LA Fitness - Personal Training Scam help?

Options
penngarcia
penngarcia Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
So I was tricked into signing up for a 12 month contract with LA Fitness for personal training. One really good salesman talks to you about changing your life and all the things he's going to do for you- he even does a practice session with you to show you how great it's going to be. Once you sign on the dotted line, he passes you off to other trainers who don't know you and don't care about you.

Oh, and the ONLY reason I signed up for the 12 month contract was because they expressly told me that, if I wasn't happy, I could cancel after 6 months with no penalties. Of course now that I'm at 6 months and am completely unhappy with the "personal" training, this suddenly isn't true? I even called the corporate "customer service" and she just kept giving me the same line. The only option is for me to do a "buyout" for 50% of the remaining contract which is over $500! I don't have $500 lying around... I'm a student who recently moved to LA.

Anyway... I went ahead and canceled my cards in a panic because I'm going dead broke and can't afford this ****ty fake training anymore.

My question is... has anyone battled this? Could I get in serious legal trouble if they start calling for updated payment information and I ignore it? I just don't have money to pay them and certainly don't have money for a lawyer... I just don't know what to do.
«13

Replies

  • ctgrl1
    ctgrl1 Posts: 2
    Options
    PennGarcia,
    I was in the same boat in when I lived in North Carolina. They will send it over to collection and put on your credit. There is a reason why they ask for social security on those forms.

    My advise to you is to keep fighting. Tell them you have to move, try looking up an area they may not have a location there. Most likely if they do a location outside the 30 miles radius of your new spot, you can get out of it. Best of luck.

    Aimee
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Options
    Do you have a copy of the contract you signed? What does it say?
  • jess7386
    jess7386 Posts: 477 Member
    Options
    Don't ignore it. Call your credit card company (I hope you didn't put it on a debit card) & explain the circumstances. Most of the time they will do the work for you.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,181 Member
    Options
    It depeneds.
    they could put a lean against you.
    It will ruin your credit score.
    I woudl call them, let them know that you can no longer afford it, and what other payment options they have.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Options
    You could threaten to report them to your state's Attorney General's office. Most local news station have a consumer affairs person, contact them see if they would put in a call on your behalf. Then there's always the Better Business Bureau. Most companies don't want bad publicity so they'll let you out of the contract just to be rid of you.

    ETA: Though this could be moot, since some gyms have "bait & switch" scams, especially when it comes to contracts (probably why I don't belong to one) and threats may not get them to do the right thing.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    LA Fitness has year long personal training contacts? News to me. That might be an industry first. Usually big box gyms are 1-3 months and even then they sell by number of sessions. Even private trainers rarely sell more than 4-6 months.

    And both the first and second person on this thread have just one post? How did the second person on this thread even find the forums?
  • SkinnyFatAlbert
    SkinnyFatAlbert Posts: 482 Member
    Options
    Could I get in serious legal trouble if they start calling for updated payment information and I ignore it?

    The non-payment could show up on your credit report eventually and worse you could even be sued. If a judgement is won against you it stays on your credit report for years and in extreme cases a lein could be put on your property, bank accounts, or even your wages. It really depends on how aggressive the company is with debt collections. My advice would be to find a way to make payment arrangements and consider the whole thing a learning experience. It's flat out not worth the risk over only a few hundred dollars.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    ^few hundred? Personal training at LA Fitness would run $600 per month, so 6 months left would be several thousand dollars. That's why it seems so unlikely.
  • penngarcia
    penngarcia Posts: 3
    Options
    Thanks everyone. I checked in all my paperwork from the gym and they didn't give me a copy of my contract. I feel very stupid... but I suppose I have to chalk this up to experience. I just can't believe a company would take advantage of a customer like this. Well. Yes I can, I guess I just wanted to believe that a GYM cared a little more about people's health and well being.

    I was on the verge of tears with this woman in "customer service" and she just didn't care. I kept saying "I don't have $500+ dollars, what are my other options?" and she just goes "I could help you take better advantage of the program and set you up with a trainer for the remainder of your contract."

    I think I'm going to balance transfer my credit card to one that has no interest rate for the first year so I have a chance to catch up on the payments and just promise myself never to fall for a slimy salesperson again.

    People that are trying to change their lives/get fit/get healthy are so vulnerable and I think that is what makes me the most angry. They are taking advantage of vulnerable, desperate people.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    You're screwed.

