Timesharesbegone.llc - Pending?

[Larry M]

I received the following TUG message in response to my ad. It just doesn't smell right:
I represent Timesharesbegone.llc. I acquire timeshares. You can look at my info on the web at Timesharesbegonellc.com. thanks. (I can show you several deeds from the Cumberland co. courthouse where people like you have used my service.)
It came from Colvin Deaton, [deleted][email].

As a first order of business I wrote back and asked whether upfront payments were involved. He wrote back, saying:
[I]No. You do not pay anything until the deed is transferred. I am attaching a couple of deeds from Fairfield Glade that I did in the last few weeks. This is public record at the courthouse in Cumberland Co. Crossville, tn., I would not disclose any private information.

I do business honestly. I can acquire your timeshare.[/I]

He enclosed five deed scans. They seemed straightforward but I am not an expert. The grantor (owner) relinquished all interest in the property. The grantee (timesharesbegone.llc) assumed "maintenance fees, conditions, restrictions, reservations, easements, and other matters of record including Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions."

Is there a catch here (besides the fact that he charges $985-$1275 and doesn't bother to mention it in his correspondence)? And my property is in Arkansas--perhaps they have different statutes than Tennessee. Does anyone have experience with this company?

Thanks!
Larry
(Enjoying Week 33 at Edisto Island, SC and considering getting another fixed week there)

 

[DeniseM]

Ask him what he does with the timeshares he acquires. The latest TS [scheme] is that they deed the TS to an LLC, bankrupt the LLC, and abandon the timeshares - it's illegal, and creates huge problems for the resort.

 

[colvin]

getting rid of timeshare

Ask him what he does with the timeshares he acquires. The latest TS scam is that they deed the TS to an LLC, bankrupt the LLC, and abandon the timeshares - it's illegal, and creates huge problems for the resort.

What part of selling your timeshare to a corporation or LLC is illegal? This is the USA, you can do business with anyone who is licensed and reputable that you want to. What if Timesharesbegone puts the timeshares on the market for resell? Is that illegal?
And the comment about "abandoning" the timeshares....makes them seem like people. My guess would be that any "abandoned" timeshare would be adopted by the resort of which it is and has always been a part.
Would that cause problems for the resorts? Couldn't they resell it again for thousands of dollars?

I think Denise speaks of that she knows not of.

 

[MommaBear]

There is a long discussion re: Colvin Deaton on Redweek.com. The thread was essentially inactive for 6 months until colvind posted there today. I find it highly "coincidental" that colvin makes his first post here today. Colvin, most Tuggers will believe DeniseM with her multiple thousands of posts and moderator role than a one time poster with "interesting" past posts on Redweek.com. One of the posts by ColvinD states that he does not care what TimesharesbegoneLLC did with his timeshare as it was no longer his responsibility, and yet today there is an email where Colvin represents that same company. :annoyed:

Anyone who charges an upfront fee yet does not include that as part of his initial correspondance certainly seems to be a scam. If it walks like a duck, quacks like duck, etc, etc.

 

[Jasmine658]

Do not sell to a LLC, only direct to a real person

I am in middle of a mess that involved a seller that thought had sold his timeshare to an LLC "get rid of timeshare" scheme, paid a fee to cover the current year of maintenance plus a commission at time of "sale", ended up losing executive control over his timeshare, but remained liable for all the assessments and maintenance fees. He found out instead of selling, he had just basically given a Power of Attorney although the paperwork read as sale and transfer. The LLC never recorded the deed, and seller was left with no originals himself to record, only copies. This is not a good situation. I would avoid any LLC, or any 3rd parties for that matter, unless a licensed realtor.

 

[DeniseM]

Colvin has been banned - he was using TUG to spam members by email.

Nice try Colvin - it's common knowledge that creating an LLC for the PURPOSE of intentionally bankrupting it, is illegal.

[Of course, I have no idea what your company does with timeshares - since this is just a hypothetical discussion of various methods. ]

And yes, the "Viking Ship" LLC makes it difficult and expensive for the resort to reacquire the deed.

Have you heard about the woman who just got 15 years for an illegal timeshare operation?

Have a nice chat with the Attorney General.

 

[DeniseM]

I am in middle of a mess that involved a seller that thought had sold his timeshare to an LLC "get rid of timeshare" scheme, paid a fee to cover the current year of maintenance plus a commission at time of "sale", ended up losing executive control over his timeshare, but remained liable for all the assessments and maintenance fees. He found out instead of selling, he had just basically given a Power of Attorney although the paperwork read as sale and transfer. The LLC never recorded the deed, and seller was left with no originals himself to record, only copies. This is not a good situation. I would avoid any LLC, or any 3rd parties for that matter, unless a licensed realtor.

Jasmine - as you have been advised in another thread, an LLC is just a business organization - the fact that a business is an LLC or a corporation is neither good nor bad. Almost any business of any size is either an LLC or incorporated - that's how businesses are set up. If you avoid all businesses that are LLCs or incorporated, you will have a very difficult time finding anyone to do business with...

