ST. PAUL, Minn. - Larry Mason has one simple wish, to get his high school diploma, but that instead of reaching his dream, he fell victim to a national scam.
Mason almost made his school's honor roll three decades ago, but he dropped out after his junior year. After years of waiting, he went online and enrolled in a program with Nation High School.
Mason says he paid $364 and was guaranteed by an online school counselor he would get a diploma. Three years later, his dream has turned into a nightmare.
"I thought I had got what I wanted and it turns out it was not what I actually wanted," he said.
Mason never got his diploma. Instead, he got a big headache. Jon Farnsworth, an attorney is helping Mason pro-bono.
"He's been put through the ringer with these people. He paid in full and on top of that, once he did all his class work, he did take his test, but they were still demanding more money," Farnsworth said.
The Better Business Bureau gives Nation High School an "F." A spokesperson for the bureau said there have been 110 complaints filed against Nation High School.
Getting in touch with the company is difficult because they don't have a physical address. Calling doesn't help either. KARE 11 called three times and each time the operator hung up on us.
"It's a scam. They ripped me off. They didn't give me what I wanted," Mason said.
Mason says he might never get to see his diploma or his money again, but the important thing is that he's learned to be more careful online. He hopes others will learn from his story.
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