Bally Total Fitness 3 free month ripoff Norwalk California

Sometime in August 2006 my friend was leaving a Chinese Restaurant and saw a form with the chance of winning "3 months free" at Bally Total Fitness. She filled out the form and thought nothing more about it. About a month later she was called during her college class hours and was told she had won.

Since she had no vehicle I took her over to the Plano Bally Total Fitness. A lady by the name of Max introduced herself, told us about Bally, gave us a tour, and then she said she could give me the same 3 free months s my friend was getting.

We had some real negatives, even thinking about the 3 free months, as my friend had no transportation to get there, she was in college and felt she didn't have time, and I was working full time as a manager in a retail store and my responsibilities as a manager are very eractic depending on the work load. I had also just applied for a part time position with another company in addition to the one I had. We expressd our feelings to the representative.

Max said she understood, but she encouraged us to give it a try, as it was "free" and wouln't cost anything to try. Even though she had taken us into a room, she kept leaving and talking to another guy outside the room, seemingly to ask questions.

She said "although it was free, we would still need to sign the release (in case there was a sprained ankle on the treadmill, etc) and the form was the normal contract as that was the only form she could use to issue the ID cards." Both my friend and I watched her while she documented the account on the computor that we were taking advantage of the "3 free months".

The gentleman that Max had been goiing in and out of the room to talk to, came in and said he would go ahead and take the card to pay for the sign up fee so we could get our ID cards. I specifically said "do "not" put my credit card on file". He said "don't worry, it would "not" be on file, it would be used for this one time sign up fee only". (I am always concerned with me giving my credit card to anyone, as I am fully aware of credit card fraud.)

My friend and I really can't remember if we went one or two more times, but we do know we decided the time restraint was not feasible. Really never thought about it again. We received no notices and they never contacted us again.

The latter part of March 2007 I lost my credit card and cancelled it. Sometime around the latter part of April or 1st of May there was a Bally Total Fitness coupon book mailed to me with payments starting May 1st for $59.02. Needless to say I was more that just a little bewildered. When I contacted them I found out they had been charging my visa card.

Now, I will agree, it was careless of me not to be checking my visa billing closer than I did, but I solely use my card for all my personal transactions and had only two automatic payments for my car payments and insurance coming out of my checking. If I buy something on my Firestone, Sears, or JC Penny card I always pay them off in full either with cash or check. I have never nor will I ever use my visa card for a payment of any type. I onlyuse my visa for personal use (as I do not carry cash) and I have documentation to this fact. And I.....did not....sign up for Bally Fitness ....nor...... did I give permission for any use of my visa card. I do all my banking by phone and really never have any reason to keep track of my transactions.

I have documentation of withdrawals on my visa account of 9/25/06 ($21.65),sign up fee for the ID cards and additional withdrawals of $59.02 monthly for 10/24/06, 11/22/06, 12/22/06, 1/22/07, 2/22/07, 3/22/07; a total of $375.77. .......This is my money and I want it returned.......As anyone can see they charged me every month from my sign up date until I lost my visa card. >So much for the "3 free months"> I want bally total fitness to remove this garbage from my credit report (all of them) clearing this out of collections.

I, my friend, mother, and grandmother went to the place of business in Plano, TX and confronted the gentleman in charge. It was really a fiasco. He asked my friend and I to describe the person who we talked to. We described both the lady and gentleman. He said "Oh, I know who you are talking about, we have had complaints about them before, but they don't work here anymore." He kept saying he couldn't do anything. My mother said "we are not leaving until someone does something". He contacted the corporate office 800 638 1343 and we were on the phone for nearly 30 minutes which was a futile call. We asked for the contract that was signed...He gave us a blank contract. Said he did not have access to that. Gave us the # of the manager in Richardson 972 301 5450 *0 Renise Reser @ 110 W Campbell #121, Richardson, TX. That was also a worthless call. All you ever received was a recording and when she returned the call all she wanted was the Signature. I never received a copy of the contract. Needless to say no one is going to get my signature under these circumstances.

I was going to take them into small claims court and on research found out I needed to have the name of the Registered Agent, President, or Vice President and attempted to contact the State Comptrolers Office in California for the Corporate Office of the Bally Total Fitness, 12440 East Imperial Highway #300, Norwalk, CA 90650. They could not give me the info but referred to the the Department of Consumer Affairs.

While searching for all the information I needed, I ran across this Web sight. I found out I was not the only one they have screwed. So decided to place this complaint on this sight and then attempt to contact a few of the media in this area, in the near future, like Channel 8. May even contact CNN-keeping them honest, and any other media I can think of just to let the public know how they do their business.

Dustin
the colony, Texas
U.S.A.

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