Question about this Dojo and the company ASF International?

**o0LuNeStA0o** · Posted On: 6/10/2011 1:15am

This is my first time posting on here, it's rather late (for me at least) and I hope I'm not breaking forum rules here. However, my reason for posting is to try and get some advice from the members of this board.

Back in February I started going to a Martial Arts academy (I guess they call themselves that) called Life's Ultimate Martial Arts. Instructor; Master Adam Snipes.

http://lumaacademy.com/

They had month trial period which I thought was rather fair. The classes offered were Tang Soo Do and Jiu-jitsu. The prices for two Tang Soo Do classes and two Jiu-jitsu classes a week were $115. A month fee that is. They only do contracts. I ended up signing a contract, however I haven't been there in about two months. They never did anything after I signed the contract, they would show like one move and go over it. There was never any free rolling or anything. I asked about that and was told I would have to take intermediate classes which would be about $150.

What bugs me most is, I was told by the instructor that the account would be put on hold or frozen when I left for AIT. I'm in the army and leave next week. So on my way to wrestling class (I found another place close by thats perfect. Only month fees or day fees, no contracts. Just wish I knew of it earlier.) i sent Master Snipes a text asking if the account would be able to put on hold since I was going to AIT. Another reason I stopped going there was because I hurt my ankle one day and was waiting for it to heal. Then I found the other place. Well Master Snipes replied by saying he has no control over that and told me to call a number.

When I called the number a guy from ASF International answered. I told him that the instructor told me he would put my account on hold when i left for AIT. He looked up the dojo and said that they don't offer the option to freeze accounts and said the only thing he could do was refer me back to the instructor. I then asked about canceling it. He said they do handle it but theres a form I have to fill out and wait for their approval on.

One of the things that voids the contract was if I move more than 25 miles away from my current residence. Which I'll be going to Missouri for a couple months. When I google "ASF International" everything that pops up talks about how they are a scam. If they are, there would be no use in me filling out this cancel form because at the bottom of the cancel form there is a place where you have to sign stating that you agree to continue payments until the form is approved. If they are a scam then that form is just going to end up being "lost" or they'll take forever to approve it.

Didn't he basically void the contract or break rules by telling me he could freeze the account when he actually couldn't? I was told I should call my bank and have them stop sending money to the organization via EFT. Since they draw that automatically. Then if they pursued I could possibly get a military lawyer involved when I was at Ft. Leonard Wood.

Opinions?

**o0LuNeStA0o** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 7:07am

Hello again.

I'm currently trying to see if there is a way I can delete this thread? There hasn't really been any progress in the topic anyway.

Thanks in advance.

**hungryjoe** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 8:42am

Threads are not deleted.

ASF will yank your chain as long as they can squeeze money from you. You should contact your bank and seek counsel upon completion of your move if they persist (and they will). Consider closing your account and opening one with the NACCU or similar credit unions.

You're one up on the typical victim being that you're in the military. Seek counsel and I'll bet they back off quickly once contacted by JAG.

If you want to wait until you arrive at Ft. Leonard Wood, you're have AFLA to help you.

Fort Leonard Wood
(Army)Fort Leonard Wood
316 Missouri, Bld 315
Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473
Phone: [IMG]chrome://skype_ff_extension/skin/numbers_button_skype_logo.png[/IMG]573-596-0629 None
http://www.wood.army.mil/wood_cms/ hit http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/co...activities.php

I had problems with ASF around twenty years ago similar to yours. Be persistent and consider this a lesson. Having moved more than 400 miles for a new job, I was told to find an ASF affiliated school in my new location. Lesson learned - NO CONTRACTS.

Hopefully one of the attorneys on board will enter and give you advice.

Good luck,

Joe

**o0LuNeStA0o** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 8:52am

Thank you for the reply Joe. I figured deleting topics wasn't an option, seeing as I could find nothing about it.

Well, it's been almost a year since I posted the topic. Since then I have called my bank and had them stop sending money to ASF via EFT. I have heard nothing from ASF, or even that school since then. Hopefully nothing else comes of it, but I've definitely learned my lesson about contracts. -_-

Btw, I would like to point out that this thread is more about the company "ASF" rather than the instructor I mentioned. I don't think I mentioned anything that accused him of anything, but just wanting to clarify on that anyway.

**hungryjoe** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 9:40am

Originally Posted by o0LuNeStA0o

Btw, I would like to point out that this thread is more about the company "ASF" rather than the instructor I mentioned. I don't think I mentioned anything that accused him of anything, but just wanting to clarify on that anyway.

ASF is crap, used by many schools as the business arm. LOL at their BBB rating http://www.bbb.org/denver/business-r...-ranch-co-2105

This Business is not BBB Accredited

A S F International, Inc.

(303) 986-9563View Additional Phone Numbers640 Plaza Dr Ste 300, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2399http://www.asfinternational.comView Additional Web Addresses

On a scale of A+ to F Reason for Rating BBB Ratings System Overview

I don't think anyone reading and familiar with ASFI regard this thread as derogatory of your instructor.

Although you haven't heard from ASF, you should check your credit score. I wasn't aware of a hit on my credit until I was in process of purchasing a house years later.

**o0LuNeStA0o** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 9:45am

^I noticed that as well. When I googled "ASF" I don't think a good review popped up. So that alone should be a red flag lol.

That's good. But I still wanted to clarify, in case anyone did happen to think that. As far as the topic goes, I guess it's nothing to worry about for the time being. If anything comes of it, the company pretty much has to contact me directly since my bank isn't sending money to them anymore.

**hungryjoe** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 9:52am

Do yourself a favor and check your credit rating anyway. I was never contacted after moving and did not know of the hit on my credit until seeking financing. Peace of mind now is better than jumping through hoops later if you're trying to borrow, be it home, auto or whatever.

BTW - thanks for your service.