Sticky - Know Your Rights Of Rescission Before Attending A Mexican Timeshare Presentation

[Karen G]

indyjuli, see post #12 in this thread for
contact info for the Vida group customer service dept.

 

[Passepartout]

Jim,
What did that really mean? They kept bringing up the class action suit from RCI..... as a means for people to learn about it by attending their presentation. So, how would this knowledge really help me? Then they give me a year of RCI... huh? I couldn't afford 2 units and the kitchen so they came back with the studio (no kitchen) and then began crunching numbers.

So much information was being thrown at me and I was trying to understand and process it in a limited time. Plus, I was tired of being there for over 4 hours. When I was told them that I needed a day to think about it, they said, oh no we can't do this. I was having a difficult time understanding the one week for 10 years, and then 2 more units for another 100 years? Then add in the rental off $1,000 for my unit to help offset the balance of the purchase. How do I know that this studio is guaranteed to rent? I also was told that golfers want to pay big bucks to stay at this resort and that I could not stay there for a few years so that my unit could be rented to this big spenders? Plus add in VIDA and all their rules.. How could anyone possibly understand all this in such a short period and by myself??

Granted, I feel scammed and taken advantage of like so many of you. It is certainly not a good feeling. I feel sick to my stomach as I keep researching all the scams here. I found TUG after my 5 day rescindence period. I want out of my contract. I left a message with the resort today and am waiting for a call back. Do I have any recourse? Can I get my deposit back? I haven't started the monthly payments yet and don't want to pay them.

Can anyone help me get out of a contract that went wrong? I am using this forum for support and advice. I left the sales people bully me and I have learned a life lesson.

Why did I let the pressure get the best of me? When something sounds too good to be true, this should have been a BIG red flag.

You've put so much in your stream-of-conscience post that we've seen so many times before. I'll try to address them, but sadly, I don't know that it will either give you any ammunition to cancel the contract, or make you feel better about your purchase.

They kept you captive there and wore you down. They have answers for any reason why you should not buy. You are NOT alone.

First, they LIED. Over and over, they LIED. It was all smoke and mirrors. The RCI class action was B.S. It meant next to nothing to owners.

Can it be rented? No. Not for what your MF is. If there was a way to profitably rent to 'high rolling golfers', don't you think they'd be renting them instead of selling them to tourists?

You're wasting your time thinking that contacting the resort will result in being able to cancel after the rescission period has ended. It won't happen.

One thing we HAVE seen work is starting threads here on TUG, at TS4MS. Redweek, any other social networks you have access to. Post prominently. Big font. In color. Tell about the predatory sales practices. Email 'Karen Rose' with links to your rants. It won't happen quickly, but if you get some responses, they will cancel your contract under the condition that you post something like 'My complaint against VIDA was brought to a satisfactory conclusion.' or some such disclaimer.

Obviously, open a case with PROFECO. Can't hurt. Might help.

Or, I don't know how important your credit rating/score is to you, but you could simply not pay, force them to turn you in to collection. You'd lose whatever you put down, but in time your credit would be repaired. It's hard to say how much of a hit defaulting on a Mexican timeshare would do to your credit, but you have the right to put an explanatory letter in your credit file explaining any derogatory reports.

Good luck. I really wish I had better news for you. There are a few bad actors in the ranks of timeshare developers. Vida is one. Remember, they are operating in a country with different laws than here. We wish that you'd found us before you went to the presentation. We wish you'd just kept telling them no. We wish you'd been sick enough to your stomach and unable to sleep that you'd found us within 5 days after signing that contract.

Yes, it was a life lesson, but hopefully one you can get over and move on from.

We wish you well, and are on your side.

Jim

 

[indyjuli]

You've put so much in your stream-of-conscience post that we've seen so many times before. I'll try to address them, but sadly, I don't know that it will either give you any ammunition to cancel the contract, or make you feel better about your purchase.

They kept you captive there and wore you down. They have answers for any reason why you should not buy. You are NOT alone.

First, they LIED. Over and over, they LIED. It was all smoke and mirrors. The RCI class action was B.S. It meant next to nothing to owners.

Can it be rented? No. Not for what your MF is. If there was a way to profitably rent to 'high rolling golfers', don't you think they'd be renting them instead of selling them to tourists?

You're wasting your time thinking that contacting the resort will result in being able to cancel after the rescission period has ended. It won't happen.

One thing we HAVE seen work is starting threads here on TUG, at TS4MS. Redweek, any other social networks you have access to. Post prominently. Big font. In color. Tell about the predatory sales practices. Email 'Karen Rose' with links to your rants. It won't happen quickly, but if you get some responses, they will cancel your contract under the condition that you post something like 'My complaint against VIDA was brought to a satisfactory conclusion.' or some such disclaimer.

Obviously, open a case with PROFECO. Can't hurt. Might help.

Or, I don't know how important your credit rating/score is to you, but you could simply not pay, force them to turn you in to collection. You'd lose whatever you put down, but in time your credit would be repaired. It's hard to say how much of a hit defaulting on a Mexican timeshare would do to your credit, but you have the right to put an explanatory letter in your credit file explaining any derogatory reports.

Good luck. I really wish I had better news for you. There are a few bad actors in the ranks of timeshare developers. Vida is one. Remember, they are operating in a country with different laws than here. We wish that you'd found us before you went to the presentation. We wish you'd just kept telling them no. We wish you'd been sick enough to your stomach and unable to sleep that you'd found us within 5 days after signing that contract.

Yes, it was a life lesson, but hopefully one you can get over and move on from.

We wish you well, and are on your side.

Jim

Jim, thank you for your support and words of advise. I feel so violated and can't understand how people/companies can be so deceitful and liars. My stay at the Mayan Palace was nice except for going to the TS Presentation. I will try to contact the folks you stated. I called my credit card company about the down payment but they won't dispute it since it is under a contract. I have excellent credit and if it means I have to tarnish it by not paying the remaining money, so be it.

The good thing is that I did NOT pay Equity Acquisition to buy back my time share. When they came back with, "you have a first right of refusal" so you can buy it back from us for $1,800. That didn't sound right at all and since I was in my home territory and not pressured into paying that fee, I ignored them completely. I still own my timeshare (which is paid in full) and am responsible for maintenance fees of about $600 annually. I belong to Tricom Platinum Club which has NO membership fees and I have been able to exchange for a minimal fee. They are honest and have delivered my requests. Granted, they don't have the inventory or all of the high end resorts that RCI or SFX has, it works for me since I am single and on a limited budget (I am an educator),

With that being said, I will wait for the resort to contact me so I can attempt to cancel. I won't pay Equity Acquisition to give me back the timeshare that I already own. I have an email into Profeco but not sure I'll hear anything.

Like most of the folks on here, we just want honest and truthful selling practices. It isn't a difficult thing to do, but they saw another ignorant American who would get confused with all the information and lies they presented and then feel pressured to give them everything. Yes, it sounded too good to be true and I fell for it.

Sorry for being so negative but I am feeling overwhelmed as I am trying to get out of the mess I am in. Thank you for your support, kind words and I am so glad that there are GOOD and honest people like you and others here on TUG who are willing to help us. That means a lot!!

To be continued...... Juli

 

[indyjuli]

Mayan Palace Woes

indyjuli, I feel your pain. So many people have posted on TUG with similar stories. Go back to the first post in this thread and click on the contact info for Profeco, the Mexican consumer protection agency. You have nothing to lose by contacting them, especially if you feel there was fraud involved in your contract.

Somewhere in this thread is a contact number for the Vida group customer service dept. and some have reported a resolution to their problems through that dept.

I hope you can find some relief.

Thank you Karen. I left a message with CS and have NOT heard back from them yet. I was told so many lies up front and during the grueling presentation. I will also contact PROFECO and post to other forums to have my complaint noticed.

