ABC Financial Consumers Beware!!!! Sherwood, Arkansas

To Mrs. Stephanie Cook,

I now see why your company has an F rating with the BBB and multiple store closings. 

I will be emailing you also, I have joined Three weeks ago and already feel violated in so many ways. I joined and paid the fee immediately in cash, which there is a record of. I was double charged the next day which was not suppose to happen. I was then charged again two weeks after that. Then once again 7 days after that. So $12.00 on March 25th, 2013. $12.00 on March 26th 2013, $11.00 on April 8th 2013, and $49.99 on April 15th. This almost a $100.00 in less then a month when it is only suppose to be $10.00 a month. On top of this my truck was broken into and they stolen a snow blower out of my truck. 

My background is I am CEO of multiple corporations which I founded and have an education in Business Management. I took time out of my hectic schedule to explain my dissatisfaction to the manager of the place, her name is Melissa Fausek. As the phrase goes it's nothing personal because I do not know her, it's only business, with that being said she is horrible at her position and if she worked for me, she would have been let go today. I am not just talking as a general manager I am talking even as a desk counter person. I talked to a regular desk counter guy there (didn't catch his name) and he was more helpful then the manager.

When I came in there to talk to her, she was told I was waiting to talk to her. She helped people that came in after me and I was just being observant. She was basically just telling everyone generic answer's, you could tell she was not properly trained for that position and just generally hated her job. The lady in front of me told her she had a problem renewing her membership and wanted to add other people in her family. She said there is nothing I can do for you, you have to call the 1 800 number. Then it was my turn, I knew that she was inexperienced so I tried to be as patient as possible.  I explained to her that I was charged a whole lot of money and double charged, that I had a theft of my property. I said and I only have been a customer for three weeks! I said I don't want to threaten you of canceling my membership but you need to do something for me in regards to customer service or I would be leaving and taking quite a few customers with me. 

I was shocked by her response, she proceeded to tell me that the parking lot wasn't owned by them, the club was just leased. There is nothing she could do but issue me a $12.00 credit if I brought my bank statement in. I said I want to cancel today, what can you do for me. She said I can not refund you anything, matter of fact if you canceled today you will probably auto drafted for another month or two at least. I said in three weeks, I have been charged four times, and my truck broken into and a Three hundred dollar snow blower taken from me and all you can tell me is that there is nothing you can do for me and on top of that I will be charged another couple of months to a place where my Vehicle isn't even safe? She said sorry, so I asked for a card and she said they don't have any and scribbled her info on a scratch piece of paper.  I now see why your company has a F rating with the BBB and have many unsatisfied customers, adding me to one of them to your rapidly closing stores. 

There is absolutely no management structure of your stores and a million things wrong with them that I just shake my head and makes it a negative place to work out at. The one I go to is at 901 s. 60th street West Allis Wisconsin. You walk in and there is a sign that says pool closed because we do not meet Health Department standards, yuck. The employees are always on the internet in the offices and not helping customers. They should be cleaning and interacting with customers, the treadmills and elpicals are so filthy that I sometimes do not want to use them. This is just a taste of what is going on here to paint a picture. As every book I have ever read on business states, your team underneath you is only as strong as its leader. In this case Melissa Faussek is failing and all her bosses above her all the way up to CEO Steve Borghi. Give me a commission on this location and I could double memberships in  60 days. There is no management here, no customer service, dirty, and everyone running wild. 

At this point I plan going somewhere else as I am so discussted with how this place is ran I plan on filing a BBB report of my own in the next 48hrs.

Feel free to email me.

Hello,



We

regret to hear your recent experience with ABC Financial Services was not a satisfactory one. I would

like the opportunity to review your account and see that proper action has been taken. We strive to address all consumer feedback, positive or negative, and want to make sure your situation was handled properly.



 



Unfortunately, I was not able to locate your membership with the information provided in this post. Please email me at Stephanie.cook@abcfinancial.com with either your 9 digit agreement number or the home phone number on your account so that I may look into this for you.



