[2019] Renting weeks to Interval International

[mbstn6254]

I bought my points from Marriott twice over the last 4 years. After purchasing the second tranche I discovered that the salesperson really lied about almost everything except how much it would cost. I have since found TUG, and after getting familiar with some of the forum topics I vowed never to do business directly again unless I checked with some of you who are way more knowledgeable than I. Hence this post.

I have been called twice in the last two weeks from II. The story goes they want to rent my II getaway weeks that apparently I own as a result of my Marriott purchases for their corporate clients that need accommodations. They claim this rental will have no impact on my core Marriott points. I was told that these are "getaway weeks" to certain destinations that, if I used, would be super cheap and would require me to attend a sales pitch.

I was still listening. This is the pitch they made. I can rent these weeks to II for $1,250 minus a$399 registration fee a week for 6 weeks a year and avoid any taxable income. I asked them to send me in writing everything they just told me...I was told they would.

I am more than skeptical as it doesn't pass the too good to be true test. In effect, I can rent weeks I had no idea I had for almost twice my Marriott MFs? ( interesting abbreviation of Maintenance Fees...huh?)

Anyone else hear about this...and is it real??

Thank you all who know anything about this.

If they ever send me the written material I would be more than happy to share it.

 

[Theiggy]

Scam!!! Run!!! I hope you didn’t give them any of your information! I’m so glad you are posting here first!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mbstn6254]

Scam!!! Run!!! I hope you didn’t give them any of your information! I’m so glad you are posting here first!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just my email address.

Does II or Marriott know these calls are being made in their name?

 

[Theiggy]

I don’t know. Maybe worth a phone call to report?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bazzap]

Just my email address.

Does II or Marriott know these calls are being made in their name?

I am sure they do know, but these rogue companies keep popping up and sadly will continue to do so whilst they can convince people to hand money over to them.

 

[mbstn6254]

They identified themselves as calling from Interval International. Not some third party.

I never received the written material they said they would send......What a surprise

 

[VacationForever]

This scam is as old as the Nigerian scam, and as profitable to the scammers.

 

[brianfox]

They identified themselves as calling from Interval International. Not some third party.

I never received the written material they said they would send......What a surprise

The only problem is you listened to their spiel and they have designated you a "live one".

I'm still not understanding the scam - clearly they want you to pay $399 up front for something, but what?
Even in scam form, I don't understand the concept of renting a Getaway week TO II - a week the person being scammed doesn't even own?
And I love the "must attend a presentation" part of it - that's the only part that would be believable.
Would be icing on the cake if the scammer told you it was to be a "how to avoid timeshare scams" education presentation.

 

[HudsHut]

This is a common scam. Typically it is targeted toward owners of timeshares in Mexico.

1. It was NOT II who called you. They made up a name that sounded similar. Or they may have said you belong to II.
2. You do not have any "Getaway weeks" to rent out. No one does. "Getaways" are what II calls the weeks that they have for rent, instead of for Exchange. Based on historical trade data, they can predict that certain weeks at certain resorts won't be exchanged; in other cases they act as a broker to rent out resorts with excess inventory.
3. II terms and conditions state that its members may not rent out the weeks which they purchase from II or exchange for via II.
4. There are no corporate clients that need accommodations.
5. II does not rent in weeks from its members.
6. They want you to pay them the $399/week up front. Then they disappaear, and move on to the next victim.
7. Your name is on a sucker list. Stop answering the phone. Enter II's real number for Marriott owners as a contact in your phone. They won't be calling from that number. Don't answer calls from numbers you don't recognize.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

This is a common scam. Typically it is targeted toward owners of timeshares in Mexico.

1. It was NOT II who called you. They made up a name that sounded similar. Or they may have said you belong to II.
2. You do not have any "Getaway weeks" to rent out. No one does. "Getaways" are what II calls the weeks that they have for rent, instead of for Exchange. Based on historical trade data, they can predict that certain weeks at certain resorts won't be exchanged; in other cases they act as a broker to rent out resorts with excess inventory.
3. II terms and conditions state that its members may not rent out the weeks which they purchase from II or exchange for via II.
4. There are no corporate clients that need accommodations.
5. II does not rent in weeks from its members.
6. They want you to pay them the $399/week up front. Then they disappaear, and move on to the next victim.
7. Your name is on a sucker list. Stop answering the phone. Enter II's real number for Marriott owners as a contact in your phone. They won't be calling from that number. Don't answer calls from numbers you don't recognize.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Better yet, don't ever answer the phone.

