ComplaintsforGold's Gym International, Inc

• Initial Complaint

  10/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid info for a one-year membership that is 12 months. I was only able to use about 8 months before they closed down. Once they open back up I requested a refund they denied that and then after a lot of back and forth back and forth back and forth the assistant GM at the location where I originally joined said that they can honor 3 months of reactivation when I am ready. There was never any expiration date put on this just said when I'm ready. So last week I was ready I called the gym the general manager told me I need to contact customer service in ****** so I did they said nope we are not honoring what we told you. I kind of known this was going to happen because gold's gym is not ethical nor do they stand behind their word. So at this point if they're not going to honor that then I want my refund of $300. Because I'm flexible I will still take the three month reactivation but they have denied that. The customer service agent I spoke to at ********************** refused to let me speak with a supervisor and she was very condescending. That is also par for the course for gold's gym.Bottom line I prayed for 12 months expecting to get 12 months when I didn't get 12 months after months and months of going back and forth they finally agree to give me 3 months and now they are reneging on that even though I have attached an email where they said they were going to honor this. They are not honoring it because they are not an honorable company.They are a lying deceiving unethical company.

  Customer response

  11/01/2024

  I paid in full for 12 month membership and not even using 8 months the gym shut down once the gym opened up I tried to get a refund they said absolutely not but after months and months and months and months of back and forth they finally said when you are ready to come back we will give you three months. I contacted them last week and called them today and they said absolutely not we were not going to honor what we told you. So at this point I think I should get a refund. But because I'm so flexible I'll take the 3 months but they can't keep dragging the song. I should have known that they wouldn't honor the email that I received from the assistant general manager after he contacted corporate. I have been in touch with the general manager ***** offering for me to do 2 months and him to provide me one week passes each week he said he could only provide me one week so forget about the four months that I paid for it wasn't my idea to shut the gym down. I have attached the email where I was promised I could reactivate my free months there was no expiration as you will see. Gold's gym is not an honorable or ethical company. Once they have someone's money it's tough luck.

  
  Billing adjustment; Store credit
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am contacting you for unresolved issue (previous attempts were ignored) with Golds Gym regarding my Gold's Gym Membership - Above Access membership which I was unable to access 8 personal training sessions per month for 5 months. After consulting with a legal professional, I understand that Gold's Gym's policy should permit refunds for unused sessions due to health issues. Medical Condition / Relocation: Beginning September, I was no longer physically able to use the gym facilities or attend the personal training sessions. Additionally, I was in ***** which is devoid of any Golds Gym facilities. Therefore, it was impossible to use the services I was continually billed for. Meeting Cancellations: Inability to find a time that works for both the trainer and I led to significant reduction in the expected value of my membership. Termination Indications: I received receipts of sessions being canceled indicating that the business acknowledged sessions could be canceled. I did not receive receipts or communications of session attendance starting 09/25 (unlike for the sessions which I actually went to), and also did not receive communication about continued billing for unattended sessions, suggesting I only get charged for the sessions Ive attended. In addition to the lack of acknowledgment of session attendance and absence/cancelation, my credit card (Discover) stopped a payment (due to other fraudulent activity) and changed my card number. Therefore, I believed there should be no further payments. 1. Despite the aforementioned disruptions, Golds Gym has persisted in billing me without providing any explanations or the documents I originally signed. I urgently request the retrieval of the contract and any related explanations for the denial of my billing cessation. 2. As I empathize that either of our parties want to incur the unnecessary legal cost and time, I am requesting refund of the 40 unused sessions through alternative disputes resolution (mediation).

  Business response

  09/30/2024

  September 30, 2024
  
  
  ***** *****
  Complaint ID: #********
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  I am in receipt of Mr. ****** BBB complaint regarding her former Golds Gym Membership in ********, and the refund shes requesting for personal training sessions.
  
  After further review of Ms. ****** membership account,we can confirm that Ms. ***** requested to cancel her membership due to relocation in January 2020. Gold's Gym was not notified of any medical condition(s) restricting Ms. ***** from using her personal training sessions,nor were we notified of her relocation until the cancellation request received in January 2020. For this reason, she was billed in 2019 and through January 2020 for membership dues and personal training.
  
