If you’re looking to join a gym, you’ll probably find the membership sign-up process is quick and easy. Cancelling should be easy, too — but sometimes businesses make you jump through hoops that make it nearly impossible to quit. That’s unlawful and costs people a lot of time and money. And that’s what the FTC alleges LA Fitness did to people who signed up for monthly gym subscriptions.
Some gyms say you can try out a membership for free — but it might not be true. Some will auto-renew if you don’t cancel first, which might come as a surprise. And sometimes you’re trapped in a membership because of a confusing maze you have to go through before the gym will honor your cancellation request.
Learn about subscriptions to save yourself money, time, and potential aggravation. Before you sign up:
- See what others are saying online. Search for the company’s name and the word “subscription” plus words like “complaint,” “problem,” “cancel,” and “fee” to see if people have had issues in the past.
- Check the terms and conditions. If the subscription includes auto-renewals, know that you’ll keep getting charged until you cancel.
- Learn more about how to cancel a paid subscription with automatic billing.
Already have a subscription? Here’s what to do if you have trouble cancelling:
- Dispute unauthorized credit card charges. If you’ve tried to cancel a subscription and the company won’t stop charging your account, dispute it with your credit or debit card company. Just changing your credit or debit card number is often not enough.
- Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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