Consumer protection is investigating a Perth gym trainer accused of offering women free eight-week bikini body challenges but then refusing to refund their 'motivation deposit' at the end, telling clients their results aren't good enough.
Dozens of women paid a $297 deposit to take part in the Transformation Centre Jandakot's bikini challenge, which the company's website advertises its challenge as 'free', with a disclaimer that "as this is for serious people only, a small motivation deposit applies."
According to the gym's contract, seen by WAtoday, the deposit is returned to a client at the end of the eight weeks after a "successful bikini transformation."
"A successful body transformation entails a significant change in appearance in the legs, arms and abs areas of your body, deemed by the owner of the transformation centre," it read.
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The centre reserved the right to keep the money if a client did not comply with the program or went out and 'got drunk', while the contract also states 'all members understand that they must maintain a sense of humour at all times'.
But dozens of women have started complaining about the centre after claiming they achieved positive results, only to have their before-and-after photos deemed not good enough for a refund by trainer Lance Allegretta.
Kelly, who requested her surname not be published, claimed she completed the bikini challenge in March with around 30 other women and personally lost four kilograms.
"He said if you follow the program, you'll get your money back at the end of it," she said.
"He didn't pass any of us.
"There was another girl being assessed at the same time as me who lost eight kilograms and he dismissed her."
Another woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told WAtoday she followed the program "religiously", training five times a week, eating the meal plan and losing four kilograms, but was told at the end her results were not good enough for a refund.
Some of the women have provided emails to WAtoday showing Consumer Protection had directly contacted them asking them to provide information about the situation.
Meanwhile, mother Rebekah attended the program last year with her 18-year-old daughter but was "banned" from continuing two weeks into her challenge after posting a query on the challenge's Facebook support page as to why she had not been provided with meal planning advice, as promised.
She took a screen shot of Mr Allegretta's response which said she was being removed and a refund would be issued.
"I was one of the lucky ones, because I took a screen shot," she said.
"I had to go to small claims but I eventually did get my money [refund] back.
"Why? Because I asked for help that would assist me in losing weight."
Another woman, Maddison, who has provided evidence to Consumer Protection, allegedly sliced her leg open on one of the gym's spin bikes in 2015 only to be told in a message from Mr Allegretta the gym had no insurance.
"Isnurance for fitness industry is so expensive and i dint have the money...so I am still shopping around (sic)," he said.
She told WAtoday it took months to receive a refund for the program which was transferred after she told the centre she was going to contact a lawyer.
The Transformation Centre did not respond to attempts by WAtoday to contact them on Thursday.
It is not the first time Mr Allegretta has had a run-in with a client, with the trainer taking to his private Facebook account in August 2016 to vent his frustrations.
"1 MEMBER REMOVED FOR FAILING TO MEET THE REQUIRED STANDARD OF CONDUCT ALONG WITH PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL ETIQUETTE," he said.
"I HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL DO AND SAY WHAT THE F--K I WANT WHEN I WANT.
"SO F**K YOU IF YOU WANT TO CALL ME A SCAMMER, A LIER A CHEAT AND ANY THING ELSE (sic)."
Mr Allegretta promotes on his personal Facebook page that he has a degree in nutrition from Edith Cowan University, but WAtoday understands this is not the case.
One client, Emma Tucker, was blocked from Mr Allegretta's Facebook page after querying what the guidelines were in relation to those who did, and didn't receive a refund.
"If you can not understand this and what I am looking for and you want to be ungrateful for the opportunity I have provided to you then I will be blocking you for my facebook," he said.
"Do your changes represent the photos I just sent you? NO they do not. So stop wasting my time being argumentive (sic)."