  Ms. ****** personal training sessions expire 180 days from the date shes billed for them. Therefore, she had 6 months to use them before they expired, and she chose not to use them throughout the duration of her membership. The cancelled sessions Ms. ***** is referring to and provided documentation for are simply receipts to show cancellations of scheduled sessions she had with her trainer. This means either Ms. ***** or her personal trainer cancelled a scheduled session to reschedule it for another time. This does not mean that her personal training agreement or membership was cancelled (until January 2020 as previously mentioned).
  
  At this time, Ms. ****** is not eligible for the refund she is seeking per the terms of her agreement, which we have taken the liberty to attach. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to Ms. ****** BBB complaint and properly address her concern.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  ***** **********
  Director, ***************

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On July 22, 2024, our 15 yo kids visited Gold's Gym on ******, *********** ** for an upcoming 5K. The intent was to maintain training until the event. They began the process to sign up online and later, they went in to finish in person and begin working out. They were asked for ID, proof of residence and told they would need an adult before they could complete the enrollment.We (their parents) reside out of state with NO OTHER Gold's Gym within a 200 mi proximity, we also were not in SA, **, and would not be available to sign anything. They were only visiting **, therefore could not provide proof of residency to complete the process. At that point our kids were rudely kicked out of the facility in SPITE of being forced to preemptively pay $40 in fees, We HAVE however, been erroneously enrolled for monthly subscription that should not even be in EFFECT since we NEVER provided the REQUIRED documentation to prove residency. Gold's Gym SA, ** has PERSISTENTLY charged my account for monthly fees at a WEEKLY RATE, and thus caused a series of NSF fees as well! We were never allowed to complete the enrollment process and have NO interest in doing so, therefore we cannot simply "go online" and attempt to address this issue! I've sent over a dozen emails to Gold's Gym with ABSOLUTELY no response. I must now escalate this issue for rectification and reimbursement. What I find most deplorable is how they can take money from minors and begin to devise a contract with them but remove them from the facility and yet complete the process without the REQUIRED parental consent. Thus far, we are owed 380$.

  Business response

  08/21/2024

  August 21, 2024
  
  
  Vero *******
  Case # ********
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  I am in receipt of Mrs. ******** online BBB complaint regarding a request for a refund of dues charges for her sons memberships.
  
  We attempted to reach out to ******************* via phone but there was no answer and no option to leave a voicemail therefore we are currently reaching out via email to try and resolve the concern listed in the complaint number above directly with *******************.
  
  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond to Mrs. ******** online BBB complaint.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************
  Sr. ************* Manager

• Initial Complaint

  08/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  My local gym in ********** is absolutely ridiculous! They are trying to bill me for charges from 2018 that I knew nothing about as they would have been my husbands responsibility during a divorce. I have received no notice of this in 6 years!! I have had a membership twice since then and no mention was ever made of this (it was mentioned that I have 3 different accounts. I wouldnt have done this-that would be something they did). I started a fresh membership/renewal a week ago from my most recent account through my bank and now Waxahachie is trying to charge me for these alleged past due fees. My ex husband has died. I am beyond irritated that they are coming after me for these alleged charges. I hear stories about this kind of harassment from Golds Gym but its my first time to experience this. I cannot afford to pay my deceased ex husbands bills. Help!!I just want to walk on a treadmill!

• Initial Complaint

  08/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I had a negative experience at ********** in the summer of 2023 - (July through September) where I was being harassed by another member. Despite providing photo evidence and reporting the issue, the gym claimed they couldn't do anything about it. I decided to cancel my membership and the receptionist confirmed via phone call that everything was taken care of on my end. However, a month later, the manager informed me that I needed to request cancellation via email and that I would still be charged for September. I followed the instructions but now I have a pending collection matter of $83.30 with them. This lack of communication and inconsistent information has been frustrating. I hope to resolve this issue promptly. Refund of $43.30 and correction to a credit report they made. (collections)signed up July 14th 2023 - cancelled August

• Initial Complaint

  07/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  i had a gym membership for about 3 months however i never went and actually used the membership i still had the email where i was to take it to the front desk to get a physical card for the gym. i did not do that and instead paid 3 months for the gyms month to month contract which i had absolutely no problem with however after the second charge i called to cancel because i wasnt using it i moved an hour away from the closest golds gym and they told me theyd take care of it, another month goes by and i again get charged so i call up there and they tell me i needed to come in i said that wasnt possible and then was told i never had an account there, the following monday at 5 in the morning i received a call to tell me i actually do have an account and the charges were explained to which i understood. i was told if i send an email they can cancel my account for me however ive sent 10+ emails & have called countless times. i am now told i still never had an account and id need to contact support to get this issue settled and id still be charged for next month. if you read several reviews on their personal website youll find that i am only 1 of 100 other people who have been put through their money schemes for months. this business owner needs to be looked into.

