Consumer complaint received 2022-06-21
Company: Aldous & Associates, PLLC
State: IL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and Aldous & Associates is trying to collect a debt that my husband and I do not owe. The charges are : {$110.00} and {$120.00}. The charges are in error because a notice/letter and contact was made to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX to cancelled both memberships due to : 1. Automatic renewal of our agreements without contacting us, after services were no longer available to us because of XXXX XXXX ( must be XXXX  restrictions - that was implemented XX/XX/XXXX ) and we didnt receive updates/notifications from XXXX XXXX on their XXXX   restrictions. On XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX automatically auto renewed our memberships and charged us a monthly fee without our consent. Also, no advance notices or emails of the renewal was sent to us/no opportunity to cancel/waive our membership was given. We never received anything about steps we can take as members to cancel/waive our memberships. We was not aware of any XXXX restrictions. We was got off guard when we was unable to visit the gym, unless we were XXXX, but was still being charged renewal/monthly fees without our consent/no advance notices or emails.

2. Unfair treatment, and didnt give us as ( members ) an opportunity to cancel our memberships and management never called us back ( after several calls/requests, in-person contact and email ) to cancel/waive our memberships. 
I didnt notice the charges until XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the gym several times to talk to a manager but couldnt get through to anyone about the charges. On XX/XX/XXXX, I finally got through and spoke with a young lady name XXXX ( at least this is what she told me ). I explained to XXXX about the charges and the reason why I wanted to talk to a manager. She told me she will have the manager called me back and about 10 minutes and hung up. After about 30 minutes, I called back, XXXX then started to get a little angry and she told me that the manager wasnt available and I can contact him at ( email : XXXX ). I tried to explain to her again why I am cancelling both memberships, I even explained to her my medical condition and why I can not get XXXX, I also told her that my husband had XXXX  XXXX, and asked her if they had a medical waiver for members, she became rude and disrespectful and told me that I had to contact that email address if I wanted to talk to the manager/cancel my membership and hung up the phone. I couldnt even get a word in to provide her my contact information so that the manager can call me so we can have a discussion about the charges/the memberships. I wasnt getting anywhere over the phone, so I went up to XXXX XXXX. I figure I will get a chance to talk to the manager/resolved the charges. When I got there, a young lady was sitting at the desk- I told her that I just got off the phone with a young lady XXXX and Im here to talk to the manager about both memberships/charges. She said you talk to me ( XXXX XXXX ) She instantly became rude, nasty and very disrespectful towards me. She told me the manager wasnt there, so again, I explained to her- why I am cancelling both memberships and can she have the manager called me ( again- she referred me to the email address ). She then took out a Written Notice of Cancellation form and completed it for both memberships. She then told me and a nasty tone that I still will be charged XXXX fees. I might mention, I wrote a cancellation letter ( dated : XX/XX/XXXX ) and asked her can she signed itshe took the letter and scribbled a signature on it and walked away. I was amazed at how I was being treated, especially being a long term member at this facility! I was doing everything I can to handle this in a professional manner. I left the gym feeling mistreated/disrespected, all I can think about was that our Country is facing a global pandemic/health crisis - one that is killing people and upending peoples lives and this is how XXXX XXXX is treating me ( and probably other customers ) ( no professionalism, no sensitivity- just rude and disrespectful! ). 

Since I never received a call back from the manager at XXXX XXXX - I contacted my credit card company and explained to them what happened and they advised me that they will put a dispute claim in, and they will contact XXXX XXXX about the charges. XXXX XXXX never responded to the credit card company nor the disputed claim, so the credit card company reversed all charges. Also- they put a stop hold against XXXX XXXX so that they can not continued to charge my account. They mentioned that XXXX XXXX should not have charged my account for services that wasnt going to be provided and they should have contacted us and provided us options before they automatic renewed our membership/charged more monthly fees. 

Once my credit card company reversed the charges back to my account, I felt that I was being harassed and retaliated against by XXXX XXXX. I and my husband started receiving robo calls, collection calls and emails for payments after the written notice of cancellation took effect ( XX/XX/XXXX ). And as of today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) now my husband are receiving calls and we both received a letter from your company ( Aldous & Associates Attorneys at Law ) for collecting a debt for XXXX XXXX XXXX Fields. 

Then, to add insult to injury, I contacted Aldous & Associates on XX/XX/XXXX, to dispute the debt following instructions in the letter ( call or write us by XX/XX/XXXX, to dispute all or part of the debt ) and attempted to explain what happened with XXXX XXXX to a Female representative and was told to write and abruptly hung up on. I called back multiply times and was hung up on. I sent a letter on XX/XX/XXXX to Aldous & to Associates to dispute the charges ( certified mail ). 

I requested in my letter that the dispute charges and any other charges related to the disputed amount be dropped immediately, and that I receive a letter stating so, and both accounts be cancelled/closed. 

I also enclosed copies of ( My handwritten Cancellation Letter, my email, and both copies of the XXXX XXXX ( Witten Notice of Cancellation all dated : XX/XX/XXXX ), supporting my position and experience with XXXX XXXX XXXX Fields. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter dated : XX/XX/XXXX from Aldous & Associates stating that they contacted the original creditor, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - stating that we breached the agreement executed on XX/XX/XXXX. I then called Aldous & Associates right away to rectify the dispute ( again ), and explained to the representative how did we breached the agreement when they implemented a vaccination restrictions on XX/XX/XXXX, and no notifications/or email was sent to us letting us know about their restrictions, nor was we given an opportunity to cancel our membership before they automatically renewed us on XX/XX/XXXX. The representative then jumped in and told me that they are not accepting my disputed documents I mailed to them.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation