professional designation program is the NSSTA CSSC program and “by hosting the NSSTA CSSC Program at Notre Dame, one of the most recognized institutions of higher learning in the world, participants have an opportunity to learn together and build lasting relationships that will last throughout their careers”.
Structured Settlement advice should be sought from properly credentialed professionals
Professional credentials should not be mischarcterized or misrepresented
Because I care about the structured settlement industry and what it represents, I began in October 2007 with 4 Days in the Vicinity of Touchdown Jesus Does Not make You One of The Fighting Irish, an industry call out of those who misrepresented the CSSC designation, including in 2009, certain NSSTA Board members.
- In 2009 It was observed that some industry participants were even making the ludicrous claim that the 4 day NSSTA CSSC course was part of an Executive MBA program.
- A large selection of members of the firm of the current NSSTA President state on the website of the firm, that they have earned the professional designation from The University of Notre Dame, or Notre Dame University (which is actually a Lebanese university that does not host the NSSTA CSSC program at all), with no mention of NSSTA.
- Perhaps NSSTA could enforce its own guidelines and suspend the authority of those who have earned the designation if they do not promote it within the guidelines.
At what point does it become necessary to start informing state insurance regulators? If this was the securities industry, or West Point Academy, the answer would be easy, you have a duty to inform.