Mom says Planet Fitness signed up her 16-year-old without an ID or a parent, then told her there were two accounts

A mother recently took to TikTok to discuss her 17-year-old daughter’s membership at a Planet Fitness in Dyersburg, Tennessee, with two questions: How did the gym sign her minor up for a membership without a parent, and why are there two accounts? The parent, EmHayz, posted a video to detail her ongoing struggles to cancel the account and resolve the recurring double charges on her daughter’s bank account.

In her video, EmHayz said that her daughter was 16 when she signed up for the membership. She said her daughter looked 18, but clarified, “she didn’t have an ID that stated that,” nor did she have a parent to consent to recurring charges. The mother said that she initially learned of the problem when her daughter approached her, saying, “Mom, I’m being charged every month. And not only am I being charged for the normal amount that they said, I’m being charged these crazy amounts. And they’re charging me twice every month.”

EmHayz said that when she visited the location, the staff told her they could not cancel the account due to an outstanding balance. After some back-and-forth, she said that the employees revealed the teenager had two accounts, one with a balance of $350 and another at $450. EmHayz said she refused to pay these amounts, stating that it does not make sense for one person to be charged for two memberships, especially when they were created without proper authorization.

Even with a manager involved, EmHayz says she did not get a resolution

EmHayz said that the manager later offered to void one account but still insisted the family pay the remaining balance for the other. The mother agreed to figure something out, but then said that despite the attempt to cancel the accounts, the gym still tried to process payments.

The mother said she did some research and learned that the gym charged extra fees when payments failed, which she believes explains the difference in the amounts owed on the two accounts. EmHayz said she has now reached out to corporate for further assistance and intends to keep pursuing the matter.

According to the official Planet Fitness website, individuals can join if they are 13 or older, as long as they have their parent’s or guardian’s permission. Additionally, members aged 13 and 14 must be accompanied by a guardian during their workouts. If the teenager is between 15 and the age of majority, 17 or 18, where applicable, the teen needs a signed waiver from a parent or guardian.

EmHayz’s viewers immediately noted how difficult gyms make it to cancel a membership. One user noted that they also had trouble canceling a membership and were charged more than expected, saying it is not right. Another person just had a simple suggestion, writing, “take you a lawyer with you,” with another user claiming that the mother did have grounds for a lawsuit. Another piece of advice posted by her viewers was for EmHayz to cancel her daughter’s card.

EmHayz used the caption of her video to warn other parents to check their children’s accounts, especially if they signed up during summer promotions. She believes that without her intervention, the gym would have continued to charge her daughter double and might have eventually tried to collect hundreds of dollars in fees.

Attack of the Fanboy was unable to independently verify Planet Fitness’ side of the story, as this account originates solely from EmHayz’s TikTok video.