OK, well we already have a martial arts thread and I think this would fit in there. You might want to scroll through that thread when you have some time because we have discussed bad behavior by martial arts schools. It's true that some are a scam. Here are some major red flags to look for.
Requiring students to sign long term contracts.
Requiring a large sum of payment of a contract up front.
The cost of classes is much higher than other schools in the same area.
An abundance of high priced equipment is required to be purchased through the school.
Charging lots of money for belt tests. Note that testing fees themselves are not a scam, but exorbitant fees, such as $200 for a yellow belt test, is suspicions.
If the instructor is flirting with or sleeping with students, or parents of students.
Any school that claims they can teach you "the no touch knockout." Hint: there is no such thing. Avoid these schools.
Schools that claim you can earn your black belt in one year. It should take several years of committed training to earn a black belt.
If the instructor claims to have invented the style. This means they promoted themselves to master rank, never trust anyone who promotes themselves.
Look at the high ranked students. Is the technique good or sloppy?
Other general things to look out for are the behavior of the students and teachers in class. Are they respectful or is there bullying? Do you agree with the philosophy that the school teaches? Are they teaching and working or do they spend most of the class being social? How large is the class? Normally small classes are better because the more students there are the less attention an instructor can focus on each person.
It's important to note that just because a school has one or two of these does not necessary make it a scam school. These are just general guidelines to look for. Trust your instinct when deciding. Look around at several different schools to see what fits you best. Remember your martial arts training is your own journey and education.
I don't exactly understand your question about Ninja Cobras and what not. I know some business models are scams and have been sued for stealing information from other schools and claiming it as their own. Z-Ultimate was the famous example of this in the United States.
If you have further martial arts questions I recommend you look through this thread
https://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?340702-Martial-Arts and see if you can find some answers.