Thank you all for your support. I need it NOW! Juli

 

[indyjuli]

Issue Resolved

Jim,
The sales pitch at the Mayan was deceitful and unfortunately I fell prey to their unethical sales practices. I was given a trade in value for my time share to use to offset the cost. They pulled out the maintenance fee sheet to illustrate how much a person is paying for a life time of fees. Yet, they don't discuss how the $570 fee is really a maintenance fee in disguise. They told me that my Palm Springs TC time share was only rated a 2 on a scale of 5 for all time shares. What did that really mean? They kept bringing up the class action suit from RCI..... as a means for people to learn about it by attending their presentation. So, how would this knowledge really help me? Then they give me a year of RCI... huh? I couldn't afford 2 units and the kitchen so they came back with the studio (no kitchen) and then began crunching numbers.

So much information was being thrown at me and I was trying to understand and process it in a limited time. Plus, I was tired of being there for over 4 hours. When I was told them that I needed a day to think about it, they said, oh no we can't do this. I was having a difficult time understanding the one week for 10 years, and then 2 more units for another 100 years? Then add in the rental off $1,000 for my unit to help offset the balance of the purchase. How do I know that this studio is guaranteed to rent? I also was told that golfers want to pay big bucks to stay at this resort and that I could not stay there for a few years so that my unit could be rented to this big spenders? Plus add in VIDA and all their rules.. How could anyone possibly understand all this in such a short period and by myself??

Granted, I feel scammed and taken advantage of like so many of you. It is certainly not a good feeling. I feel sick to my stomach as I keep researching all the scams here. I found TUG after my 5 day rescindence period. I want out of my contract. I left a message with the resort today and am waiting for a call back. Do I have any recourse? Can I get my deposit back? I haven't started the monthly payments yet and don't want to pay them.

Can anyone help me get out of a contract that went wrong? I am using this forum for support and advice. I left the sales people bully me and I have learned a life lesson.

Why did I let the pressure get the best of me? When something sounds too good to be true, this should have been a BIG red flag.

If someone could please give me some sound advise on how to end this contract or fight it, I would greatly appreciate your help. Sick to my stomach, in California....

Thanks to all those who provided feedback and encouragement, my issue has been resolved. You guys are awesome!! I am in current negotiations with The Vida Vacation Club and Grand Mayan. I would like to thank Eridany James and Karen Rose for providing excellent customer service. They have worked with me in a professional and honest manner and I would like to retract my earlier post. Thank you.

Julie M.

 

[am1]

Without reading everything. You should leave what you wrote for others to see before they make the same mistake. They may not have the same ending that you have.

 

[Passepartout]

Without reading everything. You should leave what you wrote for others to see before they make the same mistake. They may not have the same ending that you have.

The retraction MAY be a condition of the amicable resolution.

 

[red fuji]

What I find more ironic is that some companies want to rob you first before helping you get your money back from dishonest Timeshare Resorts.
companies like timesharescam.com who want to charge you over 35% of amount you are getting back from Timeshare resorts-even during the 5 day rescind period.
they are bunch of smooth crooks.

 

[Passepartout]

red fuji, did you actually rescind from that 'vacation club' you were going to send the rescission fax to back in Sept of 2013? You haven't been back until today with a progress report.

Did you pay someone to 'get you out' of your timeshare? Or did you buy a 'real' timeshare after rescinding from the vacation club.

Jim

 

[am1]

The retraction MAY be a condition of the amicable resolution.

Money talks I guess. The resort will just move on to someone else.

 

[jasm]

Does it help at all to not take any credit cards with you when attending a presentation to prevent you from putting money down while under pressure?

 

[DeniseM]

Does it help at all to not take any credit cards with you when attending a presentation to prevent you from putting money down while under pressure?

If you don't trust yourself, why go at all? In fact, why waste your precious vacation time on this in the first place?

 

[Passepartout]

I don't think you can go to a presentation without a credit card. Or without your spouse, if married.

 

[LannyPC]

Does it help at all to not take any credit cards with you when attending a presentation to prevent you from putting money down while under pressure?

I'll echo Denise's comments about why waste your vacations time being subjected to a 5-hour interrogation session. But, if you must... usually there is a requirement to put a deposit down on your valid credit card (around $30) to make sure you show up for the presentation. That also gives the sales people the ammo that they need knowing that you do indeed have a valid credit card and they have the info (number and expiry date). Then, you cannot use the excuse that you do not have a valid credit card.

