Pure Weight Loss Members Ask: Where Are My Confidential Records?
January 17, 2008 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
(FranchisePick. Com) When Pure Weight Loss abruptly closed hundreds of weight loss centers Jan. 4, thousands of members started asking where are the products I ordered? Where are the fees I prepaid? And now: Where are my confidential financial and health records?
FranchisePick.com received this email from a stranded Pure Weight Loss member who expresses concerns shared by many:
I had my account put “on hold” per their suggestion due to my constraints with my job (travel, mtgs, etc). But I had paid to extend program & paid for bars about a month before that. I had charged it to my Chase credit card. However, the charge was dated 9/30/07 and I was told it was too late to dispute that charge. Thus, I will submit a refund request via the refund form to PWL. I do not have any paperwork from PWL to substantiate the extension so I’m not sure what will happen with the request. It’s not rocket-science; I would think they could look at my account to see.
A much bigger concern I have is what is going to happen to my records. There is some confidential information there (both financial and medical) that I don’t want to get into anyone else’s hands. There are Federal laws, in particular HIPAA, to protect us from that. I have not seen any information regarding the privacy or status of our records.
Unfortunately, we have not seen much information about anything from Pure Weight Loss that does not simply raise more questions. Now their website states that NOT ALL Pure Weight Loss centers have closed.
Pure Weight Loss is a company that thousands of consumers trusted with their confidential financial and medical information, they trusted them with prepaid funds, and they trusted them with their health.
Is a minimal amount of professionalism and some basic information really too much to ask?
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
I am just sick about this whole thing. Not only was this the ONLY diet that has ever worked for me and I loved their products, but I never expected them to close their doors. I fell of the diet kick back before Thanksgiving. I tried to re-up January 2nd. Only to find out that my local center had closed 2 weeks before Christmas. I never was notifited and I am out 42 boxes of bars. I’ve sent email messages and have tried calling the hotline and no one responds. I am sad and ticked off all at the same time.
To “Where are my confidential records” At my center they were just left behind .(I worked for LA Franchise, but was shut down the same time as Pure) Only current or 2007 files were boxed and sent in . I as a former manager was very concerned about this but all my regional wanted boxed and sent was current. I left 2 file cabinets full of client charts with very private info in them behind to probably be tossed into the trash by either the building manager or the next tennant. No one at the home office of the franchise I worked for seemed to care. As the manager I was very upset by this, but where could I store them , so they all sit there as I am sure is the case at most of the Pure Centers.
Were you prohibitted from shredding them or mailing them to your clients?
To Curious: It was as if they didn’t even exist. I was given no agenda for them. When I ask what would happen to all of them, I was told someone eventualy would come and pack up everything.I think we all know this is just not going to happen.
What DOES happen to our confidential info? They have our names, ss#, address, and the Care Credit account #. This is not good.
Our center, here in the Chicago Market, happened to get them all boxed and dumped off at the UPS station. We boxed ALL of ours up. Let me assure you, too, it was done at our own goodwill.
There was no organization. I had no idea what was going on until the last day. We were supposed to have been sent boxes and such.. but I only received labels. I went and purchased boxes. There was a small group made up of former employee, myself and our children bundled them all and shipped them to Corporate.
Our biggest concern was that they would be left in our center for the “clean up” crews to go through. The clean up crews sent in my the leasing company.. not Pure.
WOW and woe is me after reading about our records – they actually took blood. I defend this program. The girls were trained to sell and administer a program – they did their job and I DID MINE – the weight came off my 5′2″ body by following the program (altogether 47 pounds!!). No program works because of anyone else – it works when the person will follow it and is committed to their own changes. I am sad because when I went back in on January 2nd, after just starting to gain a little back – after 2 years! just 7 pounds – however, it is 2 more than the 5 pound range they consistently reminded me to stay within. If I listened and kept going I never would have gained that . This works when the person works it. Anyway, whatever I do will work – it is up to me to be responsible for what goes in my mouth and how I live. Sorry to hear about the people who lost money – but I encourage you ALL to forget it – it is not an excuse to let yourself down. Do it – do something and have the best life starting right this very minute. I say if not now, then when? LET NOTHING STOP YOU!!! Bottom line…..Whoever you are, please LOVE yourself.
I had taken sick for the last two months of 2007, so I was on hold. Now mind you I called and spoke to someone before the Holidays and told them I would be returning in Jan 08. I didn’t know anything until I started calling and when no one answered the phone I called another one in another town. Then I got on line and found out that they had closed over 400 stores. I then read about a refund application in Pure Weight Loss. I then filled it out, just to have it returned back to me. It couldn’t be delivered. Now I had just paid for another year membership and bars in the few months prior to my getting sick. I am now out of $829 dollars and I am on a fixed income. Isn’t there anything that can be done about this? I wouldn’t feel so bad if I had even gotten some of the bars, but I picked them up as I needed them. Would it be possible if all that are out of money have a class action suit against them? I don’t see how they could go bankrupt as much as it was costing to attend. Who was stealing? The CEO’s? If anyone has any suggestions lets hear them. I am all for whatever has to be done.
I lost weight becuase I was committed to myself. No program does anything if you aren’t working it with a positive attitude.
