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Timeshare Closing Services Inc.- asking for SSI numbers

Larry

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I have purchased another week at LaCabana Beach and Racquet Club, Aruba
(This will be my 5th week purchased at this resort), and have received closing papers from Timeshare Closing Services Inc. in Orlando FL.

In reviewing closing documents several items are bothering me so I tried calling the person who is handling my closing, but every time I call I get someone else who all seem clueless at what I am telling them and just repeat the company line that is wrong, wrong, wrong?

1) thay ask for my SSI number which I refuse to give to them. When I ask why they need it their answer is " The resort management company requires it". When I tell them that that is not true as I have closed 4 times and as recently as last month and it has never been required. I also pointed out that there is no management company at LaCabana as it is run by the HOH with a Manager hired by the HOH. They say it is required and if I don't provide it and the resort rejects my closing I will have to pay another $50 re-processing fee.

2) They say " Resort requires photo ID which should be a copy of driver's license for both me and my wife" I again told them it is not required by the resort and has never been required in my 4 previous closings.

I told them that instead of driver's license I will provide copies of photo Id's that I have from LaCabana.

I may be wrong but I thought this was a well respected closing company recommended by many on TUG, but I am totaly frustrated by my experience with them so far. I have done more that 25 closings with other companies and have never had this type of experience.

Does anyone have a contact and direct phone number and or email address of someone at this closing company that I can speak with that actually knows what they are doing?

I will send all required documents tomorrow with notarized signatures where required, but I will not provide both of our driver's licenses and SSI numbers.:wall: :crash: :shrug:
 

ronparise

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In my experience (Fl licensed real estate agent) Closing companies routinely ask my customers for a copy of their id. They need to know who they are dealing with. If you dont tell them who you are when you buy it...how will you be able to prove that you are the owner when you go to sell it

They need the ss # from their sellers to report net proceeds to the IRS, I dont think so from the buyer. but if they ask for it Whats the big deal.

As an owner I would want to know that someone is looking at the new buyers...If you refuse to identify yourself Id assume you have something to hide...and probably wouldnt want you as my neighbor

They have given you a choice, either buy the place or not...Your move
 

Larry

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In my experience (Fl licensed real estate agent) Closing companies routinely ask my customers for a copy of their id. They need to know who they are dealing with. If you dont tell them who you are when you buy it...how will you be able to prove that you are the owner when you go to sell it

They need the ss # from their sellers to report net proceeds to the IRS, I dont think so from the buyer. but if they ask for it Whats the big deal.

As an owner I would want to know that someone is looking at the new buyers...If you refuse to identify yourself Id assume you have something to hide...and probably wouldnt want you as my neighbor

They have given you a choice, either buy the place or not...Your move

With all due respect, I don't think you are getting my point. They are telling me this is required by the resort and it is not. I have agreed to provide my owner ID pictures issued by the resort who already know who I am as I own 4 other weeks there.

My biggest concern is identity theft and sending both of our driver's licenses and SSI numbers to the address in Orlando where anyone, such as people in the mail room and other employees could use this information to steal our identities. I have never dealt with this closing company and don't like how we are starting off so am asking if anyone has had a good experience with them and if someone has a contact person at this company. I have already paid for this through Paypal and just want them to send the necessary documents to the resort, which I have already signed including getting notarized signatures, and everything is ready to go tomorrow, but without my SSI numbers and a copy of my driver's license.

Your assumption that if I don't provide this information, means I have something to hide is ludicrous. Like you I also buy, sell and rent out timeshares and have been doing it for some time and have never been required to provide this or have I ever required anyone to provide this to me and all of my transactions have gone through without any problems.

I have also told timeshare closing services that if the resort really need this I can provide it directly to the resort, but they certainly have no need to have either of these.:shrug: :crash:
 

slip

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I have worked with them about a year ago. I gave them the information and
Have had no problems. Closing was fast and I had no issues. A few months
Later I bought another week at the same resort with a different closing company
And they did not ask for either the ID or the SSI. That closing also went quickly
With no issues.
 