The other sneaky thing that they might do is check what kind of card it is. Some credit cards are only issued to people who earn above a certain income level. If you have one of those high-end cards, they just might use that against you if you try the "We can't afford it" excuse (not that you need any excuse to say "No", that is your right).

 

[Karen G]

usually there is a requirement to put a deposit down on your valid credit card (around $30) to make sure you show up for the presentation.

That's a new twist I haven't heard of before. We've always been asked to give the outside personal contact (OPC) $20 USD as a deposit to be sure we show up. It is refunded after the presentation.

I wouldn't feel comfortable at all giving the OPC my credit card number. They are usually a person who confronts you at the resort or on the street trying to get you to go to a presentation. It seems kind of crazy to give them a credit card number in that setting.

 

[Passepartout]

I wouldn't give the Body Snatcher ANYTHING. Occasionally I've had them offer a ride to a presentation, which I wouldn't accept either. I want to be able to leave on MY schedule, not theirs. 'Course it's been several years since I felt the goodies were worth my time.

Jim

 

[LannyPC]

That's a new twist I haven't heard of before. We've always been asked to give the outside personal contact (OPC) $20 USD as a deposit to be sure we show up. It is refunded after the presentation.

That actually happened to us at the last presentation we attended (although not in Mexico). We were checking in and were asked if we would like [insert gift here]. Long story short, at the front desk, they charged us $30 on our credit card but was refunded to us in cash at the conclusion of the presentation.

 

[Karen G]

That actually happened to us at the last presentation we attended (although not in Mexico). We were checking in and were asked if we would like [insert gift here]. Long story short, at the front desk, they charged us $30 on our credit card but was refunded to us in cash at the conclusion of the presentation.

Interesting--if the front desk did the charging on the card that wouldn't be as bad as if someone on the street was requesting it.

 

[Passepartout]

Long story short, at the front desk, they charged us $30 on our credit card but was refunded to us in cash at the conclusion of the presentation.

I can see a resort doing this just to check that the card is active and valid. Especially if it's a different card than the one used for incidentals during the TS stay. it isn't going to make me go to a presentation any more than without checking.

Still, common sense would tell a reasonable person to NEVER give a credit card to a body snatcher at the airport or on the street.

 

[Arob89]

help

Hi ,

I'm a lucky fellow who recently married into a Club Sunset timeshare.

My wife and her mother got sucked into the whole sales pitch and pressure meeting in Sept of 2013 while on a trip to Cancun. They unfortunately ended up signing the contract, obviously not really understanding what they were getting into. From what I've read from other posts it all sounds the same; hi pressure sales, making it seem like an investment, free gifts, and taking advantage of people with English as a second language.

Anyway I didn't really understand how serious these contracts were and how hard they are to get out of until after we got married in June 2014. Needless to say I'm scrambling to find a way to end it since it seems like nothing but a money pit. About $6000 has been paid to them already and there's still another $7000 to go, plus the MFs.

I've contacted the developer and asked to cancel the contract, and they want a letter sent stating exactly why we want to cancel. Does anyone have some suggestions as to what I should say in that letter? I feel like if I say the wrong thing they wont let me cancel.

At this point all I want is it to end, I don't even care about the money already wasted.

Thanks
-Alex

 

[Passepartout]

Hi Alex.
Unfortunately today, timeshares- especially Mexican timeshares- are more liability than asset. You can't even give them away if they ARE paid for, and often have to sweeten the pot by paying transfers and all kinds of things.

First, DO NOT fall for anyone's 'We can get you out of your timeshare' deal. NEVER send ANY money for ANY reason to ANYONE who says they can sell your timeshare.

OK, now the letter. Since there is no ownership, they can't foreclose. Mexican timeshares are 'Right to Use'. Not deeded. So you might consider just telling them you won't pay them another nickel. if they are automatically charging a credit card or bank account, change them. You will get calls from collectors, and possibly your (or wife/MIL)'s credit rating might take a hit. It's possible though that after they decide you won't pay any more they'll sell your contract to a collector, and you will have to negotiate with that outfit.

