Global Fitness Holdings membership scam

I went to Urban Active Fitness after work to discuss membership costs and tour the gym. I was told that if I

paid a $20 deposit I could try it for 3 days and if I did not wish to continue i could sign a cancellation form within those 3 days and would be refunded the $20.

I went back to the gym 2 days later to let them know that after thinking it through the membership was too expensive for me and I wished to cancel. I talked to a man behind the front desk and signed and dated my cancellation form, which he then signed as well. According to the Membership Agreement the gym must return any signed documents they had to me, which included my credit card information and membership agreement. The only way I would have these papers is if I had cancelled my membership.

Later I noticed on my credit card bill that I was charged $59.25 from the gym and was also never reimbursed the

$20. I called the corporate office that night and spoke with Josh

who told me to fax over a copy of the signed cancellation form. I

faxed the information over and when I called to confirm he had received my fax I spoke with Heather who told me they couldnt read the signature of the Urban Active Associate who signed my form. I was then told to fax over a written description of what that person

looked like. I also talked with Alex in the cancellation department

of the corp. office a few times trying to resolve this issue. I was

advised to possibly stop in the actual gym and see if they could recognize the signature.

I then called my credit card company to dispute the charges. While

talking with them I find out the gym charged another $59.25 to my

account.

I then stopped in Urban Active in Lyndhurst,OH to show them my cancellation form and see if they could help identify who signed it, with no luck. I was told they dont recognize the signature but that people come and go and it could be someone who doesnt work there anymore.

The next day I faxed over my written description to Alex of what I can

remember the guy looking like; a younger guy with brown hair of medium

build. (2 months have passed and I only spoke with him for a minute or

two, this was all I could remember) I then called to ensure my fax was received and was told by Alex that my description was forwarded to Jenna in Customer Service and there is no one at the gym that is close to my description and they can do nothing to honor my situation. I mentioned the cancellation/membership paperwork and credit card information that I was given back when I signed the cancellation form and the only way I would have these papers is if I

had cancelled and was told that information is no good.

I cancelled this trial in the time period they designated, I have all

paperwork showing this. I never received a key card needed to

participate in the gym. I have talked to various people at the corporate office and no one is even trying to help me. It was not my

responsibility to forward the original cancellation forms to corporate

and I do not know why they were never rec'd but that is the gyms fault

and I should not be penalized. All I am asking is for a credit to my account and for them to stop billing my card and they will not work with me at all, jjust keep telling me there is nothing they can do.. when i am showing them off the proof that I have cancelled and for them to say my description matches no one when it was so vague it had to match half the guys who work there!!!

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I am also one poor customer of urban avtive fitness club. I have been told from marketing person of Urban Active, that you are on Month to Month Membership, so you can cancel your membership any time and we will not charge you anything. Then while joining for fitness trainer programm, the marketting person told me that if you dont feel it worthy , you can cancel trainer programm any time, you will not be charged for that. Now after one month when I told Urban Active people that I want to cancell the training programm and dont charge me from next month onwords, they said that you have to Buyout the programm and it will cost me $250 to cancel to memebership as I have enrolled for one year membership. But I have never been informed about that. When I asked them that I have enrolled for month to month membership, then they said NO, we have your signed contract and it show that have signed the one year agreement. But i never signed it. So i told them that i never signed it, then they printed out one agreement which show my sign on it. After looking at that agreement I come to know that that sign they took on Digital Pad and I never signed it on paper and they never showed me that contract. But when I told them that I signed only one month contract, that time they took print out and then showed me that contract, till then they never gave it to me. Even while signing that contract on Digital Pad they showed me only joining fee and One month fee on the screen and the 1 year fee which is on the print out, they never shoed me before on that computer screen. So Like that Urban Active cheating their customer. Urban Active is a BIG SCAM. They should be banned, because they are not at all transperent. They cheat their cutomer. I would like to let the people know that never join Urban Active fitness club. And never ever take the membership of fitness trainer. You will be in big trouble if you take trainer membership.

I would also like to get help from some one who know how to get money back from Urban Active Fitness club and Terminate membership.

You can call me on 513-442-1243 if you want to help me. If i dont pickup call please leave voice mail.

~ Mitesh Patel.

