I do like to join with you.

dear john peters,
i am a member of california wow in bangkok and they are indeed a liar. i paid over 60,000 baht in full for a lifetime membership (diamond dual). in december last year, my first year membership ended and i was supposed to pay just 100 baht to extend the membership. i didn't go there in january until today. today i went to cal. fitness just to check. they said i owe them 5900 baht for renewal of my membership. can you believe that? i said no one from California Wow has ever contacted me by phone or mail or email. they said it was because i didn't come to the club! so now it's my fault? the manager only let me filed paper of complaint. they said i have to call management on monday. so many people in thailand is facing this problem. what a rip off! we should do something.
please advise.

i think your membership is a minimum 12mth commitment membership not 1 year... like tel companies.. signing a 2 yr contract but it does not end there.... hope this helps

YOU MUST TELL ALL YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS ABOUT THIS BLOG.

SO MANY PEOPL GOT CHEATED BY CALIFORNIA FITNESS.

DONT GIVE JACKY CHAN ANYMORE OF YOUR MONEY.

HE HAS MORE THAN ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

DONT JOIN CALIFORNIA GYM AND GET CHEATED LIKE ME.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I bet you more will sign up if it were Rain instead of Jacky Chan.

I am in Hong Kong and there are many problems with the Cal Fitness here as well especially the one in Tsimshatsui. They simply do not care about their members.

THEY ONLY WANT YOUR MONEY, NOTHING ELSE.

JACKY CHAN WANTS ALL YOUR MONEY.

MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSEQUENT EXPENSIVE WORKOUT SESSIONS.

DONT BE A SUCKER LIKE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

I couldn't agree more. My mobile phone was stolen from my locker in California Fitness Centre, Bugis, and when I reported it to the staff, they didn't seem to be bothered about it. Even the management didn't seem to be too concerened.
Then they told me that they would inform me if anyone returns the phone to them. I explained to them that thieves do not return stolen goods out of goodwill. That's the general concept on which the entire industry is based!
When I gave them a detailed description of the person that was looking towards my locker suspiciously while I was locking it, they asked me "Is he a member?". How on earth would I know? Also, when I said that I could identify him if I were to see him again. Their reply was that it's not their policy.
A week later, I returned to ask them the status of my case but their recep supervisor was too busy to see me. She was not even willing to let me know when she would be free. I waited for more than 20 minutes outside her office to no avail. Also, I asked if the manager was around, so I could speak to him. They told me that he wasn't. Lo and behold, he unwittingly appeared from the gym floor and was a bit embarrassed when I confronted his staff in front of him that they'd told me that he wasn't there.
Feeling frustrated with their attitude, I told them that I'd like to terminate my services with them. The manager told me that he couldn't do that because he didn't have the authority.
Now I'm waiting for the service to be terminated and am having to pay another 2 months' subscription. During this period, I clearly can't use their lockers because of the lack of security.
The indifference to my issue was insulting and infuriating. The management is a bunch of puppets, the staff are rude and insolent and the overall attitude of the establishment is condescending in the extreme.

I found the information I was looking for. Check this out; it might help.
http://www.ipfa.us/

The same kind of questionable business is going on here in Austin, Texas with an outfit called Shape Express. What I find interesting is that all the gyms sight IPFA rules by which they must abide. However, at least in my contract, IPFA is not mentioned and some of the stuff Shape Express Four Points is trying to pull off in regards to moving and distance are completely opposite IPFA guidelines. In fact, the owner of Shape Express Four Points was shocked to find out I knew there was a mileage requirement. What I can't figure out is, the distance seems to vary. I was told by a personal trainer that it's 15 miles. I was told by the owner it's 20 and I'm reading on this site that it can be within the city. I'm trying to find the actual guidelines/home page for IPFA. If anyone knows how or where to find this site, please post it.

