[ 2015 ] Trying to recover almost $10,000.00

[MyElderlyAuntNeedsHelp]

Hi All, Hoping for a bit of advice from you guys. My Aunt has paid almost $10,000.00 to one of these 'time share reselling companies'. First payment was in November 2013 for almost 4k. Then she has paid 3 more times since then every 4 months coming to almost 10k. Obviously they told her on each occasion there was a buyer waiting and this was untrue as she still has it and no offers have ever come forward. She paid each time by credit card so i think this may be her only chance to recoup the money. The agreement i have shows they would advertise a full page in their magazine and the ad isn't full page. I see this as a breach of the agreement. The agreement said it would autorenew at a cost of 9.95 per month which it has so i dont see how they are allowed to ask her for the large sums of money after the first 4k.
My questions are 1. Do you think the credit card company will reimburse my Aunt as the company havent provided the services. The last payment of c.2k was in Dec 2014.
2. Her timeshare is in Florida and i understand the FTC are quite strict in this state on these issues. Have they broken any laws that i could realistically get her money back that way.
My aunt is in her 80s and in poor health. She is naive and im worried they will come after her for more money. I dont live here so trying my best while im in the states to get this resolved.
She also wants her timeshare sold so i will look to advertise it on here soon.

I guess this story is quite common so any help would be great...thanks in advance!

 

[DeniseM]

You should help your aunt dispute it with her credit card immediately.

Don't wait - time is running out.

Unfortunately, her timeshare probably has no resale value - most timeshare resale for 0-10% of original retail.

 

[Beaglemom3]

Does your Aunt live in the United States ? If so, what state ?

Where is the timeshare reseller located ?

Please read the info here and contact them as well: http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/EC5743A729C962188525791B006A54E9


Please start organizing the information in a chronological and organized manner. You'll need all documents, phone numbers, names, credit card statements, contracts, etc. and whatever your Auntie can remember.



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[MyElderlyAuntNeedsHelp]

Thanks both - My Aunt is in Florida. Im here with my family visiting from UK. Im going to draft the letter to the credit card companies while im here. Do you think they will refund? The time share resellers didn't fulfil the agreement so should i go that route with them? Thanks. Also will approaching the better business bureau be of any use?

 

[Beaglemom3]

Thanks both - My Aunt is in Florida. Im here with my family visiting from UK. Im going to draft the letter to the credit card companies while im here. Do you think they will refund? The time share resellers didn't fulfil the agreement so should i go that route with them? Thanks. Also will approaching the better business bureau be of any use?

Maybe some, no and no.

The BBB is useless and does not figure into anything.



You need to notify the Attorney General as advised.


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[DeniseM]

Thanks both - My Aunt is in Florida. Im here with my family visiting from UK. Im going to draft the letter to the credit card companies while im here. Do you think they will refund? The time share resellers didn't fulfil the agreement so should i go that route with them? Thanks. Also will approaching the better business bureau be of any use?

Before you write a letter, help your Aunt call her credit card company - they can advise you as to exactly what she needs to do. Also, help your Aunt organize anything she has in writing.

The people that took your Aunt's money are just scammers - they are not going to help you - you need to present an organized and concise dispute to the credit card company.

 

[Beaglemom3]

Yes, talk to the credit card company immediately and dispute whatever charges you can. Do not let the scammers charge anything more. You/Auntie should cancel this card.


Read this, call them and fill out the complaint asap.



http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/main/9161973ee14fdb1a85256cc900600947!opendocument

 

[Rent_Share]

You may want to reach out to a consumer affairs reporter for a station local to where the abuse is taking place

 

[Beaglemom3]

You may want to reach out to a consumer affairs reporter for a station local to where the abuse is taking place

Great idea.


Here's an article from Bloomberg with a reporter's name. Scroll down.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...rs-say-191-timeshare-cases-filed-in-crackdown

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[TUGBrian]

do all of this

http://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/timeshare_scam_retaliation.html

 

[ace2000]

do all of this

http://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/timeshare_scam_retaliation.html

First time I've read through that TUG advice. Very nicely done!!!

 

[MyElderlyAuntNeedsHelp]

Ill call the Pam Bondi number tomorrow. Im working with limited information but have what i need. My Aunt has literally just gone into an old peoples home so hopefully the scammers cant reach her there. The sad thing is she thinks these people are trying to help her as they are very persuasive by all accounts.
She is proud and quite stubborn so its not easy for me to get her to understand the situation she is in. I emailed the company called Pro Timeshare Resales in Deland Florida. They called her mobile number almost immediately and wanted to speak to her directly as all the correspondence they had had in the past was by phone / fax. I have no idea how these people sleep at night!
In my opinion they have not fulfilled the agreement they had with her as it wasnt advertised correctly. Not to mention the so called buyer not approaching her.

 

[ace2000]

In my opinion they have not fulfilled the agreement they had with her as it wasnt advertised correctly. Not to mention the so called buyer not approaching her.

You have to realize that this is a well known scam and you are one of many that have come to TUG and complained. They take your money and accomplish nothing in return. We know all about them.

