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renting DVC points ressie gone wrong

K

klynn

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
653
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82
I have one prior positive experience renting DVC with this person. Everything went well. I paid him for another rental for December. He said to just put the money in his PayPal. There was no invoice and no contract. I paid him July 3. He acknowledged payment. And then I waited for the confirmation. The end of July he apologized and said he got a new phone and would send the confirmation in a few days. That was the last I heard from him. He ignores all my texts. I called him once and left a voice mail. I even texted him that I just need to know if the reservation exists or if something happened that if he doesn't have my reservation to please let me know and I will make other arrangements. I don't know what to do. I live in Minnesota and he lives on Long Island so I am not close enough to drop in and see him. I do know he owns a restaurant. Any tugger want to want to have a free meal on me to go and visit him? haha
 
Did you send money, or did you pay via a credit card? Credit card companies will occasionally step up for you.

People can get sick, diet, or even start suffering from dementia. Anything could have happened to this guy.

You could try calling DVC to make sure you dates are as you remembered. Maybe DVC will help.

So sorry, Kerry.
 
While this hasn't happened to me (as an owner or a renter), during 9/11 (well a few days before) I got appendicitis and then had complications and was in the hospital for over 2 weeks (this was before I had a smart phone, and cell phones weren't allowed in the hospital anyway), let alone internet.

I had completely forgotten about some contractor work I'd scheduled so they show up at the house and nobody is there, obviously. Doh!

Anyway, all was well eventually and got rescheduled.

So *hopefully* it's a case of the person maybe being unavailable vs. deliberate attempts, although I'm not wishing anything bad to have happened to the person doing the renting out.

I did have one person who rented from me one time whose house got flooded in a hurricane, though, so they needed me to re-send the confirmation as they had printed it out and it got lost/damaged in the flood as did their computer and stuff.
 
I'm sorry you are having a problem with this rental, but you did nothing to protect yourself. Sending money with no invoice, no confirmation, and no rental agreement is an invitation to trouble. You also waited far too long to do anything about it.

If you paid with a credit card - you need to dispute the payment immediately with your CC company. Don't mince words with your credit card company. Be very straight forward: "I rented a vacation rental on the internet and I got scammed - I didn't receive a reservation and now the owner will not contact me."

If you paid with funds in your PayPal Acct. or funds in your bank account transferred to PayPal, you need to dispute the payment with PayPal immediately. Again - be very direct that you were scammed. Don't be wishy-washy or you aren't going to get a refund.
 
rickandcindy23 said:
Did you send money, or did you pay via a credit card? Credit card companies will occasionally step up for you.

People can get sick, diet, or even start suffering from dementia. Anything could have happened to this guy.

You could try calling DVC to make sure you dates are as you remembered. Maybe DVC will help.

So sorry, Kerry.
Click to expand...

I paid with a credit card via PayPal. I found him on facebook and he posts every week so he is still around. I tried calling DVC (we are also DVC members) and they said they can't even look at his account to see if we have a reservation.
 
Dispute the payment with your credit card - that will be a wake up call for the owner, and he will either send the confirmation, or you will get your money back. Don't delay.
 
DeniseM said:
I'm sorry you are having a problem with this rental, but you did nothing to protect yourself. Sending money with no invoice, no confirmation, and no rental agreement is an invitation to trouble. You also waited far too long to do anything about it.

If you paid with a credit card - you need to dispute the payment immediately with your CC company. Don't mince words with your credit card company. Be very straight forward: "I rented a vacation rental on the internet and I got scammed - I didn't receive a reservation and now the owner will not contact me."

If you paid with funds in your PayPal Acct. or funds in your bank account transferred to PayPal, you need to dispute the payment with PayPal immediately. Again - be very direct that you were scammed. Don't be wishy-washy or you aren't going to get a refund.
Click to expand...

You are correct. I did nothing to protect myself. I trusted him because I had done business with him in the past and all was fine and communication was good. I have learned a lesson.
 
If you really want this reservation (instead of a refund) I would call, text, and email the owner and leave this message: "If I don't receive a DVC confirmation in my name by midnight tomorrow, I am going to dispute the payment with my credit card and get my money back."
 
