Alright, time to raise the visibility of this blog.
I'm going to post my story to all of the major complaint web sites. I started with ripoffreport.com today. It takes 15-30 minutes for a complaint to show up, so I don't have a complaint number to share with you, but I may post it later.
I'm also going to try to contact others who have similar complaints.
I sent the following to the person who posted complaint #48 on 06/22/05 on complaints.com:
"I read your story on complaints.com about National Fitness Financial Systems. I am having a similar problem and I have started a blog to document my story: http://ihatenationalfitness.blogspot.com
I'm trying to generate some support , and if I can find enough "victims" of this company's questionable business practices to prove that fraud has occurred, I intend to launch a class action law suit.
Please let me know if you are interested."
In case you are wondering, I may actually try to launch a class action lawsuit. I found some new complaints about National Fitness today, so I'm fairly certain that there are enough people out there. I just have to find them.
My Story
On June 13, 2006, I joined American Family Fitness in Richmond, Virginia. American Family, or “AFF” is a gym owned by Richmond Fitness, Inc., also located in Richmond, but “Member Services” are managed by a company called National Fitness Financial Systems in Layton, Utah.
I knew at the time that I joined American Family that I would be moving to Atlanta in the future. As such, I was certain to inquire about cancellation. I was presented with a contract which has a “permanent relocation” clause that allows one to cancel membership if the member moves to a location where no affiliated facility exists within 25 miles of the member’s new residence. The clause stipulates that the member must provide proof of permanent relocation and is liable for a one-time cancellation charge of $100. It further states that “[t]ermination takes 30 days to process and any draft(s) or payment(s) due during this 30-day period must be processed and collected….” My red flags should’ve gone up, but I accepted: 36 months at $52.95.
It was over a year later that I actually moved to Atlanta. On July 17, 2007, I phoned National Fitness to find out if there are any affiliated gyms within 25 miles of my new home. I provided my new address (and phone number) and I was informed that there are no affiliated gyms in my area. I requested information regarding cancellation and was informed that I must submit a letter of intent to cancel and proof of residency to the Membership Service Department in Layton, Utah, just as the contract stipulates.
On July 18, 2007, I made two crystal-clear copies of my Georgia driver’s license and sent one copy along with a polite cancellation letter to the address provided to me by National Fitness. I mailed the information via Priority service with address confirmation from my local post office. According to the USPS web site, my information was delivered 7/21, so I expected my 30-day processing period to begin on that date.
I was away from home from July 30th through August 6th. When I returned, I found an undated letter from National Fitness. “We have new information regarding your inquiry and have been unable to reach you by phone,” it read. I checked my caller ID and found no calls from National Fitness and none from a Utah area code. There were no voice mail messages, either.
I called National Fitness on August 8th at 3 p.m. and spoke to Hammond (I started writing down the details at this point). Hammond informed me that National Fitness had received my documentation and everything was in order. I’d just need to submit a $100 payment and my 30-day processing period would begin.
You’ll notice at this point that I didn’t mention a $100 payment in the list of items National Fitness asked me to send when I phoned them on July 17th. That’s because I wasn’t asked to send $100. I foolishly assumed that National Fitness would charge $100 to my debit card, the way they’ve charged every payment since June, 2006.
“You haven’t authorized us to charge the $100. You’ve only authorized us to debit your monthly payment,” Hammond informed me. “I didn’t know I was supposed to authorize you. You’re authorized,” I replied. So, Hammond charged $100 to my debit card, and I suppose my 30-day processing period thus began on August 8th, 18 days after it should have.
After I hung up with Hammond, I checked my contract, where I authorized National Fitness to charge my debit card. It reads, “[a]s a convenience to me, I authorize my Bank to make payment to National Fitness for Richmond Fitness, Inc.” It does not specify the type of payment or an amount, so no distinction was made between automatically charging $52.95 monthly and charging $100 once. In my estimation, payment is payment; National Fitness was authorized to charge the cancellation fee and they chose not to do so.