Get in the Gear ... make sure you submit a complaint to the Better Business Bureau so it goes on record and so that other people know they're not alone. If the numbers of unhappy consumers goes up involving a particular business or a particular "service", the will eventually have to advance the investigation. I did not get satisfactory results through the Better Business Bureau and they have today instructed me to advance my complaint to the Saskatchewan Department of Consumer Protection. I'll do that today. I'm not even expecting to get my money back but I do want to get the word out that "negative option billing" is a money grab that takes advantage of consumers and has, in fact, been made illegal for fitness clubs to engage in it in some Canadian provinces. Saskatchewan, unfortunately, doesn't have anything legislating against it at this point which isn't to say that some conusmer pressure might change that or even change the way fitness clubs do business. I encourage all of you to talk loudly against the way fitness clubs (in my case, California Fitness) conducts their business and initiate change. Everyone I mention my experience to has a story of their own or they know someone what has had some problem with a fitness club. The only reason fitness clubs are getting away with it is because too few people know how or where to effectively complain in order to initiate future changes for the better.

As for you, sietecho (aka flamer), my guess is that you are a proprietor of California Fitness. You wouldn't happen to be Mr or Mrs Shkopich, would you? It sounds like it based on your scathing and flaming message. Mr. and Mrs. Shkopich are the owners of "Fitness Masters" which owns and operates California Fitness in Saskatoon. 30 minutes to get to a Fitness Club is completely unreasonable. You can drive from one end of Saskatoon and back in 30 minutes. An hour to get to work? Maybe if you live in Toronto ... maybe. But that would certainly not be a norm. Nobody would contemplate belonging to a fitness club that far away from their home or office ... not even in a big city. A 30 minute drive is ridiculous!

By the way, California Fitness Scam Victim ... thanks for the link to the site where others have complained. I'm going to check it out right away. I'm still in for making a LOUD NOISE about the way Cal Fit is taking advantage of consumers. Janna and I have corresponded but, so far, I haven't heard from anyone else interested in taking our complaints a step further. Please email me if you are interested at lawbrarian@gmail.com.

I paid RM3000 for a membership and California Fitness writes me a letter stating that I still owe them RM2000. I joined in Dec 2005. In Jan 2006, I wrote in to cancel my membership and asked for a refund after deducting two months usage. The manager said that I cant terminate my membership. Well that was not what I was told earlier by the sales people there ( Mid-valley Mall, KL). Everytime I called they would say my case is pending. I have met even the regional manager from singapore and also have spoken to all managers (many have left). So till date my issue is still pending. Its now November 2006! I have not gone to any gyms, I have gained weight, my fitness has nose dived, blood pressure up.... They just dont seem to settle this. Lost of hard earned money!

did they tell u why u owe them rm2000? oh no...

of course we have to understand that in this "boiler room environment " the cfc managers and sub-ordinates are put into just makes them driven by sales and they are unable to relax when in the club even avoiding eye contact. you can't blame them .
Singapore is famous for producing over acheivers and that means $$$$$$$$ caring doesn't pay and most are young.instead of slating on a blogsite take your complaint to someone who can really make a difference ie a CEO or president a manager would never take a problem upwards, only down the chain if anything and those down chain are unable to do anything,I believe they recently changed president after 10 years (whom still carries directors balls) he supposed to be focused on customer service '
My only positive experience @ cfc Bugis was my PT Ashraf (ang Moh) a real oasis in such a ghastly company in 2 years nevr late ( although he tolerates my complaints and lateness, ) i'd reccomend this guy if you want experienced gd PT
GeTrEaL

i have personal training too.. but i read the contract before signing... have to read all that ure signing for anyway.. its states the expiry. these trainers are outrageously being unfair to their clients. this i know. I was bounced around until i had a trainer that can put in my preferred timing.. and i guess i was lucky i went up to the mgr and complaint but my timing..

hi friends, i got a little incident to share with you with regards to what had happen at the club which i recently had terminated my membership for.

