F*** Gold's Gym (rant)
polycounter lvl 18
My fellow dudes... I'm pissed so my thoughts are clouded, but I got to vent somehow.
Stay the fuck away from Gold's Gym, I beg you. I am currently getting fucked by them and their financial company ABC Financial.
I signed up for a membership, in Massachusetts with some fellow co-workers for what I thought was a year, on Sept 1st 2007. It was a work special. I used it for 3 days.
A few months down the road, I move back to Arizona. I talk to the dudes at the gym, and they tell me I have to "write corporate" and gave me all the info I needed.
The cancellation process is obviously made purposely troublesome. You don't have to read it, just know it sucks when all that really is necessary in a humane world is, "I no longer wish to use your service, I'd like to cancel it."
The "agreed termination fee" is $99. Fuck me, that's 4 months of food (I'm currently in college spending mode)
The active-types that would actually go through the tedious pain of canceling a membership responsibly wouldn't want to cancel, they're in the gym, paying their membership. The slags of meat like me, are trapped by their own laziness, also paying their membership. It's genius, really. Evilly genius.
So rather than doing all that bullshit, I put it off for its entirety. $19.99 a month.
A year rolls around and I'm thinking I'll finally be free of the bullshit, I get another charge! The meter was still on! Turn it the fuck off! Pissed, and recently let go from my job, I email ABC Financial asking what the deal is and gave them the skinny, they were dipping into my mac & cheese funds, the cunts. Turns out I signed up for 2 years. Huh? I'm still extremely skeptical about that, but, unfortunate for me, I can't find my copy of my contract. Even if I did, I bet it be on there... I just don't remember it that way, ugh.
So, I'm like fine, whatever, fuck the scumbags, I hope they choke on a dick. And continued to put it off.
I just checked my account again and, wtf, the membership fee has just gone from 19.99 up to $44.99!? ... I guess I upgraded my membership or something or maybe it does that after a year in. It's probably in the fine print somewhere. I haven't heard back yet, I just took a huge shit in an email and sent it off to ABC MothaFuggas, Inc. I'm still working on figuring out what the fuck is going on with my situation and fixing it.
I just wanted to warn you about this shitty unethical companies and Misery loves company!
Join me in flipping the bird to Gold's Gym and ABC Financial leaches.
*straightens tie*
Stay the fuck away from Gold's Gym, I beg you. I am currently getting fucked by them and their financial company ABC Financial.
I signed up for a membership, in Massachusetts with some fellow co-workers for what I thought was a year, on Sept 1st 2007. It was a work special. I used it for 3 days.
A few months down the road, I move back to Arizona. I talk to the dudes at the gym, and they tell me I have to "write corporate" and gave me all the info I needed.
The cancellation process is obviously made purposely troublesome. You don't have to read it, just know it sucks when all that really is necessary in a humane world is, "I no longer wish to use your service, I'd like to cancel it."
Cancellation due to Moving:
¨ You must move your residence 25 miles or more from club facility or any affiliate.
¨ You must provide sufficient proof that you are moving. Please send in one of the following:
Ø New lease agreement in the members name signed by member and lessor.
Ø New utility hook up or utility bill in members name.
Ø Newly issued drivers license.
Ø Copy of a one way international plane ticket with a copy of a visa or green card.
Ø PCS orders (boot camp and basic training not accepted).
Ø Letter from new employer (must be on letterhead), along with a copy of a pay stub.
Ø Closing papers on a purchase of a new home.
Ø Studentsmust send in a copy of a class schedule and tuition receipt (must be on letterhead).
¨ If you can not provide one of the above, you can send in TWO of the following:
Ø Current bank statement.
Ø Current major credit card statement.
Ø Post office change of address confirmation letter.
¨ Written notice of cancellation is required 30 prior to your next bill date. You are still responsible for any payments that fall within the 30 day period from the date ABC Financial Services, Inc. receives the sufficient proof of move.
¨ There is an early termination fee. Please refer to agreement to verify amount.
¨ Payments will continue on the membership agreement until the sufficient proof of move is received.
The "agreed termination fee" is $99. Fuck me, that's 4 months of food (I'm currently in college spending mode)
The active-types that would actually go through the tedious pain of canceling a membership responsibly wouldn't want to cancel, they're in the gym, paying their membership. The slags of meat like me, are trapped by their own laziness, also paying their membership. It's genius, really. Evilly genius.
So rather than doing all that bullshit, I put it off for its entirety. $19.99 a month.
