Hong Kong retiree May Leung has been a loyal customer of the Physical chain of fitness and beauty centers for nearly 20 years, going at least three times a month for wellness classes, facials and regular massages.

The 60-year-old paid the company $US400,000 ($51,416) upfront, although she wasn’t sure what services it covered or how many months or years it would take to run out.

By early October, the Consumer Council had received more than 5,000 complaints related to the closure, involving nearly HK$200 million. As of early September, customs and police have received a further 752 complaints about the physical chain.

Like Leung, some customers paid large sums upfront for services they intended to use for years to come. The largest amount from a single complaint was around HK$2 million.

Leung told the Post that he did not expect to get his money back. She regretted falling for what she described as aggressive sales tactics by the chain’s staff who pressured customers into buying pre-paid packages.

Even before contracts expire, she said, staff will persuade customers to sign up for more services by giving a 10 percent discount or gifts without giving people time to think about their decisions.