Wyndham-Slime personified

[Pat H]

I would ask how they got your SS # to apply for the card. I would then call all 3 credit bureaus and tell them that someone opened a credit card in your name without your permission. A recently opened card can lower your credit score. I'd be furious too!

 

[GeNioS]

Signing to decline

When you buy a car from us (and I'm sure most anyone) now, you have to sign that you were offered warranties, protections, etc. and chose to decline them.

It's because in our current legal environment, any time a person has serious problems with a car and call a lawyer, the first question the lawyer asks is,"Were you offered an extended warranty?"

It seems that lawyers have proven that if we don't offer extended warranties to everyone, we are discriminating against those who aren't offered them. If their cars break down, then it's our fault for not offering them and we can be held liable and be forced to fix the car.

The ironic side is that it's turned into an amazing sales tool. We HAVE to do it, but also get to tell customers they HAVE to sign that they were offered and refused. It makes many who wouldn't have purchased rethink it.

Doesn't surprise me at all that you would have to initial or sign that you declined.

 

[dioxide45]

The problem is that in both scenarios provided where you have to sign to decline, are that you are also buying a product or service from that company. You are either purchasing the car or renting it. At a TS presentation you are not buying anything (or haven't yet). I could see you having to sign to decline the financing or special extras (credit insurance) when you are buying the TS. However, the OP was not buying a product or service, so signing to decline makes no sense.

You don't walk up to a car rental counter at an airport to decline renting a car when you have someone picking you up at the airport. It makes no sense that the OP had to sign anything to decline the offer.

 

[melschey]

When you buy a car from us (and I'm sure most anyone) now, you have to sign that you were offered warranties, protections, etc. and chose to decline them.

It's because in our current legal environment, any time a person has serious problems with a car and call a lawyer, the first question the lawyer asks is,"Were you offered an extended warranty?"

It seems that lawyers have proven that if we don't offer extended warranties to everyone, we are discriminating against those who aren't offered them. If their cars break down, then it's our fault for not offering them and we can be held liable and be forced to fix the car.

The ironic side is that it's turned into an amazing sales tool. We HAVE to do it, but also get to tell customers they HAVE to sign that they were offered and refused. It makes many who wouldn't have purchased rethink it.

Doesn't surprise me at all that you would have to initial or sign that you declined.

If I were negotiating the purchase of a car and the salesman asked my to sign a paper declining his offer I would get up and walk out of the room. I would not sign anything until I had decided to actually buy the car.

 

[Caius]

If I were negotiating the purchase of a car and the salesman asked my to sign a paper declining his offer I would get up and walk out of the room. I would not sign anything until I had decided to actually buy the car.

Yeah, I agree with this train of thought moreso than the example put forth by Genios. I certainly wouldn't sign any "decline" form put in front of me by TS sales without reading it.

I still don't know what their angle is. I'd really like to see the papers signed by the OP, who is stating she signed several "decline" papers.

 

[craftemp]

Returning Credit Card

Snipping the card in 1/2 & sending both parts back to the credit card company is always a nice touch.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

BUT.. if I did that, I would send each half in a separate envelope.. by putting both pieces in the same envelope, there is always the chance of someone along the way intercepting - they THEY have your card!

 

[GrayFal]

The problem is that in both scenarios provided where you have to sign to decline, are that you are also buying a product or service from that company. You are either purchasing the car or renting it. At a TS presentation you are not buying anything (or haven't yet). I could see you having to sign to decline the financing or special extras (credit insurance) when you are buying the TS. However, the OP was not buying a product or service, so signing to decline makes no sense.

You don't walk up to a car rental counter at an airport to decline renting a car when you have someone picking you up at the airport. It makes no sense that the OP had to sign anything to decline the offer.

The OP is a current Wyndham/FSP owner - when u attend an "update", you sign a form that states you were offered a certain deal/upgrade and that u declined the offer. You already own their product/service..... they are offering to enhance that product for you. Their 'reasoning' is that they don't want you coming back saying you weren't offer this 'fabulous deal'. :hysterical:

In reality, it is just a sales ploy to make you think you are missing out on some great offer


As the car salesman poster a few posts up said, it makes you think you are missing out on something wonderful :whoopie: and that MAYBE you really should buy that full retail upgrade for your current Wyn ownership.

 

[richardm]

B of A credit card enrollment...

In my experience, the credit application is completed via an online connection that delivers the approval and credit limit report to the resort salesperson (along with a temporary account number good for 10 days only if a down payment on a sale is being processed).

With that being said, a signed application must then be sent (normally overnight) in order for the charge to be confirmed and approved. If the resort salesperson did not obtain a signed application from the op- the account will not be activated. If a signed application was obtained, the account will be active regardless of whether the resort purchase was completed.

The normal procedure for the salesperson is to copy the info on the client's driver's license, which he probably got at the very beginning of the presentation.

