Former AFL chief Andrew Demetriou's​ vocational education company Acquire Learning has been accused of unconscionable conduct and false or misleading behaviour after it sold tens of thousands of government-funded courses to vulnerable job-seekers.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has alleged before the Federal Court that the company bought the details of unsuccessful applicants on job websites, then cold-called them to sell expensive diploma courses.

Andrew Demetriou was Acquire Learning's executive chairman in 2014 Credit:Josh Robenstone

The courses, funded under the federal-government funded VET FEE-HELP loan scheme, cost between $19,000 and $52,000. Acquire's actions generating enormous up-front costs to the taxpayer, and large debts for job seekers to repay.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims says the Victoria-based company took advantage of vulnerable consumers and used "unfair tactics" and placed "undue pressure" to convince consumers to enrol.