  Business response

  08/08/2024

  August 8, 2024
  
  
  RE:  *************************
  Case #********
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  I am in receipt of the BBB complaint submitted by *************** regarding continued billing of her Golds Gym membership.
  
  After further research, we are unable to locate a written cancellation request from ****************. On July 22, 2024 she called the club inquiring about charges. During that phone call in July, **************** was explained the charges and provided with the email address she should send her cancellation request to, to which she confirmed she understood. To date, we do not have record of receiving an email from her confirming she wishes to cancel her membership, which would explain the continued billing of her membership. Per the terms of Ms. ******* Golds Gym Membership, if she wishes to cancel her membership, the following must occur:
  
  To cancel you must: (1) deliver written notice in person to your Home Gym (2) send written notice to: Golds Gym ATTN: ************** ***************************************************************************************** or (3) email notice to ***************************************** Notice shall be accompanied by evidence of membership. If mailed, certified mail return receipt requested is recommended. Subject to applicable law, your account must be current and in good standing before cancellation requests under this section will be processed. Failure to use Golds Gym facilities or services shall not provide a basis for cancellation or refund unless otherwise specified in the NOTICE TO PURCHASER section of this Agreement.
  
  Although we dont have record of receiving Ms. ******* written request to cancel, weve waived the required 30-day notice as a courtesy and terminated her membership to prevent further billing. At this time, Ms. ******* membership is scheduled to terminate on August 19, 2024.
  
  Thank you for allowing Golds Gym the opportunity to address and respond to Ms. ******* BBB complaint.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************
  Director, ***************

• Initial Complaint

  07/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Golds gym lies and uses predatory practices to keep memberships. I twice went in person to sign a paper to cancel my membership, and months later saw I was still being charged and the membership was still active. I then moved to a location with a Golds Gym. I call to try and cancel on the phone, and was told they can only cancel memberships at the gym in person. This is a lie. They did this so I would have to keep my membership knowing I live 5 hours from the gym. I then call months later to complain about how they are still charging me, and they gaslight me into saying I could cancel online, and ask why I havent cancelled online. They had a representative lie to me on the phone and say I cannot cancel online. This lie led to $475 in extra charges.

  Business response

  07/18/2024

  July 18, 2024
  
  
  RE:  ******* ****
  Case # ********
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  I am in receipt of the BBB complaint submitted by Mr. **** regarding his Golds Gym membership and his Refund request.
  
  After further research, we are unable to locate a cancellation request submitted by Mr. ***** prior to his emailed request dated April 10, 2024. When Mr. **** cancelled his membership with the required 30 day notice on 4/10/24, his last billing date was scheduled for 4/10/24 but that declined or was rejected from ************** causing him to assess a decline fee of $20. Per the terms of Mr. ****s Golds Gym Membership, which he received at the time of his enrollment, if he wishes to cancel his membership,the following must occur:
  
  To cancel you must: (1) deliver written notice in person to the enrolling facility (2) send written notice to: Golds Gym ATTN:Customer Care, The Lofts at ************************************************************************************************************************************************* or (3) email notice to Cancellations@goldsgym.com.Notice shall be accompanied by evidence of membership. If mailed, certified mail return receipt requested is recommended. Subject to applicable law, your account must be current and in good standing before cancellation requests under this section will be processed. Failure to use Golds Gym facilities or services shall not provide a basis for cancellation or refund unless otherwise specified in the NOTICE TO PURCHASER section of this Agreement.
  
  In addition, our records show that Mr. **** spoke to our ************** on 7/17/24 and made a payment for the balance of $43.30 for his membership dues from 4/10/24 and we waived the decline fee of $20 that was assessed. Our records also show Mr. **** indicated he is claiming to have cancelled his agreement in September or October of 2023 with no proof.
  
  Lastly, Mr. **** has had 3 membership agreements total with Golds Gym and has cancelled the 2 prior agreements in 2022 and 2023 with no issue. Therefore, we can assume that Mr. **** knows the policy on cancellations being submitted in writing and would also know the 90 day clause in his agreement that indicates if he has any erroneous charges billed to his account he would be responsible for bringing these charges to our attention in a timely manner or he forfeits his right to any refunds or waivers of any kind.
  
