Fitness USA reviews and complaints

Same with me. I bought 2 life time memberships at $600.00 a piece. They continued to take money until they locked their doors in February of 2015 at the Lansing, Mi. Frandor location. They filed bankruptcy then dropped one letter from their name to Fitness US. Michigan needs a class action lawsuit against them.

I am in the same situation as you. I purchased a lifetime membership. I have seen other places accept fitness USA members for a discount but with proof of the old membership. Oh course I have nothing anymore. I would be interested in jumping into a class action law suit if there is one.

I suggest filing a complaint with the Michigan Attorney General. Fitness USA did not go through bankruptcy and should not be allowed to liquidate without some compensation to their Lifetime Members. I have done this and if enough persons do so, it may generate a settlement.

Agree with everyone on this issue - I'm filing a formal complaint with the Attorney General of Michigan! Actually doubt any of us will get any satisfaction from any of this - it's all about the money and screw the consumer!

Another cheated Lifetime member. If there is any resolution, Please contact me at skoalie@comcast.net and include "Fitness USA Membership" in subject.

My mother and I joined in the late 80s at Flint Mich Dort Hwy location for $1000 each. I then bought my daughter one at 12 yrs old for $800. In 2003 I moved to NWI and they said I could use World Gym with permission but could never find one. We would Love a refund since they contracted Lifetime and broke it

Twebb3115@gmail.com

I am on the same boat. Bought lifetime membership around 2006 for 1K. How to get me refund or a replaced service?

tarek.lamari1978@gmail.com

I have bought a lifetime membership for about 1K. How can I get my refund or a replaced service?

I got a LIFETIME membership back in 2000 or 2001. I believe I still have my card with my identification number on it. I could truly benefit now from the steam room they had to help my lungs that were damaged by blood clots and COVID. I would love to be included in any legal action. A few of us in my area tried to due a class action after our local location closed and came up with negative results.

Sign me up for the class action suit I've been a member for since January 16th 1998 signed up in Taylor Michigan

Please add me to your list of people for any class action suit. I have a lifetime membership since Jan 16, 1998, membership number [protected]. I can be reached @ georgemccarter65@gmail.com

Add me as well. I bought a lifetime membership back in the early 90's, I don't have my card anymore.

I could of sworn that I read that there was a gym that accepted Fitness USA membership after they closed.

But, I can't remember what gym that was. I'll have dig dipper and post my results.

We have two lifetime memberships, and I still have the cards with our account numbers on them. We would like to be a part of any litigation.

I have a lifetime membership are any other gyms honoring them or helping the people with lifetime contracts out?

Yeah. They've closed essentially all of them. How much did you cough up for that "lifetime" membership? Lifetime all right. As long as you don't live more than a couple years.

I am mad because of closing the center I Westland and I heard the dearborn one will close too so the members me and my husband no worth we do have life time member ships I don't like this ..hopefully will find a solution

Why isnt there a class action suit against these theives?!?!

They will bill you til you die or until that credit card expires...and hopefully the bank notifies you that they request to re-institute billing on the new card - and not all banks do that. Otherwise whether you like it or not, your account is stuck in their billing system for good. It is so interesting that you saw all that billing stuff on the counter - it really is the core of that business - those credit cards! And yes that $19 thing is sucker bait, just as you say. It's why I say 20-somethings and their credit cards should never leave the house without a chaperone.

And incidentally, they do not enforce that "no cell phones in lockerroom" thing. I caught some squirrel lurking in one of those changing rooms taking pics of guys schmedricks through the crack in the door. Beware - lest your little puffball wind up the newest feature on extube.

A very useful, informative post. Thanks

You are correct. I don't live close to the two locations in this general area, but had faithfully tried to go every day when I was still trying to lose weight. That was a lot of wear and tear on my car, including gas costs. I knew that when I signed up, but now there is a gym in the area ( a nation chain) where you can actually go every day, regardless of gender, 24/7. But I have too much invested in Fitness USA although both locations have really gone downhill in the past few years. And yes, although I have a 'life time' membership, every few months they still bill me with a fee; guess it is to keep up the maintainence but they do a poor job of that. I do not see this organization staying in business much longer unless they really clean up their act.

I am having the same problems. They lie to you just to get you to sign up to their contract. I would never think that people can lie their way to selling like this. It's not just deceptive they literally tell you false promises and they really only care about your money. They have processes and hidden fees that they do not tell you about. They are so good at hiding their true color and you will only see it once you've signed that contract and started working out there and experience how poor and ridiculous the customer service is. This company really should be looked into. There is some type of anomaly how they can surivive for such a long time operating like this! Maybe some connection with the higher-ups? This gym is just a total RIP OFF!

This company is awful. They need to go out of business. The gyms are old and dirty anyways and all of the staff lie.

The same thing happened to me and my daughter. Also At stownstown. I am so upset they get away with this.

I was laid off and had to cancel my membership here in Mishawaka, Indiana. Instead of being able to do it over the phone I was told that I had to come into the office. I went into the office and filled out the paper work and the Manager said "Thank you for your business and said the it would be closed". Well this week I find that they have deducted another payment. I called them and the man said that it takes thirty days. Why wasn't I told about this at the time I closed my account. It is not a good way to do business and I will never say a kind word about Fitness USA.

