[ 2016 ] Attempt to Surrender Membership with Resortcom, UVC, Villa Group

[theo]

I fail to see how any state AG (or the FTC) can or will possibly help you in any way with a Mexico-based entity and your (10 years old now) Mexican transaction, since they all have absolutely no jurisdiction over entities in another country. Also, the (private, not in any way government associated) BBB has no legal authority of any kind anywhere, being just a commercial paid membership organization. The U.S. based agency actions against U.S. businesses that you have mentioned above are irrelevant regarding your (or any other) Mexican transaction. Mexico is a different country with (whatever passes for) "laws" of its' own.

If the assorted U.S. based governmental entities you cite even respond to you at all as a courtesy, you should anticipate that they will simply point out to you their lack of any jurisdiction regarding your situation. I believe that in the final analysis you are essentially "tilting at windmills", like Don Quixote.

 

[Talent312]

Waiting 8 years to find that you were defrauded is a bit of a stretch.
"I'm shocked to find there's gambling here!"..."Your winnings, sir."
No U.S. official is likely going to involve themselves in Mexico affairs.
... apart from the President-elect.

Objectively, it seems more like you're having a case of buyer's remorse.
OTOH, its foolish of them not to work with you on a compromise.

Block their calls with caller ID and trash their letters, or file Bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy discharges the debt, but stains your credit for 7 years.
Try to get that home-mortgage before anything else happens.

.

 

[jrider]

Well, because in order for Mexican timeshare companies to collect maintenance fees in the US, they typically set up or hire a US company to manage memberships and collect maintenance fees. Those companies, Resortcom and UVC in this case, have offices in the US and are subject to US laws.

Also, the FTC and Mexican Procuraduria Federal Del Consumidor do have a mutual reciprocity agreement as laid out in the U.S.-Mexico Cooperation Agreement. (January 2005) So yes, the FTC can intervene in cases of consumer protection.

State Attorney Generals can petition the FTC to look into and take action against Mexican companies who routinely defraud US citizens as well as investigate and take action against timeshare management companies working in their state.

As for the FCPS, I'll let them explain what they do, "Complaints help us identify trends and problems in the marketplace and understand the challenges people are facing so we can look for these problems when we supervise companies, enforce federal consumer financial laws, and write rules and regulations...We use the feedback consumers like you provide about company responses to make decisions about which issues and companies to investigate. We also publish on our website which companies get the most disputes from consumers." Complaints are also logged and forwarded to the FTC.

And the BBB? I'm guessing that you have never been a business owner. Bad press costs businesses money and the BBB is near the top of the list when someone wants to make a public complaint. Those complaints, as well as the responses, are made public whether you pay the BBB or not.

The FCPS actually got back to me by email rather quickly and provided a phone number if I had any questions. I did so I called and got right through to a very knowledgeable lady who explained the process and what I could expect from them. She said that a non-reply or unwillingness to cooperate in reaching an agreement was looked at very unfavorably and was much more likely to get an in depth investigation.

So I do suggest to anyone who sees this that has been scammed and defrauded by timeshare companies to file complaints, especially to the FCPS.

Sorry, I don't quietly submit.

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both." -Frederick Douglass

 

[jrider]

Waiting 8 years to find that you were defrauded is a bit of a stretch.
"I'm shocked to find there's gambling here!"..."Your winnings, sir."
No U.S. official is likely going to involve themselves in Mexico affairs.
... apart from the President-elect.

Objectively, it seems more like you're having a case of buyer's remorse.
OTOH, its foolish of them not to work with you on a compromise.

Block their calls with caller ID and trash their letters, or file Bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy discharges the debt, but stains your credit for 7 years.
Try to get that home-mortgage before anything else happens.

.

Probably the biggest thing that finally made us give in after the 3rd "manager" and discount of half the original price was when we got the "what's keeping you from buying today" and I told the salecon the price of airfare to Mexico and all of a sudden he remembered that he had "forgotten" to tell me about the airline vouchers. $400 in airfare vouchers per year came with the Gold Membership! We even had to sign a document acknowledging that they were none transferable and that we wouldn't sell them. Of course those stopped showing up after the second year and when I called looking for them UVC had never heard of such a thing. Just 1 of several other things that ended up not being true after a period of a couple years.

The bankruptcy thing? Again, third hand account but a guy on the credit forum said a bankruptcy would wipe the past due fees but that many of the timeshares companies will just send an invoice next year for current dues and start it all over again.

 

[theo]

Hope springs eternal.....good luck.

I would be very glad to read a report here in the future of your ultimate success, but I will neither bet one penny on it nor be holding my breath while waiting.

 

[davebirr]

We purchased and paid off a timeshare with Villa Del Palmar about 8 years ago and after years of increasing maintenance fees and the slow realization that most of what the salesman claimed about flexibility options were blatant lies, we stopped paying our maintenance fees and thought we would just lose our ability to use the membership. We were wrong!