Sorry for all that lost money I did not. I hope you get it back – but never let money stop you from loving yourself right now.
I am worried about the records – that is very bad. Those guys need to be accountable for the HIPAA laws.
Not only did LA Weight Loss (Pure Weight Loss) close their doors I sent in for my refund and the paper work came back to me saying not deliverable!!! Now what??
How can we go about finding out where our medical records are…..I am very afraid!!
I have a crazy idea. I have been over and over this in my head because I need my records. I am starting the process for Gastric Bypass and I need to prove I was on a program for at least 6 months. My center just abruptly closed also. It is located in a strip mall. I was thinking of finding out from one of the other businesses who would have the key to get in there and call to see if I could go in and get my folder (records). See crazy right? I am desperate to get them!!
It is NOT crazy at all. I am going to call the strip mall landlord to see if my records and those of my friends who I referred are still there. If that does not work, I am calling the Attorney General to enforce HIPAA regulations – they took blood so it is PHI – Protected Health Information.) I own CareCall an emergency notification service I started in 1998 and I know all about HIPAA compliance. We deal with hospitals and notify families and medical records needed during an emergency.
RE Care Credit & Attorneys General: I have posted a sample of the Care Credit form to request, the contact info for the Attorney Generals of all 50 states and other documents and continually updated info and news on this page:
> PURE WEIGHT LOSS INFORMATION CENTER
You might want to bookmark it and check back often. If anyone has something to add, email me at info[at]ideafarm.net with Pure Weight Loss in the subject line.
Here are the specific document links:
CARE CREDIT Dispute Form (sample)
Contact List of State Attorneys General
Request: Also, if any of you have photos (even cell phone) of the closed centers or of some of the people being discussed, please email me with the location of the shot and permission to post it.
A Thought: Stay active and keep the pressure on all of these guys to do the right thing. Thanks for all the info and mutual support. Getting – and staying – at your target weight without them will be the sweetest revenge, won’t it?
Is this the same as LA weightloss? I just joined LA weightloss and so far, mine is still open but I do have alot of money invested in it. Any help would be appreciated.
My daughter and I had the same experiences with LA Weightloss. We were members for many years and had great success for several years on the plan. We felt very betrayed that they went out of business without notifying anyone. Other than when we signed up initially, neither of us received any paperwork, other than credit card receipts and cancelled checks, for all of the times we purchased more weeks and more bars. I know we were both owed between 30 and 40 boxes of bars plus weeks. My daughter was still paying on her “Care Credit” when they went out of business. With no records, we have no way of proving what we were owed. We had what we thought was a good relationship with the long-time manager. We were cheated and taken advantage of.
I would like to know since someone mentioned it where is there an office open? How can that be when so many are out of money and product? I belonged to the one in Freehold, NJ and I would also like to get my records also.
I have been a customer since 2006, and have had Great Success on this program; but I can’t afford to lose the money I’ve pre-paid…It’s much worse to lose the program and the support I’ve been promised.
I will be consulting our attorney and possibly General’s Office to have the assest seized.
Yes, The LA Weightloss in Reno Nevada is still open–I’m a member there.
RECENT PURE WEIGHT LOSS POSTS:
February 25th, 2008 Did HONESTY Kill Pure Weight Loss? or LA Weight Loss: The Movie
February 22nd, 2008 Pure Weight Loss Meeting of Creditors Set for March 14
February 20th, 2008 Pure Weight Loss Employees Also to Suffering Losses
February 3rd, 2008 IS PURE WEIGHT LOSS VIOLATING HIPAA PRIVACY LAWS? (Part 2)
February 3rd, 2008 IS PURE WEIGHT LOSS VIOLATING HIPAA PRIVACY LAWS? (Part 1)
January 31st, 2008 Pure Weight Loss Adds Insult to Injury Part 2
I was not happy with la weight loss i did lose weight the first couple of months. But i had to drive far and every time I went there was never the same counsler. I was not happy with them but i had paid for a year and a half and for all the bars. In December i stopped by and told them I wanted all the LA Lites i paid for. So they gave them to me. I have about 8 or 9 boxes I will sell for $12 a box or make offer. I feel so stupid that I fell for there sales pitch, and after thought they were so unprofessional. I am not surprised they closed.
Well, I got the number of the property manager’s name and phone number from the super market manager. That man said they have not received their rent. I just want to get in to see if the files were actually left there and then to get MY own file at least. When I explained what is going on, he said he wanted to help but can’t open the door for me or anyone. I asked where he sends his bills, he clammed up and said he did not know. I think he got scared or just didn’t want to get involved. He said he can’t open it because Pure still rents it. I think he should read his lease agreement – if it is abandoned and not paid for – how long is he expected to keep it empty? And then what will he do with our files? on and on and on this goes.
I DID GET A COPY MAILED TO ME OF THE NOTICE OF CHAPTER 7 FILED ON 1/11/08. IT HAD ATTORNEY NAMES, ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS.
Hey everyone, Can ANYONE that got ahold of their records please email me. I too need my records for my bariatric surgery and cannot get anywhere. I call the numbers and nothing I call other centers even in Canada and they can’t help because they are franchised. I just need my file. PLEASE help if you can. supermom0427 at yahoo dot com