Golds Gym / ABC Financial ABC Financial Golds Gym / ABC Financial Mebership Cancelation Scam, Will not honor Certified Cancelation of service well after 1 year membership requirement met Internet

I used to work at a daycare facility at a golds gym daycare which provided me with free gym services for being an employee. I quit and left on a good note about their services and moved to southern California. No doubt in my mind did I think I would ever have to deal with them leaching me when I signed a contract at the Oxnard, ca location. I did a family membership for one year. On numerous occasions I tried to ask for a freezing point because I couldnt find a job because my sister did the same thing before and had no problems. So i accepted the fact that "only the armed forces" were eligible for it. The second time I called in they asked me why I was planning on cancelling if I couldn't freeze my account and I told them I didnt have a job and they had no sympathy for me and told me that freezing was only for permanently disabled folks. I repeat, permanently disabled. Meaning u will never be able to work out the same ever again.. Making this program nearly completely useless. So I asked for steps to cancel cuz my contract ended and she made me call back "in three days" which really makes a difference huh? Because my month won't end until then? I signed a 12 month contract not a 13 month contract meaning May2009-April2010 not may09-may10. Then I call back and she tells shell allow me a freezing point if I sign another contract with her. Hell to the no. Lie after lie after lie. Then she told me I have to write a letter and send it certified mail. I could have done that three days ago. I didn't know Wut certified mail was so I asked her and she specifically said " certified mail is certified mail" and I asked her again and she said the same thing so I sent my letter thru the mailbox thinking that's wut it was since she spoke to me like I was plain stupid. She gave me directions as fast and unclearly as possible so that when I asked her to repeat, she gave me an attitude and spoke in a tone of impatience and carelessness. Well of course the letter comes back to me (by this time I'm already over a month on my contract). So I call her back and I asked why it came back. Cuz it wasn't certified mail. So what is it?" Certified mail is certified mail" oh great lady that's Wut u said last time. So she told me to stop and listen carefully so "I" won't mess up again. She had the nerve to blame everything on me! So I take down the s a m e thing she told me last time and did it certified and I finally got it right this time. Except now they had to charge me 2 month extra. And to find out 3 months later they were still charging me! I filed a dispute thru my bank and didn't bother with gold gym any longer. I got back $260 the same day from my bank vs. Waiting for 60-90 days. So far so great but never will I touch a contract involving golds gym ever again in my life. And speaking of my bank and the post office. The bank told me golds was infamous for this and the post office told me her friend had to go thru headquarters in japan to cancel hers. Dont we all have something in common at golds gym? I hope their company goes down.

I am just reading through this as our contract has ended this month with the gym and trainer services. We contacted the company over 30 days ago regarding cancellation and verified the corporate office location, which happened to be the same as what displayed on the contract.

We then sent in a cancellation notice certified to the corporate office for both services (separate letters). Then we walked into the gym that housed the corporate office and personally delivered additional copies.

If they charge our card for services next month than copies of the contract showing the corporate office location and cancellation policy will be sent to our credit card company. Attached to it will be both emails that were sent in along with the certified receipts showing they received the letters.

There will be a request to reverse the charges as being un-authorized. I figure let the company take the hit on additional charges and time to fight the reversal. It is basically litigation being initiated and with the documentation what can they say to the credit card company to return the money?

I am kind of anxious to see how honest they will be regarding our cancellation and will post what happens in the month to come. Here's hoping I don't have to deal with a hassle :).

Dear Gold's Gym representative that is the same lie that was told to me when I attempted to cancel my membership. Not only could I not cancel before the contract ended but your company neglected to acknowledge my cancellation AFTER my contract ended. Even providing cancellation requests letters via certified mail! Would you like to explain the coincidental nature of which everyone I have ever discussed this matter with has also experienced the same thing? The answer is your company conducts it's business in an unethical and manipulative manner. And sooner or later a class action suit will be filed and millions of individuals like myself will come forward.  This I am certain of.
Good luck-

Dear Anonymous,

Do you think I just fell off a turnip truck?

Please allow me to dissect your response,

First, if you are a member and have been for 3+ years (and I presume still are a member by your letter) then I would like to know how you could possibly compare your experience of nonsensical billing practices when you have never tried to cancel your membership?

Second, I would like to know exactly, from your experience, what Golds Gym has brought to this community (This is not a free service they are giving away, they are not keeping kids off drugs or doing anything for the community other than providing a pay service) This statement is the equivalent of praising the local gas station for providing gasoline.