We have now been sent to collections for the past several years of fees and we are trying to figure out how to cut our loses and stop the bleeding. I contacted Resortcom and requested a "Membership Surrender Packet" but they won't send it or even talk about the cost or what is involved until the past due amount of $2500 is paid. What I am afraid of is another scam and that once the fees are paid they pretty much tell me there is no such packet or that it is so expensive that it doesn't make sense. I would rather put that $2500 to a lawyer as a last resort.

Has anyone here been successful in terminating a membership? Does this packet really exist and if so, does anyone know what kind of fees they are going to require? We desperately want to put this thing behind us without taking a hit to our credit. I can't even imagine being stuck with this for the next 22 years.

I'm in the same situation via UVC, Resortcomm, Villa Del Palmar, etc. I've paid off the timeshare but stopped paying maintenance fees 2 years ago because I wasn't using it and their promise that we could rent it in unused years isn't true. I've attempted contacting Resortcomm to work out a termination; however, they just stonewall me. This is the only thing they will reply with:

"Thank you for contacting ResortCom International. Unfortunately we are unable to assist with your inquiry, as your account has been assigned to a third party collections agency.

Please direct any inquiries to Monterey Financial at 1-800-456-2225 or direct at 760-639-3540. We apologize we are unable to answer any questions while your account is assigned to them."

I didn't get very far with Monterey. They would only review my account if I provided a credit card to cover the maintenance fees and approximately $1000 late fee up front.

If you get anywhere, please let me know.

David

 

[jrider]

Monterey and all the POS connections to the US are a waste of your time. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with the fact that I spent several weeks blasting Villa and it's criminal enterprise on about 25 different forums and travel sites but I finally managed to contact the right person at the resort and got mine taken care of.

 

[JillAYG]

Monterey and all the POS connections to the US are a waste of your time. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with the fact that I spent several weeks blasting Villa and it's criminal enterprise on about 25 different forums and travel sites but I finally managed to contact the right person at the resort and got mine taken care of.

Could you share who you contacted and more information about how you got this resolved?

 

[1Reiko.Beech.Rick]

Well, very very disappointing hearing and reading all of this. Certainly shoulda, woulda, coulda before signing those papers. I too would like to surrender my Villa Membership. So, yes, please let us know who you contacts are so others can benefit as well. Much appreciated sir. Mr.jrider

 

[1Reiko.Beech.Rick]

I am curious, has anyone tried selling theirs?

 

[Passepartout]

Well, very very disappointing hearing and reading all of this. Certainly shoulda, woulda, coulda before signing those papers. I too would like to surrender my Villa Membership. So, yes, please let us know who you contacts are so others can benefit as well. Much appreciated sir. Mr.jrider

jrider has not been on TUG for almost a year. Unlikely he'll be answering. Many TUGgers who want to terminate Mexican TSs, just stop paying. There is no deed to surrender, so they really have no hold on you. About the only thing they can do is send letters and terminate your 'priveleges', which what you want anyway.

Best Wishes.

Jim

 

[Passepartout]

I am curious, has anyone tried selling theirs?

Selling what? You don't own anything to sell. It's just a 'Right to Use'.

 

[1Reiko.Beech.Rick]

Thanks for the info. So you said most simply stop paying, bravo. What of the credit issues that may arise? Just don’t worry about them? Right to use, hmmm, so no membership to sell then! Argh. Has anyone tried contacting the Group, lately?

 

[Passepartout]

Thanks for the info. So you said most simply stop paying, bravo. What of the credit issues that may arise? Just don’t worry about them? Right to use, hmmm, so no membership to sell then! Argh. Has anyone tried contacting the Group, lately?

It is unlikely that defaulting on a Mexican timeshare will make any difference in your credit- except to free up that much more of your money. Any durogetory report allows you to write a letter explaining the circumstances, so I just wouldn't lose any sleep over it. As to your 'selling' it. Most Mexican TSs charge several multiples of the annual fees to transfer the membership. This 'poison pill' essentially makes them unsaleable.

Jim

 

[Travelbuddy]

Hello jrider, I am in the exact situation that you are in with Villa Del Palmar, UVC. My maintenance fee was approx. $4k in arrears, and they have doubled my amount owed to $8,300 with random fees through Monterey Collections. Do you know if Tug member,beach.bar.bob, is still part of the UVC Member Advisory Council and where have you found the most effective ways of running the timeshare company through the mud for the bad practices as I would like to join your fight. Right now, I had one conversation with Monterey Collections, where the demand was "Pay-up and we have no guarantees what UVC will do anything to let you out of the agreement as a result of paying owed fees." I have talked with several attorneys, no one seems interested in helping and those that are seem to be scam artists themselves. I really don't know who to trust to assist with putting closure to this nightmare. Please feel free to post here or send a private post on your progress since it has been some time since your post. Hoping you get this post and can update me on your progress so I can follow behind a wiser person. Any one else with advice would appreciate your input. HELP PLEASE!!!

 

[daverunfast]

Don't stress about it, all they can do is demand. Treat them like the phone scam they are, don't answer. If anything is reported on your credit report, dispute it.