  At this time, Mr. ****s membership has been terminated as of May 10, 2024 and has a $0 balance.
  
  Thank you for allowing Golds Gym the opportunity to address and respond to Mr. ****s BBB complaint.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** **********
  Customer Care Manager
  

  Customer response

  07/18/2024

  I am rejecting this response because: according to you, there is no record of Mr. ***** attempting to cancel, which is not me. Secondly, I attempted to cancel in person at the gym twice, and was lied to about them cancelling it, of course there is no record if the workers at the location did not file my request. There are hundreds of people with similar occurrences with your gym, and your dismissive attitude of this being impossible is negligible and a poor attempt to gaslight. I dont want any money, just an apology and accountability.

• Initial Complaint

  06/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Previously had a membership at Golds Gym ***************. That membership was canceled in Januarg 2024. On May 26th my debit card was charged 3.52 from Golds Gym Downtown. I have attempted to call and speak with the manager of that location twice and cannot get him to return a phone call. I have requested the person answering the phone at their front desk to delete my account and card information. I have emailed the manager of that location twice, *********************************, asking for a response and explanation for how he will reverse charges and delete my information. I can't get a response.

  Customer response

  06/10/2024

  ********************************* has responded today.  He states he has deactivated my account but claims he cannot delete.  He further states he has "forwarded my request to customer service" to reverse charges.  He stated, "once again" as if he is reminding me of what he is doing.  However as originally stated I have called and emailed multiple times with no response until now on 06/10/2024.  I'm reluctant to co sider this resolved until I actually see the charges reverse and posted in my account.  The entire experience I have had with Golds gym is of misrepresentation and obfuscation of contract terms, service terms, and services offered.  I have had to cancel my debit cards and have a bank reissue due to their refusal to cancel and delete cards and inability to protect previous accounts where customers card numbers were stored.

• Initial Complaint

  05/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had moved back to ******, ***** and was living downtown. I was unaware the Gold's Gym downtown moved out of their location I was familiar with and moved into a space 1/3 of the size across the street. I opened my gym membership online and went in the next day. Every. Single. Bench, Machine, Dumbbell Set, Weight Bar is being used, at any given point in the day. I went in a TOTAL OF 3 TIMES, at different times during the day (I was willing to adjust my schedule to make it work) and it doesn't matter if its mid morning, mid afternoon or evening, that place is packed to the brim and you cant get a workout in because of the lack of square footage and equipment. I informed the manager of these issues and informed them this would not work and that I would go to another gym. They told me (SO MANY TIMES) they canceled it, yet I continue to be billed. I even have emails saved to and from the manager and he states he will cancel it, he even asked me to send him proof that I no longer live there which I did. I sent him a picture of a letter with my new address and a different city and they continue to bill me. They are intentionally not doing what they're saying they're going to do. This is attempted theft.. i literally went in there 3 times within the first week and they are trying to charge me hundreds of dollars LOL. I informed the manager that I'd be contacting you guys I need help. I can't get this resolved. Please help me. Thank you so much,*************************

  Customer response

  05/23/2024

  To add to my complaint that I just submitted, I would like them to reverse the charges as well because they've been charging me after they've told me that they would cancel my membership so I went in there a total of three times the first month and cancel it in that month. I've already paid for that first month the amount of money they're trying to charge me. It's like $200. I want that to be reversed so it doesn't go to collections. I'm never going to pay that, this is BS.

  Business response

  05/30/2024

  May 30, 2024
  
  Consumer: ***** *************************
  Case ID#: ********
  
  To Whom It May ***************** am in receipt of ****************** online BBB complaint regarding his Golds Gym membership and cancellation request claims of said membership.
  
  Our records indicate ****************** entered into a 12-month contractual obligation when he purchased his Golds Gym membership on August 7,2023. Per the terms ****************** stated he read and understood at the time of his membership purchase, he agreed that he had a financial responsibility to provide monthly payment of his membership dues through August 10, 2024, that would continue thereafter on a month-to-month basis until he requested cancellation. Furthermore,the terms and conditions of ****************** membership agreement, specifically,paragraph 9 titled Cancellation and *******, confirm he can cancel his agreement or obligation to make the required payments AFTER the Initial Term listed on his agreement (August 10, 2024). We have taken the liberty of attaching a copy of ****************** 12-month membership agreement for reference.
  
