Consumer complaint received 2016-06-28
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt — Right to dispute notice not received
Company: Jim Bottin Enterprises, Inc (PA)

After verbally requesting the closure of an open gym membership I was informed that the request would be processed but not guaranteed because I did not agree to signing a form that binded me to agree to pay annual fees as well as 40 days worth of billing after the closure of my account, after they had just billed me for that particular month. After follow up to check on the status of my account because I was never notified of the outcome I was told by a gym employee that the gym would not process my request but instead allow for my account to accumulate a debt by charging monthly and sending my account to collections. I then went and recorded my verbal request to close my account to which I was met with the same response and refusal to close my account as well as a refusal to allow me access to the initial form requesting this action to which the employee confirmed that it was both on file as well as had been faxed the month prior. When I asked for the owner information in an attempt to resolve this dispute I was told I would not get that information. The manager was called and I was told I could write my request down and sign in order to process the closing of my account, only after my several requests and me pursuing a resolution. Upon doing so and recording me doing so the employee refused to acknowledge this written and verbal request and was told by management to ask me to leave the gym. This was n't information that was freely divulged until one month after my initial request as well as the gym proceeding to bill me and then charge me for late fees. To date the gym as well as their financial company have yet to process my request and continue to bill me monthly with late fees because they have kept my account open. Furthermore I have requested that management review my account and complaint and was told someone would contact me to which they have not. I have sent an email to the website asking for the managers to contact me so this can be resolved to which there has been no response. The gym as well as ABC financial have kept personal financial information for my mother over a year after she had cancelled her membership due to unethical billing policies. Upon my request to close my account the gym and ABC financial accessed my mothers personal bank account and illegally withdrew a debit of {$20.00} that was charged to my account as a means to collect on a debt that was on my account. My mother was never on my account and again had not been a member of the gym for well over a year. It was not until she threatened litigation was she informed that in order to have her personal information removed from the database even after she was no longer a member she would have to send a detailed message requesting such action. To date I have made many attempts to resolve this issue with no response or effort to find resolution via adequate customer service. They continue to bill my account on the basis of having an " active membership '' and continue to harass me with debt collection calls. The attorney general for consumer complaints has been notified as well as the congressman, Rep. XXXX XXXX, Sen. XXXX, the XXXX and the FTC. I have also met with several members and former members of the gym who have had several issues and complaints pertaining to the unethical policies and billing practices within the XXXX XXXX XXXX and ABC Financial. To date there has been no attempt for reslution on behalf of the gym or ABC Financial and they continue to bill me regardless of my vehement requests and attempts to reach out to them. Again, they refuse to close my account in order to continuously have the ability to bill me for as long as they desire and then try to ruin my credit on the false implication that I choose to not pay my debt. I am willing to pursue litigation if they choose to send this to my credit report.