IngridN

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I purchased a resale unit at the Marriott Aruba Surf Club in 2010. None of this information was required by the closing agent or the Surf Club. If it were me, I'd tell them to pound sand. I am very aware of id theft and tend towards the paranoid in providing unnecessary information.

Ingrid
 

ronparise

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With all due respect, I don't think you are getting my point. They are telling me this is required by the resort and it is not. I have agreed to provide my owner ID pictures issued by the resort who already know who I am as I own 4 other weeks there.

My biggest concern is identity theft and sending both of our driver's licenses and SSI numbers to the address in Orlando where anyone, such as people in the mail room and other employees could use this information to steal our identities. I have never dealt with this closing company and don't like how we are starting off so am asking if anyone has had a good experience with them and if someone has a contact person at this company. I have already paid for this through Paypal and just want them to send the necessary documents to the resort, which I have already signed including getting notarized signatures, and everything is ready to go tomorrow, but without my SSI numbers and a copy of my driver's license.

Your assumption that if I don't provide this information, means I have something to hide is ludicrous. Like you I also buy, sell and rent out timeshares and have been doing it for some time and have never been required to provide this or have I ever required anyone to provide this to me and all of my transactions have gone through without any problems.

I have also told timeshare closing services that if the resort really need this I can provide it directly to the resort, but they certainly have no need to have either of these.:shrug: :crash:

I think you may have devised the perfect exit strategy for timeshares..Use a made up name and a vacant lot for an address. Use it until you are tired of it and just stop making payments...



There is no question that someone could steal your identity. I know that there are waiters that carry card readers so they can scan your credit card and sell the data to bad guys...but that doesnt keep me from eating in restaurants...and using a debit card. And the fact that a condo association might want my ss# to do a credit check and a criminal background check before that let me through the gates seems like a good thing to me

Dont take this personal..its not meant to be. My point is that anyone (not just you and me) can buy into a timeshare....I like that someone is looking at who they are. If that means they have to look at me and you too...so be it.

I've used these guys several times and have visited the offices of the associated sales company (same building) For what its worth; they look ok to me.
 

rickandcindy23

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I had to give Shell our SS#'s and did it once only. I had to give it to Timeshare Closing Services first.

This was exactly why we froze our credit. It's free, we can un-freeze it for a small charge, and no one can get credit without our special pin numbers assigned by the credit reporting agencies.

I hate to think of our SS#'s sitting in a dumpster somewhere.
 

Carolinian

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Remember that this is a company that willfully ignores and violates state criminal law on unautorized practice of law every time they use laymen to draft deeds in states that require licensed attorneys to do so. Would you trust a company that willfully violates criminal law with your private info?????? I would NOT!

And then there is the little matter of them lying to you about ''resort requirements''.
 
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Free2Roam

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They've asked for mine also on a few purchases. I told them it's not happening. I offered the last 4 digits and told them I would give the rest to the resort if they need it (because I would have an ongoing relationship with them)...but not to the closing company. That worked well and not one resort has asked for it...yet.
 

Larry

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I think you may have devised the perfect exit strategy for timeshares..Use a made up name and a vacant lot for an address. Use it until you are tired of it and just stop making payments...


And the fact that a condo association might want my ss# to do a credit check and a criminal background check before that let me through the gates seems like a good thing to me

QUOTE]

Sorry Ron but it is obvious you are not even reading my posting in full. "Use a made up name"

1)I am going to my bank today and have all required documents notarized.

2)"condo association might want my ss#" that would be fine but my HOH does not require this and they have lied to me by stating "management company requires this" when in fact LaCabana does not even have a management company.

3) Lacabana has already given me and owner's ID's with photo for both me and my wife, which I am sending them copies of.

4) I told timeshare closing that if LaCabana does need my SSI number and drivers license I would give it directly to them. so why does Timeshare closing need me to mail it to them so they can send it to resort????:shrug: :crash:
 

Larry

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Transfer is completed

Just a follow up on this thread I have received confirmation from LaCabana that the transfer is complete and ownership is officially in our names.