I had similar experience like you especially with that manager! I signed up for gym membership online. And i had to go to gym to register. When i went there, they told me they can't process the registration because i didn't bring my credit card that i paid with online. They said they need it so that they can have my information on file. However, On website, none of these specific was stated that i need to bring my credit card. Also on website, they advertised as no contract and month by month. That means pay month by month. So i didn't understand why they need my credit card so that they set it up to automatic payment every month. I also asked them about paying cash every month. And they said i have to pay $35 for cash fee. So i felt such a manipulation that i wanted to cancel the membership and wanted a refund. So i called them and they said i need to come down to do refund. So i went there and manager told me i have to call corporate. He said it is open today which was Feb 5th 2011. However when i called corporate was closed. So i went back and talked to them. They keep saying they can't do nothing and talk to corporate. None of questions i asked was answered with assurance. They all have different answer for refund period. and i asked if i call corporate would i be able to get refund, the person i talked to said "I WANT TO say yes.." she wants to say yes but doesn't know anything. The manager was very rude and condescending. Giving me looks and attitude which made me feel very uncomfortable and feel like i am doing something wrong. The whole customer service was very unprofessional and their advertisement is very unethical, manipulative and untrue. I googled fitness usa refund and i found whole lot of complaints toward fitness usa throughout USA. I just want my money back but San francisco fitness usa totally made me feel unsure and not secure with business i am dealing with them. Also i asked how long does it take to get refund and one of them say 16 to 19 days which is very arbitrary number and another one says 30-90 days.

Yes I have proof that they are illegal, one of the illegal employees married my Puerto Rican nephew. They just got married so she can TRY to become legal.

I am not surprised. I joined Fitness USA as well as my husband, back in 2005. He figured it would be cheaper to buy a lifetime membership, which we did... he too did not like their technique in trying to make you get others to join up. We have both lost a lot of weight and are at where we need to be thank goodness. However, it isn't just because of the gym. In the summer, we always take daily 30 minute walks; it is in the winter when we need it. However, watching calories, portion control, (also faithfully using a pedometer) is how we lost our weight. The gym here has now taken out their whirlpool (cost too much to repair), and the individual TV's on the treadmills have been taken off for good. The hours are being reduced, and we are not happy campers. We are building a new house, and we will be putting in a treadmill and a few loose weights. We have found out that is all we need to control our weight, and studies have shown that most of the other fixed weight gadgets/machines they have do little good. Yes indeed, this gym is a scam.

So here's the STORY. on June 22, 2010 I signed up for their NO CONTRACT Diamond membership. With the Start fee, and the $24.45 first month, and another $24.45 last month, the $24.45 is $19.95 for the gym, and $4.50 for the tanning. Anyways, ... after "3" months which would be September 22, I go from paying the $24.45 a month to paying $14.45 a month until I decide if I want to do a lifetime membership. WELLLLLLLLLL, let me tell you where the FALSE ADVERTISEMENT & MISLEADING come into play, THEY SAY TO QUALIFY after "3" months for the $10, no contract pay as you go(painted on the outside of their building) you HAVE TO GO TO THE GYM 3 days a week, every week for "3" months... THEY NEVER EVER told me that. I mean THINGS happen that prevent you from going sometimes.. Anyways, since I have NOT been going the amount of time that they say is MANDATORY I have to keep paying the HIGHER PRICE for 10 more months.. UHMMMM I DON'T THINK SO, so I told them to cancel the $[censor]. So the $24.45 they JUST took out of my account 4 days ago I'm out, ok, whatever! BUT THEN, they tell me that I have to give a 30 day notice(remember I am not in a contract) to cancel my membership. So NOW they are saying that because it was like 31 or 32 days that I will owe ANOTHER $24.45 I SAID [censor]... I am letting any & everyone know DO NOT GO TO FITNESS USA, they are a bunch of LIARS... i AM ALSO GOING TO LET THE NEWS PEOPLE KNOW that this company is a SCAM... And they have ILLEGAL MEXICANS working there taking jobs away from the AMERICAN people.

Fitness USA is a COMPLETE SCAM. Do NOT go to this gym. It is old and the people who work there are scam artists. Even the people in the Corporate office are stupid and scammers. THIS IS THE WORST GYM TO work out at to. It's tiny and the equipment is always broke down.

Fitness usa is a scam. I've been paying for 30 months and my contract was over. I was told that I didn't need to write a letter to cancel my membership that it would automatically cancel, not true they are still debiting my checking account . I have to get a hold of my bank to have it stopped. What scam artist. I will never ever deal with them again !

This is exactly what is happening to me right now. The company is operating a SCAM advertisement. I joined Fitness USA at Stonestown San Francisco in July 2009 and I was told I would be charged $19 a month to month basis - no contracts needed. I only needed to pay first and last month fees (about $50). This was something I needed because I'm only in San Francisco up until Sept 2009 because my graduate school starts after then; this was something I had also told the person who signed me up there, Jennifer. She said it was not a problem. I was also told by her that I can cancel the membership at any time given without any penalty fees as long as I give a formal notice 30 days in advance. I had told her I want the lowest plan, then she told me she upgraded me to Executive Member for FREE anyways. I just took it as a gesture.

