# Warning Marina Grand in Mazatlan Presentation fraud



## aliikai2 (Feb 18, 2013)

This outfit must have taken the playbook from the Former Belaire in PV.

This appears to be a 12 unit complex with only 3 bedroom units and only the Model unit is ready for use. 

1st the claim through their " Trade Idea " that you can stay anywhere else 12 weeks per year in studio suites with a 4 week package from them. They never explain or show you how this works, but refer to it many times. 

2nd they offered me over retail for my El Cid points and said I would still be able to use the El Cid resorts for less than I pay now. Then the big thing came up. They only needed $12450 down today and in 30 days after First American Title in San Diego finishes the " Title search" they would wire me the $43500.00

Once I convinced they I wasn't buying they had someone escort me outside to await my gift, only to have someone come out and tell me that they had determined that I didn't qualify for the tour therefore they weren't giving me the promised tour gift. 

So be forewarned and advised in advance, these people are scam artists on the level of the BelAire in PV, with this " Trade Idea" that seems to good too be true, and can't possibly be true.
There is no title on a Mexican timeshare, so using a US title company to do a title search is just smoke, and then taking a down payment today only to send you your agreed sales price 30 days later is also a huge red flag.

 Then even stoop to withholding the tour gifts adding insults to injury.
Greg


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## luckyguy101 (Mar 7, 2013)

*Stay Away From Marina Grand in Mazatlan!*

Our tour experience was very similar to Greg's; they offered me $75,000 for my 813,000 Wyndham points and $45,000 for my Marriott Bronze week at Summit Watch...even if I didn't buy anything from them. All I had to do was pre-pay the taxes and closing fees of $10,650.

When I didn't take the bait, they tried to stiff me on our tour gift too. They had promised me 4,000 pesos, but at least I managed to exit the premises with a little over 3,200 pesos.

The Sales Manager's name is Antonio Alvarado, so if his name pops up anywhere, be forewarned!


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## aliikai2 (Mar 11, 2013)

*So it seems these folks are part of La Jolla's sales team*

We had a guest here at the El Cid Marina that bought at the Grand Marina and sold them his 800,000 El Cid points for over 100K , just had to pay $22,000 upfront. Well he decided he had made a mistake and went back to cancel.
They supposedly threatened him with bodily injury. He had a security guard outside his suite here for the week he had left. The El Cid staff helped him get a partial refund using Profeco. I just had to post this as I heard about it last night from a reliable source in management here at El Cid.

Greg


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## taffy19 (Mar 11, 2013)

Greg, do you have a website for them? I Googled it but do not find that name in your area. I find a similar name where we are in Paradise Village but they are not part of the scheme.

Is the resort built or not?


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## aliikai2 (Mar 11, 2013)

For La Jolla or Marina Grand ?
La Jolla has a couple of buildings completed, in  fact Pittle ( Phylis) and her husband own the month of June in one. There sales force however is down right thugish. We went to tour and were eating breakfast when they figured out I knew a fair amount about timeshare. Then they abruptly ended our tour claiming we didn't qualify. They didn't waste a lot of out time so I hadn't written about them, but now knowing that the Marina Grand is sold by the same sales staff, the needed to be brought into the light.
Greg




iconnections said:


> Greg, do you have a website for them? I Googled it but do not find that name in your area. I find a similar name where we are in Paradise Village but they are not part of the scheme.
> 
> Is the resort built or not?


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## pittle (Mar 11, 2013)

We are going to La Jolla again this June.  When we bought, the salesman was very laid back - "this is what we have, this is what it costs".  We liked the location, the price for a month was about the same as a week at Mayan Palace and the MF are fixed and very low.  We bought ocean-front 2nd floor and like it.  It is not as fancy as the other places we stay, but works for us.

We will not take an update tour and put ourselves through a hard sales pitch to buy into their "points" system - especially since they are not members of RCI or II, just the small systems no one has ever heard of.


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## taffy19 (Mar 12, 2013)

aliikai2 said:


> For La Jolla or Marina Grand ?
> La Jolla has a couple of buildings completed, in  fact Pittle ( Phylis) and her husband own the month of June in one. There sales force however is down right thugish. We went to tour and were eating breakfast when they figured out I knew a fair amount about timeshare. Then they abruptly ended our tour claiming we didn't qualify. They didn't waste a lot of out time so I hadn't written about them, but now knowing that the Marina Grand is sold by the same sales staff, the needed to be brought into the light.
> Greg


For the Marina Grand but I read later that it only has 12 units but only the model unit is ready for use so there may not be a website yet or is there?

