Michigan family jailed in Mexico over timeshare dispute

[dioxide45]

I thought I saw a thread on this already, but I can't find it. If there is one, point me to it.

I guess we should stop telling people there are no repercussions to skipping out on their Mexican timeshare?

'Americans being held hostage'; Daughter decries Michigan parents jailed in Mexico

It has been an international nightmare for two American citizens who are stuck in a Mexican jail for a dispute over a time-share for 21 days.

www.fox2detroit.com

 

[WaikikiFirst]

didn't read. can't imagine buying any of this. all that comes to mind: "I hope the margaritas were good"

 

[geist1223]

The Article does not lay out the nature of the dispute.

 

[dioxide45]

The Article does not lay out the nature of the dispute.

I thought another article I read, and thought it was from a thread here, provided more information about the charges. But I can't find it.

 

[Cornell]

I went down a rabbit hole this morning pre-dawn with this story. Details very vague. So I'm holding off formulating an opinion for now.

 

[Tia]

I thought another article I read, and thought it was from a thread here, provided more information about the charges. But I can't find it.

If you do find it or someone does please do link it here!

 

[dioxide45]

Here is another article;

Americans wanted by Interpol for fraud arrested inside Cancun International - Riviera Maya News

Cancun, Q.R. -- Two Americans wanted by Interpol Mexico have been arrested inside the Cancun International Airport.

riviera-maya-news.com

 

[WorldT]

Even reading both articles, the details are still vague. Someone had mentioned how the couple posted on Facebook about how to do what they did. I wouldn't know as I don't use Facebook.
I don't think this is your regular run of the mill cancellation or request for charge back for the original purchase. (MF are out of the question for RTUs, even the resorts are very upfront on just stopping if you don't want it anymore).

That being said, I don't see how the court can justify holding them in jail for 6 months to "allow the resort to gather evidence". I will have to see the court transcript to see if that is really what was said as it makes no sense. More likely they should be released but barred from leaving Mexico.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Boy, all the more reason not to purchase in a foreign country.

 

[easyrider]

I thought another article I read, and thought it was from a thread here, provided more information about the charges. But I can't find it.

It was from a thread but all of the posts on that thread, including mine, are speculative. To be charged with fraud means there was a crime involved in the breach of contract. For a breach of contract to become a crime it would include an intent to deceive or actual theft.

An example might be going to a Mexican presentation, signing the contract to receive extra perks not included in the perks for attending the presentation but were perks added because of the sale, with the intention of canceling and using the added perks. The proof might be a post on social media suggesting the buyer wasn't going to buy anything. This could be considered fraud.

Bill

 

[pierrepierre]

Article VERY vague....however if you did purchase something under contract and you signed it, did not pay.....it will be interesting who is at fault...?????

 

[rickandcindy23]

They bragged on FB about ripping off the company. Stupid!

 

[easyrider]

Here is a new clip on what may of happened.

Bill

 

[daviator]

Here is a new clip on what may of happened.

Bill

No new info in the video.

My interpretation of all of this is that these people signed the purchase contract knowing that they did not intend to fulfill it, and they publicly stated so in a Facebook group they created to teach other people to pull the same kind of scheme. So they basically admitted to fraud in a public square, and they pissed off a powerful and probably well-connected company in Mexico, and even worse – they cost the company a lot of money by encouraging others to rip them off in a similar manner. The company pulled strings and got charges filed against the couple and a warrant issued for their arrest. Then the couple was stupid and arrogant enough to return to Mexico, where the warrant was immediately executed.

I think they probably belong in the jail where they currently reside. Entering a contract fraudulently is a crime in pretty much every country.

 

[wmgjr]

They bragged on FB about ripping off the company. Stupid!

Source?

 

[rickandcindy23]

Source?

That was in the article.

 

[daviator]

Source?

There are several articles online which state that. Also the manifesto from the daughter states that the company demanded they take down the Facebook group they apparently started or controlled which centered on owners and prospective owners of that company's timeshares.

You don’t have to go very far down the rabbit hole to, I think, reach the same conclusion that I did. Even if you think that the couple was taken advantage of (and although it’s a bit unclear, it seems that quite possibly they were not the victim but the perpetrator) it seems incredibly stupid to return to Mexico after bragging about their exploits online.

 

[moonstone]

I went down a rabbit hole this morning pre-dawn with this story. Details very vague. So I'm holding off formulating an opinion for now.

Me too! I agree with @daviator. I think there is more to this story than what their daughter posted on an RCI group FB page and what is the news.

~Diane

 

[easyrider]

Interesting is many of us on Tug post about the incentives we received at Mexican Resort presentations. This includes me . I know it's not the same thing exactly but it seems very close as none of us have any intention of buying.

 Bill

 

[moonstone]

Source?

The story was posted on the TUG FB page this morning and on one of the RCI timeshare owners pages.

~Diane

 

[daviator]

Interesting is many of us on Tug post about the incentives we received at Mexican Resort presentations. This includes me . I know it's not the same thing exactly but it seems very close as none of us have any intention of buying.

 Bill

You don’t have to have intention to buy to go to a presentation and listen. You get incentives for going to the presentation. That’s all fine. They have their shot at you, that’s all the incentives are for.

It’s also fine to sign a purchase contract and then change your mind within the rescission period, and cancel it according to the rescission terms (in Mexico the rescission period is very short, five days I think… and it’s worth noting that there may be countries in which there is NO rescission period. Be careful what you sign! Personally, I would never recommend signing a contract you intend to rescind. Just don’t sign it in the first place! There is too much risk of something going wrong when rescinding, especially in a foreign country.)

It’s a different thing entirely to sign a purchase contract with the knowledge and intent that you don’t plan to honor it, and then get home and dispute the monthly credit card transactions for the monthly payments, claiming they are unauthorized. That seems to be what this couple did.

It’s a little bit like buying a car on payments, and driving the car around while refusing to make the payments, while bragging to your friends about how you got a free car and they can get one too. You may not like the car any more, but you bought it, and you have to pay for it.

 

[wmgjr]

That was in the article.

now theres a reason for me 2 read the article lol

 

[SteveinHNL]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1904373515060404726