cancellation
Complaint
michelle
Country: United States
I really enjoyed being a member of Bally for almost 10 years, but I had an awful experience once I wanted to cancelled. I carefully reserched first how to cancel my membership. I wrote a cancellation letter and sent it to the address I learned from the website. I was told i will receive the confirmation letter form Bally once they received my letter. I waited 3 weeks.... during the time they withdrew another membership monthly fee from my bank account.....then nothing happened. Finally I called the customer service to find out what my status is. The guy answered my call had really bad attitude. I can't believe they call the "customer service".... He yelled at my ear that I haven't listen to him carefully. Then when I asked when they will send me a confirmation letter, he said, " there is no such a thing". then hung up!!! I called again. Another guy answered.... he was same... bad attitude... When he asked me my e-mail address first, I refused. You know some companies use these address for different purpose. I was cautious about it. When I asked him about the confirmation letter, he goes "You don't want to give me your e-mail address, how can i send you a confirmation #? huh?" OMG! They are really something.... I can't believe how can they be like that? I am so glad it is over now. They are greedy....they even charge you a fee to cancel your membership through website. UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Comments
They also had a little racket running where employees would "accept" a cancellation, that would "disappear" leaving the victim with no proof of cancellation, and 3 years later some collection agency shows up to demand several thousand on this "loan contract" that was set up to finance the multi-year membership as a series of monthly payments, where the victim thought they were just paying a monthly membership.
They also got caught by the Texas AG "accidentally" sending "collections" letters to past customers who had cancelled, basically implying credit damage if they didn't pay up this "delinquent account" that wasn't even owed.
Let's just say their "method" is "organized", and they probably deserved every bankruptcy they went through, as did their creditors dumb enough to get fleeced.
If you ever cancel from anyone, send your letter certified, so you have post office confirmation of delivery.
Then, when they "lose" it and keep taking money, you file fraud disputes against the charges through your bank, close your account to block further charges, and file a fraud complaint with the state AG
.
I believe the Balleys contracts specified cancellation by "registered mail", just to put more cost on the leaving customers, but at least you would have proof. Certified should work, as the burden of proof is on them. You can show the Post Office delivered, but you can't make them read it.
There is little you can do about misuse of your email, but it's unlikely to come from a large consumer business with assets, as the FTC can go after them and fine them. They have done so for less eggregious errors in discosures of use. It's more of a problem with small shady internet sites. Just give them a gmail address (johnsmith123876@gmail.com) , and get your confirmation.
Don't lose sleep over it. You are lucky that with the LA Fitness purchase, they have been a little less scammy of late.