I remember the Belaire Resort in Puerto Vallarta having a website with a few cameras that showed the progress of building but it never was finished.

I don't understand how the Government or local authorities let them get away with it.


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## Deer Path (Mar 18, 2013)

We are in Mazatlan now and had similar experiences as others. Yes we do think it is a scam!!! Could not quite believe they would wire us $60,000 after we got home for  giving them 3 of our timeshares. We did get $200 when we left but the old fellow on the street promised us $500 till we got in the taxi.  Then he changed it to $200 and we could get the balance from him the next day!!! After seeing him 3 or 4 times we still have not gotten the balance. (always excuses!)

I would love the hear from anyone who actually got money after they got home.


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## PalmTrees (Jun 26, 2013)

*Stay Away from these guys*

These guys are modeled after La Jolla marketing, if not related in some way since they asked several times if we had been there recently, that was a big disqualifier according to the street vendor.
They run cars around looking for tourists and jump out to solicit. I was offered $125, resisted, then $400, resisted, then $550 plus more...freebies added, until I got greedy, caved and scheduled a tour. Apparently they will beat any incentive offer you mention since they don't intend to pay anyway. (My wife was surprised since we said no tours anymore, especially in MX.) Once there I was asked to sign a form stating their many conditions about the visit, my qualifications and my situation, including all timeshares I owned and a clause that any deviation from that information could cause the incentive to be withheld. Strange, but I had nothing to fear so I signed. After a 2 hour visit ( not too high pressure) and being offered $10k for a timeshare that I likely would have to sell for $1 here at TUG, said no,..... the closer then offered several times that already crazy amount for the TS and much more $$ for a few other, more desirable TS locations I had as well. Wow, they really pushed the greedy button again! Of course, the purchase on their end, had to go through their broker and wouldn't close until I was back home, certified check no less. Too good to be true. The property, .......well they still have only the one model unit finished in a renovated apartment building so there is no actual place to stay and no signs of any construction going on at all. Off the beach and no ocean view anyway. It's all about supposedly getting you out of your old contract with a huge profit and being able to go back any time, any where at 1/2 to 1/4 the MFs through their system for just around $5k. BTW like the other posters I was disqualified in the end, no incentives. No I didn't buy, just in case you were wondering. :hysterical:


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## carlynan (Jul 28, 2014)

*Marina Grand Resort Mazatlan WARNING!*

:annoyed:Run, don’t walk, from Marina Grand Resort in Mazatlan!!  It’s a con!!
Marina Grand Resort in Mazatlan in a nice looking small condo located at Avendia La Marina #2204 Marina Mazatlan. The units are all 3 bedroom, two bath and fully equipped. A nice woman on the street (“Nerry”) convinced my friend and me to attend a presentation.  The salesperson was Alex Diaz, a charming and well-spoken fellow who originally presented the deal as fractional ownership and then amended it to a “right of use” arrangement.  My deal was to have the right to use a unit for 80 weeks with no cost for the first 20 weeks and then at a cost of $399 per month.  I would be able to use up to 24 weeks a year and be able to book 18 months in advance.  Wonderful, I thought.  I could get away from the winter. I could invite my family and friends to come and spend some time with me at no cost.  I was delighted and happily paid them $6950 US on my credit card and another $349 USD in cash.  
They were to send me some outstanding information and passwords when I got home.  I was given Alex’s personal e-mail if the additional information didn’t arrive. 
The information never arrived.  Neither Alex nor Tony Lopez responded to any e-mails.  At this point I became concerned I’d been taken and tried to make a reservation…repeatedly.   Despite going through the contacts at the condo and through a website I found for them,  (http://www.marinagrandresorts.com/ubicacion/), I was unable to get a confirmed reservation and realized I’d been scammed.  
I was fortunate enough to be able to show Visa that I was not going to be provided with the services I’d purchased and the credit card charge was reversed.  When it came out of Marina Grand’s bank account, Tony called repeatedly  (as “Tony” never left a last name, I’m assuming it was Tony Lopez, the a name on the paperwork I received from them or Tony Alvarado, whose name appears in other complaints).  I did not return any of the calls which for your information, show as coming from Arizona on call display.
It might help to know that their paperwork says the contract is final and cannot be cancelled.  That is against Mexican law.  Contracts can be cancelled and all monies returned if you cancel within the first 5 days.
My payment was split in two for reasons unknown to myself with the payment going to the Garden Lounge Restaurant, not Marina Grand Resort.  I believe that restaurant may be related to the Restaurant El Jardin in the Plaza Machado. (Alex & “his wife” bought us dinner there when he then took my friend for $349 USD for 4 weeks of use at the condo at no charge.  (The certificates were in Spanish and Alex promised to send her the English version which we presumed would tell her how to make the booking.  No surprise, despite repeated requests, no English versions were forthcoming. In my books, that wasn’t even a con – it was out and out theft!)  
Marina Grand Resort claims to be part of Signature Residences Club which if you google, you will find nothing but negative reports on them.  (Don’t confuse Signature Residences Club with Signature Vacation which is a very credible company.) 
So the names to know are:
Tony Lopez, Director Pacific Division (who according to Alex Diaz, is the owner of the condo). ...tonymarina01@gmail.com 
Viridiana Morales, 669–913-1053, marinagrand2@gmail.com 
Alex Diaz, the sales person, 669-933-0008,  alexdl21@hotmail.com whose photo can be found (5th down) at webdesignsofmexico.com/peopleofmazatlan.htm


