People Are Ruthless After Man Confesses He Was Tricked Into Buying 300 Years Worth Of Membership

He thought it was a deal of a lifetime, not a scam that would last his lifetime.

A Chinese national named Jin is going viral for getting tricked into buying 300 years’ worth of gym memberships and for getting ghosted by the company he bought them from.

The incident is opening a larger discussion about the burden consumers bear and how gym memberships can be shady.

Jin thought he could get double his investment by buying multiple gym memberships

Man wearing glasses speaking outside, discussing spending $120k on gym membership and being ghosted by management.

Image credits: 纵览新闻/YouTube

The man, who goes by his surname Jin, as is common in Asian countries, said it all started a few months ago.

According to various reports, Jin said a sales representative at the gym where he’d been working out for more than three years in eastern China’s Hangzhou City, approached him one day after his workout.

They told him of a magnificent new deal for members like him: purchase a gym membership for a certain price (roughly US$1,200), then the gym would sell it to a third party for double (or about US$2,300).

Young man using gym equipment during workout session, highlighting gym membership experience and management issues.

Image credits: Robert/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

Jin would get the profits, and the gym would take 10 percent.

The deal was enticing, Jin said, but seemed too good to be true.

The employee reassured Jin that if the membership wasn’t sold to anyone within two months, Jin would get his money back.

But that’s not what happened.

Jin racked up 300 years’ worth of gym memberships and private lessons

Man surprised looking at phone while gym staff points, discussing expensive gym membership issue indoors.

Image credits: buritora/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

After purchasing his first membership under the deal, Jin started getting excited about the prospect of doubling his investment.

With the prospect of making hundreds or even thousands of dollars on his investment, he bought more memberships. And more. And more. He also bought private lessons under the same sales pitch: pay little now, get lots back later.

According to reports, by mid-July, Jin had spent  870,000 yuan, or more than 121,000 U.S. dollars, on 26 gym contracts.

He had amassed 300 years of gym memberships and private lessons, believing he was investing in a “future of health” for the community.

But about two months after his first purchase, when he was supposed to start getting his profits returned to him, something went very wrong. 

When Jin tried to find the gym’s manager or sales staff, they had vanished

Person in suit gesturing while another signs gym membership contract highlighting high-cost gym membership issue.

Image credits: sarawutnirothon/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

He knew something was amiss when the gym’s staff seemed to disappear. According to reports, the management and all its sales staff were nowhere to be found when he tried to ask them where his money was.

While the gym, located in Hangzhou’s Binjiang District, remains open to this day, none of the management is there.

Rightly worried, Jin contacted a lawyer, who discovered that the company is actually a shell company, with a registered capital of only 50,000 yuan.

Plus, news accounts say: “The investigation shows that the gym has been in debt with rent for three months, which completely coincides with the timeline of Mr. Jin’s fraud.”

Jin also noticed that in the contracts’ fine print, the memberships were not transferable.

Close-up of handshake between two businessmen symbolizing agreement, related to man spending $120k on gym membership keyword.

Image credits: Africa Studio/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

“I admit that I have been brainwashed by them, because I believed I was only one small step away from getting back all my money,” Jin said, as the South China Morning Post reported in a story.

Feeling completely let down, broke, and without many options, Jin contacted the media for help in telling his story.

Chinese netizens are criticizing the man for seeming to make a careless mistake

Multiple 100 yuan Chinese banknotes spread out, representing a man spending $120k on gym membership money.

Image credits: Eric Prouzet/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

Screenshot of online comments discussing a man spending $120k on a gym membership and being ghosted by management.

Image credits: WeChat

And that’s when members of the public also jumped on the story. 

After making the rounds on Chinese social media for days, netizens are still enthralled with the story. 

Comments range from humorous to scolding to pity.

In one comment that got more than 1,000 likes, someone said that “He could have bought the whole gym for 870,000.”

Other people pondered how someone could lose such a large amount so quickly.

“The PR that sold him the membership is good,” said one person. 

Others said he got what he deserved.

“Greed will always consume and destroy a person,” another noted.

Experts say consumers need to be careful when agreeing to buy a gym membership

Man in glasses and white jacket holding papers outside, highlighting $120k spent on gym membership and management ghosting.

Image credits: 纵览新闻/YouTube

Chinese news reports say that it’s not the first fitness center to use the so-called dual track model, wherein the club operates a front-facing sales department as well as a hidden sales department, “which is specifically aimed at old customers, and they run away after cheating, so that old members have no choice,”news reportssay. 

“This dual-track operation model has been common in the fitness industry. According to the investigation, many similar cases have occurred this year, but the amount is far less than Mr. Jin’s loss,” the article continued. 

Man stressed at desk reviewing documents after spending $120k on gym membership with no response from management.

Image credits: KMPZZZ/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

But in many cases, consumers need to be more responsible for checking the fine print.

According to experts from The Better Business Bureau (BBB), a non-profit from the U.S., it’s important to “read through your contract if you do decide to go through with getting a gym membership and be careful of free trial offers because they could end up costing you a lot of money once the free trial runs out.”

Modern gym interior with workout machines and benches, illustrating man spending $120k on gym membership issues.

Image credits: zhu difeng/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

During previous interviews, BBB executive Josh Planos has said when it comes to gyms: “We recommend that you ask questions when you see things like free trials. Typically that involves sometimes a free week, a free month, sometimes two free months of a gym membership, however, you want to make sure there isn’t a huge payment coming as soon as that free trial concludes.”  

Netizens criticize the person who lost more than $121,000 buying 300 years’ worth of non-transferable gym memberships

User comment on a social media post about a man spending $120k on a gym membership and getting ghosted by management.

User comment discussing a man spending $120k on gym membership and being ignored by management.

User comment on social media expressing frustration about spending money, related to gym membership ghosting incident.

Comment about man spending $120k on gym membership and joking about spirit visiting the gym in the future with emojis.

Comment from Joan Carter saying Bro you could've bought the entire gym atp with prayer and shocked face emojis.

Comment about spending $120k on gym membership and suggesting to buy a gym set at home instead.

Man frustrated after spending $120k on gym membership and being ignored by gym management online.

Comment about gym membership spending $120k, highlighting frustration with gym management and being ignored.

Comment from a top fan named Lionel Goh stating he planned for immortality training with laughing and party face emojis.

Comment by Wilson Larry Lee discussing intense workout dedication and bodybuilding in response to gym membership situation.

Comment from Dan B Biztual about a man planning a long-term gym membership that cost $120k, with a laughing emoji.

Comment by Danny Kon about gym membership plan, highlighting frustration with management after spending large amount.

Comment by Kevin Chung saying he thinks the man needs a brain workout more than anything else about gym membership ghosting.

Screenshot of a social media comment reacting humorously to a man spending 120k on a gym membership.

Comment about spending money on a gym membership, highlighting frustration with gym management ghosting a man.

Social media post showing a comment about a man spending 120k on a gym membership and being ghosted by management.

Man shares experience spending $120k on gym membership then getting ghosted by gym management online.

Comment by Maey Caramonte Galvan saying run after him everyday you will stay fit in a social media post.

Man frustrated after spending $120k on gym membership and getting ghosted by gym management in a text message conversation.

Man spending large amount on gym membership, frustrated and ignored by gym management.

Man frustrated after spending $120k on gym membership and being ignored by gym management team.

Man who spent $120k on gym membership reacts to being ghosted by gym management in a social media post.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!