A man in eastern China is facing a shocking loss after spending more than 870,000 yuan (approximately US$120,000 or S$176,000) on gym memberships and personal coaching sessions intended to last an astonishing 300 years. The deal, offered by Ranyan Gym in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, turned sour when the gym’s management and sales staff vanished with his money.
The man, known only as Jin, revealed that he had been a regular at the gym for three years. Between 10 May and 9 July, he signed 26 contracts covering 1,200 lessons and membership cards. Initially sceptical, Jin was persuaded by a sales executive to purchase memberships at a promotional rate of 8,888 yuan (around US$1,200) each, with the promise that they could be resold at 16,666 yuan, giving him a share of the profit. The gym assured that if the memberships were not sold within two months, Jin’s money would be refunded.
Encouraged by the potential returns, Jin invested heavily, spending over 300,000 yuan (roughly US$42,000) in a single transaction on more membership cards and private training lessons. However, when he attempted to reclaim some of the principal in mid-July, he was told the gym’s finance department was still processing the request. By the end of July, Jin discovered that all management and sales staff had disappeared, leaving the gym operational but only with reception and administrative personnel.
Contracts Omit Promised Returns
Upon reviewing the contracts, Jin found that none of them included the promised buyback guarantees, and they also stipulated that memberships could not be transferred to others. Reflecting on the ordeal, he admitted that he had been “brainwashed” by the gym staff, believing he was only one step away from recovering his money.
Despite the financial blow, Jin defended his spending, explaining that he viewed the purchases as an “investment in health” rather than a literal plan to use the memberships for centuries. “I did not intend to use it for 300 years. In my eyes, it was a commitment to my fitness and wellbeing,” he said.
The bizarre story quickly went viral on Chinese social media, sparking both amusement and cautionary advice. One online user joked, “He bought the gym card for the grandsons of his grandsons,” while another commented, “When wealth and common sense do not match, the money flows back to society.”
This incident serves as a cautionary tale about trusting sales promotions and underscores the importance of reading contracts carefully before making large financial commitments.