Third, I find it quite amazing that I posted my complaint on 3/1/2010, Golds Gym responded to my complaint on 3/1/2010 and subsequently an Anonymous Author (member) happened upon this report and has nothing but wonderful things to say about the gym, imagine that, on 3/1/2010

Give me a break, I guess I should sign in under 4 or 5 bogus names to substantiate my report. I can be user names like "Screwed over by Golds", "Fools Gold's" or the ABC's of getting screwed by Gold's, perhaps I will just create a bogus sign on like Anonymous like you have..... 

Wait a minute, that would make me a "fraud" just like Golds Gym / ABC Financial.

Lynn, Why dont you just keep being a staple for our community (can't say that twice with a straight face) and I will keep telling my neighbors, friends, family and coworkers just how pathetic you and your gym are for billing me well after you knew I wanted to quit my membership in person and even 2 weeks after I sent ABC a certified letter trying to cancel my membership.

Do the math people, Gold's Gym is making thousands of dollars screwing over people with this practice.

I make 100k plus a year, do you think that I give a d**n about the $39.00 a month you have been leaching off of me or the thousands of dollars you have been screwing everyone out of? 

I have nothing to gain here, in fact, I am simply providing a "public service" by pointing out that you rip people off and should be investigated for it.  

Lynn,

First of all, I did notify Golds Gym of my desire to cancel my membership in January 2010 when one of your staff "called me" at my home and asked if I wanted to sign up for some additional training classes as I had done in the past. At that time I made it very clear that I did not wish to continue attending the Gym. 

(Perhaps I can refresh your memory of this training class, this is back when I had been taking several classes with Patrick and out of the blue you fired him for excessive absences)

After I was billed again in January 2010, I went to the Gym and notified them in person of my intention to quit, at that time a manager was not available so left notice with the desk clerk. I even returned several days later to make sure that the membership had been canceled. 

 When I returned someone else was working the front desk, they in turn told me that I had to call ABC and cancel though them over the phone (funny thing is I never had to join with them over the phone and had no idea who they were)

I subsequently called them when I got home and was told that I could not cancel my account over the phone and that I had to send a certified letter to cancel.

By this point I was frustrated and fully aware that you were employing "delay tactics" in order to screw me out of even more membership fees, either way, I sent a certified letter on 2/10/2010 that I wished to cancel my membership. (I have the receipt)

If this is the case, and your hands are clean, why was I billed on 2/28/2010 for another months membership.

You try to make it seem like this was some kind of misunderstanding or something, but the truth is, I can sign up for a membership with Golds Gym, I just cant cancel it (even after the 1 year membership is over) without going above and beyond with you people.

Look at the records, I have not "signed in" to work out with your Gym since late October, 2009. You are fully aware that I was no longer using the gym yet you had no problem billing my account,

I can understand the Gym charging me up until January, but after that, there is no excuse for charging me and "playing stupid" about the fact that I wanted to cancel my membership and forcing me to jump through hoops that I never had to in the first place is just wrong.

Based on your response I am fully aware that you still dont give a d**n about my position, you write to me that "I still have access to the gym for March" Therefore I will take you up on it and make sure I tell everyone that enter or leaves what you have done to leach additional finds from my account. In addition I would like you to know that both my wife and I work in the Loveland Ft Collins communities and will be sharing this experience with "everyone" we know.  

To ALL,

I have been a member of the Gold's Gym here for 3+ years and they have done nothing but exceed my expectations!  If I have ever have a question about my bill ABC and Golds are more then willing to help and explain so that I have a better understanding.  The services and people at Golds Gym here in Loveland have help me to reach my fitness goals and I appreciate all that they have brought to our community!  Keep it up.

Gold's Gym strives to provide the ultimate fitness experience.  We honor any contracts we sign and ask our members to do the same.  Kevin did sign a one year membership agreement and also initialed for the automatic month-to-month membership at the end of his inital term.  There is no record of any attempt by Kevin to terminate his month-to-month membership until 02/04/10 when he called ABC Financial.  At that time, they informed him of what they needed to cancel his account, no cancellation fee-just 30 day notice (one more billing cycle). We recommend sending by certified mail (to protect both parties!) and he has since done so.  His certified letter was recieved on 02/12/10 and his account is already a "pending cancel", he has full use of the club until 03/30/10.

While unfortunate Kevin feels he has been "billed for services he has never received", we have certainly been open and here whenever he chooses to take advantage of the fitness facility.