• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Westgate Rescind Refunded to another account, Non-US Citizen

Tplatt80

newbie
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Resorts Owned
Westgate
Hello,

I am writing this thread on behalf of my sister-in-law looking for advice. She is from Chile and does not speak very good English. I have browsed the forums, but can not find the exact situation that has happened to her.

This past summer (2019) she stayed at a Westgate Resort in Orlando FL, bought in to the timeshare and within 10 days she had rescinded. Once she had rescinded she waited to receive her money. This never came. Week afterwards she contacted Westgate inquiring about her refund of a few thousand dollars. This all was done via email since she cannot call from Chile to the USA without spending a large amount of money on a phone call. She has been going back and forth with Westgate for months via email and only receiving responses every few weeks at best. I have tried to call Westgate on her behalf, but as I suspected, they would not give even the slightest bit of information to me. All the while Westgate assured her that her refund was processed. Recently, she replied to them that she would have to resort to seeing a lawyer because she had checked with the bank and the funds left her account but never came back on or around the date that Westgate said that they had refunded her. Almost immediately she received a response with a "proof of refund". This proof of refund has no card or bank information that corresponds to the debit card that she paid with or with any bank account that is hers. She has told me that she never gave them any bank account information. She has double checked with the bank just in case and they assure her that the funds never arrived and that it has something to do with the refund on the Westgate end of the refund and not theirs.

At this point in time, the only advice I can think of is to actually find a lawyer who speaks Spanish in the state of Florida in order to see if they are able to help us out. It has been about half a year since she had actually rescinded and the refund was made to her account, so I am not sure what can actually be done.

Has anyone heard of a similar situation or can direct me to a thread where this may have been discussed? We would appreciate any advice on where to seek help!

Thank you!

Tim
 

CPNY

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
7,508
Reaction score
4,392
Points
349
Resorts Owned
Harborside Resort at Atlantis
SVV - Key West/Bella
WKV
Regal Vista at Massanutten

Grammarhero

Official TUGBBS Rescission Master
TUG Lifetime Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2019
Messages
3,086
Reaction score
2,486
Points
399
Location
Washington, DC Area
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Grand Desert 77k, VV Williamsburg 4L/4 & 2/2
Former: Wyndham 276k, HGVC South Bend 1/1
Hello,

I am writing this thread on behalf of my sister-in-law looking for advice. She is from Chile and does not speak very good English. I have browsed the forums, but can not find the exact situation that has happened to her.

This past summer (2019) she stayed at a Westgate Resort in Orlando FL, bought in to the timeshare and within 10 days she had rescinded. Once she had rescinded she waited to receive her money. This never came. Week afterwards she contacted Westgate inquiring about her refund of a few thousand dollars. This all was done via email since she cannot call from Chile to the USA without spending a large amount of money on a phone call. She has been going back and forth with Westgate for months via email and only receiving responses every few weeks at best. I have tried to call Westgate on her behalf, but as I suspected, they would not give even the slightest bit of information to me. All the while Westgate assured her that her refund was processed. Recently, she replied to them that she would have to resort to seeing a lawyer because she had checked with the bank and the funds left her account but never came back on or around the date that Westgate said that they had refunded her. Almost immediately she received a response with a "proof of refund". This proof of refund has no card or bank information that corresponds to the debit card that she paid with or with any bank account that is hers. She has told me that she never gave them any bank account information. She has double checked with the bank just in case and they assure her that the funds never arrived and that it has something to do with the refund on the Westgate end of the refund and not theirs.

At this point in time, the only advice I can think of is to actually find a lawyer who speaks Spanish in the state of Florida in order to see if they are able to help us out. It has been about half a year since she had actually rescinded and the refund was made to her account, so I am not sure what can actually be done.

Has anyone heard of a similar situation or can direct me to a thread where this may have been discussed? We would appreciate any advice on where to seek help!

Thank you!

Tim

You may want to contact the FL AG or tell Westgate that you may. Westgate is supposed to process your refund.

 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,354
Reaction score
18,922
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
You could also file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. It looks like they have plenty, but a good track record of responding.

 

sue1947

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
1,748
Reaction score
1,193
Points
523
Location
Seattle
Resorts Owned
Worldmark and VI
You could also file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. It looks like they have plenty, but a good track record of responding.


I had an issue with a mortgage provider headquartered in FL and of all the agencies I contacted (both Federal and 2 states), this was the one that worked. Give them a try.
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,354
Reaction score
18,922
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
I had an issue with a mortgage provider headquartered in FL and of all the agencies I contacted (both Federal and 2 states), this was the one that worked. Give them a try.
This is one agency that has the ability to revoke their license or levi fines. I am sure Westgate pays attention to these complaints.
 

Grammarhero

Official TUGBBS Rescission Master
TUG Lifetime Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2019
Messages
3,086
Reaction score
2,486
Points
399
Location
Washington, DC Area
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Grand Desert 77k, VV Williamsburg 4L/4 & 2/2
Former: Wyndham 276k, HGVC South Bend 1/1
Hello,

I am writing this thread on behalf of my sister-in-law looking for advice. She is from Chile and does not speak very good English. I have browsed the forums, but can not find the exact situation that has happened to her.

