Fitness Centre Complaints Almost Double: Customs

Despite warnings the number of people falling for the dodgy sales practices of some fitness centres continues to rise, say Customs officials.

The department on Thursday said it had received nearly 400 reports against fitness centres for the first half of the year, up 45 percent from the first six months of last year.

Officers said the recent complaints focus on a couple of small, newly established centres.

The head of custom's unfair trade practice investigation group, Suzette Ip, said the centres' staff would lure victims into handing over their credit cards and ID cards, under the pretext of filling in questionnaires or joining lucky draws. Then, the staff would ask the victims to sign some documents.

Afterwards, the victims would be told they had signed a membership contract and had already been charged on their credit cards.

The department said it had produced a few educational videos on malpractice at fitness centres, beauty parlours and refurbishment firms, and these will be broadcast on public transport, in shopping malls and at public housing estates.