DMN8 Is More Like the Most Brazenly Predatory
by Tony Greenberg | Santa Monica Resident, Longtime Optimist, Now Royally Pissed
by Tony Greenberg | Santa Monica Resident, Longtime Optimist, Now Royally Pissed
DMN8 Fitness wants you to believe it’s “the most beautiful gym in the world.” A sun-drenched palace of protein shakes and private chefs. A sanctuary of sweat where Instagram dreams come true. But let’s call it what it really is: a wellness-themed billing trap with better lighting than ethics.
“DMN8: Where Your Credit Card Gets More Exercise Than You Do.”
My $2,000 Workout—That I Never Took
Let’s rewind. I walked into DMN8 on Main Street, Santa Monica. Charmed by the vibe, I fell for the $8 intro offer. Signed a contract (yes, I read it, and no, I didn’t expect to need a team of attorneys to decipher it). I went once. I didn’t like it. I canceled online. Or so I thought.
Fast-forward a year and a half—I discover they’ve been silently draining my card for $200 a month. No emails. No texts. No reminders. Just a financial vampire living rent-free in my statement history.
“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” — Potter Stewart
Their reply? A condescending offer of $500 back and $500 in credit. I asked for a full refund. They sent legalese. I sent receipts. They sent silence.
“DMN8: The Demon Ate Your Money—And Never Said Thank You.”
This Isn’t a Gym: Verify this business—It’s SaaS with Dumbbells
DMN8 operates like the worst kind of SaaS company. Sign people up, make canceling difficult, and hope they forget. It’s the same dark pattern that’s plaguing everything from Instagram skincare startups (where 70% of your purchase pays for ads) to wellness subscriptions that quietly auto-renew like a curse.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
The difference? Gyms are supposed to improve your health, not destroy your trust. The sale isn’t done when I swipe my card—it’s done when I feel healthier, stronger, better. Instead, I feel ripped off.
“DMN8: A Demon Haunting Your Monthly Expenses Since Day One.”
This Is a National Epidemic of Exploitation
DMN8 isn’t alone. Let’s talk lawsuits:
- 24 Hour Fitness was hit with a class-action suit for charging members during COVID lockdowns.
- Planet Fitness has faced complaints in nearly every state about “impossible” cancellation policies.
- In 2023, World Gym owners were sued for closing locations while continuing to bill members.
“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.” — Dante Alighieri
California Civil Code §17602 and the FTC’s “Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act” now require companies to notify users before auto-renewals—but enforcement? Still weak.
In 2023, World Gym owners were sued for closing locations while continuing to bill members.
Even a quick dig through sources like the portsmouth herald newspaper archives jul reveals years of consumer frustration around deceptive fitness billing practices.
California Civil Code §17602 and the FTC’s “Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act” now require companies to notify users before auto-renewals—but enforcement? Still weak.
Even mainstream media has covered similar cases—the herald newspaper archives jul 25 include reports of consumers unknowingly locked into gym contracts and auto-renewing wellness services.
“DMN8: Gym by Name, Scam by Design.”
And don’t even get me started on apps that hide the “cancel” button behind 17 taps and a secret handshake.
A Radical Proposal: Transparency
Here’s what every gym (and frankly every subscription business) should be legally required to do:
- Send a monthly reminder of your subscription—via email or text. One-click to cancel.
- Stop billing people who haven’t checked in for 90+ days—or at least ask why.
- Refund people who genuinely didn’t use the service—don’t gaslight them with boilerplate.
- Make your contract fit on a napkin. If you need fine print to win, you’ve already lost.
“Findom8: Financial Domination with a Protein Shake.”
Congress, Are You Listening?
This is bigger than one gym. It’s a systemic scam economy, where the burden is always on the consumer to notice they’re being slowly robbed. Let’s regulate it. Let’s force transparency. Let’s make it illegal to profit off confusion and inertia.
You don’t need to look far—search the odessa american newspaper archives jun and you’ll find reports echoing the same predatory tactics by fitness chains and subscription services. Look at the american newspaper archives jun 11—these billing traps have been reported and documented for years, yet regulation is still lagging behind.
“There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.” — French Proverb
Addendum: The Emails They Ghosted
They never once said, “Hey Tony, we noticed you haven’t come in for months.” Not when I bought a credit pack for my girlfriend. Not when I asked about membership. Even after six emails between Nicole, me, and the owner, they “absentmindedly” forgot I was even a member.
“DMN8: ‘Didn’t Mention Notice’—$200 Gone Monthly.”
Was I invisible or were they counting on my absence to pad their revenue? At this point, it feels strategic.
“Welcome to DMN8: The Gym That Dominates Your Statements, Not Your Squats.”
Laws They Are Violating:
- California Civil Code §17602: Requires businesses to obtain affirmative consent for auto-renewals and send clear renewal reminders.
- FTC’s ROSCA (Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act): Prohibits misleading billing practices.
- Unfair Competition Law (UCL): Prohibits fraudulent or unethical business practices in California.
- Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing: By never informing me of my active membership and by avoiding outreach.
Related Lawsuits and Precedents:
- 24 Hour Fitness Class Action (2020) – Over illegal COVID-era charges.
- Planet Fitness Consumer Complaints Nationwide – On deceptive cancellation practices.
- World Gym Litigation (2023) – Continued billing after closures.
- FTC v. ABCmouse (2020) – For auto-renewals and hidden cancellation paths.
“DemOn8: Possessing Your Bank Account, Not Your Fitness Goals.”
If a gym relies on confusion and apathy to survive, it’s not fitness—it’s fraud.
“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
Stop Gym Scams — Hold DMN8 Accountable
DMN8 Fitness isn’t just a gym—it’s a billing trap. Hidden cancellation policies. Silent charges. Zero accountability. And they’re not alone.
It’s time to fight back.
✍️ Sign if you believe:
You should get a reminder before being charged.
Canceling should be simple.
You deserve a refund if you never used the service.
We’re calling on lawmakers and regulators to enforce consumer protection laws and stop gyms from profiting off confusion and apathy.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — MLK
✅ Sign the Petition
Let’s demand fairness, transparency, and accountability.