Frankly, I don't know what the technicalities are with a Mexican outfit trying to collect from a Canadian resident. It might be that just a hardship letter, (Mom's dying, the dog needs surgery, I lost my job at the buggy whip company and we are on welfare and will never take another vacation) will get the job done.

The alternative might be to pay it off and enjoy a lifetime of great vacations. In surveys we've done here in TUG, over half of TUGgers bought their first timeshare from the developer. And over 2/3 are happy with their first timeshare and in the end are happy they bought it.

You'll note that the name of TUG is Timeshare USER'S group, not 'How to get out of your timeshare group.'

Good Luck, Best Wishes and Welcome to TUG. And Congratulations on the marriage.

Jim

 

[Boonie]

I don't think you can go to a presentation without a credit card. Or without your spouse, if married.

So if your are married both have to attend (I've read this before along with a minimum income requirement) but both MUST also agree and sign? I told my husband yesterday he just needs to be the bad guy and say NO!

 

[LannyPC]

So if your are married both have to attend (I've read this before along with a minimum income requirement) but both MUST also agree and sign? I told my husband yesterday he just needs to be the bad guy and say NO!

There are a couple of reasons why they require that you attend with your spouse or significant other. One is that, if you are attending alone, you can use the excuse "I'll have to talk it over with my spouse/significant other." If he or she attends with you, you won't have that excuse.

The other is that they like to play psychological games including turning one spouse/significant other against each other. So when point out that your husband "just needs to be the bad guy and say NO", they will try to use that against you (or him) by making him look like the bad guy for denying you this "wonderful opportunity".

 

[Tbone47]

Rescinded my Vidanta - Now What

I have recently requested that my contract be rescinded about two days into the contract so I believe that I can get out of it. A couple of days later I received an email from a contract person who want to see how they can convince me to keep my contract. Can anybody lend some advice on how I could possibly negotiate some addendums to the deal to make is really worth keeping?

Last week I returned from a visit to Mayan Palace NV. Strangely I said that I would avoid the sales presentation but some how I got sweet talked into going and guess what? I purchased a 1BR studio. It was kind of affordable, but after thinking about the inconsistencies in the presentation and the comments. I'm still not sure about deal and if it has stuff that I really didn't consider as possible negative aspect of a contract.

One week is on a 10 year trust that is renewable
One week is 100 year trust renewable with 3xMF
Another week (any non vida)
Membership in Ambassador program

I am new to the site, but have learned a lot in the last couple of days after rescinding my contract with Vidanta. I have had a timeshare in Cancun and have learned to live with the deal I made, but that's almost all done. My sales experience with Vida was very easy and not really high pressure, but some how I do feel like I was buttered up a bit. There were some inconsistencies, but I would not call the outright lies, but you have to really be sharp and careful.

One of my concerns is how they offered to buy out my old timeshare contract for $17K and said I can keep my unused vacations. When I asked how they can do this they said that the writeoff helps them. But later I found that my contract at the old timeshare was actually expired. So why did they give me $17K off the purchase price? How could they buy out a contract that was expired? I don't think they just said that they were going to buy out the contract, but just gave me false discount to give me the perception that my old time share contract was worth anything.

So I have read my contract and have some questions that I will get answered from contract services, but if there is a reason to get out of my contract I will. If there is a reason to keep it and negotiate some extras or changes to make the deal better. I'll keep it.

Does anybody have any suggestions or advice on what to do?

 

[Passepartout]

Just rescind. Don't try to figure out why any Mexican TS outfit does anything. Too many people have been promised that they would get $XXXX.XX only to find out long after the rescission period that they still owned it as well as the 'new' one. Those sales people will say absolutely anything to make the sale. Like your first sentence: "What can they promise that will make you change your mind."

Rescind. Buy resale, if you want a Mexican TS. Better still, rent. Mexican TSs rent for less than the underlying MF, so why not?

Send it Certified, w/return receipt.

We wish you well.

Jim