back in june 06, i had a little quarrel with california fitness with regards to un-authorize debit transcation by using my debit card. I was expecting a little salary which i've work and being able to withdraw once its being credited into my account. With shock, california fitness had deduct using my debit card.. but HOW THE HELL DID THEY GET MY CARD NUMBER FROM? i only made payment using my debit at the counter every month but had not instructed the gym to deduct using my Debit card. The application for my GIRO to deduct monthly is unsuccessful hence i will pay monthly fee on month to month basis. Eventually i get frustated as i was planning to go JB with some friends that day when they deduct the amount. I called in the the club and staff there attended to me and asked me to come down to the club to resolve the matter. I came down shortly after. And afterwhich, I was being attended to by the customer service supervisor who's handling complaints & stuffs. I explain the situation to her but instead make me felt embarrased by stating that i might have forgetten the contract and wish to review the contract one more time to her staff. Her negative attitude towards me makes me boil and i decided to terminate my membership. She said that i can only terminate my membership from 2 mths prior to August. I've said go and do the termination then. And i will not step into california fitness bugis anymore! She kept on replying that the contract ends in august.. then i said.. terminate it then. She did not ask me to fill up anything nor she asked her staff to attend to me with regards to termination. She was so busy typing for god sake dont know what in the computer.

July had past, August had past... then came septermber... A reminder letter was imposed to me saying that i haveto pay up a total of 3 months worth of gym membership fee. which in fact i had earlier on in the month of june gave instructions to terminate it. I was not happy and head down to Cali bugis to make the complain again. Went with travis on 14th Sept 06. This time round, the supervisor is not around and cannot attend to me. Eddy who was kind enuff attended to my request and wrote a large part of their note and then to be reverted back to the manager.

Septermber had past... then came October. a legal letter asking me to pay up.. I came to cali bugis again. and again the manager was not there to attend to me! HELLO? california fitness... ASIA's LARGEST FITNESS CLUB HAS ONLY 1 MANAGER TO HANDLE SUCH MATTER?

the staff there told me that she will revert the matter to the manager... the day after that, the same staff attend to me saying that the manager had spoken to me and i have agreed to come down to pay the whole entire amount. i was freaking mad! and said.. since when did i agree and since when did i speak to the manager?

after so much of talking she says she will get back to me..

past oct then came november... the big hoo haa came along..

a FINAL NOTICE URGENT COLLECTION of over $400!!

i was frustated... told juv about this and he came down with me to the club itself...

i called in yesterday and i was waiting for the past 30 mins and no one had attend to me but i was put on hold for so fucking long! the staff there is terrible.. they do not know the meaning of promise. they said. my manager will call you back before 9pm. i waited and waited.. after 1.5 hrs.. i called in again at 9.30pm. The staff said... the manager had left at 8.30pm.. would you like me to leave a message?

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

i went to bugis cali today with a friend to complain about this matter.
The Assistant Operations Manager (CUSTOMER SERVICE) Nurul Ain Hassan from California fitness BUGIS
was there to attend to us. She is the most lousiest manager that had i had ever encountered. She kept repeating the words. Sweetheart, Guys... come-one lah... we need black and white. well.. we said.. where is the black and white if she doesn't gave it to us in the first place which she had attended to her and instruct her back in june?

she called in a lot of her staffs to back her up but eventually the staffs had been doing their job. Eddy was there to let her see with her big EYES that he had indicate me coming down to bugis to do termination and eddy said that this is the only termination thing they have to write and no slip was given. SO basically, The manager LIED? or was she covering up her ass?

after much discussion we came to a point where it was its peak. she kept denying that she cannot do anything and insisted that we speak to higher level and she says that she was the higher level for BUGIS and if we were to be refered to the higher management, they will revert the matter back to her. She says it confidentally but not forgetting that she had not follow up with my past request to terminate.

then BANG!! she HIT the table; slamming her palm on the table.. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME...,. A CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER SLAMS AT THEIR CUSTOMER!!!

SHE AS A MANAGER OR WHOEVER SHOULD NOT DO THOSE ACTION TOWARDS CUSTOMERS AND SHE HAD REPEATEDLY NEVER DO HER JOB PROPERLY, NEVER HAD DONE PROPER FOLLOWING UP, AND HAD NO MANNERS AT ALL. SHE IS NOT FIT TO BE IN THAT POSITION AND I AM UTTERLY DISSAPOINTED THAT CALIFORNIA FITNESS HAD SUCH MANAGERS.

I AM DISSAPOINTED!

u are just lame n s_up_d

YOU GOT SUCKERED AND CHEATED BY THEIR SCAM.