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## geenzz (Jan 5, 2015)

*Grand Marina Resort in Mazatlan*

I too fell victim to this resort scam, but was able to reverse everything through my credit card since I had proof of my desire to cancel my transaction with Grand Marina (email proof).  I won't go into details with mine, since everyone seems to have similar stories.

Anyway, I googled some info on Grand Marina, and found some info on Tony Lopez - The Head Crook.  He goes by the alias name of Tony Lopez and probably some other name too.  But after researching online, I found his page in Facebook.  He goes by the name "Vladi Jiz".  These guys seem to be living the life by stealing from others.  This guy "Vladi Jiz" should be sent to prison.


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## aliikai2 (Jul 3, 2015)

*This resort is now call Costa Marina as of June 2015*

I would guess everything else is the same, I won't be going there to find out:ignore::ignore::ignore::ignore:


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## rad500aday (Jul 13, 2015)

*Marina Grand Scam*

I was warned by the other Time Share Salesmen not to go to Marian Grand. We went anyway because the guy said he would give us the gift before the presentation of $300. I went and he said he would give it to us during our presentation. It did not happen. They escorted us out to get our gift and had a security guy walk with us. I stood there and told them I want the police there right now. They would not call them. I should have stayed right there and waited for the police. They got nervous when I would not leave but my wife was nervous also and does not get ticked when people break a promise. During the presentation they also offered us to buy or Timeshares for about $36k. I told them about the story of the African Prince who needed someone to receive his wealth via UPS but they had to pay his transportation costs to get it. They never heard of the story so I explained it to them. The sales guy kept calling me a shark. His boss - the guy with the lines down the top of his head - Tony?, left the office and sent in a mild mannered man to take us to get our gift outside the gate. He told us to get in the taxi cab. He appeared nervous. I'll bet they all have to perform as instructed or they will get hurt by these mafia looking guys.


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## pammex (Jul 16, 2015)

Run from this one and do not fool with these guys.  We went , never got our incentive reward, were escorted to gate with armed security guard, and I refused to step out of gate he actually pushed me, husband got mad and said some things to him and he cocked his gun.  They put us in cab and well needless to say first time I have felt unsafe in Mexico.  Stay away!


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## Ty1on (Jul 16, 2015)

pammex said:


> Run from this one and do not fool with these guys.  We went , never got our incentive reward, were escorted to gate with armed security guard, and I refused to step out of gate he actually pushed me, husband got mad and said some things to him and he cocked his gun.  They put us in cab and well needless to say first time I have felt unsafe in Mexico.  Stay away!



Wow, where is Profeco in all this?


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## DianeH (Aug 3, 2015)

We were warned by even the timeshare people not to go to this tour!  Oh sounds so much like La Torenza.


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## melissaj (Aug 13, 2015)

*Scam*

This company is one of the most fraudulent developers ins the timeshare industry. The only thing you can do is stay away from them. I know people who were scammed.


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