Good question... I dunno what is the right answer to your question. I'll do some poking around and get back to you if I got an decent answer. You should email the people at Discover Card as they probably know..

Yeppers..

OP- C'mon now, you were lucky enough to disabuse yourself of their tactics last time around, find another gym..

Preferably one that is not notorious for stalking...

Like the others said, you don't want to go back. They have a terrible reputation...

...and this....

Http://www.scam.com/...read.php?t=1541.

...and this....

Http://www.planetfeedback.com/bally+total+...tal+scam/318263.

...and this....

Http://www.ripoffreport.com/health-clubs-g...ff-li-b7y8e.htm.

...and this....

Http://www.ripoffreport.com/Health-Clubs-G...s-rep-fex7x.htm.

...the list goes on, and on, and on..... and on, and on.....

I'd advise you to stay far, far away.....

Most companies keep old debts in the computer just in case you come back. I know that when I worked at blockbuster, it was fairly common to have someone bring a movie up and get surprised by 5 year old late charges..

They are awful. I had a membership for like 2 or 3 weeks, paid the initial fees and whatnot, set it up for automatic withdrawl, and I was unexpectedly moved to another unit. I went in and said please just cancel the whole thing and just keep the 200 bucks and the manager said no problem. a few years later I had a ca chasing me for just under 4k. worst part was they never even attempted to take the money from my acct...

I fought it with the ag and bbb stating it was charges for services never rendered. no luck. I basically just ignored it until it went away. they do that type of thing to a LOT of people. I know a guy who was going there for years and they were supposed to do automatic payments and never did and he didn't notice. one day he got a bill for over 1k which was $35 a month plus late fees and interest.

Never, never, never go to bally's.....

IN MANY instances, the problems come because people do not follow the cancellation procedures outlined in the contract. Bally's generally requires WRITTEN notice to a specific address (not the local gym) to cancel and the letter needs to corroborate that the move is to an area that did NOT have a Bally's facility within the specified number of miles. I've known three people that needed to get out of a Bally's contract and had ZERO problems when they followed what the contract required.....

WOW!!!!.

Never realized that their history was so bad. I just thought it was me to be honest. I had to move and there wasn't another gym near my new location. So they basically just said tough. Little did I know that even after paying (with Discover card) the rest of my contract I would still be billed. I was just curious as my GF wants to start a gym membership and wants me to join.



Thanks guys for all of your brutally honest help!!!! I'd prefer nothing less. Straight to the point. Love ya all!..

That is 100% right. but when you talk to the manager and they tell you 'sure no problem' you don't expect to have a problem! lol. all they had to do was tell me the right process. and they don't try to call you or send you letter - nothing. their gym isn't worth the money any way. at least the ones i've ever been to..

Oh, btw, I was away on business and I contacted bally's where I was at and asked to buy a week pass and they actually gave me one for free. they put my name in and everything so i'm guessing there isn't a blacklist...

I too have encountered Bally's wrath. I had a monthly membership with Bally's for a little under a year. No long term commitment, just a month to month contract. It would get taken out of my checking account automatically each month. When signing up, I read the contract from front to back, and I read the section where it outlined how to cancel, etc. It basically said to cancel, you have to mail their offices a letter stating you wish to cancel.

Pffft. I sent the letters CMRR, got the green slips, but never got any response, just more deductions from my account each month. They finally sent me a letter saying that I had signed a long term contract and I couldn't be let out of it. I mailed them back a copy of contract, and a few more letters after that, with no response. Finally they just sort of stopped charging me.

Each month they send me a "bill." It's not actually a bill, it's a monthly payment amount, and anyone who pays it thinking it's a bill, it will actually re-open their account. I've asked to be removed from their mailing list for this. No luck this far. I cannot stand Bally's, they are total con artists. It might seem to be inexpensive month to month, but it will cost you more in the long run!..

There are gyms now that charge like $10-$15/mo, no contract, I would recommend one of those..

This post has been edited by.

Cooliojones.

: 12 January 2010 - 02:23 PM..