Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Several Dubai residents have taken to social media to warn against an alleged gym membership scam that has reportedly cost unknowing subscribers thousands of dirhams. “I received a legal notice from . I signed up with them in 2022 and never used the gym. They are now claiming Dh3,000 from me, but could not give me a copy of the contract I signed, saying it was an e-contract,” said a resident, who preferred to remain anonymous. The resident said he is moving out of Dubai and does not have extra funds to pay for the gym’s demand. He is afraid that he might have legal issues in case the management files a case. Several residents blamed the gym’s membership fine print for “trapping” users into automatically renewing their membership. “They’re a well-known scam. You can’t get rid of them unless you cancel your membership,” a social media user commented. Others, however, said the business was not at fault, and that it is the responsibility of customers to read the terms and conditions before signing up for membership. The popular gym chain charges a one-time “joining fee” with a recurring monthly membership. “No partial refund of the monthly membership fee will be made unless you are cancelling under cooling-off regulations,” according to the gym. Some social media users claimed that the gym takes time to delay the cancellation of memberships, compounding to the problem. Hisham (full name withheld), said he contacted the gym before his contract ended, but that it allegedly took them 11 months to cancel his membership. According to the gym’s website: “Any cancellation request requires a minimum of 30 days’ notice and all cancellations are subject to satisfactory proof of evidence, should you still be within a minimum timeframe commitment before the cancellation of the membership will take effect.” There was no immediate comment from gym administrators as of this publication. In Dubai, consumers may file a case against establishments for poor products or fraudulent commercial activities. Consumers can contact the Dubai Economy via the hotline 600 54 5555 or through its website (click here). ICA/Expat Media ALSO READ: Filing a consumer complaint in UAE: Full guide  
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page