This past summer (2019) she stayed at a Westgate Resort in Orlando FL, bought in to the timeshare and within 10 days she had rescinded. Once she had rescinded she waited to receive her money. This never came. Week afterwards she contacted Westgate inquiring about her refund of a few thousand dollars. This all was done via email since she cannot call from Chile to the USA without spending a large amount of money on a phone call. She has been going back and forth with Westgate for months via email and only receiving responses every few weeks at best. I have tried to call Westgate on her behalf, but as I suspected, they would not give even the slightest bit of information to me. All the while Westgate assured her that her refund was processed. Recently, she replied to them that she would have to resort to seeing a lawyer because she had checked with the bank and the funds left her account but never came back on or around the date that Westgate said that they had refunded her. Almost immediately she received a response with a "proof of refund". This proof of refund has no card or bank information that corresponds to the debit card that she paid with or with any bank account that is hers. She has told me that she never gave them any bank account information. She has double checked with the bank just in case and they assure her that the funds never arrived and that it has something to do with the refund on the Westgate end of the refund and not theirs.

At this point in time, the only advice I can think of is to actually find a lawyer who speaks Spanish in the state of Florida in order to see if they are able to help us out. It has been about half a year since she had actually rescinded and the refund was made to her account, so I am not sure what can actually be done.

Has anyone heard of a similar situation or can direct me to a thread where this may have been discussed? We would appreciate any advice on where to seek help!

Thank you!

Tim

Did she rescind after reading TUG? If so, mind sharing how much she rescinded? As half of all tuggers initially bought retail or developer TS purchases, there is no shame.
 

HudsHut

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,978
Reaction score
1,229
Points
548
Did she follow the instructions and rescind in writing? Did she keep a copy? To what address did she mail the rescission?
Did she save all of the emails?

Does she still have the same debit card she used for the purchase? Was it a VISA/Mastercard? Did seek their help in voiding the transaction?

Has she scanned the "proof of refund" and sent it to you? What does it show?
 

Tplatt80

newbie
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Resorts Owned
Westgate
Hello! Thank you all for the responses, I didn't expect so many. We will be looking at the FL AC and the Florida Attorney General this weekend when we sit down.

To respond to some questions, she rescinded just due to getting a bad feeling/changing her mind. She did rescind within the 10 day time frame for the amount of about $5,500 and we have a copy of the Fedex tracking that shows it was received and signed for within this time. She also gave back the "gifts" that were included in the packet. So everything was done as instructed as far as rescinding goes. We have copies of all correspondence.

What we think Westgate has done is put the money on a different card or has not give it back to the correct location. I found out yesterday by my wife/sister in law that it turns out with a Chilean card you can not refund the money directly back on to the card, but you need to refund it to the person's bank account. My sister-in-law left specific instructions for this in the letter to rescind the timeshare. She provided all the information needed to provide a wire transfer back. In the Proof of Refund that will be attached to this, Westgate did not send the money to the correct card. I've compared her card info and the "card #" on the proof of refund and only the first 5 digits are the same. Also, there is no information regarding a wire transfer to any bank.

I have showed this Proof of Refund to multiple people but we can't seem to read in to it too much besides it looking like some sort of transfer was done, but not to the correct account.

I have attached the proof of refund, the title is in Spanish but the document itself is in English. When we approach these agencies in order to take some sort of action, should we be able to tell them our story and they will be able to take it from there or should we ask for specific things in order to be more efficient?

Again, thank you for all of the responses!

Tim
 

Attachments

  • Prueba de devolucion de pago (2).pdf
    123.6 KB · Views: 10

TheTimeTraveler

TUG Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
5,952
Reaction score
2,857
Points
648
Location
Florida
Hello! Thank you all for the responses, I didn't expect so many. We will be looking at the FL AC and the Florida Attorney General this weekend when we sit down.

To respond to some questions, she rescinded just due to getting a bad feeling/changing her mind. She did rescind within the 10 day time frame for the amount of about $5,500 and we have a copy of the Fedex tracking that shows it was received and signed for within this time. She also gave back the "gifts" that were included in the packet. So everything was done as instructed as far as rescinding goes. We have copies of all correspondence.

What we think Westgate has done is put the money on a different card or has not give it back to the correct location. I found out yesterday by my wife/sister in law that it turns out with a Chilean card you can not refund the money directly back on to the card, but you need to refund it to the person's bank account. My sister-in-law left specific instructions for this in the letter to rescind the timeshare. She provided all the information needed to provide a wire transfer back. In the Proof of Refund that will be attached to this, Westgate did not send the money to the correct card. I've compared her card info and the "card #" on the proof of refund and only the first 5 digits are the same. Also, there is no information regarding a wire transfer to any bank.

I have showed this Proof of Refund to multiple people but we can't seem to read in to it too much besides it looking like some sort of transfer was done, but not to the correct account.

I have attached the proof of refund, the title is in Spanish but the document itself is in English. When we approach these agencies in order to take some sort of action, should we be able to tell them our story and they will be able to take it from there or should we ask for specific things in order to be more efficient?

Again, thank you for all of the responses!

Tim



Sounds like they did in fact issue you your refund, but was directed to an account not affiliated with your name. Basically your funds are out there electronically in the vast electronic la la land.

So now the question are many; how did this happen? Who is responsible for it? Does the Banking System have some type of checks and balances to track it down and reverse it? Was it a keypunch error when entering the account number? Does the incorrect recipient have the financial means to cough up the funds or have they already been spent? What are the legal implications of such? And so on, and so on, etc.

I hope you are actually able to get to the bottom of this, and post the eventual results.

And it goes without saying; wishing you luck with tracking this down!



.
 
Top