Consumer complaint received 2025-05-22 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: Jim Bottin Enterprises, Inc
State: RI

Complaint narrative:
1. ) I opened a gym membership at XXXX in XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX  in XX/XX/XXXX. I paid the prorated monthly gym membership sign up fee with a CC and set up the monthly fee of {$14.00} and annual dues of {$49.00} billed in XXXX to be debited from my XXXX Checking account in XXXX. The monthly fees and the annual dues were paid electronically from my account with no issue from XX/XX/XXXX- XX/XX/XXXX. 

2. ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from the billing company for XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX stating that the payment account was invalid and were unable to collect the monthly payment of {$14.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. The email listed a routing number and the last XXXX digits of an account that does not belong to me : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. The email also indicated I was being charged a service charge. 

3. ) I called the phone number listed in the email and spoke to a representative and expressed my concern. The representative glazed over the underlying issue and offered to update my billing information. I declined and explained I was concerned with the safety of my personal information and what seemed to be an unauthorized update to my account info. I asked if she could provide me info as to when the billing info was updated and she claimed there was no update. I explained I was going to be researching this further with my bank, requested a refund of the service charge ( which was granted ), and advised the representative to suspend any attempts to collect the monthly fee until this is resolved because if they continue to attempt a payment from that account, the same issue will occur and I did not want to incur additional service charges. 

4. ) I then reached out to my bank to find out if there was an account on file with XXXXXXXX XXXX in my name with the routing and last four digits that XXXX XXXX XXXX suddenly had on file XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX. The representative explained that the routing number is associated with accounts opened in Florida ( I have never lived in Florida ) and confirmed that there are no accounts ending in XXXX associated with my profile. 

5. ) I then followed up with an email to XXXX and explained the issue. The representative sent me screenshots of my online account and signed contract with the invalid account number and stated that this is the information I enetered and signed off on. I explained that is not the account that I entered and that the payments had been collected without issue from an account that DOES belong to me that I authorized when I signed up with no issue until recently. We went back and forth and there was no progress. I thought I could possibly resolve the issue by speaking with the gym manager, but when I asked the representative for their name and the name of the manager at the gym, they refused to provide that info.

6. ) I returned to the original email I received regarding the payment issue and noted there was an email to reach out to dispute billing issues. In the email communication I reiterated the issue, received the same responses and unanswers despite providing evidence - bank statements for XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX that proved that the payments were being deducted from my XXXX XXXX account ending in XXXX. I was unable to receive assistance or answers. They only recommended I update my billing info online. 

7. ) I refused to update my billing information since the one that is suddenly on file is one I did not authorize and XXXX XXXX XXXX refuses to acknowledge or address the issue. I also explained that due to the mishandling of this serious issue, and their failure to ensure my billing information is safe, I can no longer do business with XXXX in good faith. I requested they refund of the annual fees paid in XXXX of {$49.00} and cancel my membership. 

8. ) XXXX XXXX XXXX confirmed that via email that my membership has been cancelled, but continue to try to collect payment for XXXX of {$14.00}. They also have not agreed to refund my annual dues of {$49.00} paid in XXXX. 

8. ) I'm also receiving collection calls from an automated system asking me to update my account information, which is straight harrassment considering my attempts to resolve the issue that is obviously something on their end. 

9. ) I'm reaching out to CFPB for your help with the following : - Refund of the Annual dues {$49.00} paid in XXXX - Cancel my membership effective XX/XX/XXXX and stop attempts to collect monthly gym fees of {$14.00} for XXXX since this is when the unexplained issue with the payment account occurred. 

- Written confirmation that I will no longer be contacted and that my information will be securely removed from their billing system.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation