Wyndham Secures Record $16Million judgement in lawsuit against Exit Company Timeshare Compliance / Resort Advisory Group

[TUGBrian]

DRI wins court ruling against Exit company Timeshare Compliance / Resort Advisory Group

So DRI is bad, but clearly exit companies are worse! I have a personal problem with DRi due to the fact that they STILL no longer accept deedbacks from resale buyers thus leaving those owners hanging out to dry and push them right into the jaws of the sharks they pay their lawyers to go after...

tugbbs.com

posted the update in the older DRI thread from their lawsuit...heres to hoping this shuts down these companies.

 

[UGA1981]

We still get phone calls most every day from these companies.

 

[WManning]

We still get phone calls most every day from these companies.

Every day 2-3 calls on exiting or selling unused points.

 

[TUGBrian]

unfortunately once your number gets on a timeshare owner contact list, its extremely difficult to get off and those are just sold/resold to every scammer/spammer in the industry.

 

[dioxide45]

We get a dozen 3 second voicemails every day. Our phone is setup to send any phone number not in our contacts to VM and this is the result. I suspect most are from timeshare scammers.

 

[kaljor]

There have been days where I get as many as 10 phone calls with no voice mail message left. And then there are weeks where I get none. It seems like a pretty cyclical business to me. Whenever they do leave a message its always the same. Hi Mr. N. My name is ___ and I'm calling in regard to your Wyndham timeshare. Please call me at xxx-xxxx (which never matches the caller ID, how incredibly not suspicious that is!!).

 

[rickandcindy23]

I find it ironic that Wyndham, a predatory company, is suing exit companies. The irony is not lost on me.

 

[Sandy VDH]

From a hierarchy level I suppose it is telling us that Exit companies are even lower down the list of predatory companies than TS developers.

 

[dioxide45]

I find it ironic that Wyndham, a predatory company, is suing exit companies. The irony is not lost on me.

The difference is, sadly, the timeshare companies are working within the confines of the law and the contracts they prepare protect them. There are also a littany of lawsuits against Wyndham and other timeshare companies.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The difference is, sadly, the timeshare companies are working within the confines of the law and the contracts they prepare protect them. There are also a littany of lawsuits against Wyndham and other timeshare companies.

When you don't see your own sleazy sales' tactics as anything but illegal, it's hypocrisy to the nth degree. I read all of these Facebook posts about the lies being told by salespeople, and it sickens me. These slimeballs tell buyers that what they have is garbage, and they need more points for this "status," or they will no longer be able to book anything.

A product that has to be sold with inuendo and outright lies and has no resale value, it's basically stealing money from people. I don't know how these people sleep at night, and the guilt goes right up to Michael Brown, who allows this to continue.

We just went on a timeshare presentation for Marriott/ Westin. There were some less-than-honest claims on the part of the salesperson. She even told us that you cannot get Titanium level without being a Marriott owner with status. Rick is Titanium, I am not. I can still get it with Marriott stays. That was so ridiculous, but not at the level of Wyndham's desperation.

I know others will say they all lie. Yes, they do, but Wyndham could take the trophy.

 

[chapjim]

Far and away the worst timeshare salesperson we've run into was at Tuscany Village -- an arrogant, obnoxious jerk.

Our recent experiences with Wyndham salespersons have been few but much less hostile than years ago.

 

[DRH90277]

Listen carefully in these sales presentations, assess their information and your probable outcomes, and then determine your best next step. I did this and have bought super resale units following the presentations - six OceanWatch Platinum week purchases over the past few years. Of course, we do not buy something we wouldn't use. The presentations actually stimulated us to buy resale - at great prices.

I'm not so sure these timeshare companies are thriving under their questionable tactics - reputations are earned. The stock - Marriott Vacation Club (VAC) seems stuck in the low $70's for some time and has bearish ratings. The days of bragging about their high stock price seem over. Could it be that they announce something, create an uptrend and then it settles back as the probable impacts are assessed.

 

[TUGBrian]

nothing wrong with being against both unscrupulous sales tactics AND upfront fee exit scams.

those things arent mutually exclusive!

 

[dioxide45]

When you don't see your own sleazy sales' tactics as anything but illegal, it's hypocrisy to the nth degree. I read all of these Facebook posts about the lies being told by salespeople, and it sickens me. These slimeballs tell buyers that what they have is garbage, and they need more points for this "status," or they will no longer be able to book anything.

A product that has to be sold with inuendo and outright lies and has no resale value, it's basically stealing money from people. I don't know how these people sleep at night, and the guilt goes right up to Michael Brown, who allows this to continue.

We just went on a timeshare presentation for Marriott/ Westin. There were some less-than-honest claims on the part of the salesperson. She even told us that you cannot get Titanium level without being a Marriott owner with status. Rick is Titanium, I am not. I can still get it with Marriott stays. That was so ridiculous, but not at the level of Wyndham's desperation.

I know others will say they all lie. Yes, they do, but Wyndham could take the trophy.

I heard this from the Timeshare Solution or Surrender podcast. We always joke that, if their lips are moving they are lying, when referring to timeshare salespeople. The timeshare salespeople have their own saying; buyers are liars.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I heard this from the Timeshare Solution or Surrender podcast. We always joke that, if their lips are moving they are lying, when referring to timeshare salespeople. The timeshare salespeople have their own saying; buyers are liars.

I am sure timeshare salespeople think all of us should fall for their spiel, and if we don't, we shouldn't have gone on the presentation in the first place. That makes us liars, but we are honest because we tell the "concierge" that we don't really plan to buy. That is their opinion of us? That's okay! I am not the one that bribes people to listen to what I have to say. The bribe is a giant red flag that what they are selling is overpriced. I will take the points and listen. I am polite.

Never have been to a Hilton presentation. Not sure I want to. Have been to two Hyatt, almost bought the Hyatt in San Antonio, loved the property so much; one Welk, one Westgate; 5 or 6 Marriott/ Westin, two in the last year for 40K points each; three Wyndham, two times we converted weeks to points, which was great when we did it. There have been some generic resort presentations over the years. Toured Orange Lake in 1997, disliked the salesperson. She was a braggert. Also Silver Lake in 1997. We thought we needed to buy in Orlando. We travel 22+ weeks a year and say no 90% of the time. Don't get asked by Wyndham anymore, which is nice to not get hassled.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

The difference is, sadly, the timeshare companies are working within the confines of the law and the contracts they prepare protect them. There are also a littany of lawsuits against Wyndham and other timeshare companies.

The timeshare companies are also providing a product, and in Wyndham’s case, a product that has some value (at least in it’s use). It is massively overpriced, but the resorts are very nice and you do get to use them to take vacations every year. The timeshare exit companies provide literally nothing and charge you thousands for that nothing.

 

[CO skier]

The timeshare exit companies provide literally nothing and charge you thousands for that nothing.

That depends on your definition of "timeshare exit companies". Does your definition include brokers advertising timeshares on eBay, for example? Then you are wrong. I have purchased almost a dozen timeshares over more than 10 years from brokers advertising on eBay. The previous owner was relieved of their timeshare maintenance fee "obligation" and I accepted that "burden" going forward.

The eBay lister provided a service for both seller and buyer at some kind of market price. I assume the seller paid the lister some kind of fee, as is customary in these kind of transactions.

Just like any industry, there are "bad actors" who take peoples' money and do little to nothing, but that definitely does not define all or maybe even most "timeshare exit companies."

 

[chapjim]

Listen carefully in these sales presentations, assess their information and your probable outcomes, and then determine your best next step. I did this and have bought super resale units following the presentations - six OceanWatch Platinum week purchases over the past few years. Of course, we do not buy something we wouldn't use. The presentations actually stimulated us to buy resale - at great prices.

I'm not so sure these timeshare companies are thriving under their questionable tactics - reputations are earned. The stock - Marriott Vacation Club (VAC) seems stuck in the low $70's for some time and has bearish ratings. The days of bragging about their high stock price seem over. Could it be that they announce something, create an uptrend and then it settles back as the probable impacts are assessed.

What is an OceanWatch Platinum week purchase?

 

[dioxide45]

What is an OceanWatch Platinum week purchase?

I take it that they have bought six resale platinum season weeks at Marriott's OceanWatch in Myrtle Beach.

 

[chapjim]

I take it that they have bought six resale platinum season weeks at Marriott's OceanWatch in Myrtle Beach.

Okay, thanks! I didn't think it was a Wyndham thing.

 

[willowdance]

DRI wins court ruling against Exit company Timeshare Compliance / Resort Advisory Group

So DRI is bad, but clearly exit companies are worse! I have a personal problem with DRi due to the fact that they STILL no longer accept deedbacks from resale buyers thus leaving those owners hanging out to dry and push them right into the jaws of the sharks they pay their lawyers to go after...

tugbbs.com

posted the update in the older DRI thread from their lawsuit...heres to hoping this shuts down these companies.

Hi, new to this forum so hoping you can help me get some information on this topic. I am (was?) a customer of Resort Advisory Group. I received a cryptic letter in the mail stating that they are sorry, they may have misrepresented what they can offer... etc. etc. and now received and email from their law firm MXM Legal stating that they are closing my cases "due to UCC" and to contact my resort if I have any questions. I found you all after googling what all this means and see there was a lawsuit. This explains why their customer service number is disconnected, I guess. Do I get any of the money I paid them back as part of this lawsuit or does it just enrich the timeshare companies again? Have we been done in by both now? I haven't paid Wyndham in almost two years now - was supposed to be released from everything... not sure where I am or what to do. I'm certainly not paying this contract that was so fraudulently entered into. What do I do? Can I talk to anyone who isn't a thief? Help, please.

 

[TUGBrian]

I would not put any more trust in some random lawfirm contacting you than you would from the company that appears to have ripped you off to begin with.

would urge you to report your dealings with both to your state attorney generals office, as well as the AGs office those companies claim to be based in!

 

[RX8]

I suggest filing a complaint with the state attorney general’s office. Also file a complaint with the BBB. Maybe if more complaints are lodged the BBB will get off their butts and take action. Resort Advisory Group is BBB accredited. Any bad actor that is BBB accredited is a black eye for the BBB because they are essentially throwing support behind that business.

I’ve been trying to inform the BBB about Resort Advisory Group since August. The Irvine CA BBB is either inept or they simply do not care. I’ve sent multiple communications to them and I have been ignored and the BBB has done nothing. Honestly, I don’t care that I have been ignored if the BBB would have taken action but here we are with this company still accredited with an A- rating. I am even more frustrated now as in my last communication I mentioned that Resort Advisory Group likely shut down taking the upfront fees with them, just like what has happened to you. Below is my most recent email to the BBB.

“Is the BBB not interested that a BBB accredited business has a $16M judgment, an empty physical address (as listed on the BBB) and a website that has been shut down? For all appearances, it appears that Resort Advisory Group, a timeshare exit company, is out of business and likely took with it upfront fees from hundreds of customers.

I originally advised the BBB about Resort Advisory Group and Pandora Marketing, LLC / Timeshare Compliance two months ago. Resort Advisory Group inexplicably is still BBB accredited with an A- rating. See below for Timeshare Compliance.

On a related note, a sister company called Timeshare Compliance was originally a dba of Pandora Marketing, LLC with the BBB. That company too was sued with the resulting judgement. I notified the BBB of the bankruptcy filing by Pandora Marketing, LLC in August. The BBB did place an alert on the profile about the BK and the accreditation was removed. This apparently hurt the upfront fee business for Timeshare Compliance because they convinced the BBB to allow Timeshare Compliance to separate itself from Pandora Marketing, LLC and attach itself to another LLC called Savi Collaborative LLC. Now, Timeshare Compliance is associated with a fresh LLC with no bankruptcy alert and is A+ rated with the BBB. I think that move is deceitful to consumers who may rely on the A+ rating from the BBB when determining to pay a large upfront fee. In reality, the bankruptcy filing of Pandora Marketing, LLC and the judgment are both related to the business activities of Timeshare Compliance. I hope that the BBB will revisit Timeshare Compliance.“