If your “something is fishy” alarm isn’t going off by now, you haven’t been paying attention. Why didn’t National Fitness tell me to send a $100 payment with the letter of cancellation? Why did National Fitness claim they tried to call me when they didn’t? Why didn’t National Fitness automatically charge the cancellation fee to my debit card? Why did National Fitness choose the slowest form of communication to inform me that my cancellation was not being processed? I believe National Fitness is intentionally dragging their feet, hoping to get an extra payment or two in before they cut me loose.
I could complain. I could argue over the contract. I could yell at the customer service reps and demand to speak with a manager. I could threaten. But I don’t believe it would do any good.
If you troll the Internet for information about National Fitness, you’ll find similar stories. Stories of unathorized credit card transactions. Stories of National Fitness' propensity to "lose" documentation. Stories of threats and intimidation. This appears to be the National Fitness modus operandi: do what it takes, just get the money.
And so my mission is to show National Fitness (and every gym that associates with National Fitness) the error of their ways. I intend to hit them where it hurts: in the pocketbook.
In the immortal words of Howard Beale, I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore.
I knew at the time that I joined American Family that I would be moving to Atlanta in the future. As such, I was certain to inquire about cancellation. I was presented with a contract which has a “permanent relocation” clause that allows one to cancel membership if the member moves to a location where no affiliated facility exists within 25 miles of the member’s new residence. The clause stipulates that the member must provide proof of permanent relocation and is liable for a one-time cancellation charge of $100. It further states that “[t]ermination takes 30 days to process and any draft(s) or payment(s) due during this 30-day period must be processed and collected….” My red flags should’ve gone up, but I accepted: 36 months at $52.95.
It was over a year later that I actually moved to Atlanta. On July 17, 2007, I phoned National Fitness to find out if there are any affiliated gyms within 25 miles of my new home. I provided my new address (and phone number) and I was informed that there are no affiliated gyms in my area. I requested information regarding cancellation and was informed that I must submit a letter of intent to cancel and proof of residency to the Membership Service Department in Layton, Utah, just as the contract stipulates.
On July 18, 2007, I made two crystal-clear copies of my Georgia driver’s license and sent one copy along with a polite cancellation letter to the address provided to me by National Fitness. I mailed the information via Priority service with address confirmation from my local post office. According to the USPS web site, my information was delivered 7/21, so I expected my 30-day processing period to begin on that date.
I was away from home from July 30th through August 6th. When I returned, I found an undated letter from National Fitness. “We have new information regarding your inquiry and have been unable to reach you by phone,” it read. I checked my caller ID and found no calls from National Fitness and none from a Utah area code. There were no voice mail messages, either.
I called National Fitness on August 8th at 3 p.m. and spoke to Hammond (I started writing down the details at this point). Hammond informed me that National Fitness had received my documentation and everything was in order. I’d just need to submit a $100 payment and my 30-day processing period would begin.
You’ll notice at this point that I didn’t mention a $100 payment in the list of items National Fitness asked me to send when I phoned them on July 17th. That’s because I wasn’t asked to send $100. I foolishly assumed that National Fitness would charge $100 to my debit card, the way they’ve charged every payment since June, 2006.
“You haven’t authorized us to charge the $100. You’ve only authorized us to debit your monthly payment,” Hammond informed me. “I didn’t know I was supposed to authorize you. You’re authorized,” I replied. So, Hammond charged $100 to my debit card, and I suppose my 30-day processing period thus began on August 8th, 18 days after it should have.
After I hung up with Hammond, I checked my contract, where I authorized National Fitness to charge my debit card. It reads, “[a]s a convenience to me, I authorize my Bank to make payment to National Fitness for Richmond Fitness, Inc.” It does not specify the type of payment or an amount, so no distinction was made between automatically charging $52.95 monthly and charging $100 once. In my estimation, payment is payment; National Fitness was authorized to charge the cancellation fee and they chose not to do so.