Timeshare Closing sent in all documents to LaCabana that I provided, but as I previously stated I did not provide SSI number or copy of our driver's licenses.

It is obvious that Timeshare closing simply asks for everything that might be needed by some management companies even if it is not required by your resort. I was at LaCabana for two weeks in January and again verified that SSI numbers and drivers licenses are not required by them, yet Timeshare Closing lied to me and said it was required.

My point in posting is simply to caution everyone that the more people that have this information the more chances there is of someone using it for identity theft.

If something confidential is not required why would I put myself at risk even if I think it is a low risk.:shrug: :crash:
 

Ron98GT

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Remember that this is a company that willfully ignores and violates state criminal law on unautorized practice of law every time they use laymen to draft deeds in states that require licensed attorneys to do so. Would you trust a company that willfully violates criminal law with your private info?????? I would NOT!

And then there is the little matter of them lying to you about ''resort requirements''.

And as an Eastern European you are framiliar with the state/county laws of Florida? Please provide the appropriate statutes and not opinions. :crash:
 

alexadeparis

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I am closing on a shell unit and they are insisting i fill out a credit application, even though my units are paid for. This is through the same closing company. This is despite the fact that I already gave them ID copies and my my social security number.
 

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If something confidential is not required why would I put myself at risk even if I think it is a low risk.:shrug: :crash:

Point taken...but I still dont think its a big deal, and I still do think that the HOAs should be doing a credit check and a criminal background check before they ok a transfer, just like any condo association would.

Even if you are paying cash for the property, you are taking on the responsibility to pay the fees, and you should be required to show that you can meet that responsibility
 

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My point in posting is simply to caution everyone that the more people that have this information the more chances there is of someone using it for identity theft.

If something confidential is not required why would I put myself at risk even if I think it is a low risk.:shrug: :crash:

My recent TS purchase the paper work asked for my SS #. As a victim of true identity credit fraud I am VERY reluctant to give it out! :mad:
I asked why it was needed? The reply was "thats an old form we dont need it anymore"! :doh:
 

alexadeparis

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I called Shell directly and they advised me that they needed my employment info to verify that I was not in the timeshare industry AKA a shill transfer of some sort. Which I suppose I understand, but then maybe they need to call it a contact information sheet instead of a credit application. Thoughts?
 

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And as an Eastern European you are framiliar with the state/county laws of Florida? Please provide the appropriate statutes and not opinions. :crash:

Ron:

First, while he lives in Eastern Europe, he is form the US and North Carolina to be specific. Further, he is an attorney at law. So he does earn some respect from that standpoint.

As far as operating legally or not, the fact is if they are in Florida and the resort is in South Carolina, it matters not that they have complied with Florida law, they have to comply wiht the laws where the resort is.

As far as the requirements in Florida for FLORIDA properties, here are the requirements that you asked for

Must the preparer be an attorney? No. However if a title company prepared the instrument, the preparation of the instrument must be incidental to the issuance of a title insurance policy and the there cannot be an extra charge for such services above the authorized title insurance premium. A title company may not charge for its services in preparing title documents if no risk premium is charged and no policy issued and when the services in the absence of a title insurance transaction constitute the unauthorized practice of law. See Preferred Title Services, Inc. v. Seven Seas Resort Condominium, Inc., 458 So. 2d 884 (Fla. 5th D.C.A. 1984), The Florida Bar v. Columbia Title of Florida 197 So. 2d 3 (Fla. 1967) and The Florida Bar v. McPhee, 195 So. 2d 552 (Fla. 1967).
 

rickandcindy23

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I called Shell directly and they advised me that they needed my employment info to verify that I was not in the timeshare industry AKA a shill transfer of some sort. Which I suppose I understand, but then maybe they need to call it a contact information sheet instead of a credit application. Thoughts?

My thoughts? Shell is trying to avoid the non-paying LLC's, which are going to cost them (and current owners) thousands of dollars to foreclose. They do not want you to enter your timeshares into an LLC, or have a non-paying "buyer." That's what they are doing, but it's a fairly ridiculous attempt on their part.

