I am currently being scammed by an Homework help service / HelpmyCourses / HelpMyAssignments

So this is what happened. I am a literature student who unfortunately had to take an IT course. I was burdened by midterm and projects, but the IT project was the most terrible for me. I had good academic standing and never cheater or used homework before, but because I am so terrible at IT, I decided to use a service. I paid $400 dollars, and then, the tutor messaged me again asking for an additional $499 dollars for research purposes. Since its my first time using services like this, I paid. The result I got was not only unsatisfactory but also very off topic.

So I did the work myself, went to my professor's office hour, and decided to ask for a refund of the $899 dollars back.

Then the nightmare began. I was threatened that the legal team of the company will reach out to my school to report my academic misconduct. They had my school email and my name, and they will report everything to my school. So I paid $3700 in total to close the deal. However, they are now asking me to continue using their services two more times to completely close the deal. What should I do? I am freaking out. Will I get into trouble if they do report me?

If you didn't actually use the work and you only submitted your own work, there's really nothing for them to report. If they actually tried to report you, just respond that you paid for a sample project and then show your school the project that they provided alongside the project that you actually submitted. They don't have any "legal team" and no real legal team would be involved in illegal blackmail. It's just a few idiots working from Internet cafes or from behind their laptops in their little apartments, or their hovels or mud huts, depending on where they're located. You didn't say what the additional $2800 was for or why you paid it. If they're domestic, you should report their blackmail to law enforcement in their state. You should also post the website right here to help others avoid this kind of scam.

Those money are paid to close the case so that all documents related to this transaction is deleted. I was freaking out so that I paid. But they continue asking for more. I am wondering if normally companies like this would really report to universities, and also is ATTEMPTING to use outside help really breaching academic integrity. But you are completely right. I will include the website to help other students to avoid those scammers.

The company is called HelpmyCourses. It also has many sister companies such as helpmyassignments, etc.

I don't see any sites by those exact names. You just got blackmailed (successfully), because there's nothing to "close out." If you paid by credit card, you should contact them to ask whether you can dispute a charge that you paid for blackmail and indicate that you have all the documentation. As I implied originally, as far as your school is concerned, it's only a violation if you actually submit the purchased work for credit; it's not like criminal law, where "attempt" can be its own crime. In any case, if asked, you ordered a model to use only as a model and the work you submitted was exclusively your own work. Sorry that happened to you.

helpmycourses.com here is the link to their website. And thank you so much for your advice. I feel much calmer now.

I think the criminals saw you coming a mile away. They have ways of identifying first time users to the homework help game. They also know exactly how to blackmail the students. You unwittingly knew how to get around their scam. However, you were not familiar enough with the game to know that because you did not submit the work they did, you were in the clear in terms of plagiarism and paid work. Next time, be more aware. Don't use companies without first vetting their services by asking others, specially the users at this forum. You will always get the correct advice from the writers and company reps here.

@Imporster
guys we should be careful same thing happened to one of my friend

The company has been rebranded as MyExamHelper.com and claims to have "A legacy of excellency in the academic world". Something that I find hard to believe since even this new company is known for scamming the students and yes, doing the unthinkable to make students worry that they would lose their academic future if they do not cave in to the demands of the blackmailer. They claim to help the students in all aspects of study, including taking exams for the students. That is the biggest red flag. No student should ever pay to have someone take a test for them. When caught, the university definitely takes action. Steer clear of this company.

Apparently, that "legacy" doesn't include the understanding that excellency is a title of nobility or aristocracy that has absolutely nothing to do with excellence.