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I joined Urban a couple months ago. They were running a tanning package promotion for $15 a month which I chose to take as well. As it turned out I rarely had time to use it. I asked the staff at the counter how to go about canceling the tanning portion of my membership. The young lady was helpful and had me hand write a cancellation request, sign, and date it. She said she would fax it to corporate and that that was that. Sic weeks later, my card is still getting billed for it. I tried to call corporate and they now have their queue setup so that you can't reach anyone there. It bounced me back to my local gym. So I spoke with Samantha who looked it up. She asked how long ago I had cancelled and I told her 6 weeks. She said, "Oh. That's the problem. It sometimes takes 60 days for it to work." So I asked, "And you just keep billing me while you figure it out?" She said, "Yes, but you can keep using it until we cancel it" I said, "If I had time and wanted to use it, I wouldn't have canceled!" I told her she needed to fix it or put me on the line with someone who can. It was 8:51 am and she said no one who could help me would be there till 9:00. So I'm going to make a personal visit since I plan to workout anyhow. I'll post further results when I get back. By the way, at least a half-dozen members or former members, AND two employees told me to "watch my bill" if I became a member there.

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I too had an issue with Urban Active. They closed two stores near our residence making the drive too long to utilize the facility. After going round and round with that branch I finally called Global Fittness Holdings in Lexington. Of course since everything is automated and nobody actually answers the phones I waited to access the phone directory, punched in a few letters and got a hold of a real person - I explained that I needed to cancel my membership and wanted a refund due to the store closing and that person connected me to the cancellation department here is the info just in case someone else needs it:

Renee McKinney

Cancellations Manager

1-859-977-3154

Global Fitness Holdings

rmckinney AT urbanactive.com

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I canceled my membership, due to an employment relocation to another state, where they do not have a branch gym - on April 29th 2010. I have now sent this paperwork to the Urban Active folks 4 times, over the course of 3 months. I am getting the 'cancelation shuffle'.

I am willing to retain a lawyer and have them file a class action suit against this organization for fraud. Anyone else had this experience with Urban Active? If so, email me at

urbanactivelawsuite AT yahoo.com

I will be contacting my lawyer on July 20, 2010 to start the lawsuit.

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I canceled my membership, due to an employment relocation to another state, where they do not have a branch gym - on April 29th 2010. I have now sent this paperwork to the Urban Active folks 4 times, over the course of 3 months. I am getting the 'cancelation shuffle'.

I am willing to retain a lawyer and have them file a class action suit against this organization for fraud. Anyone else had this experience with Urban Active? If so, email me at

urbanactivelawsuite AT yahoo.com

I will be contacting my lawyer on July 20, 2010 to start the lawsuit.

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I too have been scammed by the muscle heads of Urban Active. The staff at Urban Active in Cincinnati Oh on Colerain Ave. have been of no help. The manager John can do nothing but recite the contract word for word. There is no way to speak to anyone at Global Fitness Holdings, they simply transfer you to your location. Royce Pullman is owner and Martin Stein is Chief Operation Officer, and good luck on trying anyway to communicate with them. Their website also is ineffective.

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Urbanactive is perhaps one of the most unethical companies I have ever dealt with. I originally joined the Crocker Park facility and then moved across town. The closest facility was at Legacy Village which was 21 miles away from home. I called the Corporate HQ and after being placed on hold forever was told that a membership could only be cancelled if you were outside 25 miles. I could almost here the 'customer' service rep laughing like they were going to stick it to me because I told them I was not going to travel 22 miles when gas was close to 3.50 a gallon.

My membership was then due to expire in Sept of 09. I called Corp HQ to insure my membership was going to be cancelled and they told me a I needed to submit a cancellation form. A form? I signed a contract for 2 years and I wanted that membership to lapse but no, these guys want to stick it to you. I literally went out of my way to drive up to the Lyndhurst facility and talked to some clueless kid at 6 am. I filled out the form and figured I was done but again...they will stick it to you.

I now notice that they continue to credit my account. I called the Crocker Park faciltiy which is where I joined and they told me they have no record of anything. I fail to realize why this company has to treat their customers like inconsequential costs of doing business. They have great looking facilities but their customer service when it comes to memberships and the business side of things is a complete disaster. They truly are the role model for how not to treat your customers in fitness industry.

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Just an FYI: you can file a fraud report from your bank. If you did not authorize those debits from your account, your bank will credit you and go after the company for the funds. It happened to me before and I got all of my money refunded. good luck

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Absolutely RIDICULOUS!!!

I keep getting charged for an account I have cancelled repeatedly and I only get vague replies from Jenna. I have asked for verification of cancelation but get no reply.

I am tired of being taken advantage of companies like this! My account is drafted monthly (3 memberships! in my family) and BOA won't stop the drafts after I requested this be done. Instead they want me to cancel my debit card and order a new one.

What a pain!!!! No more memberships EVER.

URBAN ACTIVE is a SCAM and should NOT be permitted to do business in any state.

I URGE all who read this to choose the YMCA instead. Just say NO to URBAN ACTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I agree titally, they fell to tell you everything then paly stupid when needed to provide themselves with an excuse that it never happened. I have been trying to cancell for six months and yet have anybody accept the responsibility in helping. Its always stop by the gym so they can hard sell you again.