REPORT THEM TO THE POLICE OR SOMETHING.

Hey there, I got the same reply and treatment from that so called Assistant Operations Manager (CUSTOMER SERVICE). Mentioning her name just reeks me of disgust and her attitude brings shame to the service industry. Even my email via the website to complain about her were not replied.

My case is related to the extra 2 mths thingy which I must pay upon termination. I hope that more people are more aware of how things are at Cali and would think many times before signing up at this horrible place.

Hi. am sorry to hear abt what you had to go through. Lucky i did not join CF i was close to signing up it was between CF and Fitness First. I decided to go to Fitness First. Let me tell u the people there (OUB Centre) are really nice from the managers to the PT, towel aunty and also the reception gals. I have been with them for 2 years and no complains. I did sign on with a PT he was absoulte gem. You shd try. He will be able to accomodate ur hectice sched even if u tell him 6am or 8pm!!! His name is Spencer. Actually all the PT there are very nice.

If and when you find out the identity of the motherfucker who's been impersonating me, pls let me know. My email is metalconduit at yahoo dot com dot sg. There is a $500 reward for anybody who furnishes conclusive proof of his identity. I will *fix* that motherfucker good.

This is a duplicate comment, but what I'm saying is of such importance that it literally bears repeating.

so much for good command of english

Eh? Care to point out the grammatical mistakes?

An update: I know who the culprit is and the $500 reward is no longer valid.

If and when you find out the identity of the motherfucker who's been impersonating me, pls let me know. My email is metalconduit at yahoo dot com dot sg. There is a $500 reward for anybody who furnishes conclusive proof of his identity. I will *fix* that motherfucker good.

I have issues with STERLING FITNESS in Moose Jaw Sask. I would be willing to get involved in a lawsuit in regards to the contract is geared to take advantage of the consumer. They will fuck you in the ear every possible moment. Even after you cancel your contract they will continue to take money out of your account, so make sure that you do a stop payment on your bank account.
Kristy Van Slyk from the dirt is a THEIF
Thank you

Who ever wrote this comment you can go fuck yourself! :)

If you feel like you got screwed by Sterling Fitness Centre, Go and ask for your money back.
The Manager is so out of it half the time because she is always stoned she can't remember when she cancelled someone.

Ask for a refund and she'll pay you back. she's a pot head.

And stealing run's in the family.

Check this.

http://www.insurancecouncils.sk.ca/download%20files/2004%20Bulletin%20(October%202004).pdf

Look on page 6 for the " Van Slyck " name, that was posted on the papers in regina.

If you're still looking for people for a class action lawsuit then sign me up! I am having MAJOR problems with them right now. I joined Cal-Fit in Saskatoon in the spring of last year (2005). I knew I would only be in the city a short time due to the nature of my job, but the gym assured me their IPFA membership would allow me to transfer to another gym with no problems when I moved, so I signed a two year contract. However, when I moved to Calgary in September I found out the closest IPFA affiliated gym is a 30 minute drive away (10 miles) from my house (in traffic), which is obviously not convenient. This is extremely frustrating as there are plenty of gyms right by my house that aren't IPFA affiliated..

I called California Fitness to see if they would cancel my membership early as there are no IPFA affiliated gyms close to where I live, but they are refusing to do so. They told me they can’t because it’s an IPFA regulation that as long there is an IPFA affiliated gym within city limits I have to keep my membership, which is a total lie. In a city as large and spread out as Calgary how is it fair to keep a person locked into a contract when there is no nearby affiliated gym to transfer to? I joined California Fitness in the first place because it was right by my house. I have been paying my membership since September (5 payments) and I haven’t been able to set foot in a gym, and I still have another 18 months or so left on my contract.

I lodged a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but California Fitness did not respond, so that complaint is going on its record for the next three years. By the way, there are already a number of unresolved complaints on their record. I also called the provincial (Saskatchewan) branch of consumer protection and was informed that they've received numerous complaints of a similar nature about Cal-Fit. In fact I didn't even have to tell the man I talked to what gym I was having problems with, he guessed it!

