90-Year-Old With Cancer Said LA Fitness Signed Him Up For $5K In Personal Training: 'I Feel Like I Have Been Taken Advantage Of'
HIGHLAND VILLAGE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A North Texas 90-year-old said he believes he was taken advantage of at an LA Fitness in Highland Village.
At the start of the year, Moh Hassan decided he wanted to start working out. However, at 90 and living with blood cancer, there are only certain types of exercise he can do.
"I wanted to join a club that teaches me about yoga," Hassan said.
He said he walked into an LA Fitness' Highland Village location inquiring about classes and an employee greeted him.
"He said, 'okay we will get you it, but we first need to get you some training'," Hassan said.
Hassan explains he is hard of hearing and didn't realize the form they made him sign was a contract locking him into personal training sessions totaling more than $5,000.
He said he never got to take a copy of the contract home with him.
"It was a quick action," he said. "Not a lot of explanation."
When Hassan got the first bill for more than $500 he said he was shocked.
His son David Hassan called LA Fitness' corporate offices in California.
"I pretty much got the royal run around," David said. "I was finally able to talk to somebody who is willing to discuss the matter.
He said he was told his dad had three days to cancel the contract after it was signed. Since he didn't do that, the only way he could cancel was to pay half of it.
"She was very unwavering in her approach to me," David said. "Essentially he signed the contract, these are the terms of the contract, too bad that he's 90 years old. It's too bad he doesn't understand."
"I've been violated," Hassan said. "There is nothing we can do."
The Better Business Bureau reports cases like Hassan's are not uncommon. In the last three years more than 2,083 complaints have been made against Fitness International LCC, which owns LA Fitness nationwide.
"Something should be done," Hassan's son said. "They should re-examine what they're doing and maybe change their approach."
"I just hope that other people listen and see what we're talking about," Hassan said.
The BBB said it's a good idea to file additional complaints with their organization, The Federal Trade Commission, the United States Attorney General and the credit card company.
The BBB can contact the company and try to work things out.
Depending on the credit card company, they might be able to reverse that charges.
