Two members of a 24 Hour Fitness location near San Francisco have accused the chain of failing to honor what they thought were lifetime memberships.
Jeanette Masterson and Robert Lizarraga told KGO-TV that their membership fees went up for the second year in a row, despite their understanding that they had signed up for a fixed-rate membership for life.
The members were told that the membership rate would apply for life, when in fact the contracts that they each signed indicate that the fixed rate would apply only for the first three years. After that time, the annual membership fees could be raised.
“That was the small print,” Masterson told KGO-TV. “We didn’t really go through the small print.”
The two are not alone in feeling misled by 24 Hour Fitness. Currently, more than 2,900 people have signed a petition on Change.org claiming they were similarly led to believe they would receive the low fixed rate for life.
The Contra Costa District Attorney confirmed to KGO-TV that investigators had met with 24 Hour Fitness last week.