Complaint Review: Body Of Change

Renegs on service contract, violates fair debt collection practices act LA Fitness .....

Had I known about Rip-Off Report before signing up with Body of Change, I wouldn't need to submit this report.

In December of 2001, My wife and I bought ourselves gym memberships for Christmas. A few weeks after attending, my wife was, for lack of a better word, _duped_ into signing up for Body of Change's "two free training sessions".

Well, one thing led to another and we signed up. Admittedly, the trainers at this location were top notch, and were able to help my wife and I get into shape.

But, as things happen, I lost my job, and we were forced to move out of the area. In an interesting twist of fate, my Body of Change contract were amongst some papers that were in the posession of my former employer, which I could not immediately retrive for reasons that cannot be discussed here. As a result, I called the manager for my Body of Change location to inquire as to going about cancelling. I attempted to contact this person several times, and in each case was informed that he was "not available", and that I'd have to leave a message. I left many messages, and never received a response.

Ultimately, I received my papers (and my contract), and was able to answer my own questions. There is a stipulation in the contract we signed which states that in the event that you move 50 miles away, you give 30 days notice, pay a $100 cancellation fee, and go on your merry way. Fair enough...

At the end of July 2002, I sent a letter to Body of Change explaining my circumstances, and complaining about the lack of a response from the manager at my location. Never received a response to my letter.

Meanwhile, Affiliated Acceptance Corporation, to whom Body of Change had outsourced collection on their contracts, was continuing to attempt to bill my credit card for services that were not being rendered. I say "attempt" because since I was out of work at the time, my card had maxed out. I sent a second letter in August informing Affiliated Acceptance Corp. of the situation, and advised them that they should cease any further attempts to bill my credit card until things were straightened out with Body of Change (something AAC never did, hence the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act violation).

Somewhere in this whole mess we managed to move. Finally, in April of 2003, I RECEIVED A REPLY TO MY ORIGINAL LETTER TO BODY OF CHANGE! A *WHOPPING* 10 months after I had originally sent it. They were willing to charge me $300 or so (I don't have the letter in front of me -- update to come), but *ONLY* after I sent them some dated proof (i.e. paystubs, utility bills, etc.) verifying my residence. Since this stipulation was not in the contract that I can sign, I can only assume that Body of Change is gambling with the fact that I might be unable to come up with records from 9 months ago, and attempting to scam even more money out of me.

Even today I continue to receive letters from AAC, on an account that they *KNOW* is in dispute. This probably deserves its own Rip-Off Report, but since they're acting as agents on behalf of Body of Change, they get included here.

Please, if anyone has had similar issues with Body of Change and Affiliated Acceptance, let's get together and consider our legal options. There must be something we can do to put a stop to their continued harassment.

Daniel
Grover Beach, California
U.S.A.