  In October 2023, ****************** emailed our Cancellations team with his request to cancel. At that time, ****************** was reminded of his 12-month contractual obligation, and he was advised that his membership would be terminated at the end of his Initial Term August 10, 2024. Additionally, ***************** was given the option for early termination and was advised of the three cancellation reasons that *** qualify him for early termination with supporting documentation Military deployment, Permanent medical disability, and Permanent relocation. To which ****************** continually responded with obscene language,numerous threats to our club personnel, and confirmation that he would be placing a stop payment with his financial institution. This is what would ultimately lead to ****************** delinquent account that has now been terminated due to non-payment. We have attached a copy of the email exchanges mentioned above for reference of the numerous times ****************** was advised of his membership terminating on August 10, 2024 because of his contractual obligation.
  
  We have concluded that Golds Gym received Mr. ************** request for cancellation during his initial term, and for that reason,his membership remained active and continued billing monthly through December 10, 2023 (when his bank began declining payment of his membership dues). As previously mentioned, payment default is what has caused ****************** to accrue a past due balance of $231.56 for which requires immediate attention and payment.Collection notifications will cease when ****************** has satisfied the 12-month contractual obligation he agreed to, and the current balance of $231.56 has been paid in full.
  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address and respond to ****************** BBB complaint.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************
  Director, ****** Services

• Initial Complaint

  05/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to file a formal complaint against Golds Gym located at ******************************************************************, regarding misleading practices associated with the cancellation of my membership and subsequent wrongful billing.In January, I contacted the above-mentioned gym to cancel my membership due to my relocation to *******. I was assured by the representative that my membership would be cancelled, my final payment processed, and no further actions would be required. Despite this, I continued to receive charges on my credit card for the months following my supposed cancellation.The specifics of the situation are as follows:- Initial Cancellation Request: Made in January, confirmed by a staff member that the account was cancelled.- Continued Billing: Noticed unauthorized charges in February, which a representative then attributed to back charges and assured would be the final billing.- Repeated Charges: Despite assurances, I continued to receive charges on March 11, April 11, and noticed a pending charge for May.- ******* Misinformation: Upon contacting the gym again in May, I was informed that cancellation over the phone was not accepted and that I would need to visit the gym in person to fill out a cancellation form, contrary to the initial information provided.This situation has resulted in undue stress and financial strain due to the gyms failure to adhere to their verbal commitments and unclear policy communication. This repeated mismanagement and the inability to effectively cancel a membership telephonically, which was not disclosed during the initial cancellation request, have led to wrongful and unauthorized charges.I have since changed my credit card number due to the ongoing unauthorized charges, which raises further concern about how the gym obtained authorization to charge the new card.Given these circumstances, I request the BBBs assistance in investigating these practices at Golds Gym on *****************************************, **.

  Business response

  05/16/2024

  May 16, 2024
  
  Consumer: *****************************
  Case ID#: ********
  
  To Whom It May ***************** am in receipt of **************************** online BBB complaint regarding his Golds Gym membership and cancellation request claim of said membership.
  
  Per the terms and conditions of **************************** membership agreement, specifically, paragraph 9 titled Cancellation and *******, there are numerous ways ************************ can request cancellation of his membership, so long as he provides a 30-day written notice. This written notice can be delivered to Golds Gym via in person, by mail, or electronically to ***************************************** Upon receipt of such notice, the membership is scheduled for termination, and at the expiration of the 30-day notice period, the Agreement and all access rights to Golds Gym and its facilities expires. We have included a copy of the membership agreement ************************ signed agreeing to this specific term, and others, at the time of his membership purchase for reference.
  
  After further review of **************************** Golds Gym account, there is no indication of a cancellation being requested for his membership in January or February 2024. Per our records, ************************ emailed us at **************************************** to request cancellation of his membership on May 14, 2024. We have attached a copy of **************************** cancellation request received for reference. Per this request, his membership was scheduled for termination at the end of the 30-day notice period from the date of his cancellation request (May 14, 2024). As a courtesy, we have waived the final payment that was scheduled to bill on June 10, 2024.
  
  We have concluded that Golds Gym did not receive a written cancellation request from ************************ prior to May 14,2014, and for that reason, his membership remained active and has continued billing monthly through May 10, 2024. Furthermore, any concerns ************************ may have regarding his newly issued credit card being billed by Golds Gym should be directed to his financial institution as Golds Gym received any newly issued card information from his financial institution through a card account updater service his financial institution offers and may be participating in.
  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address and respond to **************************** BBB complaint.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************
  Director, **************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