 

[Patri]

Yep. Just ignore them and do not send them any money. Move on and enjoy your life.

 

[Travelbuddy]

Thanks for the input. I am a bit of a holding pattern right now as I wait for the BBB, FTC, CFPB, CA ID and NV AG offices, PROFECO and who ever else I submitted complaints to about Villa Del Palmar, UVC, Resortcom and Monterey Collections to contact them and get responses back.

As for the credit side of things, I am also a member of a credit forum and have this whole thing plastered all over their forum and have been getting advice on how to dispute, validate and draw this thing out as long as possible to allow some of these other things to run their course.

I'm also working on letters to state representatives in 4 states hoping to widen the scope of attention to the fraudulent sales and management practices in the industry to Mexican timeshares. The timing is actually pretty good considering the fact that there are class action suits and state AG offices looking into Wyndham, CA Monarch, Marriott, The Manhattan Club and Diamond Resorts for fraud and various misdealings.

I'm hoping after they get bombarded with the complaints that they will decide to open communications and get this thing taken care of in a reasonable manner. If not, I have until March when I get busy with work again to be a major pain in their asses.

Hello jrider,
I read your post and I am in the exact same situation with Monterey Collections for a timeshare. I would like to join you in your fight to be a "pain in their ass," and keep you informed on my progress. Are you able to provide the contact information that you used for the BBB, FTC, CFPB, CA ID and NV AG offices as well as Profeco and what you communicated to them. I can provide a private email address to you and will help apply the pressure. I believe strength in numbers will get the message across. I will also post on any sites to warn people about them. My personal email is cbweger@yahoo.com. Keep up the fight this is truly a scum company.

 

[theo]

My personal email is cbxxxxx@yahoo.com.

You would be wise to promptly delete your email address from your above post #43 while you can still do so (no edits to your post will be possible after 48 hours).

By so publicly proclaiming your personal email address, you inadvertently extend an open invitation to scammers, spammers, phishers and the (far too many) assorted "escape / rescue/ exit / relief" parasites out there to all contact you directly, all of them looking for your personal information, your money --- or both.

You can always send private messages directly to jrider through this TUG site without extending such an open invitation to others of possible ill intent (and you can rest assured that, despite TUG being a great site full of many honest and knowledgeable folks, such parasites do indeed also visit the TUG site). Just click on the recipient name and select "start a conversation".

Just a suggestion, to adopt or ignore as you see fit.

 

[Pirate200]

Hello jrider, I am in the exact situation that you are in with Villa Del Palmar, UVC. My maintenance fee was approx. $4k in arrears, and they have doubled my amount owed to $8,300 with random fees through Monterey Collections. Do you know if Tug member,beach.bar.bob, is still part of the UVC Member Advisory Council and where have you found the most effective ways of running the timeshare company through the mud for the bad practices as I would like to join your fight. Right now, I had one conversation with Monterey Collections, where the demand was "Pay-up and we have no guarantees what UVC will do anything to let you out of the agreement as a result of paying owed fees." I have talked with several attorneys, no one seems interested in helping and those that are seem to be scam artists themselves. I really don't know who to trust to assist with putting closure to this nightmare. Please feel free to post here or send a private post on your progress since it has been some time since your post. Hoping you get this post and can update me on your progress so I can follow behind a wiser person. Any one else with advice would appreciate your input. HELP PLEASE!!!

Hello. In 2020 I documented that my membership was paid in full and that my maintenance fees were paid in full and then sent a letter (with that documentation) to UVC stating that I no longer wanted to be a member of their "club." they sent me a response telling me I needed to send them all the info I'd already sent them plus another year of maintenance and another significant sum in order for them to process the paperwork. (they got everything they wanted except for the $$$).

Further, I would suggest reading UVCs Amended and Restated Articles and Bylaws 11-5-19. It's online https://myuvci.com/images/content/c...estated Rules Articles and Bylaws 11-5-19.pdf

Section 1.43 Member
"...means the owner of a Membership in the Club who has purchased the Membership for the purpose of exercising the lodging rights and services..."

Section 1.46 Membership Purchase Agreement
Member purchases a Membership in the Club..."

You did not purchase anything tangible, you paid to be a member of a club.

Section 6.06 Payment Default
"... Once the First Delinquent Notice has been delivered, and after compliance with any other requirements under the Governing Documents and Applicable Laws, the Club shall no longer have any obligation to assure the Member’s right to reserve lodging rights and services at any Project, even if the delinquent payment and any Late Charge are thereafter received by the Club."

Here is the best part...
"In addition, the Second Delinquent Notice shall notify the Member that the Club may cancel the Member’s Membership..."
~
"...the Member is given 15 days’ prior notice of the expulsion, suspension or termination of Membership privileges and the reasons therefore; and (2) the Member is provided an opportunity to be heard, orally or in writing, not less than five days before the effective date of the expulsion, suspension or termination by a person or body authorized to decide that the proposed suspension not take place."

You've been expelled from the club - Which is probably what you wanted in the first place.