Personal trainer - No sessions or refund!
Discussion
TooMany2cvs said:
Is there any more to it than you transferred money to a semi-random person? Any kind of contract? Any kind of proof of anything?
Afraid not.Its not a massive amount, however enough to be annoyed with.
No contract. There are people we both know, so I am trying to get them to have a word. There is a lesson to be learned here.......should have paid cash as instincts were telling me. F w
kers. Du1point8 said:
Does the PT work out of a gym? If so can you not contact them and find out more information?
If it's enough to annoy you, and you feel like investing a bit of time, you could end up being quite persuasive. What I've done before is creating a 'chance meeting' with the person, and instead of embarrassing them, pretended that I've not cottoned on that I've been scammed.
So, for example:
"Oh, Ian, great to see you! I've been trying to get in touch with you for ages about booking in my first session, but I've had terrible problems with my phone - can we do tomorrow?"
Starting on a friendly basis might just get them to treat you the same - even admit that they can't fit you in and give your money back.
If you go in down the 'why have you scammed me' route, they'll immediately become defensive and you'll be back to square one.
JustinP1 said:
If it's enough to annoy you, and you feel like investing a bit of time, you could end up being quite persuasive.
What I've done before is creating a 'chance meeting' with the person, and instead of embarrassing them, pretended that I've not cottoned on that I've been scammed.
So, for example:
"Oh, Ian, great to see you! I've been trying to get in touch with you for ages about booking in my first session, but I've had terrible problems with my phone - can we do tomorrow?"
Starting on a friendly basis might just get them to treat you the same - even admit that they can't fit you in and give your money back.
If you go in down the 'why have you scammed me' route, they'll immediately become defensive and you'll be back to square one.
What I've done before is creating a 'chance meeting' with the person, and instead of embarrassing them, pretended that I've not cottoned on that I've been scammed.
So, for example:
"Oh, Ian, great to see you! I've been trying to get in touch with you for ages about booking in my first session, but I've had terrible problems with my phone - can we do tomorrow?"
Starting on a friendly basis might just get them to treat you the same - even admit that they can't fit you in and give your money back.
If you go in down the 'why have you scammed me' route, they'll immediately become defensive and you'll be back to square one.
Now that's a plan.
I will give it a few days to cool off and then hopefully catch her at the gym one evening.
I just have to try and be nice!
Du1point8 said:
Does the PT work out of a gym? If so can you not contact them and find out more information?
She does yes. But I don't want to be seen stalking her or anything. Things like this, there are fine lines between harassment/bullying/stalking.Think I would prefer to let it go than be on the wrong side of the BiB.
From what I can see she owes me either 4 sessions or £160 - what do you think worth chasing? Or shall i just put it down as a lesson well learnt.
AndStilliRise said:
Things like this, there are fine lines between harassment/bullying/stalking.
Think I would prefer to let it go than be on the wrong side of the BiB.
Ha! Picture this...Think I would prefer to let it go than be on the wrong side of the BiB.
"Please Officer, I am being stalked."
"Who by?"
"This bloke."
"Right, but who is he and why is he stalking you."
"Well, I nicked £160 off him."
Bib will be interested in neither the stealing (civil) nor stalking (comedy).
AndStilliRise said:
I just have to try and be nice!
You have to be super-nice. Smile more than you ever have done.Scamsters, or shysters, or people that a bit slack justify their actions to themselves internally as making out their actions as legitimate and convincing themselves the other party deserved it. Or, what can happen is they feel guilty, and hide from that guilt by avoiding you.
When you see them, if you pretend that nothing's wrong, and even indeed don't imply that they've been wrong so far, and be super, super nice and smily, something called reciprocity kicks in. Humans are programmed to mimic gestures, and to be nice to people that are nice to them.
Edited to add - if you knock on their door and make demands and follow them round, then of course this can be misconstrued in all sorts of ways. However, a smiling happy person, blaming themselves for the other party not being able to contact them?
Making contact like I've described has a second purpose. It proves to them that they can't 'escape'. So, if they were to 'disappear' a second time, the second time that you see each other again, the meeting won't be so nice.
Edited by JustinP1 on Tuesday 14th October 11:24
AndStilliRise said:
Du1point8 said:
Does the PT work out of a gym? If so can you not contact them and find out more information?
She does yes. But I don't want to be seen stalking her or anything. Things like this, there are fine lines between harassment/bullying/stalking.Think I would prefer to let it go than be on the wrong side of the BiB.
From what I can see she owes me either 4 sessions or £160 - what do you think worth chasing? Or shall i just put it down as a lesson well learnt.
I would get someone to ring up (other than yourself) to enquire about PT sessions and say they have heard good reviews of the PT, then you happen to turn up at the same time and ask them what is going on when accidentally bumping into them, rather than turn up several times hoping they are working that day.
JustinP1 said:
You have to be super-nice. Smile more than you ever have done.
Scamsters, or shysters, or people that a bit slack justify their actions to themselves internally as making out their actions as legitimate and convincing themselves the other party deserved it. Or, what can happen is they feel guilty, and hide from that guilt by avoiding you.
When you see them, if you pretend that nothing's wrong, and even indeed don't imply that they've been wrong so far, and be super, super nice and smily, something called reciprocity kicks in. Humans are programmed to mimic gestures, and to be nice to people that are nice to them.
I am going with this Justin - Thanks. Finally some PH advice I can actually use!Scamsters, or shysters, or people that a bit slack justify their actions to themselves internally as making out their actions as legitimate and convincing themselves the other party deserved it. Or, what can happen is they feel guilty, and hide from that guilt by avoiding you.
When you see them, if you pretend that nothing's wrong, and even indeed don't imply that they've been wrong so far, and be super, super nice and smily, something called reciprocity kicks in. Humans are programmed to mimic gestures, and to be nice to people that are nice to them.
I can wait. Lets be patient and see how this unfolds.
Just remembered a quote from a film:
When you think you are F them, they are F you.
AndStilliRise said:
I am going with this Justin - Thanks. Finally some PH advice I can actually use!
I can wait. Lets be patient and see how this unfolds.
Just remembered a quote from a film:
When you think you are F them, they are F you.
and don't forget this approach has the added benefit of you no longer needing a personal trainer as you'll be spending 5 hrs a day in the gym for the next 2 weeks so you can bump into them. It's a win win.I can wait. Lets be patient and see how this unfolds.
Just remembered a quote from a film:
When you think you are F them, they are F you.
Breadvan72 said:
A contract does not have to be a piece of paper with contract written on it. OP, if you agreed to pay for a service, you made a contract with the person who agreed to provide the service. Whether it is worth the hassle of seeking the money back is another matter.
Very true, but if they decide to deny having any such conversation with you...Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff