Anyone heard of Executive Resorts Network?

[flybefree]

We had two timeshares in RCI's network and got rid of both several months ago. We still have a ton of banked points and TPUs.

We just got a call from a company called Executive Resorts Network, offering to rent out extra weeks that we supposedly get as RCI members. They're not the extra vacations, but supposedly something where you can buy 1-6 weeks per year for $399 a week. "The resort should have told you about this when you bought the timeshare." "We got ours resale."

This company will rent out such weeks in places like Orlando to business travelers coming into town for conventions. They rent it out for $1,350 per week unless you want to negotiate for a better rate, and the renter has to attend a 90-minute presentation from the resort.

Skeptical, we grilled the rep with all sorts of questions and asked them to send us info by email. The blank contract they sent us was instead for representing us to advertise for sale or rent a regular timeshare ownership, with an upfront fee (not specified). I told him RCI does not allow members to rent out extra weeks, and asked, "Why would they allow this?" But it doesn't sound like you're buying these extra vacations through RCI, so.....

I don't see a lot of info online about them and of course, my spidey senses are tingling. Pretty doubtful this is legit. What sayeth y'all?

 

[Keep Traveling]

It's a scam...That's it...

 

[flybefree]

I figure it probably is, but do you know anything about them? Any personal experience?

 

[goaliedave]

lol

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[VanX]

#1 indicator it’s a scam....., they called you.

 

[TUGBrian]

how many red flags via our checklist?

https://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/timeshare_company_legitimate.html

 

[flybefree]

What was concerning is that they knew my full name, our number, and that we were with RCI. That's not public info, anywhere. My husband was the one who answered (we've been screening calls like crazy lately due to all the robo calls), so I didn't hear the beginning of the call. I had to specifically ask the guy if they were with RCI or a contractor. But it seems like RCI may have given them our info. The resort we used to own two weeks with certainly didn't!

I'm surprised they haven't already been mentioned in this group! We weren't planning to do anything with them, but I figured it would be good to ask just to see if anyone's heard of them. There was also an FTC timeshare scam warning that came up when I searched their name, even though a company they specifically mentioned had a slightly different name, with the exact kind of offer mentioned. I was painting the porch railing when he called, so it was good entertainment to make that less boring, at least! LOL

 

[RX8]

This is an advertising listing company. They have one goal and one goal only - to extract upfront fees from timeshare owners. Because they provide a service (an ad on their poor website) they will argue that they are not a scam. However, with them cold calling people and lying by saying that they have renters for your RCI weeks they have crossed the line into true scammer territory. In addition, they proudly claim "Executive Resorts Network is one of the leading timeshare rental and resale marketing companies in the country." Pretty bold claim for a business that has been around only since October 23, 2018.

Want more facts of this company crossing the line into scammer territory? Their "About Us" at their website (which includes the bold claim above about being one of the leaders in their industry) is identical to the "About Us" page of another advertising listing company called Resort Property Management. In addition, the client testimonials of both companies are identical except for the name of the company. So, add fake customer reviews to the scammer checklist.

Testimonials from Executive Resorts Network

Testimonials from Resort Property Management

 

[tschwa2]

While a company with that name hasn't been mentioned, many others with similar business models have been. They generally change their name or move on and a new company with different employees or some of the same continue to scam. They probably purchased a list of timeshare owners that is constantly circulating. How do they get the names on the list? Not through any official company. Could be a current or ex RCI employee who hacked into the database and then illegally sold that list. Could be a current or ex employee at various resorts. They don't know you belong to RCI currently. The info could be old or they could just assume you belong to RCI because most timeshare owners belong to an exchange company.

What is so funny about these scams is they don't even ask you to reserve and list anything with them. They seem to be able to magically access these $399 weeks without you booking anything. If you sign up you will never see them actually book anything through your account. The only marketing they do is a website full of shill accolades and calling timeshare owners and getting money from them. Business don't book timeshares for conventions.

 

[goaliedave]

sadly people are still perplexed at how their address phone etc are obtained. It's a new century for God's sake!

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[rvirostko]

It's a scam...That's it...

Thank you for your comments. For reference, the person that called me was Kevin Pina, if that was his real name.

 

[flybefree]

goaliedave, you're charming. I was a marketing exec for many years and while I deliberately did not participate in telemarketing, I most certainly know how it works. But he KNEW we were with RCI. He didn't know we no longer owned our timeshares, as we haven't told RCI. He did not know which properties we'd owned.

RX8, nice detective work! That's pretty astounding that they're so blatant about it. Luckily, anyone searching their name now will find this thread, which is one reason I posted it. A lot of people would fall for this.

I had looked them up on BBB and saw how new they were. I wasn't buying his pitch because it absolutely sounded too good to be true, which is why I asked him to email me specifics (he even did the, "It's normally $399 per week but let me check with my supervisor to see if I can knock that down" trick and put us on hold. I told my husband to mute the call in case they had the hold mode where they can actually still hear you (I trained people in an incoming call center and we had that function, so if a customer bitched about us while we had them on hold, we could hear them!). I then told him that the guy was faking the convo with the boss and would come back with an EVEN BETTER deal. He OF COURSE came back with the "approval" from his supervisor to offer it to us at $299. "That's great, but I want to see it all in writing." I was curious to see what they'd actually put in writing, since I am well acquainted with false advertising laws.

When I got a generic contract completely unrelated to our conversation, it left no doubt it was total B.S. I replied and told him it was obviously a scam and to remove us from their contact lists (I gave him an email address I only use to sell stuff on Craigslist). Haven't heard a peep since. Good entertainment value, though.

Thanks for helping to make sure no one falls for this. I initially thought he wanted to buy our unused banked TPUs and points and was ready to sell those in a heartbeat. But when he talked about weeks we don't actually get, I was like, "How is this a thing???" He was good, though. Would've convinced most folks.