Has anyone responded to your request for a class action lawsuit? I don't know what else to do here. I'd take them to small claims court, but that would be a major hassle since I love in Calgary now. By the way, I used to work for CTV, so if this goes anywhere I'm sure we can garner up some media coverage. Not that Cal-Fit seems to care about its reputation and public image. I hope to hear from you soon.

I worked for CF and I've lived in Calgary. As a matter of fact, most of the clubs in Calgary were customers of mine. There are something like 23 IPFA clubs (at least) in Calgary, so there is absolutely no reason why you can't find one close enough for you to not whine about it. As I visited most clubs in Calgary several times per month, I know for a fact that it rarely took me more than 15 minutes to drive from one to the other. So if you in fact actually live in Calgary and go around with your eyes open at all, you would quickly realize that you're an idiot and CF is exercising their absolute right to function within the rules as defined by the IPFA. Evidently you do your research as well as you read contracts that you sign.

OH pour YOU! 10 minutes eh...... suck it up! I've gone to both of the gyms that I know are IPFA associated and they're great. If you dont really like it sell your membership and join Worlds. They suck like you!

California Fitness used to own the World Health Club on MacLeod Trail. I worked out there for a short while although I didn't have a membership with them. The condition of the place was just short of derelict. The bathrooms were absolutely gross! Once World Health took over, the conditions were improved greatly with their renovations. Just from the way they operated that facility I'm not in the least surprised in how you were and are treated. Maybe you can stop payment on the remaining installments and let them go after you for a change. Also, talk to Tony Tighe or his suscessor because I don't think he's d0ing that type of investigating anymore. Good luck! Don't let them win!!!

Yup I've been scammed by them too. I signed up for a Lifetime membership, the salesman said no strings attached. 3 years down the road my membership expires and my contracts been modified. There's extra handwriting in their copy of the contract which states a renewal fee. There was no renewal fee when I signed the contract!!! The salesman must have added it in after I signed the contract. But since I didn't keep my carbon copy there's nothing I can do but pay up.

check out this website for more complaints from other CF members...
http://forums.cozycot.com/forumdisplay.php?f=111

Hi,

Three years down the road when your membership expires, you mention a renewal fee. Is the renewal fee paid annually? How much is the renewal fee?

If you are from Saskatchewan and have had a nasty experience with California Fitness, please contact me at lawbrarian@gmail.com to discuss the possibility of seeking restitution. I'm willing to explore the possibility of a class action law suit if we can get some people to come forward.

California Fitness refuses to return the two payments they withdrew from my bank account after the end of my 12 month contract with them. I'm contacting a lawyer. Negative-option billing is unethical and I'm sure the only reason they get away with it is because it's multitudes of individuals who are effected but not as a group so the power or a group of people is lost. How do all these people scammed by California Fitness (CalFit) find each other? I'm hoping we can and do. They're no better than the Sony and their rootkit scam. Just another corporation trying to take the consumer for a ride.

the Sieteøcho Fitness Gym is the cheapest! membership is free! you come in, I strap you to my trishaw, tell you where i want to go, and you run like on stairmaster. when you reach there, i go shopping, you go find a tap to drink water and rest. when i finish shopping, you would have enough rest for the return trip. return trip harder because i got shopping mah. this is called Sieteøcho's Principle of Resistance Training. train like that 5 days a week (so i can go to work lah!) sure lose weight one!

jun bui?
no contract needed one!
can quit anytime one!
just stop at the nearest bus stop so i can continue on my way, OK?

we don't like the way you write. And don't need your comments.

Believe you me, I'm not a fan of his either.

ugly toad

ugly toad! ugly toad! ugly toad!

I have since looked into this mode of scamming by California Fitness and I see that there's a term for it. It's called "Negative-option Billing" (in which they assume an "implied consent" from the client) and it is illegal in several provinces. The Consumer Protection Act in Ontario just made the practice illegal there this past July. It is unethical and I do believe the contract can be successfully challenged in a court of law. I'm quite prepared to head up a class-action lawsuit against California Fitness if anyone else is interested. Get the word out. They are stealing money.

