gym membership scam

[scott22890]

In live in southwest Michigan, and the other day my mom recieved a phone call from a local gym. They said that she had won 2 free gym memberships fro 2 years, and to come out to the gym and claim it by Thurday. They said it would be fine for me and a friend to use it so we went out there on Wednesday evening. The guy who signed us up moved through everything very quickly and we ended up signing a contract for 2 years. We paid him $80 for a start up fee and headed home. After closer review of our contract we signed up for pay $15 each for 24 months. We went back there twice the next day and they said we must pay $80 each to cancel our memberships or for us to get a lawyer. What should we do?

 

[justalayman]

how old are you and your friend?

 

[scott22890]

I'm 20 and he is 19.

 

[justalayman]

well, you are of legal age to sign a contract and you signed a contract. You failing to read the contract is generally not justification to cause the contract to be voidable.

did your mom go in and get her 2 years for 2 membership deal by Thursday (today)?

 

[scott22890]

They said that we could go in her place, but instead of getting it free we now have to pay around $400 each over the next 2 years.

 

[justalayman]

well, it sounds like your mom still has a couple memberships to collect on.


If you had gone there to register for your mothers free memberships, why would you ever pay anything? Didn't the fact you had to pay money clue you into a problem with the situation?

 

[Isis1]

well, it sounds like your mom still has a couple memberships to collect on.


If you had gone there to register for your mothers free memberships, why would you ever pay anything? Didn't the fact you had to pay money clue you into a problem with the situation?

actually, mom i think got her free membership. the two "kids" did not. sounds like mom didn't use her other membership for the two guests.

OP, do you live with your mother?

 

[justalayman]

that is one possibility but what I think might have happened is since mom did not come down to register for the memberships, even if the son and friend were going to use them, the gym did not register these 2 for the free memberships Obviously they were all hyped up about becoming members so they sold them memberships.

OP made a huge mistake by not reading what they were signing.