Apparently everything was a lie. I went to the Stonestown branch yesterday and even talked with the General Manager, Jonathan Barcias, about cancelling my membership. He handed me a form and told me to mail it myself to the head office in Minnesota. I asked why was it not possible to cancel at the store itself, thus he said its all stated in the contract that in order to cancel the membership - the letter has to be mailed. When I started to ask more questions, he told me to call the head office's number and they could answer all the questions I have. When I had looked up my contract; it clearly says that I can cancel it either at the store I signed up at and complete the form there OR mail a formal letter to the head office branch. I called back and he said that he just doesn't have the authorization to cancel my membership, even though the contract stated it is indeed possible - he just didn't want to do it. His excuse was simply because "he's just the manager - he can't do anything about it and he's not going to sign anything".

When I called in the head office, I was told I had been signed onto a 18 month contract (which I had no idea of up until that point) in an Executive Club membership level ($28/month - NOT $19). This is quite ridiculous because no one, including the sales, had ever told me about a bounded contract, penalty fees, an upgraded plan (out of my own cost). I was told for me to cancel the membership officially, I would need to pay $246.07 of fees - to be exact. They claimed that they do not take any verbal agreement between the customer and the sales and therefore whatever they have said to me could not be legitimate. What turned out to be $19 a month now has become a couple of hundred dollars down the drain.

I had contacted a lawyer about this and has posted a certified letter to the company regarding this issue; I had also faxed to the branches so they could ALL take a look at it. I'm just really shocked to see a company that survived for 20 years could scam customers the old-fashion way by training irresponsible sales and managers to disclosing misleading information about memberships and trying to make you fall onto their false advertisements of their so-called "no contract, month-to-month, pay-as you-go, $19/month".

I really wonder how these people can sleep at night, knowing they cheat people like this for the sake of commission.

I was luckier than you. In Virginia it was only 12 months. I went through the same process you did. Called, left messages, called again left more messages. I showed to a lawyer friend and even though the advertising was false I had signed a 12 month contract. Stuck!

I wish for you better luck than I had.

What about us suckers that paid for a lifetime membership and now have to drive two hours to the nearest facility?! When I signed up and paid in full, there were 7 locations within a 15 mile radius of my home. Now there are 0. And my daughter who paid for a "lifetime" membership is getting billed $40/year for some sort of maintenance fees. Do they really think she's going to pay it?!?! (PS: If she doesn't, her membership gets cancelled and she loses the $800 she paid.) SCAM!

Why would you continue to pay this? You should have disputed the charge and blocked them from removing fees showing your bank evidence of your move and lack of locations near by, also it would help to have a copy of your cancellation paperwork.

Their personal trainers are a joke. Don't waste your money...They are so not worth the price. Everything they have you do, you can learn on-line and then do it yourself. The trainers are lazy.

So here's the STORY. on June 22, 2010 I signed up for their NO CONTRACT Diamond membership. With the Start fee, and the $24.45 first month, and another $24.45 last month, the $24.45 is $19.95 for the gym, and $4.50 for the tanning. Anyways, ... after "3" months which would be September 22, I go from paying the $24.45 a month to paying $14.45 a month until I decide if I want to do a lifetime membership. WELLLLLLLLLL, let me tell you where the FALSE ADVERTISEMENT & MISLEADING come into play, THEY SAY TO QUALIFY after "3" months for the $10, no contract pay as you go(painted on the outside of their building) you HAVE TO GO TO THE GYM 3 days a week, every week for "3" months... THEY NEVER EVER told me that. I mean THINGS happen that prevent you from going sometimes.. Anyways, since I have NOT been going the amount of time that they say is MANDATORY I have to keep paying the HIGHER PRICE for 10 more months.. UHMMMM I DON'T THINK SO, so I told them to cancel the $[censor]. So the $24.45 they JUST took out of my account 4 days ago I'm out, ok, whatever! BUT THEN, they tell me that I have to give a 30 day notice(remember I am not in a contract) to cancel my membership. So NOW they are saying that because it was like 31 or 32 days that I will owe ANOTHER $24.45 I SAID [censor]... I am letting any & everyone know DO NOT GO TO FITNESS USA, they are a bunch of LIARS... i AM ALSO GOING TO LET THE NEWS PEOPLE KNOW that this company is a SCAM... And they have ILLEGAL MEXICANS working there taking jobs away from the AMERICAN people.

I am in the same boat. Also, the girl that signed me up told me I could bring my daughter for free. However, they give us the third degree everytime I bring her. And tell me that that is not allowed. The only time they check in with me is to try and sell me a more extensive membership. I think $50 per month is already too much for a filthy, broken down gym. The machines are in bad shape, the tv's don't work. The pins in the weight machines are the wrong ones, and the emergency stops on the treadmills are broken. And yes, it irritates me that they send me mail that tells me everyone else pays less than half of what I pay. I need to sue for breach of contract. The place is disgusting!