When my Gold's Gym membership was close to the end (about Sept) I was contacted by a representative to encourage me to renew my membership. I told him I was transferring to another gym closer to where I work.
In Feb I started getting calls from a First Credit Services (FCS) trying to collect on a renewal membership. I told them I was not paying and called the corporate office of Gold's Gym and left them a message to call me back.
From Feb to May I didn't receive any more calls, but in May received a call from FCS as well as a letter asking for a payment of the past 6 months dues. At that time I attempted to resolve the issue with the Gold's Gym in question.
The business office manager (Ruby) would not return or accept my phone calls. AFter 5 or 6 attempts I was finally able to talk to her.
Ruby informed me the contract I signed was automatically renewed unless I had personally delivered a cancellation letter to their office, which I hadn't. I tried to inform her that while I has probably signed such a contract, it was never explained to me either at the time of signing the contract or when I was contacted by a Gold's Gym sales agent back in Sep 2005. Additionaly, in trying to contact her, one of the other Gold's Gym employess told me; "yeah, we have had a lot of issues with that type of contract and now we don't even write them anymore...".
When it became obvious that Ruby didn't have the authority to make an adjustment I contacted Gold's corporate headquarters again and was finally able to get the matter resolved in my favor. That is, they wiped the account clean, promised they would turn off the collection agency, and that no credit bureau would be notified. I also got an e-mail stating all of the above.
My belief is that Gold's Gym employs intimidation and shady business practices to try to dupe people into just pay them the money so as to get off your back. I also believe some of the error was my fault, but I had had a previous membership with Gold's Gym in Va and had poorly assumed all membership contracts were the same.
If involved in a similar scam, don't give in, take it to corporate headquarters first.
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