4 ms·

"Sending a registered letter" sounds like a "getting ready to sue" legal last resort. You don't have to do things like that to cancel subscriptions with most an

"Sending a registered letter" sounds like a "getting ready to sue" legal last resort. You don't have to do things like that to cancel subscriptions with most any other business. Unfortunately that's actually the only way to cancel membership in writing at most major gym chains in the US. They all outsource membership billing to the same company, ABC Financial. ABC has their customers (the gyms) require member cancellations be sent by certified mail. Any cancellation request by phone or mail that isn't sent certified is simply thrown out. If you cancel your credit card, they'll just send you immediately to their collections agency. This is how they guarantee "more revenue from more members than with anyone else". It's such a scummy business. http://www.abcfinancial.com/ http://www.abcfinancial.com/ A Google search for "ABC Financial scam" (in quotes, exact phrase) has over 13,000 results.

cstejerean 14y ago
I've yet to see a gym actually go to collecrions. They'll send angry letters threatening things for a few months, and then give up. Don't ask how I know this :)
- eli 14y ago
  Might want to check your local rules on stale debt before you pop the champagne. They typically have a couple of years. Once they figure out that you aren't going to pay with out a fight, they'd be nuts not to sell your debt -- something is better than nothing.
  - raverbashing 14y ago
    Well, they will sell your debt for, I dunno, 20%? Maybe more, maybe less The buyer will make more angry letters, maybe signed by an attorney, try to negotiate, etc and then maybe go to court
    - eli 14y ago
      You skipped "ruin your credit"
- encoderer 14y ago
  Maybe you haven't, but it happens all the time. Years ago when I was cleaning-up some credit mess I made when I was still in school I spent a lot of time learning on Creditboards.com and that was a very common collection people would seek help with. Creditboards is a fantastic resource and I cleaned up several small (and one large) collection item from my reports far earlier than the 7.5 years the FCRA lets negative info stay on a report.
ghshephard 14y ago
I've had five gym memberships in my life. Every one of them allowed me to cancel the membership by coming into the gym and canceling it. In every case, that method, "Come into the gym and cancel" was written write on the contract. If you are willing to negotiate with the owner/manager, they might even allow you to pay the full year up front - because that's basically the same thing (this was my argument) as signing up for a 1 year membership, and then canceling it the very same day - you are still responsible for the full 12 months, but it would end after one year because you had "cancelled" it. Can you name a gym that won't let you cancel your membership by coming into the gym and doing so?
- dangrossman 14y ago
  Ballys Fitness, Blast Fitness, Anytime Fitness and Gold's Gym according to just a few of the 90 reports on RipoffReport. I didn't just pull names out of titles, I read the reports and these are people that said they went to their gym to cancel, but kept getting billed by ABC. http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/ABC-financial.aspx http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/ABC-financial.aspx
  - ghshephard 14y ago
    I didn't read all of them, but the first, "Golds" caught my attention: == SNIP == "I am currently on the phone (and have been for an hour) with ABC Financial, the company that handles billing for Large Gym chains Golds Gym, Lifequest Fitness (I'm sure there are others). I've been trying to cancel my membership. I've been put on hold 4 times." == SNIP == I've never had a gym membership that, by default, could be canceled via letter/fax/phone call. They all say the same thing, "Come in to the gym in person, and cancel the membership." Most of them also have a clause saying that you are renewed for a year if you don't cancel on your anniversary. I always add a half dozen riders (and have the manager sign it) that says things like "If I get a job or move more than 25 miles away from the gym, I can send in a letter stating that, and cancel via registered mail." - Gym managers are usually reasonable, and will let you do that. Take 15 to 20 minutes to negotiate your Gym contract - you do realize it's a contract, right? In 90% of these cases, people just aren't demonstrating personal responsibility for the contracts they've entered. I'll say it again - never, ever, ever enter a recurring contract (or something that might _be_ a recurring contract) with your credit card, unless you have 100% control over the cancelation and terms.
jrockway 14y ago
Yes, this is shady. That's why you involve the Attorney General.
rdl 14y ago
For gyms, you can go to Costco and buy a 2-year 24 Hour Fitness all-Sports club membership for $320, prepaid, too.
- raverbashing 14y ago
  This is very good value (well, it's probably because most people will go 1 month and then quit)

cstejerean 14y ago

I've yet to see a gym actually go to collecrions. They'll send angry letters threatening things for a few months, and then give up. Don't ask how I know this :)

eli 14y ago
Might want to check your local rules on stale debt before you pop the champagne. They typically have a couple of years. Once they figure out that you aren't going to pay with out a fight, they'd be nuts not to sell your debt -- something is better than nothing.
- raverbashing 14y ago
  Well, they will sell your debt for, I dunno, 20%? Maybe more, maybe less The buyer will make more angry letters, maybe signed by an attorney, try to negotiate, etc and then maybe go to court
  - eli 14y ago
    You skipped "ruin your credit"
encoderer 14y ago
Maybe you haven't, but it happens all the time. Years ago when I was cleaning-up some credit mess I made when I was still in school I spent a lot of time learning on Creditboards.com and that was a very common collection people would seek help with. Creditboards is a fantastic resource and I cleaned up several small (and one large) collection item from my reports far earlier than the 7.5 years the FCRA lets negative info stay on a report.

ghshephard 14y ago

I've had five gym memberships in my life. Every one of them allowed me to cancel the membership by coming into the gym and canceling it. In every case, that method, "Come into the gym and cancel" was written write on the contract. If you are willing to negotiate with the owner/manager, they might even allow you to pay the full year up front - because that's basically the same thing (this was my argument) as signing up for a 1 year membership, and then canceling it the very same day - you are still responsible for the full 12 months, but it would end after one year because you had "cancelled" it. Can you name a gym that won't let you cancel your membership by coming into the gym and doing so?

dangrossman 14y ago
Ballys Fitness, Blast Fitness, Anytime Fitness and Gold's Gym according to just a few of the 90 reports on RipoffReport. I didn't just pull names out of titles, I read the reports and these are people that said they went to their gym to cancel, but kept getting billed by ABC. http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/ABC-financial.aspx http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/ABC-financial.aspx
- ghshephard 14y ago
  I didn't read all of them, but the first, "Golds" caught my attention: == SNIP == "I am currently on the phone (and have been for an hour) with ABC Financial, the company that handles billing for Large Gym chains Golds Gym, Lifequest Fitness (I'm sure there are others). I've been trying to cancel my membership. I've been put on hold 4 times." == SNIP == I've never had a gym membership that, by default, could be canceled via letter/fax/phone call. They all say the same thing, "Come in to the gym in person, and cancel the membership." Most of them also have a clause saying that you are renewed for a year if you don't cancel on your anniversary. I always add a half dozen riders (and have the manager sign it) that says things like "If I get a job or move more than 25 miles away from the gym, I can send in a letter stating that, and cancel via registered mail." - Gym managers are usually reasonable, and will let you do that. Take 15 to 20 minutes to negotiate your Gym contract - you do realize it's a contract, right? In 90% of these cases, people just aren't demonstrating personal responsibility for the contracts they've entered. I'll say it again - never, ever, ever enter a recurring contract (or something that might _be_ a recurring contract) with your credit card, unless you have 100% control over the cancelation and terms.

jrockway 14y ago

Yes, this is shady. That's why you involve the Attorney General.

rdl 14y ago

For gyms, you can go to Costco and buy a 2-year 24 Hour Fitness all-Sports club membership for $320, prepaid, too.

raverbashing 14y ago
This is very good value (well, it's probably because most people will go 1 month and then quit)