    6 months and you are unhappy?
    And again- 6 months? I call BS- you should have known better.
    And the trainers who don't care about you? really? you're going to blame them for you bad decisions? You could have switched trainers- you are not locked into ONE trainer.
    So I was tricked into signing up for a 12 month contract with LA Fitness for personal training

    what did they say- here sign this it's for the smoothie bar? They cannot TRICK you into signing up for 12 months of personal training.

    It's your money you should have backed out sooner- and you absolutely could have. This is your fault.

    If you have paid for sessions- use them and cancel the sales. They can't charge you for a service you aren't using.

    LA has some shady buisness for sure- but you can request a new trainer- or go to a different gym. I have no sympathy what so ever- Personal Training is elective- you are not in a high pressure evniornment- you can just say no thanks any time- they are selling you what you want to hear- but the reality is you have to show up and do the work- Ultimately you purchased the sessions- you knew what you were signing up for- this is like buying a truck and driving it for 6 months then realizing you pay 80$ a tank to fill it up- then get mad that the dealership sold you a gas guzzling car and now you're bank doesn't want to give you your money back.

    Nope- no sympathy. none.
    ^few hundred? Personal training at LA Fitness would run $600 per month, so 6 months left would be several thousand dollars. That's why it seems so unlikely.

    well- depends on how many sessions a week you book I suppose- but it's easily that or more. There is flexibility with what they charge you.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Options
    I checked in all my paperwork from the gym and they didn't give me a copy of my contract.

    Go to the gym and ask for a copy that has your signature on it. Then read it.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Options
    Get a copy of the contract at least.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    I checked in all my paperwork from the gym and they didn't give me a copy of my contract.

    Go to the gym and ask for a copy that has your signature on it. Then read it.

    this

    some where someone has a copy of it.

    And they should have given you a copy. Legally there should be for you and one for them.
  • SkinnyFatAlbert
    SkinnyFatAlbert Posts: 482 Member
    Options
    ^few hundred? Personal training at LA Fitness would run $600 per month, so 6 months left would be several thousand dollars. That's why it seems so unlikely.

    Just going off the $500 figure the OP stated was the buyout.
  • penngarcia
    penngarcia Posts: 3
    Options
    Not asking for sympathy, just advice on my options. So thanks.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
    Options
    When it comes to contracts, don't pay attention to what people tell you is in it. Read it, ask questions if you don't understand something, and if they verbalize terms (ESPEICALLY cancellation terms) that aren't actually in the contract, get them to put those terms in writing before you sign. There is only one reason a company would fail to include cancellation terms in writing, and that's because they are essentially planning to fight you tooth and nail if you try to cancel. People who sell these contracts get a commission, and many, if not most, of them will say anything to get your signature, even making promises they are not authorized to make.

    Unfortunately, if they have your signature on a document, you are bound to the terms in that document. As to whether you can get in legal trouble for not paying, it depends on the debtor/creditor laws in your state. Some states are very debtor-friendly, and the laws pretty much don't allow a creditor to do anything other than report you to the credit bureaus for nonpayment.

    If you can't afford a lawyer to read the contract and advise you on whether you have any legal grounds for getting out of the contract (and if your situation is that dire, you may qualify for free legal aid), then my advice (I am NOT a lawyer) is to go in person to whatever center you signed up at, ask to speak to the manager, explain that your financial situation has changed and that you can no longer afford the monthly payments, tell them you were under the impression that you could cancel after 6 months with no penalty, and politely ASK them to work with you on it.

    Report them to whatever consumer protection groups you want for unethical business practices if they truly promised you something and are refusing to follow through, but nobody can trick you into signing a contract. Unless they held a gun to your head, the responsibility for reading the agreement and making sure that you understand and are willing to comply with it is on your shoulders.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    Not asking for sympathy, just advice on my options. So thanks.

    then perhaps you shouldn't have written a whiney potentially slanderous post about a large company who has a lot more legal leverage than you do.

    just asking for advice is completely different than what you did in this post.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Options
    they didn't give me a copy of my contract.

    Ask them to produce the document you signed. Review it yourself and see what your options are.

    Also: don't sign any more contracts without both reading them and getting a copy.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    I'm still trying to figure out what the scam is
  • SofaKingRad_II
    SofaKingRad_II Posts: 591
    Options
    Not asking for sympathy, just advice on my options. So thanks.

    then perhaps you shouldn't have written a whiney potentially slanderous post about a large company who has a lot more legal leverage than you do.

    just asking for advice is completely different than what you did in this post.
    `

    YEAH U TELL HER GIRL! THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU! THEY CAN'T HANDLE UR SNARK! SCREW HER FOR ASKING HOW TO DEAL WITH A MISTAKE LOLOLOLZ

Categories