 

[DeniseM]

In my opinion they have not fulfilled the agreement they had with her as it wasnt advertised correctly. Not to mention the so called buyer not approaching her.

These people are simply scammers: there were no sales, there were no buyers - they never had any intention of selling her timeshare. This is a common story.

 

[Beaglemom3]

Ill call the Pam Bondi number tomorrow. Im working with limited information but have what i need. My Aunt has literally just gone into an old peoples home so hopefully the scammers cant reach her there. The sad thing is she thinks these people are trying to help her as they are very persuasive by all accounts.
She is proud and quite stubborn so its not easy for me to get her to understand the situation she is in. I emailed the company called Pro Timeshare Resales in Deland Florida. They called her mobile number almost immediately and wanted to speak to her directly as all the correspondence they had had in the past was by phone / fax. I have no idea how these people sleep at night!
In my opinion they have not fulfilled the agreement they had with her as it wasnt advertised correctly. Not to mention the so called buyer not approaching her.

Pam Bondi is the Attorney General of Florida. Call the number and speak to someone who can give you legal advice. Have all the info at hand when you call.
Florida is vigorously prosecuting these scammers now.

Who is your Aunt's legal representative (if she has one) ? Is she mentally competent to handle her own affairs ?
Please notify the rest home/nursing home and restrict any calls or visits from these scumbags. Notify the police dept. if you have to.


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[Beaglemom3]

OMG.

Read the BBB reports on these scumbags. It reads like collection of horror stories, each one, 58 complaints.

Again, the BBB cannot do anything (they serve as good place to "out" companies) it's more of a sounding board, but please read the 7 pages of complaints and so-called responses. There may be some good info to glean here:


http://www.bbb.org/central-florida/...hare-resales-in-deland-fl-90139770/complaints

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[MyElderlyAuntNeedsHelp]

Thanks all - i seem to be in the right place now. With you're well founded information i have found some excellent advice to utilise. A very well spent fifteen bucks!

 

[TUGBrian]

are by chance you/your aunt or this company located in orlando?

 

[MyElderlyAuntNeedsHelp]

The resale advertising company are in Deland, Florida(near Orlando). My Aunt has lived in Florida since she retired over 20 years ago and has owned this time share for c.10 years. Silly question - does anyone know how i find out the 'points' she has on her TS?
She has a HGVC TS in Orlando and i have emailed them to find out the resale options they have. Im pretty sure she is up to date on paying her s/charge as i saw the bill for 2015. She has paid it from what i can see.
PS. I have also filed a complaint with the attorney general after your helpful advice.

 

[Beaglemom3]

The resale advertising company are in Deland, Florida(near Orlando). My Aunt has lived in Florida since she retired over 20 years ago and has owned this time share for c.10 years. Silly question - does anyone know how i find out the 'points' she has on her TS?
She has a HGVC TS in Orlando and i have emailed them to find out the resale options they have. Im pretty sure she is up to date on paying her s/charge as i saw the bill for 2015. She has paid it from what i can see.
PS. I have also filed a complaint with the attorney general after your helpful advice.

That's good, but please follow all the steps in post #10 as soon as possible.

Hope you've called the credit card company. They're open all hours.

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[pedro47]

do all of this

http://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/timeshare_scam_retaliation.html

Thanks Brian for sharing this with everyone.

 

[Passepartout]

The OP is getting good advice for dealing with the resale thieves who've preyed on his elderly aunt. I wish them well and hope for a refund of money spent in vain. Since it was sent voluntarily (though under fraudulent pretenses), I am not holding my breath.

But to the original problem. That is, the TS that Auntie wants rid of. If it does have some value, perhaps one of the TUG member brokers could undertake its disposal?

Then, there is the likelihood that since she is in a care facility, and is unlikely to be needing a great credit score, if she simply defaulted, and stopped paying her MF as so many have, eventually they would foreclose and she'd be done with it.

Obviously marketing it to a new owner is best all around, but not the only solution.

Jim

 

[RX8]

OMG.

Read the BBB reports on these scumbags. It reads like collection of horror stories, each one, 58 complaints.

Again, the BBB cannot do anything (they serve as good place to "out" companies) it's more of a sounding board, but please read the 7 pages of complaints and so-called responses. There may be some good info to glean here:


http://www.bbb.org/central-florida/...hare-resales-in-deland-fl-90139770/complaints

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How could a company with a BBB profile just since 2012 be rated an A- with 58 complaints??? They are not BBB accredited either. That "scoring" system is broken!

 

[Beaglemom3]

How could a company with a BBB profile just since 2012 be rated an A- with 58 complaints??? They are not BBB accredited either. That "scoring" system is broken!

Where did you see the A- rating ? I saw that it was not BBB accredited.

The BBB is useless and is a relic.

On these 58 complaints, the BBB gives a number - 34?- resolved but I read just about all of the cases and cannot see it. I did see where folks just gave up because of the nonsense.


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[RX8]

Where did you see the A- rating ? I saw that it was not BBB accredited
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The link takes you to the complaints. Click on Overview for the rating.

The BBB must have read my post because NOW they are a B- with the same number of complaints.