The gym had guaranteed refunds if resales failed, but the staff disappeared, leaving Jin with contracts omitting the refund agreement. He admitted being “brainwashed” by the scheme.
Beijing: A man in China has taken legal action after claiming he was cheated out of Rs 1.06 crore (around 870,000 yuan) by a gym that sold him memberships with an extraordinary 300-year validity. The man, identified as Jin, had been a regular at the gym in Hangzhou’s Binjiang District for three years when, between May 10 and July 9, he purchased roughly 1,200 sessions and membership cards, adding up to three centuries of access. According to the South China Morning Post, the scheme began in May when a sales representative approached Jin with what was described as a special offer for existing members. Under the deal, a one-year membership purchased for about ₹1.08 lakh (8,888 yuan) could allegedly be resold to new customers for nearly double the price—around ₹2.03 lakh (16,666 yuan). The salesperson assured Jin that he would keep 90% of the profit, while the gym would take only 10%.
Jin said he was promised that if the resale didn’t happen within two months, his full payment would be refunded. Tempted by the potential profit, he initially bought two cards for over ₹2.07 lakh (17,000 yuan). Soon after, he was persuaded to buy more memberships and private training packages—spending over ₹36 lakh (300,000 yuan) in a single transaction at one point.
The trouble began in July when the gym failed to return part of the principal as agreed. When Jin followed up, staff claimed the transaction was still “under review.” By the end of the month, both the management and sales team had disappeared. Jin later discovered that none of the official contracts he signed included any mention of the promised returns. “I admit I was brainwashed. I truly believed I was just one step away from getting all my money back,” Jin told reporters. He explained that his passion for fitness also led him to see the purchases as a “health investment.” While the gym remains open, only receptionists and administrative staff are present—its sales force is nowhere to be found.