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LA Fitness Sued by FTC Over Hidden Gym Cancellation Fees

The Federal Trade Commission sued LA Fitness in August 2025, accusing the gym chain of trapping millions of members in memberships they couldn’t cancel. Here’s what you need to know.

By Lawsuit Loop Staff · Published Apr 16, 2026 · 4 min read · Updated weekly
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The short version: The Federal Trade Commission — the government agency that goes after companies for unfair or deceptive business practices — filed a lawsuit against the company that operates LA Fitness in August 2025. The FTC alleges the gym made it extremely difficult for members to cancel, kept charging them after they tried to quit, and enrolled people in plans they never signed up for. LA Fitness has denied the allegations. The case is active.

This page explains what the FTC is alleging, who may be affected, and what your options are if you were an LA Fitness member and were charged fees you did not expect. If you want to skip straight to the case check, the form is at the bottom.

What the FTC Is Alleging

In August 2025, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Fitness International LLC, the company that operates LA Fitness gyms across the United States and Canada. According to the FTC, the company violated two federal laws: the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in commerce, and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), which sets specific rules around online purchases and subscriptions. (Source: FTC press release, August 2025.)

The FTC’s complaint alleges, among other things, that LA Fitness:

  • Made it confusing and difficult for members to cancel their memberships
  • Failed to honor cancellation requests that members believed were completed
  • Continued charging members after cancellations were requested
  • Used enrollment practices that allegedly misled members about what they were signing up for

The FTC alleged that through these practices, the company collected “hundreds of millions of dollars” in fees from members who alleged they were unable to cancel. All of these are allegations — LA Fitness has denied the FTC’s claims, and no judgment has been entered.

LA Fitness operates more than 600 locations in the United States and Canada and reportedly has approximately 3.7 million members. (Source: company information, widely reported.) The scale of the alleged conduct is part of what prompted the FTC to act.

“Consumers should be able to cancel unwanted subscriptions without jumping through hoops or being charged fees they never agreed to.” — FTC, August 2025 press release (paraphrase — see FTC.gov for exact language)

How Gym Membership Traps Work

The FTC has a phrase for the kind of practice it is alleging here: a “negative option.” That means a company signs you up for something that automatically continues — and charges you — unless you take specific steps to cancel. When those steps are deliberately made confusing or difficult, the FTC treats it as a deceptive practice.

In the gym context, this can look like:

  • Being told you need to cancel in person, only to find the front desk staff says they can’t process it
  • Submitting a cancellation form and then discovering months later that charges continued
  • Being signed up for an upgraded plan you did not ask for during a visit
  • Being told your account was canceled, and then being charged again

These experiences are exactly what the FTC’s complaint describes as alleged conduct by LA Fitness. If any of these sound familiar, your experience may be relevant to the case.

Who May Have a Claim

Based on the allegations in the FTC complaint, you may have a claim if you were an LA Fitness member at any point in the last several years and any of the following apply:

  • You were charged fees after you tried to cancel your membership
  • You were charged fees you never authorized — for an upgrade, add-on, or plan change you did not agree to
  • You were enrolled in a plan or upgraded to a more expensive tier without your knowledge or clear consent

Individual consumer protection rights vary by state. Some states have stronger protections for consumers against unauthorized charges than others. A case check will help determine what options may apply to your specific situation and where you live.

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What Could Happen Next

This is an important section to read carefully, because FTC enforcement cases work differently from traditional personal injury lawsuits.

The FTC Case Is Still Active

As of this writing, the FTC’s case against LA Fitness is pending. No settlement has been reached, and no judgment has been entered. LA Fitness has denied the allegations. The outcome — whether that is a settlement, a trial verdict, or a dismissal — is not yet known.

What Happens to Consumers If the FTC Wins

Because the case was still pending as of this writing, there is no settlement fund to apply to. However, if the FTC prevails or if a settlement is reached, affected members may be eligible for refunds of unauthorized fees. Consumer refunds from FTC enforcement actions are possible, but they are not guaranteed, and the amounts distributed to individual consumers in these cases can vary widely.

Individual State Consumer Protection Claims

Separate from the FTC case, individual consumer protection lawsuits may be available in some states regardless of the FTC outcome. Many states have their own laws that protect consumers against unauthorized charges and deceptive subscription practices — and some of those laws allow consumers to sue directly and recover what they were charged, plus additional damages. A free case check can help you understand what options apply in your state.

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Common Questions

I cancelled my LA Fitness membership a while ago. Can I still have a claim?

Possibly. The relevant question is whether you were charged fees you did not authorize, or whether your attempts to cancel were not honored and you continued to be billed. How far back your claim can reach depends on the applicable statutes of limitations in your state. A case check can help clarify whether your timeline still qualifies.

I still have an active LA Fitness membership. Does that matter?

You do not need to have cancelled your membership to have a potential claim. If you were charged for upgrades or add-ons you did not agree to while your membership was active, that may also be relevant.

I never got a refund even though I asked for one. Does that help my case?

Yes, that kind of detail is exactly the type of information the intake process will ask about. Document what you can — emails, bank statements, cancellation request confirmations — and include it when you fill out the form.

Is this a class action?

The FTC suit is a government enforcement action, not a class action. Separate individual or class action consumer protection claims may also be possible in some states. A case check will help you understand which route may apply to your situation.

Does it cost anything?

No. The case check is free. If you move forward with a consumer protection claim, the fee arrangement would be discussed with you at no upfront cost. You would not pay anything out of pocket unless your case recovers money.

Ready to Check If You May Have a Claim?

If you were an LA Fitness member and were charged fees after you tried to cancel, or charged for things you never agreed to, the form below takes about two minutes to fill out. A real person will review your submission. If your situation appears to fit, someone will reach out within approximately one week to discuss your options.

There is no guarantee of any particular outcome — the FTC case is still active and unsettled. But understanding your options now costs nothing, and waiting too long can affect your rights.

If you don’t hear back within a week, please contact another firm. Every legal matter has a deadline.

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