UPDATE. I decided to send him a facebook message after I left a voicemail and text earlier today. To my surprise, he actually responded! He said he was sorry and that he had lost his phone and changed phone carriers. He said he did not have my phone number and could not contact me. (I think he could have looked at the last DVC reservation I rented. Would not my phone number have been on that?) Anyway, he said he would send me the confirmation via facebook messenger. We shall see.
 
His response is an indication of really sloppy, or non-existent, bookkeeping - this is not acceptable.

Is it even possible to attach an official confirmation to a Facebook message?

I would not give him any more time. If you don't receive the guest confirmation in 24 hours - then you should send him the final notice, and then dispute the payment, if you don't receive the confirmation within 24 hours.
 
If only there was some sort of document that contained the owner's information and the renter's information, intended dates of occupancy, and the agreed upon rent.... :ponder:
 
I don't think I can look back on older DVC reservations and see who stayed and what their information is.

I think all will be well, but this is a good lesson.
 
klynn said:
UPDATE. I decided to send him a facebook message after I left a voicemail and text earlier today. To my surprise, he actually responded! He said he was sorry and that he had lost his phone and changed phone carriers. He said he did not have my phone number and could not contact me. (I think he could have looked at the last DVC reservation I rented. Would not my phone number have been on that?) Anyway, he said he would send me the confirmation via facebook messenger. We shall see.
Click to expand...

I live on Long Island. Lmk if you want me to visit the restaurant! I love to go out to eat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
klynn said:
I do know he owns a restaurant. Any tugger want to want to have a free meal on me to go and visit him? haha
Click to expand...

What is the name of his restaurant?
 
So did you get your reservation? Is everything as it should be?
 
Here is another update. He is AWOL again and I still have no confirmation. I contacted PayPal and learned I have no protection because the payment was taken out of my checking account. (I thought I had paid with a credit card.) I called my bank and they said there is nothing they can do because it has been too long.

DVC Member Services is not able to help because they cannot look at a Member's account without the Member being on the phone. Disney central reservations told me no reservations exists either in my name or his name. They can see my week reservation which I obtained from RCI but nothing for the 3 days following that week.

I know I did everything wrong by trusting this person. My mistake. I have learned my lesson. My plan is to reserve something through Disney for those 3 days. When I check into Saratoga Springs (RCI exchange), I will ask if they see my 3-day reservation the following week. If they do, then I will have time to cancel what I book through Disney and if they don't see it then I will keep my booking with Disney.
 
Also, on Tuesday I did send him a certified letter with restricted delivery which means only he can sign for it. I asked for one of two things within 2 days of receipt of the letter. I asked him to either provide the confirmation number or return my money. I doubt I will hear anything.
 
That's terrible. I hope you get some satisfaction.
 
klynn said:
Also, on Tuesday I did send him a certified letter with restricted delivery which means only he can sign for it. I asked for one of two things within 2 days of receipt of the letter. I asked him to either provide the confirmation number or return my money. I doubt I will hear anything.
Click to expand...

Since he has not followed through multiple times now post his information here so others can see who it is they need to avoid so they won’t fall victim. If posting his info here finally gets his attention, and he ends up providing you with a confirmation, you could always redact his info later.
 
Omg he can’t answer your messages because he’s busy posting this. An hour ago.

[Political graphic deleted]

I know I won’t be visiting his restaurant. Ever.




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I have no idea if this is the same guy, but Googling his name shows a John Molesi (also in New York) that started a $10K GoFundMe in 2014 for a child with severe burns. No details, updates, nothing. Was unsuccessful. Less than $1K pledged. Again, no idea if this is the same person or if the GoFundMe was legit or not, but someone who plays a scam in one game...
 
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klynn said:
Also, on Tuesday I did send him a certified letter with restricted delivery which means only he can sign for it. I asked for one of two things within 2 days of receipt of the letter. I asked him to either provide the confirmation number or return my money. I doubt I will hear anything.
Click to expand...

I’m guessing you never heard from him?


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Theiggy said:
I’m guessing you never heard from him?


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Click to expand...

USPS tried to deliver my certified letter on Friday, but he was not there to sign for it. USPS left him a notice, but he did not pick it up as of today.
 
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