Worldmark Transfer ? - Must I Give My SS#?

[Amy]

I have received the transfer paperwork for a membership I recently bought on eBay. The Owner Information form asks for my social security number. In recent years I do not recall ever having to turn that information over to a business unless I am seeking financing or it has something to do with taxes. I am careful about guarding that info given the ease of identify fraud. Thus I am uncomfortable putting my ss# down for a cash timeshare purchase. Must I give this info over if I want the membership? I've emailed the seller/transfer agent, but I am anticipating the answer is yes from that end. I thought I'd check in to see if any Tugger-WM owner has managed to avoid giving that info over to Wyndham.

 

[LLW]

I have received the transfer paperwork for a membership I recently bought on eBay. The Owner Information form asks for my social security number. In recent years I do not recall ever having to turn that information over to a business unless I am seeking financing or it has something to do with taxes. I am careful about guarding that info given the ease of identify fraud. Thus I am uncomfortable putting my ss# down for a cash timeshare purchase. Must I give this info over if I want the membership? I've emailed the seller/transfer agent, but I am anticipating the answer is yes from that end. I thought I'd check in to see if any Tugger-WM owner has managed to avoid giving that info over to Wyndham.

Even though I am also wary of giving out my SSN, I have given it out in this and other cash purchase situations. I think WM needs it for the following reasons:

1. Because this is perpetual and willable property, they need a way to identify you in spite of different names that you may use at different times (different spellings, maiden names, the use of middle or nick names, etc.).

2. They need to extend credit to you during the WM ownership for maintenance dues, housekeeping fees, municipal taxes, etc.

3. They hold owners responsible for all damages and liabilities for reservations that they make. (This protects other owners especially when owners rent out their reservations.) It would be doable, in cases where they have to collect from you, only if they have your SSN.


I don't know if they have allowed any owner to not give them his/her SSN.

 

[Amy]

Thanks for the reply. I was trying to research last night and found one old post on the WM owners forum where one person said they did not give WM their ss# so their WM record just has the number 11111's. I need to PM that owner and ask how they convinced WM to let that go. All WM needs to do if I owe money is to freeze the account and not allow me to use the credits. It does not even need my ss# to go after me if it wants to sue for $. I'm surprised more owners don't insist on giving WM this information as a matter of course. I also found some old posts on the WM owners forum where owners received erroneous interest payment notices from WM that contained a former owners' SS# (but sent to current owner's name and home). I can understand when some circumstances warrant using it; but businesses now are all (I thought) switching over to using other identifers for record keeping purposes.

 

[LLW]

Thanks for the reply. I was trying to research last night and found one old post on the WM owners forum where one person said they did not give WM their ss# so their WM record just has the number 11111's. I need to PM that owner and ask how they convinced WM to let that go. All WM needs to do if I owe money is to freeze the account and not allow me to use the credits. It does not even need my ss# to go after me if it wants to sue for $. I'm surprised more owners don't insist on giving WM this information as a matter of course. I also found some old posts on the WM owners forum where owners received erroneous interest payment notices from WM that contained a former owners' SS# (but sent to current owner's name and home). I can understand when some circumstances warrant using it; but businesses now are all (I thought) switching over to using other identifers for record keeping purposes.

For WM identifier use, that number is your owner number. They don't use the SSN as an identifier; it's just there in their records. We don't generally share our owner number except on an as-needed basis either. Please let us know how you do.

 

[gmarine]

You do not need to give WM your SS#. If they ask for it tell them you will only give it to a supervisor who will provide you with a copy of the WM policy on safeguarding owners private info. I did this with both my WM purchases and it was never questioned. On the owners info form where it says SS# put "call if required" or something similar.

 

[Amy]

Good news -- my transfer agent responded to my email and said I need not put my SS# down on that field. Just fill out the rest of the ownership info. Glad I asked!

 

[Amy]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I just came across the section of the owner info form that asks for contact info for the closet relative not living with me. Why does WM need this? I don't have another single timeshare ask for this information, and I'd hate to give out another member's address and phone number.

 

[gmarine]

I left that blank.

 

[Amy]

Thanks, I'm going to do that too!

 

[larry_WM]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I just came across the section of the owner info form that asks for contact info for the closet relative not living with me. Why does WM need this? I don't have another single timeshare ask for this information, and I'd hate to give out another member's address and phone number.

Put the name of Barrack Obama !

 

[slabeaume]

You think you're having a difficult time with WM paperwork now, just wait until you need to handle the account of an owner who has died!