If your “something is fishy” alarm isn’t going off by now, you haven’t been paying attention. Why didn’t National Fitness tell me to send a $100 payment with the letter of cancellation? Why did National Fitness claim they tried to call me when they didn’t? Why didn’t National Fitness automatically charge the cancellation fee to my debit card? Why did National Fitness choose the slowest form of communication to inform me that my cancellation was not being processed? I believe National Fitness is intentionally dragging their feet, hoping to get an extra payment or two in before they cut me loose.
I could complain. I could argue over the contract. I could yell at the customer service reps and demand to speak with a manager. I could threaten. But I don’t believe it would do any good.
If you troll the Internet for information about National Fitness, you’ll find similar stories. Stories of unathorized credit card transactions. Stories of National Fitness' propensity to "lose" documentation. Stories of threats and intimidation. This appears to be the National Fitness modus operandi: do what it takes, just get the money.
And so my mission is to show National Fitness (and every gym that associates with National Fitness) the error of their ways. I intend to hit them where it hurts: in the pocketbook.
In the immortal words of Howard Beale, I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore.
Fitness Facilities Associated With National Fitness
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
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8 comments:
It is a rip-off that have over 700 known cases. PLEASE SPEAK UP!
I hope this blog is still up and working. if so, I am currently having the same problem with National Fitness auto-drafting an expired membership that I never authorized for renewal. Is there any possibility of a class-action lawsuit?
Rebecca in Florida
Hi, Consider me in guys for class-action lawsuit against these crooks. I finally blocked them from my credit card and disputed all transactions - the ones these crooks charged me after contract expiration. I can set up an group email as i want to show these people that they can not rip everyone.
-Karam
karam.hira@gmail.com
I went through the same thing with these scamsters. I don't know what we can do, but I'm on board for any way we can damage their reputation.
Karam, did they charge you for disputing them with your credit card? Because they charged me. $15 for every month of the contract I disputed.
My email is jimdowd99@yahoo.com
I'm in. htye are messing with myself and a friend. we made a huge mistake in signing. we are both 18 and have no money to do anything or pay them. I just stopped. The man (Charles) we talked to about joining intimidated us and we bothh (2 smaller in stature girls) freaked and signed without reading the contract in it's entirety. they have been complete jerks since then. I am in. my email is ashleyandrews32@gmail.com
(they wont allow us 2 leave even though we r moving to college)
My friend and I walked in because I won 2 free 30 day passes. The Manager there, Charles, made both of us feel extreamly uncomfortable and called us lazy ect. Then after asking us about college and our ages, while uncomfortable and just wanting to get out, got us to sign a contract. He said nothing about a contract and nothing about 3 years. Every time I tried to ask questions he'd ignore me and talk to my more timid friend. We went back, trying to cancel, and he was a complete jerk to us. We called The customer service number and they told us about the 3 year thing. 3 years, $40 a month. The normal rate there is $12. The lady at customer service wouldn't give me a name or number of anyone higher up when I asked. And the manager (Charles) was supposed to call us back and never did. You have 3 days to revoke, past that you can only get out for relocation (college doesn't count because you can come home) or disability. We are taking a lawyer and filing a complaint to BBB (Better Business). They wont even talk to us, and frankly, Charles scares me. Also, apparently there are only complaints about the company. HA. -.- please add Ideal Fitness to your list as they are a new gym that uses National Fitness.
Thanks for sharing your story. I'm dealing with similar issues now. Military family currently overseas, being given the run around by National Fitness. They are awful to deal with.
I am having a problem I sign then tried to get out. And then ended up not paying for two months they reported ti collections and I then paid the full 3 years off over 1000. And here I am 9 monnths later and they have not even marked as paid on my credit report and now I cant even buy a house till they remove it.
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