Usually legitimate people will leave a message.......




.

 

[mbstn6254]

This is a common scam. Typically it is targeted toward owners of timeshares in Mexico.

1. It was NOT II who called you. They made up a name that sounded similar. Or they may have said you belong to II.
2. You do not have any "Getaway weeks" to rent out. No one does. "Getaways" are what II calls the weeks that they have for rent, instead of for Exchange. Based on historical trade data, they can predict that certain weeks at certain resorts won't be exchanged; in other cases they act as a broker to rent out resorts with excess inventory.
3. II terms and conditions state that its members may not rent out the weeks which they purchase from II or exchange for via II.
4. There are no corporate clients that need accommodations.
5. II does not rent in weeks from its members.
6. They want you to pay them the $399/week up front. Then they disappaear, and move on to the next victim.
7. Your name is on a sucker list. Stop answering the phone. Enter II's real number for Marriott owners as a contact in your phone. They won't be calling from that number. Don't answer calls from numbers you don't recognize.

Thank you to everyone who responded!

None of it made sense to me. I never received the written materials they promised. It smelled bad, but I don't know what I don't know, and now I do.

I did not give any information.

I promised myself after joining TUG, I will never give a nickle to anyone in the timeshare business including Marriott unless I check it out. While MVC is not a scam, they sure do represent what they sell in a fraudulent way.

Fool me once.....etc

 

[rickandcindy23]

Terrible isn't it, how people feel that timeshare owners are stupid and will fall for their lies. I wish more people would ask here before giving money to these crooks.

Glad you were not taken in. And Marriott salespeople can lie just like any other timeshare salesperson. I am so over the lies. Marriott has a few really bad ones, and the good ones don't need to misrepresent the great product they sell.

My daughter-in-law's parents bought KoOlina from the developer about 20 years ago, and they absolutely love what they bought and it has gone up in value. They are tickled pink with their purchase. The only lies were how II worked. They didn't enjoy II exchanges at all, but they love the DC points they received as a developer purchase. That added a lot of value for them. Buy in does go up, and so they feel they bought at just the right time.

 

[Tee]

This just happened to me. They've been calling every day for two weeks. I finally had time to talk today. I talked like 40 minutes. He was calling firm central Florida to pay me $6000 for four weeks that I didn't know I had. He said big conventions were coming after covid and Florida was open. He finally said that I had to buy four extra weeks from II that I'm entitled to buy at $399 each, up front, and he would send me a certified check after two months. And I could just put it on a credit card. I told him to call me back Saturday. They sound so anxious and professional and really from Marriott. The upfront cost annoyed me, and I don't get paid until Friday, and so I was going to do the deal on Saturday. But maybe only two II weeks because I wouldn't cover my upfront costs for two months. Now, I understand that it's a fly-by-night operation. Thank you for helping me avoid this total scam.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

This just happened to me. They've been calling every day for two weeks. I finally had time to talk today. I talked like 40 minutes. He was calling firm central Florida to pay me $6000 for four weeks that I didn't know I had. He said big conventions were coming after covid and Florida was open. He finally said that I had to buy four extra weeks from II that I'm entitled to buy at $399 each, up front, and he would send me a certified check after two months. And I could just put it on a credit card. I told him to call me back Saturday. They sound so anxious and professional and really from Marriott. The upfront cost annoyed me, and I don't get paid until Friday, and so I was going to do the deal on Saturday. But maybe only two II weeks because I wouldn't cover my upfront costs for two months. Now, I understand that it's a fly-by-night operation. Thank you for helping me avoid this total scam.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Smart of you to avoid this scam. All they wanted was your credit card number........


.

 

[D_Table]

First post because I recently got this call. The start of the call sounded official: knowing property information and owner names. I listened for a few minutes because maybe it was information I did not know or forgotten about regarding II. I bought my timeshare for the property not II. Anyway, once hearing about the upfront fees, the call was done.