 

[RX8]

What part of selling your timeshare to a corporation or LLC is illegal? This is the USA, you can do business with anyone who is licensed and reputable that you want to. What if Timesharesbegone puts the timeshares on the market for resell? Is that illegal?
And the comment about "abandoning" the timeshares....makes them seem like people. My guess would be that any "abandoned" timeshare would be adopted by the resort of which it is and has always been a part.
Would that cause problems for the resorts? Couldn't they resell it again for thousands of dollars?

I think Denise speaks of that she knows not of.

Their website was created less than a year ago.

 

[TUGBrian]

given the email mr colvin sent me today, I have no doubt hes just here to advertise his business.

he actually demanded we refund his money or he is going to "tell" the bbb we stole it from him...as well as report TUG as a fradulent charge on his CC.

guess his tactics didnt work out very well for him =)

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

given the email mr colvin sent me today, I have no doubt hes just here to advertise his business.

he actually demanded we refund his money or he is going to "tell" the bbb we stole it from him...as well as report TUG as a fradulent charge on his CC.

guess his tactics didnt work out very well for him =)

Brian - why are you calling him Colvin? Why not use his company name so this thread with his tactics will rise higher in a search?

 

[rrlongwell]

given the email mr colvin sent me today, I have no doubt hes just here to advertise his business.

he actually demanded we refund his money or he is going to "tell" the bbb we stole it from him...as well as report TUG as a fradulent charge on his CC.

guess his tactics didnt work out very well for him =)

Tell him you will gladly give back his $15 dollars if he signs a release never to come back to TUGS again. May be one of the better $15 dollars you have spent.

 

[DeniseM]

He won't be back...

 

[TUGBrian]

that was the name he put on his membership, and his money has been refunded as he requested.

hes now threatning to sue TUG if the posts about him arent removed....so just to clarify for him:

I have no idea if mr colvins "llc" company plans to dispose of your timeshare legitimately, or via the unscrupulous methods described in so many other of the LLC operations that simply abandon the timeshare in limbo, nor does anyone else in this thread (note that the moderator merely brought up that IF your llc is setup for the purpose of abandoning the timeshare, its illegal)....thats up for individuals to decide for themselves.

if he are truly selling weeks, thats just dandy...best of luck to him...he's still banned from TUG for violating the TUGBBS posting guidelines you agreed to upon registering, that and your threat to dispute the membership charge as fraud, and file a claim with the BBB that we stole your money.

 

[rrlongwell]

Interesting site:

http://www.manta.com/c/mvv8wq9/timeshares-be-gone-llc

 

[Larry M]

Thanks for the warning!

Colvin has been banned - he was using TUG to spam members by email.

Nice try Colvin - it's common knowledge that creating an LLC for the PURPOSE of intentionally bankrupting it, is illegal.

[Of course, I have no idea what your company does with timeshares - since this is just a hypothetical discussion of various methods. ]

And yes, the "Viking Ship" LLC makes it difficult and expensive for the resort to reacquire the deed.

Have you heard about the woman who just got 15 years for an illegal timeshare operation?

Have a nice chat with the Attorney General.

Well, my sniffer was working well--it really didn't smell right to me. I have no great love for Fairfield/Wyndham after what they did to our family:

my late mother-in-law fell for the pitch and bought in 1991 in Arkansas (which is not near any of the family) because of the "It doesn't matter where you buy because you can always exchange for pennies" pitch. Then Fairfield and Wyndham kept raising the FAX exchange fee and reducing the number of exchangeable resorts. Then they stopped sending catalogs to make researching the options more difficult. Finally, two years ago they reneged on their promise and flat out refused to do any more exchanges at all, leaving us with a useless property in Arkansas.​

So I have no great love for Wyndham and would sleep well at night even if I stuck it to them. But the notion of being stuck myself for maintenance fees (even though the deed says the LLC will be responsible) without a vote is a little scary. I'll keep renting it out and hoping for a buyer.

Bye bye, Colvin.

Larry M

 

[e.bram]

Maybe Colvin will post on TS4MS.com now.

 

[Giselherr]

Well, my sniffer was working well--it really didn't smell right to me. I have no great love for Fairfield/Wyndham after what they did to our family:

my late mother-in-law fell for the pitch and bought in 1991 in Arkansas (which is not near any of the family) because of the "It doesn't matter where you buy because you can always exchange for pennies" pitch. Then Fairfield and Wyndham kept raising the FAX exchange fee and reducing the number of exchangeable resorts. Then they stopped sending catalogs to make researching the options more difficult. Finally, two years ago they reneged on their promise and flat out refused to do any more exchanges at all, leaving us with a useless property in Arkansas.​

Larry M

I assume you or your MIL have NOT contacted the consumer fraud division to ascertain if what you allege Wyndham is doing is legal?