Stephanie Cook



Customer Relationship Specialist



ABC Financial Services, Inc.

Today I received a call from a debt collector stating that I owe them 110$+..    

I was a member of Bally's fitness in Cambridge, MA.    My father was paying for my gym membership at the time, and when I decided to cancel my membership, he called up and canceled with them (Bally's). (Bally's 3rd party billing agency is/was ABC financial)

The person I spoke with at the collection agency said the problem arises from the young people working behind the counter at places like this gym..  not knowing exactly what they're doing. Apparently when my father called to cancel my membership..  the only thing that was canceled was the billing method, not the membership! So I was still billed for many months.

I am convinced that this is an improper way to handle business, and refuse to pay for an account in which I was convinced was closed.  (I had no notification that it was still open)

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Ms. Patton,

Per our previous conversation, your gym membership with Blast Fitness has been cancelled and your September draft has been refunded back to your Visa card. Due to the fact that ABC Financial does not manage the PT accounts for Blast Fitness, I have had Bianca Cira with Blast Fitness Personal Training reach out to you regarding your complaint with their service and request for a refund. If you have any further questions for ABC, please feel free to contact me at stephanie.cook@abcfinancial.com.

Stephanie Cook

Customer Relationship Specialist

ABC Financial Services, Inc.

I just got done posting my experience with these scammers.  You all need to challenge the charges with your bank and you should get your money back.  I have also reported them to ftc.gov and more.  These racketeers should be put out of business and I would LOVE to see them have to pay billions in punitive damages, even if I only got a dollar out of it!

You didn't sign a contract with Blast Fitness, so all fees should be refunded yes?  I am having this problem with them charging me for three months after cancelling, then saying they didn't receive my cancellation.  The membership should have been cancelled as soon as the old gym (Bally's) closed!

I emailed Stephanie Cook at ABC Financial her response is below. Received a refund of my monthly dues but no mention of the five personal training sessions. I completed intake forms with several lawyers in the Houston area. I plan on going forward with the class action lawsuit.

Response: I apologize that your club has closed down however, per the terms of your attached membership agreement the club must provide another facility within 10 miles of your home gym if it is to cease operation. You have access to the Blast Houston Sharpstown location which is 7.9 miles from the Sugarland facility. As a courtesy, your account has been cancelled effective today with nothing further due. I have also set up a refund for your September draft to process back into your Visa card ending in 6990. I believe this satisfies your request. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Stephanie Cook Customer Relationship Specialist ABC Financial Services, Inc. P.O. Box 6800 Sherwood, AR 72124 1-888-827-9262 Fax: 501-992-0802 Stephanie.Cook@abcfinancial.com

I reupped my membership when this place was still Bally in March 2012.  With this location closed, they are of no use to me.  Here is the email I sent to customer service which is the same conversation I had on the phone with them ....

My club closed it's doors on Sept 30.  I reupped my membership with Bally in March and was NEVER told the club was changing hands and thus never given the opportunity to explore my options.  When Blast took over I was assured this location was not in danger of closing.  I never received notification but showed up today and the doors were closed.  I called customer service and was told no refund because an alternate location exists in Sharpstown.  I only use the club at lunch and the Sugar Land location is close enough to my office to get there and back at lunch.  The Sharpstown location is not.  That is not MY definition of alternate.  We are not  talking about a ton of money here but it is MY MONEY.  This is no way to run a business.  I have been a member since 1996.  Really crappy.  I paid 193 dollars for 6 months of use.  Nice.  How about running that special on your door and see how many new memebers you get.

My Account Information is below:

Blast fitness breached my contract and refuses to give me a refund. 

My Account: 035700203??

Company: Blast Fitness,

13444 SW Fwy Sugar Land , TX 77478

(281) 494-9888

Also, if anyone is interested in filing a Class Action Lawsuit against ABC Financial please reply to this post.  I have The Hyatt Legal Plan through my employer and I would be willing to contact an attorney.

ABC Financial has lost of complaints via the BBB as well as many other online complaints