Consumer complaint received 2023-09-25
Company: Jim Bottin Enterprises, Inc
State: SC
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone

Complaint:
I went into XXXX XXXX to inquire about their services. I saw online that they offered a free month of service, the then owner advised that if I wanted to sign myself and my boyfriend up that I would not be able to use the free month and that he could wave the initial sign up cost if I signed up that day. I advised that I did not have my credit card information with me, that I only had his due to a recent purchase he sent me to make while he was at work. He advised that was fine, that he was going to " marry us '' and sign everything up under the last name XXXX. I advised that we were indeed not married and that was not my last name, but he said " Shhhh it is for this contract ''. So he generated an agreement under both our names, even though he was not there to sign for anything, and used XXXX XXXX card ending in XXXX. The agreement was that we would be charged XXXX a month for a couples membership, and XXXX dollars as an annual fee. XXXX never used his access card, and months later his card was compromised. We called the club to advise of this and they stated not to worry that they would cancel everything and to come by to get new membership cards once we got everything squared away. the club closed less than a month later. A few weeks ago I go over to XXXX XXXX, who bought out XXXX  I assume, and advised we were members and what happened. They asked for my information to look me up when they get their systems up and running, and advised they were running a special with all access for XXXX a month and an annual fee of XXXX dollars yearly. I asked could I sign up online if i chose to, and he stated yes. I did not want to sign up at that time because they were not open and still not open for the club that is in close proximity to me. A few days later I get a strongly worded email stating that I owe XXXX and that if they do not hear from me or receive payment that they will report this account to collections. I called and spoke with someone by the name of XXXX, who barely understood what I was stating, and kept advising me to contact the club where I open to cancel the membership because that is their policy. I advised I never had an agreement with XXXX  and that the club that you are saying I am a member of is not open and I can not call! I explained everything above and asked for the agreement to be emailed. I also explained the shady business practices used to initiate the contract they purchased and that it was canceled with the original owners from what I understood. He finally went and reviewed the contract and saw that the membership never originated with XXXX and advised that XXXX must have been purchased by XXXX, all things that I was advising in the beginning of the call. He then advised that the charges were from an unauthorized transfer of membership and that the XXXX was a XXXX annual fee attempted to bill in XXXX and XXXX attempted to bill in XXXX for club fees. One, I nor XXXX signed any new agreement agreeing to these new terms, two the old membership is null and void, and three The XXXX club is not open so they are charging for services they can not provide and making threats for a matter they have unlawfully entered us into.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation