# Timeshare Exit Team going down



## goaliedave (Feb 7, 2020)

AG Ferguson files consumer protection lawsuit against Bellevue timeshare exit company | Washington State
					

UPDATE: Click here to read about the resolution of this case. Thousands of customers waiting years for help SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit against Bellevue-based Reed Hein & Associates LLC, alleging numerous unfair or deceptive business practices related to services...




					www.atg.wa.gov
				




Sent from my SM-A505G using Tapatalk


----------



## pedro47 (Feb 7, 2020)

Excellent action by the AG in Seattle, Washington. IMO.


----------



## WVBaker (Feb 7, 2020)

These threads seem to go hand in hand.








						man  paid more than $4,000 to sell his timeshare, but a deal never materialized
					

https://www.kmov.com/news/investigations/timeshare-trouble-news-investigates-helps-st-charles-county-man-get/article_724f2836-486a-11ea-81c1-cff71f744522.html  Never pay upfront to dispose of timeshares!!  Timeshare Trouble:. TV news Investigates--helps St. Charles County man get money back...




					tugbbs.com
				




And by the way... it's about damn time. Pardon my French.

Do we still say, "Pardon my French"?


----------



## Iggyearl (Feb 7, 2020)

My heart goes out to Dave Ramsey.  Gonna have to fill an advertising slot pretty quick.


----------



## Timeshare Von (Feb 7, 2020)

There's a guy/company advertising very aggressively here in the Milwaukee area on radio, especially.  I need to find out more about who he is & his company name.  Follow-up to come.


----------



## maddog497 (Feb 7, 2020)

Iggyearl said:


> My heart goes out to Dave Ramsey. Gonna have to fill an advertising slot pretty quick.


I was very surprised when I heard Dave supporting this or at least promoting it. Money talks I guess. 

Sent from my SM-G975W using Tapatalk


----------



## Brett (Feb 7, 2020)

Iggyearl said:


> My heart goes out to Dave Ramsey.  Gonna have to fill an advertising slot pretty quick.



!!


----------



## buzglyd (Feb 7, 2020)

Most broadcasters have no idea what they're promoting when voicing some of these spots. The Exit team contracts with I Heart Radio/Clear Channel and the spots get distributed across the network. Exit team shrewdly pays extra to have the talent voice the spot rather than a pre-produced commercial. It adds a certain trustworthiness.


----------



## klpca (Feb 7, 2020)

I was just discussing TET yesterday with a friend. The friend loves Dave Ramsey and couldn't believe - for one second - that he would allow a company like TET to be affiliated with his show unless they had been completely vetted. I explained how these companies worked but he said that TET must be different because Dave Ramsey vouches for them. Nothing I said could change his mind. I'm not sure if I am going to share this article with him. It will probably just perpetuate the argument and make me even more irritated.

Btw glad to see the Washington AG going after them. They are worse than the others because of the Dave Ramsey affiliation, imo.


----------



## buzglyd (Feb 7, 2020)

klpca said:


> I was just discussing TET yesterday with a friend. The friend loves Dave Ramsey and couldn't believe - for one second - that he would allow a company like TET to be affiliated with his show unless they had been completely vetted. I explained how these companies worked but he said that TET must be different because Dave Ramsey vouches for them. Nothing I said could change his mind. I'm not sure if I am going to share this article with him. It will probably just perpetuate the argument and make me even more irritated.
> 
> Btw glad to see the Washington AG going after them. They are worse than the others because of the Dave Ramsey affiliation, imo.



Ramsey has never vetted them. The copy comes from the sales/production staff and he just reads it. But you see what I mean about making it sound more trustworthy.


----------



## klpca (Feb 7, 2020)

buzglyd said:


> Ramsey has never vetted them. The copy comes from the sales/production staff and he just reads it. But you see what I mean about making it sound more trustworthy.


Well that's even worse. I haven't listened to Dave Ramsey so I thought that he was endorsing TET. My friend is a gullible person who thinks that he is a savvy consumer. It is a constant source of friction between us because I point things like this out to him and he hates being wrong about anything.


----------



## davidvel (Feb 7, 2020)

buzglyd said:


> Ramsey has never vetted them. The copy comes from the sales/production staff and he just reads it. But you see what I mean about making it sound more trustworthy.


Not a smart guy then.  There is case precedent that these broadcasters can be liable for repeating claims they have not verified.


----------



## goaliedave (Feb 7, 2020)

Iggyearl said:


> My heart goes out to Dave Ramsey. Gonna have to fill an advertising slot pretty quick.


Lol yes, poor Jimmy Swaggert I mean Jim Bakker I mean Dave Ramsay such naive simple guys who are good at counting cash but have no idea they are doing anything wrong.

Sent from my SM-A505G using Tapatalk


----------



## buzglyd (Feb 7, 2020)

klpca said:


> Well that's even worse. I haven't listened to Dave Ramsey so I thought that he was endorsing TET. My friend is a gullible person who thinks that he is a savvy consumer. It is a constant source of friction between us because I point things like this out to him and he hates being wrong about anything.



I was "talent" in Radio/TV for five years so I've done plenty of readers. It was a long time ago and I'm glad we didn't have any exit teams back then!


----------



## dioxide45 (Feb 7, 2020)

buzglyd said:


> Ramsey has never vetted them. The copy comes from the sales/production staff and he just reads it. But you see what I mean about making it sound more trustworthy.


He certainly does a strong positive opinion of them. The second video seems like a pretty personal vouch for them!


----------



## buzglyd (Feb 7, 2020)

dioxide45 said:


> He certainly does a strong positive opinion of them. The second video seems like a pretty personal vouch for them!



Chances are those spots were written by the Exit Team and not Ramsey. The Facebook thing was probably a set up.


----------



## dioxide45 (Feb 7, 2020)

buzglyd said:


> Chances are those spots were written by the Exit Team and not Ramsey. The Facebook thing was probably a set up.


Perhaps, even still, it doesn't increase my confidence in his advice about timeshares!


----------



## buzglyd (Feb 7, 2020)

dioxide45 said:


> Perhaps, even still, it doesn't increase my confidence in his advice about timeshares!



There is way more knowledge on this board than Dave Ramsey regarding timeshares.


----------



## TUGBrian (Feb 7, 2020)

stick to clark howard...whos always given solid advice on just about everything.  and promotes TUG (without taking a dime in advertising).


----------



## Bill4728 (Feb 7, 2020)

There are several local radio hosts in the Seattle area who have done personal ads for TET. So I don't blame Dave Ramsey.


----------



## pedro47 (Feb 7, 2020)

Another spokesperson  for TET was Steve Harvey. Thumbs down


----------



## WVBaker (Feb 7, 2020)

How to Get Rid of a Timeshare
					

Realized your timeshare is really a financial prison with palm trees? Learn how to get rid of your timeshare and some hazards to avoid along the way.




					www.daveramsey.com
				












						Timeshare Exit Options Pay Endorsers to Increase Team's Credibility
					

Although paying influencers to market a product or service is becoming more common, consumers are starting to see through the noise. But it isn't stopping many timeshare exit options from paying hefty sums of money to well-known celebrities for endorsements. So, should you believe them?




					vacationownershipconsultants.com
				



How Paid Endorsements Aid Timeshare Exit Teams.
The Dave Ramsey Timeshare Exit Option
The Timeshare Exit Team Steve Harvey Endorsement Ploy

Perhaps it's just me but, Dave Ramsey has his hands in this as well.


Also, why this is so difficult, I have no idea.    









						Debt Relief Services & the Telemarketing Sales Rule: A Guide for Business
					

Many Americans struggle to pay their credit card bills. Some turn to businesses offering “debt relief services” – for-profit companies that say they can renegotiate what consumers owe or get their interest rates reduced.




					www.ftc.gov
				




If your business is involved in debt relief services, here are three key principles of the new Rule:

*It’s illegal to charge upfront fees.*
You can’t collect any fees from a customer before you have settled or otherwise resolved the consumer’s debts. If you renegotiate a customer’s debts one after the other, you can collect a fee for each debt you’ve renegotiated, but you can’t front-load payments. You can require customers to set aside money in a dedicated account for your fees and for payments to creditors and debt collectors, but the new Rule places restrictions on those accounts to make sure customers are protected.

*You have to disclose certain information before signing people up for your services.*
Before people sign up, you must disclose fundamental aspects of your services, including how long it will take for them to get results, how much it will cost, the negative consequences that could result from using debt relief services, and key information about dedicated accounts, if you use them.

*You can’t misrepresent your services. *
The new Rule prohibits you from making false or unsubstantiated claims about your services.


----------



## TUGBrian (Feb 7, 2020)

as with most timeshare outfits....there are existing laws in place to prohibit or prevent them.  its lack of enforcement that is the core problem.


----------



## RX8 (Feb 7, 2020)

There was a recent post about someone who paid $4,000 only to still own the timeshare despite a money back guaranty.  They contacted their local station for help.  The company that is behind the complaint is Timeshare Exit Team.  Thread is below.









						man  paid more than $4,000 to sell his timeshare, but a deal never materialized
					

https://www.kmov.com/news/investigations/timeshare-trouble-news-investigates-helps-st-charles-county-man-get/article_724f2836-486a-11ea-81c1-cff71f744522.html  Never pay upfront to dispose of timeshares!!  Timeshare Trouble:. TV news Investigates--helps St. Charles County man get money back...




					tugbbs.com
				




Edited:  Darn it, I didn't realize that @WVBaker had already mentioned this thread in a prior post.  Come to think of it, this could be a good strategy to pass DeniseM's post count.  I would only need to post 100 times _*every*_ day for a year and a half to do so.


----------



## LannyPC (Feb 7, 2020)

"Trevor Hein and Brandon Reed formed their company in 2012, after Reed attended a trade show where he noticed a long line at a booth selling timeshare exit services. Their prior business had been to sell rain gutter systems."

It's kind of funny.  I was at a trade show four years ago and there was a booth there for TSET.  However, I did not see a line up at the booth at that time.


----------



## DrQ (Feb 7, 2020)

davidvel said:


> Not a smart guy then.  There is case precedent that these broadcasters can be liable for repeating claims they have not verified.


That's the price of syndication. You become a person shilling for the highest bidder.

There is a local car show guy here who owns his own publication company and controls who advertises on his program. If he were to syndicate, he would lose that right.


----------



## DrQ (Feb 7, 2020)

Bill4728 said:


> There are several local radio hosts in the Seattle area who have done personal ads for TET. So I don't blame Dave Ramsey.


You should


----------



## x3 skier (Feb 7, 2020)

Never heard of Dave Ramsey before this thread.

One would think if he is a respected financial guru, he would have turned down any opportunity to promote TET since I assume he controls his own program. 

I second Brian’s comment about Clark Howard although I seldom if ever listen. 

Cheers


----------



## TheTimeTraveler (Feb 7, 2020)

TUGBrian said:


> as with most timeshare outfits....there are existing laws in place to prohibit or prevent them.  its lack of enforcement that is the core problem.




That and too many unethical individuals taking advantage of desperate folks of all ages.




.


----------



## dioxide45 (Feb 7, 2020)

Dave Ramsey provides financial advice. For people who already own a timeshare, he is giving them bad financial advice. That is why he is to blame for who advertises on his radio show. If timeshares sell for $1 as he indicates in one of his videos, why pay TET thousands to get out of it when you could sell it for a dollar? Did he not think of that? Of course many timeshares don't sell for $1. There is no market. You can't even give them away. However, TET will often just tell you to stop paying and then your timeshare goes in to foreclosure and it taken back. According to the original complaint in the OP, TET considers that a success and not grounds for a refund per their policy. If one had known that upfront, they would have just let their timeshare go into foreclosure for free without the help of TET.


----------



## Herbaltees (Feb 7, 2020)

pedro47 said:


> Another spokesperson  for TET was Steve Harvey. Thumbs down


Which I always thought was in poor taste because a while ago they were promoting the Disney Timeshare pretty hard. Took the whole on air talent team to HI and then the next year they were promoting TET.


----------



## Timeshare Von (Feb 8, 2020)

Timeshare Von said:


> There's a guy/company advertising very aggressively here in the Milwaukee area on radio, especially.  I need to find out more about who he is & his company name.  Follow-up to come.



Wesley Financial Group! Heard their ad twice yesterday on my drive home and out to dinner. (I also saw their name referenced in the "Google stalking" thread.)


----------



## WVBaker (Feb 8, 2020)

Timeshare Von said:


> Wesley Financial Group! Heard their ad twice yesterday on my drive home and out to dinner. (I also saw their name referenced in the "Google stalking" thread.)



WFG’s owner and CEO is Chuck McDowell.

Chuck McDowell who filed for bankruptcy 3 times between 1999 – 2007; had about 7 different Federal tax liens between 2005 – 2016; and at least 2 small claims judgments in 1999

According to public records, Chuck McDowell has filed for bankruptcy three times. In 1999, he voluntarily filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In 2002, he once again filed for voluntary bankruptcy, but this time he used Chapter 13. Then, just five years later in 2007, he filed for another voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy.[7] What does this indicate about his personal financial management strategy? Also, public records show 14 entries for judgment and lien filings that are primarily IRS tax and federal liens.[8] What does this suggest about his personal financial tax management strategy?

Why does a small company like WFG have or need 20 vice presidents as of 2019? What kind of company needs twenty people to do the job of vice president?









						Wesley Financial Group, Inc.
					

Wesley Financial Group, LLC claims to help people cancel their timeshares, but that is not legally possible without resort consent.




					timesharesolutionsmx.wordpress.com
				




Wesley Financial Group, LLC
Company size
51-200 employees






						Security Verification | LinkedIn
					






					www.linkedin.com
				





McDowell sold time shares for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts between 2007 and 2008. He said he and other sales representatives deceived customers by describing the purchase as an investment, implying it will increase in value over time.After McDowell left Wyndham, friends started offering him money to get them out of time share contracts.









						Williamson timeshare exit business fights for credibility in murky industry | Nashville Post
					

‘We do it the old fashioned way… Each resort has different pressure points’




					www.nashvillepost.com
				






After careful consideration, we have assessed a 4.0/5.0 MyTER Rating. Wesley Financial Group has positive reviews on all platforms, and we ideally want our clients to pay no up-front fees because we understand timeshares are a financial burden, and paying to get out is another burden. What if Wesley Financial Group filed bankruptcy, which we doubt, the in-writing 100% money-back guarantee would not hold. If you need the extra layer of protection, try a company that has an escrow option. Below is a review of a Wesley Financial Group customer who was pleased with their services.

Wesley Financial Group has mixed ratings on multiple platforms, and they are a reliable timeshare exit company with no indication of being a scam. Due to the recent suspension, we suggest you reach out to us before working with WFG. Wesley Financial Group puts their clients first, and this can be seen by numerous positive reviews on Trustpilot. We would have liked if WFG used attorneys, but we could not find any conclusive detail if they did not. If you have a timeshare with a mortgage and maintenance fees, Wesley Financial Group can help you get rid of this liability permanently









						Wesley Financial Group Review - DEC 2022 - Cost, Fees & Ratings
					

Is Wesley Financial Group legit or a scam? Read our experts reviewed Wesley Financial Group's process, eligibility, reputation, cost and more.




					www.mytimeshareexitreviews.com
				





I wonder how much Chuck McDowell paid for that review?


----------



## Timeshare Von (Feb 8, 2020)

In one of his commercials he states he "lied to sell timeshares" . . .  and that he "won a federal case against the largest timeshare company in the world" (which I assumed referred to Wyndham).

He also said he formed Wesley Financial Group, because he was "afraid of going to hell for lying." LOL


----------



## Arusso (Feb 8, 2020)

goaliedave said:


> AG Ferguson files consumer protection lawsuit against Bellevue timeshare exit company | Washington State
> 
> 
> UPDATE: Click here to read about the resolution of this case. Thousands of customers waiting years for help SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit against Bellevue-based Reed Hein & Associates LLC, alleging numerous unfair or deceptive business practices related to services...
> ...


Very surprised Ramsey seems to have given his endorsement to a Timeshare Exit company.  While he is knowledgeable about the industry and I believe he has been very consistent in advising against any ownership product associated with the industry, he is very careful to warn consumers against all sorts of potential or real scams perpetuated by the financial services and banking industries. That said, either he has no knowledge of this company and did the commercial before he had the opportunity to verify whether its claims are valid and ethical or he is contractually compelled to do the commercial regardless of what he thinks......


----------



## pedro47 (Feb 8, 2020)

What it all about a big dollars pay off for this commercial endorsement


----------



## RX8 (Feb 8, 2020)

WVBaker said:


> WFG’s owner and CEO is Chuck McDowell.
> 
> Chuck McDowell who filed for bankruptcy 3 times between 1999 – 2007; had about 7 different Federal tax liens between 2005 – 2016; and at least 2 small claims judgments in 1999
> 
> ...



And don’t forget that Chuck McDowell was affiliated with another exit company called VO Group. That company is no longer in business with multiple people in prison.


----------



## WVBaker (Feb 8, 2020)

RX8 said:


> And don’t forget that Chuck McDowell was affiliated with another exit company called VO Group. That company is no longer in business with multiple people in prison.



Yea, Chucky is such a nice guy and an all around upstanding business man.


----------



## DrQ (Feb 8, 2020)

WVBaker said:


> Why does a small company like WFG have or need 20 vice presidents as of 2019? What kind of company needs twenty people to do the job of vice president?


I take it you have never worked for a bank.

When I worked for one, I was an Assistant Vice President. You couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting 20 VP's.


----------



## goaliedave (Feb 8, 2020)

pedro47 said:


> What it all about a big dollars pay off for this commercial endorsement


 but many naive 'surprised' people, as you can see. 

Sent from my SM-A505G using Tapatalk


----------



## buzglyd (Feb 8, 2020)

DrQ said:


> I take it you have never worked for a bank.
> 
> When I worked for one, I was an Assistant Vice President. You couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting 20 VP's.



I think also giving every employee the title of VP makes them sound more credible when counseling the rube to drop 5 grand on an "exit."


----------



## DrQ (Feb 8, 2020)

buzglyd said:


> *I think also giving every employee the title of VP makes them sound more credible when counseling the rube* to drop 5 grand on an "exit."


As I said, I guess you have not worked for a bank.


----------



## dioxide45 (Feb 8, 2020)

buzglyd said:


> I think also giving every employee the title of VP makes them sound more credible when counseling the rube to drop 5 grand on an "exit."


It also often grants them the ability to sign contracts on behalf of the company.


----------



## Brett (Feb 9, 2020)

commercials from this company are currently running on local TV stations in southeast coastal Virginia
http://www.breakupwithmytimeshare.com

upfront fee timeshare "exit" scam from Omni Ellis


----------



## LannyPC (Feb 10, 2020)

Brett said:


> upfront fee timeshare "exit" scam from Omni Ellis



Using search and entering Omni Ellis yielded these threads as results:

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/omni-ellis-timeshare-exit.274520/#post-2145103

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/i...e-cancelling-ts-contract.271735/#post-2124943

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/exiting-timeshare.268462/#post-2094667


----------



## RX8 (Feb 12, 2020)

Another article from yesterday about the AG filing a lawsuit against Timeshare Exit Team. 



			Redirect Notice
		


Dave Ramsey, you reading this???

Edited:  interesting quotes from the article.

“ Ferguson claims Timeshare Exit Team is spending $1 million a month in advertising to attract new customers instead of managing its extensive case backlog.”

“The attorney general claims the fees Timeshare Exit Team collects up front can be as high as $8,795 for work that is then largely outsourced to third party vendors for as low as $500, allowing the timeshare exit company to pocket the majority of the payment.”

“The exits that are successful, Ferguson said, are through programs timeshare developers are already offering.”

And the best one:

In a statement, CEO Brandon Reed called the claims that customers can get out of their timeshares on their own “flat-out factually incorrect.”


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Feb 12, 2020)

I saw Wesley Financial Group on my FB feed, and I commented that they are not going to help timeshare owners at all and it's a scam.  The company blocked me from posting, but I still get the feed.  Scammers.


----------

