Bally Total Fitness Need advice on handling the Collection Agency! Troy Michigan

It matters 100% why you cancelled your contract with them because the contract you agreed to honor stipulates certain reasons that allow you to cancel your membership at no additional cost to you. If it is not one one of those reasons, you will be on the hook for the cost. It matters 0% that you are in the military because your service in the military, while greatly appreciated to someone like me, is not part of the contract. When you signed your contract, you gave your word and honor that you would abide by the terms of the contract and that is all this issue is about. Nothing more and nothing less.

Now that your debt has been sold by Bally's, you have no recourse to try and negotiate with them - that is something I would have tried in the first place. I would probably see what you can do to negotiate with the collection agency but you will have less luck with the collection agency. There are severe consequences that will happen to you personally if you don't negotiate - including the agency ruining your credit, inability to open a bank account, getting a loan, obtain a judgment against you and drain you of anything in your account, etc.... At this point, I suspect the amount you owe the agency is more than the debt you had with Bally's; do what you need to do to negotiate and pay off the debt. Make certain the agency doesn't ding your credit report, otherwise you will be in a huge mess; as an executive, did you know that companies now check credit reports of prospective employees and can reject you as a candidate for a position based on a bad credit report? It happens all of the time.

I guess the item I find interesting is the attitude; if you do to the military what you did to Bally's, the consequences are far more severe than what you're going through right now. Don't be cavalier about this. Best of luck and stay safe.