I have been a member of Aspen's Liverpool location for years, also a diabetes sufferer for years, my health declined over the last two years to the point where using Aspen's facilities was the last thing on my mind. In fact, I didn't even consider that Aspen was still tapping an otherwise-unused checking account for monthly fees until it finally drained the account and cost me $75 in bank fees.
I called them, explained that I was at the time in bed, disabled and unable to come in and would they please close my account with them and stop further withdrawals.
They refused, saying I had to come in person to do so. I explained I couldn't and asked them to close my account and send me mail to get this done and acknowledge the account closing. They refused. I told them I could not come in and that I expected mail to make this happen.
A month later, no such mail received and account still not closed.
Feeling somewhat better a month after my first attempt, I again called the Liverpool location and requested my account be closed. Again, they refused, insisting that I sign a request to do so in person.
The young lady I spoke with gave me a "1-800" member-service number to call to discuss this further... I called the number given and listened to a recording: "Hook up with hot local girls! Call xxx-xxxx" Amazing!
I called back and spoke with the manager on duty, who refused to close my account unless I came in. I told him if I did, I would be bringing the police with me. I called the Sheriff Dep't, explained the situation and requested help, as I expected to have further difficulty with these people when I got there. They agreed Aspen was being unreasonable and suggested I call them from their location if I experienced problems.
I went to Aspen in Liverpool and the manager thrust a contract sheet at me to sign to close my account. I said I would if he also signed his full name where indicated so that I could pursue his handling of my situation with their corporate office. He refused to sign also.
I then called the police and waited outside until two officers (Sheriff and State Police) arrived. I explained the situation and one of the officers got the form signed by the manager (without his signature where indicated, there would be no legal obligation for Aspen to honor the document) and I signed it as well.
Forcing a disabled man with no income to come in to stop charging his account for services not used for years and giving him such a hard time is inexcusable.
I then called Aspen's Cicero main location and asked for a phone number to reach their corporate management regarding a complaint. The lady I spoke to said there was no such number, then hung up on me! I called back and was told that the corporate number was the same as the member service number (see above regarding "Hook up with a hot local girl").
Subsequent research showed that the young lady in the Liverpool location gave me the right number, but the wrong area code. It was a local exchange, not "1-800-" as I was given. I do hope she hasn't given the 800 number to a lot of people before me! Not very professional.
Of course, their 'closure contract' states that they have up to 30 days to effect termination of automatic payments, giving them one more month of unearned fees. So I will now have to close my personal account that they have been charging after all to keep them from grabbing more money.
All in all, a hell of a way to treat a customer and a hell of a way to run a business, when it takes the requested arrival of two law enforcement officers to terminate an automatic fee withdrawal and close an account!
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