A year rolls around and I'm thinking I'll finally be free of the bullshit, I get another charge! The meter was still on! Turn it the fuck off! Pissed, and recently let go from my job, I email ABC Financial asking what the deal is and gave them the skinny, they were dipping into my mac & cheese funds, the cunts. Turns out I signed up for 2 years. Huh? I'm still extremely skeptical about that, but, unfortunate for me, I can't find my copy of my contract. Even if I did, I bet it be on there... I just don't remember it that way, ugh.
So, I'm like fine, whatever, fuck the scumbags, I hope they choke on a dick. And continued to put it off.
I just checked my account again and, wtf, the membership fee has just gone from 19.99 up to $44.99!? ... I guess I upgraded my membership or something or maybe it does that after a year in. It's probably in the fine print somewhere. I haven't heard back yet, I just took a huge shit in an email and sent it off to ABC MothaFuggas, Inc. I'm still working on figuring out what the fuck is going on with my situation and fixing it.
I just wanted to warn you about this shitty unethical companies and Misery loves company!
Join me in flipping the bird to Gold's Gym and ABC Financial leaches.
*straightens tie*
Replies
Sorry man. The best I cant think of is spend that money you would have sent to them for the rest of the year on a lawyer who can write up a nice cease and desist letter to them.
That or they need to fax you a copy of your contract that you signed.
Pretty sure Arthur still has his, as well... :poly127:
If you can't find your original contract, or the gym won't send you a copy, you're probably SOL. Get a file cabinet (they make small cardboard boxes), to hold folders of your important paperwork. If nothing can be done for this, at least share your story with the world, so more people can avoid the place.
In a case like this I would call Wells Fargo or whoever your bank is that they are deducting from. WF would suspend any further charges if you complain enough. Then in the meantime contact the BBB and fill out their online form. It actually works and all I did was fill out the online form and I was contacted by no one. They worked to help me get out of continuing to make payments to some web.com hosting crap when they were being difficult to cancel. http://welcome.bbb.org/
Explain you are sure you signed up for 1-year and not 2. In the meantime see if you can get a copy of what you originally signed just to make it interesting and see if Gold's will be helpful with that or not.
There are ways to get out of things like this if you make enough noise and cry "victim" enough.
Also I recommend that you ask for a copy of your contract with them, so you can check out the fine print.
I suppose if you have agreed to all sorts of stuff, then its difficult to argue, but I would certainly
checking out where I stand legally first.
Seriously though they wouldnt know what to do-they want your money but lots of people have complained, they would have to cancel your contract perfect!
maybe ask a lawyer about this before doing is dont want harassment charges now do we!
While ur at it, take a shit in bathrroom's garbage can, even better if it's staff bathroom.
Damn that sucks. There has to be a way out of it if you loose your job. Seriously!
-Buddikaman
Finally, contact the attorney general if they can't provide you with a contract. Every attorney general's office has a consumer protection division who will attempt to protect you.
If not, then I'd bite the bullet and pay the $99. It may be tough, but it's cheaper than $44/mo and saves your credit.
Just make sure you also send a letter with receipt stating you cancelled. Should be enough right?
http://www.fitnessbusinessnews.com/index.php?p=article&id=fb200709wVaPJa
Kind of odd they didn't keep their members better informed, but it was also super cheap (I paid $100 for a full year!) and they didn't have a bunch of bullshit hoops to jump thru if you wanted to quit, one time I moved away and a quick phonecall was all that was needed to cancel my membership, and they gave me discounts when I returned. But now Ballys is bankrupt while the places that scam people stay in business, pretty fucked up.
And $25 for food a month, INSANE.
I'll find my contract, it has to be in my papers somewhere. Asking them for a copy is a great idea. I was just pissed yesterday.
I'll try to meet their requirements and mail them what they need so I can cancel my membership.
My bank does allow a black list request to companies other than affiliates, usually government and credit card companies, and they will deny payment to them. Doing so wouldn't change the fact I am contractually obligated to pay and Gold's could potentially take legal action against me for refusing to pay.
So... figured that shit out. It was a one time charge.
The best, friendliest, and tidiest gyms I've ever frequented are those here in Sweden run by the non-profit organisation Friskis & Svettis.
Sectaurs you might want to ask Jeff about that.
B
Gold's is awful. Not only did I have a similar experience to Cory, but I'm fairly certain ABC sold off my name to less-than-legal SPAM phone solicitors. And I didn't even want to cancel my gym membership, I was just late on payments because of incorrect billing information!
I am currently on some b.s contract with fitness world luckily its cheap because of a corporate discount otherwise id tell them where to go, a gym should be like any other place of recreation but they have turned it into a critical decision now with credit checks and signup fees and the like, i want to work out the extra weight not buy dam car insurance!.