I am waiting for a call-back from an administrator at California Fitness because, to date, they have not refunded the two October payments (that they withdrew from my account without my informed consent). They did put a stop-payment on the November payments. I'm not letting them go at that, though. I WILL be refunded for the two October payments.

Please contact me at lawbrarian@gmail.com if you are interested in challenging this practice in a court of law. I'm not a lawyer but I work amongst them and I know I have the human and information resources to take this all the way. I reside in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

I'm so upset with California Fitness! I had signed my daughter and I up for a 1 year membership. My daughter moved away before the contract was up and I stopped going at about the same time. In honour of my "One Year Contract", I decided to just let it lapse. I remember thinking that it was odd that they hadn't sent me a letter or phoned me to ask if we wanted to renew our memberships. Then, after the term had ended, my husband commented that they were still taking money out of our account. I called California Fitness and they told me a) that they do that as a service to members (to which I call bullshit ... it's a money-grabbing scam in my view --- what if I had died or bcome otherwise incompacitated, for example? How long would they have continued draining my account?). Then they told me that if they were to monitor every membership to have it discontinue withdrawal of funds at the end of it's term, they would have to hire 10 more people to which I called FOUL! Anyone who operates a computer knows how easy it is for them to flag a membership to end at a certain date. So that's two lies. Then they pointed out that my contract with them states that even though my membership has expired, I have to still give them 30 days notice that I don't intend to renew. It's true that their contract says that but I didn't understand that at the time. I thought it was 30 days if you wanted to end your contract before the term was up. I was not clear on that and I think I would have remembered (and questioned) a contract that expired in one year but would otherwise continue to charge me after the term. Wouldn't you question that if you understood it?

I am so angry. I don't think they intend to refund the two membership withdrawals they made on my account (for me and my daughter) because they are standing behind their contract. I believe the contract is bogus and a scam in the way it's presented at the time of recruitment. I wonder if there isn't room for a class action lawsuit against them here. I'd be happy to head it up if I can get some people on board. I really don't think their contract has legs, especially since, at the end of my term, they made no effort to contact me to alert me to the fact that I was still paying for a membership that had, otherwise, ended. Email me if you are interested in getting involved with a class action lawsuit against them.

did you really read the law abinding contract?

this entire california fitness gym thingy is a SCAM!!
they claim that its $75++ for a month when actually its not.
they have different membership schemes you can choose from.
some can costs more than $75 a month.

their marketing strategy is becoming like some insurance selling thingy.
totally similar to multi-level marketing.
once they get hold of your contact, your in for trouble.
cos they will keep calling and calling you to join their 2 weeks FOC gym thingy and pester you like mad to join their gym membership.

if you stay in a condominium, the gym in your condo is just fine. i dun like the idea of EXERCISING in the middle of orchard road. running on the threadmill like some crazy woman and people walking pass will look at me like im some lunatic.
actually, the neighbourhood stadiums' gym is just fine. even better if your schooling in a tertiary institution = ITS GIVEN FREE TO YOU FOR GOODNESS SAKE.

that amount of money spent every month on the membership is enough for me to shop and eat a good meal :)

Club Fitt gym only charges $2.50 per entry...

Yours in sin...
Le Mason

its much the same deal in any of the other clubs. in the republic plaza branch where i go, they still recuit and recruit even though the club seems ready to explode with people on peak hours (not enough lockers, queue to the showers) not to mention poor maintenance of the club. It takes them forever just to fix the water fountains! Just this week, the drain to the urinals was clogged and was flooding the floor all the way to the showers! Literally piss water! Can you imagine walking on those floors barefoot AFTER taking a shower? ugh!

If you think that's bad, read the fine print of the contract.

They will make you put down a two month deposit, which they will tell you is refundable if you quit the club.

What they don't tell you is, that when you do quit at the end of your 1yr contract, the deposit is not refunded to you. It is used to pay for the two months gym fees from the point you tell them you want to quit. And they call that a refundable deposit.

I'm a current member and I can honestly say that I am so not bleedy impressed with CF. They su*k big time. Once my contract finishes, I'm quiting.

i think he has a racist comment. but the rest of it is pretty good.