Let's just say I was taking a PADI course, got stiffed by an instructor, filed a complaint with PADI QA, and got left completely hanging. PADI won't even tell me what the remediation is, because their policy is that they keep things "separated". However, they certainly used my name in vain to the instructor who has twice tried to retaliate against me personally. I am out many $$$ for a course I finished, but do not have the cert, and my only recourse is to start the whole thing over with a new instructor... I have never said a discouraging word against PADI but what do you do when QA basically leaves you in the lurch? Like I said, I didn't even get the satisfaction of knowing what remediation was taken to know that this LDS/instructor won't do what happened to me. If PADI QA is the final answer then I'll never, ever "put another dollar in".
This is a somewhat odd post. If the goal in posting it is to get comment from SB folks on what other / next course of action - beyond PADI QA - to take, it might help to add some (important) details. While you indicate that you would rather 'not go into too much detail at this time', I am not sure what suggestions can be offered through the Board, based on the limited data available.
1. When you say, you 'got stiffed', what do you mean? Did you pay for a course, and the instructor failed to peform the teaching functions? Did the instructor perform the teaching functions, but not pass you? Did the instructor indicate that you passed, but did not submit your certification paperwork / electronwork to PADI?
2. How do you know that PADI used your 'name in vain'? If they were following up on a QA matter, they would have probably made reference to the individual circumstance, and necessarily identified you as the individual involved, possibly as the filing the complaint. That is not using someone's name in vain, at least by my understanding of the phrase.
3. How were you 'left completely hanging' by PADI? Did they fail to respond to further communications? Or, did they say that the circumstances were beyond their control or authority?
4. How did the instructor try to retaliate against you? Something is not adding up here.
It may be worth noting, that PADI (and NAUI, SDI, SSI, etc) certifies instructors, and establish standards of teaching performance and behavior. But the instructors do not work for PADI. So, if the 'stiffed' part refers to a business transaction, it may be that the dispute is between you and a LDS, or between you and an independent businessperson who happens to be a scuba instructor. A bit more information might help us help you.