9 ms·

I had this happen to me at a gym once. They had a promotion where it was a fixed price for a month of access. I handed over my card, signed on the payment pad,

by teeray 7y ago

I had this happen to me at a gym once. They had a promotion where it was a fixed price for a month of access. I handed over my card, signed on the payment pad, and walked out the door. When I got home, I found an onerous contract in my inbox with my signature plastered all over it from that signature pad agreeing to automatic payments, absurd cancellation requirements, BS involving my credit, etc. Fortunately, my state had a three day right of recision, so I was able to instantly nullify it despite their protests that it must go through the cancellation process.

dillonmckay 7y ago
You can also sign ‘Refuse to sign’.
swalsh 7y ago
Onerous contracts are literally gyms business model.
- teeray 7y ago
  Oh, I was well aware. I only accepted because this was presented as a one time purchase. The fraud was when they presented the signature pad as your standard payment authorization and then transparently forged my signature on documents I never saw or was made aware of before signing.
  - jaywalk 7y ago
    At least they had the courtesy to send you the contracts you'd "signed."
o10449366 7y ago
A few months ago I had the option to sign up for two gyms: One right by my house for $15 a month, another much farther away for $120 a month. I decided to go with the more expensive gym, not because any of the facilities were better, but because the $15 a month gym had a ridiculous number of stipulations in the contract, a 6 months notice for cancellation, minimum 1 year contract with auto renewal, ambiguous "service fees" and electronic payment fees, etc. etc. etc. The more expensive gym is month to month, cancel anytime for no reason at all, no bullshit. Well worth the extra money to not have to deal with any nonsense.
- hinkley 7y ago
  It’s funny to me that, in a society where we buy takeout to avoid having to cook, we discount the energy expenditure for the “cheaper” option in so many other contexts. And extra $20 bucks and I never have to think about this again? Yes, please. An extra 40? Okay. I’d have to think hard about $100 though.

by teeray 7y ago

dillonmckay 7y ago

You can also sign ‘Refuse to sign’.

swalsh 7y ago

Onerous contracts are literally gyms business model.

teeray 7y ago
Oh, I was well aware. I only accepted because this was presented as a one time purchase. The fraud was when they presented the signature pad as your standard payment authorization and then transparently forged my signature on documents I never saw or was made aware of before signing.
- jaywalk 7y ago
  At least they had the courtesy to send you the contracts you'd "signed."

o10449366 7y ago

A few months ago I had the option to sign up for two gyms: One right by my house for $15 a month, another much farther away for $120 a month. I decided to go with the more expensive gym, not because any of the facilities were better, but because the $15 a month gym had a ridiculous number of stipulations in the contract, a 6 months notice for cancellation, minimum 1 year contract with auto renewal, ambiguous "service fees" and electronic payment fees, etc. etc. etc. The more expensive gym is month to month, cancel anytime for no reason at all, no bullshit. Well worth the extra money to not have to deal with any nonsense.

hinkley 7y ago
It’s funny to me that, in a society where we buy takeout to avoid having to cook, we discount the energy expenditure for the “cheaper” option in so many other contexts. And extra $20 bucks and I never have to think about this again? Yes, please. An extra 40? Okay. I’d have to think hard about $100 though.