The company has a good product, but they charge way too much for it, and people are walking away. The fees are quite high for this economy, and I think a lot of people are not paying MF's. The resorts themselves, and the staff are great.

I don't think they have a right to ask for credit info. I would be very upset, if I was trying to dump some points I don't want, and Shell wouldn't allow the transfer without all of this info. They are devaluing their own product even more with this attempt to check your credit. I don't think they have ROFR, so what are they going to do if you refuse? You owe them nothing more than annual fees next year.
 

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I later received a message from a higher up at shell that their requirements are Fico over 575, no timeshare delinquincies on the credit report and no past due amounts on any other shell accounts. The first person I talked to said they don't check credit, but the Legal dept told me they do.
 

rickandcindy23

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They couldn't have checked our credit, because it's frozen. But it has been nearly a year (don't remember) since we got our first free Shell.

If they think this credit check thing is going to help anything, they are nuts.
 

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Interesting.

Im just finishing up a transaction with CJ Timeshares + Timeshare Closing Services, Inc, and never did anyone ask me for my SSN# nor did any of the forms I filled out request it. :shrug:
 

rickandcindy23

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Interesting.

Im just finishing up a transaction with CJ Timeshares + Timeshare Closing Services, Inc, and never did anyone ask me for my SSN# nor did any of the forms I filled out request it. :shrug:
This is Shell Vacation Club. If you bought Shell, they would have asked, unless you already own Shell, in which case, they wouldn't need to ask, because they already have it.
 

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Point taken...but I still dont think its a big deal, and I still do think that the HOAs should be doing a credit check and a criminal background check before they ok a transfer, just like any condo association would.

Even if you are paying cash for the property, you are taking on the responsibility to pay the fees, and you should be required to show that you can meet that responsibility

Really Ron!!!! First of all and I will say it for the fourth time, The HOA at LaCabana does not need my SSI or Driver's license and Timeshare Closing lied to me by stating that "Management company requires it". So bottom line is I didn't provide it and the closing went through because LaCabana didn't need it.

Your second point is ludicrous to say the least. "HOAs should be doing a credit check and a criminal background check before they ok a transfer, just like any condo association would." This has nothing to do with my situation but if you want to start a new thread be my guest.

Also I will assist you on this since I own several condos, all of which are investment properties that I rent out and I will send you the 55 page rental application used for their background checks which you can use every time you purchase a timeshare even when they don't require the information. I will provide just a few of the items they require just to get you started.

1) Copies of last 3 years tax returns
2) Copies of pay stubs for last 12 months
3) Detailed finacial statements showing all income, assets and Liabilities
4) 3 letters of professional recommendations from your employer or former employer.
5) 3 letters of recommendation from personnel friends.
6) Proof of homeowners insurance from owner
7) Interview in person before the Condo board before they get final approval

Ron, the above is just a partial list and you can use it from now on whenever you purchase a timeshare for $1 on Ebay, since this is what most Condo and Cooperative associations want in New York. :crash: :shrug:
 

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Reasearch the seller AND the TITLE COMPANY

A reminder to ask them for their license number. If they are located in the states, look them up on the state website as a business that is registered to do business in that state. Call you own timeshare and ask them questions.
There are many tools available to you on the Internet; search for their address - is it a valid one? Thank you.
 

dougp26364

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Larry,

FWIW, a resort I own which is managed by Southwind Management company now states that a state ID and Soc. Sec # must be provided before they will transfer ownership. This is a relatively new development for the two resorts I have managed by Southwind. I would expect you're likely to run into this again in the future.

While the resort you were dealing with did not require that information, other resorts do. This is likely a blanket policy by the closing company to avoid problems with those management companies who do require that information and is in place because it would be nearly impossible to keep up with every change made by every timeshare management company out there.

It wasn't a problem for you this time but it could be in the future. This seems to be a way for management companies to protect themselves from PCC's, which appear to be bundling titles in trusts or corporations, then bankrupting the trust or corporation to avoid paying MF's on the timeshares they've collected and can't get rid of.
 
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