READ THIS BEFORE YOU SIGN UP FOR MEMBERSHIP!!!
They had this same gym in San Dimas, CA. They offered me lifetime membership with a one time fee of $225.00. I signed up in 2014. They told me they were a start up gym that's why their fees were so low. They said, as a consumer, I would be taking a risk on them because they were a small gym, unlike its large competitors, like 24 hour fitness. If they went out of business, I would lose because my lifetime membership would end, but if they stayed in business, I would win because I would have lifetime membership.
Two years after I signed up, ClienTrainers went out of business in San Dimas. A new gym opened in its place (under a different name), but it remained a gym.
I was disappointed but knew that was the risk I was taking. Later I discovered the new gym was charging my credit card $49 PER YEAR, plus two installments of $14 (bi-yearly) for maintenance, but I never returned to the gym because I thought my membership ended when ClienTrainers went out of business. Besides, I moved away too. The gym is now called "Sweat Gym". Not only was I transferred to this gym, I understand another gym before "Sweat" also operated under these premises and also charged my credit card. The new owner told me ClienTrainer sent me an email when they were about to close to tell me the new owners would continue to charge my card and give me privileges to the gym. I never recall getting such email. Besides, they can't enter me into a new contract without my consent. Nevertheless, the new gym continued to charge me $49 per year for three years straight, but I never caught it on my credit card statement (don't ask me why).
Last year in February, out of the blue, they started charging my credit card $49 PER MONTH!!! They charged me this for 12 consecutive months until I finally caught it and wondered what the hell was going on. That's $600 I didn't authorize!
The billing company was ABC FINANCIAL at the time. Since then, my account was transferred to another billing company, again, without my consent. The new gym continued to charge my credit card even though ClienTrainers went out of business. Apparently, they transferred my gym membership to the gym that took ownership, again, without my consent. The new gym claims this happens because they use the same billing company, which ABC FINANCIAL. Is that incredible or what? They used DECEPTIVE PRACTICES too when ClienTrainers had me sign their contract. They made me sign on a electronic pin pad instead of showing me a paper contract. Well, I would have never signed anything that said they would charge me $49 per month. The gym only charges $240 for one year. Why would I authorize them to charge me $600 instead? Low and behold, my electronic initials are right next to the box on the contract that states I'll pay $49 per month automatic renewal payments after one year. Don't sign the contract electronically, it's a scam!!!
ClienTrainer's listed contradictory info on the contract. In one place they list $240+$49 annually and in another place they listed $49 PER MONTH under "future automatic renewal". So based on this, I was charged $49 per year for three years, but the new billing company that my account was transferred to now interpreted the contract to say $49 per month, not annually. This is why I was charged $600 this year!
To add insult to injury, the credit card I gave them expired in 2016, but somehow this billing company was able to run the payments through without requesting a new card #. I'm going to call the credit card company and dispute this too.
Avoid the headache, don't give this gym your credit card, don't sign or initial the contract electronically, and read the fine print. They listed $49 PER MONTH under "AUTOMATIC RENEWAL PROGRAM", yet for the PROGRAM NAME, they listed "PIF $240+$49annual".
THESE ARE DECEPTIVE PRACTICES AND I CONSIDER IT FRAUD.
Wish me luck as I try to resolve this and get my hard earned money back. I'm so angry that I would be willing to drive to Lancaster and stand in front of their gym passing out flyers and telling others my story to expose them. I will also plan to use social media media to warn others. What can I say, you live and learn. I think I need legal representation. I am sure I'm not the only one in this predicament. My manicurist told the same bullshit was told to her regarding lifetime membership, but when they tried charging her $49 after one year, she caught it and had them refund her money. She was lucky because she cancelled the whole damn thing in time, but she recalls it was a headache. I wasn't so lucky. Don't become another victim! read more
