Pennsylvania Bluegreen Lawsuit

[Ubil]

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081015_Pennsylvania_alleges__100_million_time-share_scam.html

 

[Carolinian]

Wow! Maybe this is the state AG we need to take on RCI Points on some of the points vs. weeks issues that were not consolidated into the class action.

 

[tombo]

When the AG wins this, I doubt that there will be a single developer who will continue employing a sales force in this state. None of them can survive using ethical sales tactics with full, honest disclosure.

I hope that more states take note and follow suit.

 

[e.bram]

FINALLY!!!!
The results of the investigation could be used by all scamees, to recind anytime and sue for resitiution(as a counterclaim when the developer comes after the scamee).

 

[zazz]

Corbett's got a lot on his plate these days. Besides investigating the legislature, running for re-election and prepping for a 2010 Gubernatorial campaign, he taking on timeshares.

I would temper the enthusiasm a bit. I don't know that there are going to be any massive breakthroughs. Any settlement with the AG will likey have some disclosure requirements. But by and large, I think that the settlement is going to focus on getting some restitution and forcing the company to abide by existing laws which include telling purchasers of their right to rescind, not extending the period that they can rescind or opening all companies to lawsuits. And since there probably aren't a ton of timeshare sales here, I would expect a huge impact on the industry as a whole.

I think a lot of the changes that many here would want are going to have to be legislative actions rather than administrative actions. Good luck with that. I would rather leave helpful reform up to a kindergarten class than the General Assembly.

I have been to that office in King of Prussia. From what I remember, they didn't make any shady claims about the value of the points increasing, but they did imply that exchanging was as simple as calling someone and telling that that you want a week in a Paris timeshare over Bastille Day. Interestingly, since I turned them down a couple of years ago, I have never heard from them again. I still get calls from Marriott and Hilton.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Ripple Effect ?

Will this slow down or stop the takeover of BlueGreen Timeshare Co. by Diamond Timeshare Co. ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[pianodinosaur]

This is a very interesting article. The 90 minute presentation that turns into five hours is certainly a very common practice.

 

[icydog]

It worries me that Bluegreen is "One of Those" timeshare companies. I have a silver membership with them that I just bought resale and I worry that even with Diamond in charge they will not care about their members. I see what happened with Fairfield and I certainly don't want a repeat of that.

 

[e.bram]

This articla or link should be made a STICKY.

 

[Bill4728]

IMHO, the issues in the PA lawsuit are all well known issues of developer TS sales. They have been reported over and over again in the media. You'd think that most all US consummers would know this info.


It concerns me that the issues of the PCC and up front resale companies are seldom ever in the news and almost never an issue for the consummer protection crowd.

 

[e.bram]

Bill:
The same reason nobody ever heard of Lake Tappas, WA and everybody knows New York City. Size.

 

[zazz]

Will this slow down or stop the takeover of BlueGreen Timeshare Co. by Diamond Timeshare Co. ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Maybe. Any settlement that Bluegree would sign with the Penna. AG would apply to the merged firm. But PA isn't a big timeshare state, so I doubt that this would really do a lot to them over the long term.

However, Attorneys General tend to be a copycat business, not unlike serial killers. If other AGs picked up the ball and went after the firm, Diamond might think that having a dozen consent orders in various states is a bit too much baggage for their taste. Just depends on which AGs decided to get into the game, if any. A settlement with the state of Ohio wouldn't be as meaningful as a settlement with South Carolina or Florida.

 

[rapmarks]

Will this slow down or stop the takeover of BlueGreen Timeshare Co. by Diamond Timeshare Co. ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

don't you think that was already stopped by the economy?

 

[e.bram]

This post is probably the most important post ever for TUG. THis establishes that the AG of a major making these fraud allegations, not tuggers or other parties feeling they have been scammed. Here we have an independant legal opinion which can be used against the developer in a law suit with most of the work done a laid out in a legal format.

 

[BocaBum99]

This post is probably the most important post ever for TUG. THis establishes that the AG of a major making these fraud allegations, not tuggers or other parties feeling they have been scammed. Here we have an independant legal opinion which can be used against the developer in a law suit with most of the work done a laid out in a legal format.

LOL. The most important post ever? :hysterical:

It doesn't even rate as the most important post in the last 5 minutes. The most that will happen is a settlement like Bluegreen made with New Jersey.

The most important post impacting timesharing would be a homeowner bailout plan that allows owners with mortgages under water to re-negotiate principal. That would actually kill the entire timeshare industry.

 

[CMF]

Come on BB, add a comment to the story using the link at the bottom of the article. Seriously, I was a bit surprised that there are 0 comments.

Charles

 

[e.bram]

BocaBum99:
It allows someone who is sued because he cannot pay the note on his TS a legitamate defense without going to a lawyer, by using these arguments.

 

[dougp26364]

Will this slow down or stop the takeover of BlueGreen Timeshare Co. by Diamond Timeshare Co. ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

The credit crunch has already done that. That deal is dead and has been pronounced so by Bluegreen.