The resorts receive a very small payment for submitting the credit application- but the salesperson doesn't see any of this money- his goal in submitting the application is simply to secure the down payment on a timeshare purchase. He must have been fairly confident of closing the sale, as the application itself takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. The pre-approved credit limit is often what the salesperson will then use as the down payment basis for the developer financing.

I'm willing to bet the op signed the credit ap early on in the presentation, but most likely just doesn't remember the actual document. Chances are the op also received a multi-page disclosure statement from the credit card company somewhere in the prospect package.

This isn't really that unusual of an occurrence. Just call and cancel the card account, destroy the cards themselves, and send the salesperson a nice card telling him thank you for all the info as he convinced you to add to your ownership by purchasing on the resale market!

His sales manager will love that!

 

[cerralee]

Here is what happened with the credit card issue. I called Bank of America to find out information on the credit card application. I was told it was submitted on the day that I went on the 'update" (surprise, surprise). I requested a copy of the application, closed the account and then was transferred over to the fraud department. Fraud department told me that I must have signed something to authorize the request for a new card, that that’s just what happens in timeshare presentations and there really wasn't a case of fraud here it was just a lapse of memory on my part.

I called the Wyndham skyline towers and tried to reach the sales department so I could request copies of all documents signed on that date. I was told they had moved from their sixth floor headquarters and was given another number which did not connect me to anyone.

I did get an e-mail from Wyndham doing a standard quality assurance survey where I spelled out my "update" situation and voiced my concerns and asked for copies of all signed documents from that date. I'm sure they will never read it, much less respond to it.

Yesterday I received the copy of the application from Bank of America along with a cover letter stating that they enclosed the best copy(ies) possible for my records. The application contained many inaccuracies along with my correct social sec # which I don't give out. I checked with my daughter and she could not recall me giving out the social sec # either. I did give them my RCI account number, I did not think any of my resale timeshares would qualify for points and maybe that would bring the 'update" to a quicker end. At the presentation I did mention that I already had an RCI card, just not in my immediate possession, I left it in my room. I did leave it on file with the front desk. Don't know if they could have gotten any information from that or not.

I told them several times at the presentation that I was unemployed, had two children in college and I was not considering going into debt for any reason. Especially not for something that I already owned and was quite happy using just the way it was.

The credit card application listed my income at over two times what I made in my best year of employment. Usually before they have you go on a "presentation or update" they ask your income, they never requested that information at any point either before, during or after the update. It listed my employer as the National Branch of the non-profit that I did indeed work for for many years but I have not worked for them in about a year and a half. It (the application) gave my maiden name (which is on my drivers license) as my mothers maiden name. There were no signatures on the application. On the application received from Bank of America it lists the Aquistion channel as Maximization (whatever that means). It spelled my name as it only is listed as on my drivers license (leeAnn). I have a double name and usually only go by the first name (Lee). For some reason when I moved to the state in which I live they took my old drivers license, smashed together my names and added my maiden name as my middle name. Only place it is listed as such. The credit card came as LEEANN. The residence details were fabricated. I do remember during the presentation that they said they could see if I qualified for their conversion. I told them not even to bother as I knew my credit was good as I pay all my bills upon receipt and have no credit card debt, mortgage etc., only college payments which I pay in full each semester. They then questioned me on my residence and how much I paid for it. All during the "chatty" part of the 'update". I told them the house was more or less a pass down from a family member and I had only put money into renovation through a long ago home equity that has been paid off for some time. The approximate amount of my home equity (which I did give them a guesstimate) showed up as the purchase price and the current market value showed up as the number I threw out just to try to dissuade them from badgering me. (It was a pretty low number for a house value).

I don't own any Wyndham properties, all of my timeshares are at mediocore resorts, I think my SA resort went Silver Crown but none of the others are crown worthy. This was all for me to convert my one resort to points.

So bottom line is-I closed the account, I have learned that in the future to always ask for copies of anything signed at a presentation, even if it seems like just the papers to make me think I am missing out on something important("decline sheets"), and the credit card company did not think it was improper.

Lee

 

[timeos2]

Let them eat cake (or BS of equal value)

This isn't really that unusual of an occurrence. Just call and cancel the card account, destroy the cards themselves, and send the salesperson a nice card telling him thank you for all the info as he convinced you to add to your ownership by purchasing on the resale market!

His sales manager will love that!

Hey - nice touch! As each TUG affectionato attends a sales pitch get the address and sales weasel name and send a postcard or letter thanking them for pointing you to resale, as it saved you a big chunk of money! Be sure it goes to the general address so the management sees it. Mention how once you saw how much a retail unit costs and they mentioned resale being cheaper (although tainted by questions so it makes some sense that they would have said it), it was a no brainer. Be profuse in thanking them for "the pointers". Bye bye Weasel.