Let's get this in context. Skymates offers an FAA Private, Instrument and Commercial in Arlington, plus hours building and the chance to study the CATS distance learning course (with the prospect of residential theoretical knowledge 'tomorrow'). All JAA flight training is done with PFT in Bournemouth. Whilst this is a neat package and takes the responsibility of arranging and integrating the various courses off your back, the fact is that you could do the same thing with any Part 61/141 training provider, possibly for less money.
North America based flight schools have been peddling this kind of thing for many years - UKFT in Long Beach and Harv's Air in Manitoba spring to mind as examples of slick marketing designed to suggest to the gullible that they are getting JAA approved training when they are not. Although, to be fair, only Harv's Air step over the line and make demonstrably false claims. One has to read the marketing speak very carefully; for example, a number of people were badly burned when Delta Connection and Atlantic Flight Training parted company because they didn't understand the relationship.
Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong with the FAA and JAA conversion route (and I'm sure that Skymates is a perfectly splendid organisation), nobody should be in any doubt as to exactly what they are paying for. By all means sign up for the Skymates/CATS/PFT package but do it with your eyes open and never, never pay 'up front'.