Browse Month

September 2017

Friday’s Letter from America

Welcome to this week’s Friday’s Letter from America, somehow we think that when you have read this story you will be shocked, we certainly were.

shocked cat

Inside Timeshare heard from its first US timeshare member seeking advice one year ago. Like today, it was a Hispanic family. We in Spain feel like first cousins to American Hispanics, so are particularly affected when we hear one of our own might be faced with the possibility of foreclosure.

http://insidetimeshare.com/irene-parker-write-barclay-card-usa/

When the resort says no, a family may have no choice but to consider foreclosure. There is no one company to blame. Deceit on the front end of the timeshare sale has been talked about since timeshare began. The industry has had its ups and downs, but the emergence of the “right to use” point programs seem to have escalated timeshare complaints and lawsuits from both sides of the fence. There has been a flurry of developer lawsuits against exit, transfer or claims companies targeting members desperate for help, as well as lawsuits against lawyers practicing questionable business practices. Legitimate law firms are not immune.  Several Attorneys General in America have been investigating various timeshare companies.

Caught in the middle is the timeshare member, like the Vargas family. Hoping to warn the general public as well as existing timeshare members, to the danger of buying something that cannot be sold, Deneise Vargas shares her story.

How easily a Vacation Plan can result in Foreclosure

Hispanic

By Deneice Vargas

September 29, 2017

woman 1

I had hoped Diamond Resorts would help us. A hospitality agent had told me to supply medical documentation about my husband’s medical condition, so I thought they had listened and responded in a positive way. I then learned the person I had spoken with had quit. The person who replaced her said they would not help us because Louis got Bell’s palsy a week before we signed the timeshare contract. Bell’s palsy is not the flu! Symptoms include muscle weakness, drooling and an inability to make facial expressions. Just because a person has not been diagnosed, does not mean they are not suffering from a disease.

In dollar terms, this is what we are facing:

  • Current Loan Balance: $93,671 financed at 13.5%
  • Paid already: $76,627
  • Current Maintenance Fee: $6,948
  • We have accumulated 67,500 vacation points

Why buy so many timeshare points?

We purchased a timeshare at Polo Towers in Las Vegas and at Palm Canyon. We were never told maintenance fees would go up each year. With the loans and the maintenance fees, we have used all our savings.

At the Las Vegas sales presentation, the sales manager threatened to have our first sales agent from Palm Canyon in Palm Springs, Tim, fired because it was not legal, per them, for Tim to hold a price for us. The manager got on my phone, speaking to Tim, chewing him out. I was so upset I started to cry. I was confused and did not know what to do. We signed that contract so Tim would not be fired. They opened and charged a Diamond Barclaycard because I did not have enough money. Another $3135 was charged to two different Visa cards. Last July we had to refinance our house to pay off the credit cards.

We went to Las Vegas twice in 2015.  They told us we had to attend an informational meeting about Apollo Global Management because Apollo had purchased Diamond. They said it was not a sales presentation. They lied because they again tried to sell us more points. We were told we should buy more points because we could use points to pay maintenance fees and buy plane tickets and other things. We were not told Platinum members can only use points to pay maintenance fees at four cents a point or that a vacation point is only worth pennies per point if used to buy plane tickets.

In 2016 we went again to Palm Canyon Palm Springs. Tim introduced us to Dan Vendl. Dan explained the benefits of being trial Platinum. I hesitated because the money was going. Dan said there was a company we could refinance with that had a better rate than Diamond, so our payment would be less. That was not true.

We were told “We are real estate agents. You can write off the interest paid and closing costs on these contracts because it is like real estate.” They said the proof was because they have real estate licenses. They are licensed real estate agents, but what they told us was not true. Our accountant said we were not allowed to take any deductions. We were told we had to buy that day so we could not talk to our accountant.

Anytime we check in, they harass us to do another update.  In Las Vegas while checking in, the woman wanted to follow me to the parking garage to get Louie to change his mind even though I had told her NO. She said she needed for us to participate so she would get credit.

We have cancelled other Diamond contracts after signing. One reason was our 16 year old granddaughter was dying of brain cancer.  My son had already lost his wife to cancer and we were helping him.

Now Las Vegas Polo Towers has been calling again. Binni Thomas and his Supervisor Melvin say we need to upgrade to 50,000 points to become permanent Platinum members.  Again, we are told we should never have been given a $3.30 price per point. He said the points are now selling for $8.70 each and that is what we should pay.

I told him No!

operators

Social Media helps. At least we know we are not alone. If you or someone you know does not know where to turn for timeshare help, contact Inside Timeshare or one of the self-help Advocacy Group as members work to help other members find the next step.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiamondResortsOwnersAdvocacy/

https://www.facebook.com/timeshareadvocategroup/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/180578055325962/

Now that you have read this story, do you not agree that things must change?

This type of selling must not be allowed to continue, whether it is in the US, Europe or anywhere else in the world. At least In Spain the law is on the side of the consumer, Spain now has some of the strongest laws relating to timeshare in the world. It is through the efforts of law firms such as Canarian Legal Alliance that have brought this about.

The rest of the world take note, have a good weekend.

friday cat

Update: Litigious Abogados the Fake Family of Lawyers

Well it seems that Inside Timeshare has lost the wager on the name of the director who pleads guilty at court, article published Thursday 21 Sept. In this we said that it would most likely be a Keith Baker or Keith Balker, as that name had been used on many other occasions.

lost bet

Amador Galeca Abogados have come up with a new name, Mr X has this time pleaded guilty in a Spanish Court, for a timeshare bought and located in the United Kingdom!

Firstly, why would a Spanish court be adjudicating on a case that is clearly outside of its jurisdiction?

Secondly, in all the years we have been looking at this industry, we have not known any timeshare company or directors plead guilty to anything. On the contrary, they have always denied any wrongdoing, finding excuses and legal loopholes to wriggle out of it. Well, not quite, back in July 2009, at Reading Magistrates Court, UK, Gary Leigh (ILG) did unexpectedly plead guilty to 11 counts of the most serious charges.

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2009/07/15/timeshare-conman-convicted/

In our article of 31 July, Keith Balker pleaded pleaded guilty on behalf of Club Class Holidays, could it be as we have been publishing this name for so long they needed a change?

Also the names Keith Baker and Keith Balker are very similar to one of the names of an ILG director Keith Barker. Could this have been a take on that?

deutsche bank

Another question that is puzzling us, is in regards to the bank accounts that are being used, the latest being Deutsche Bank, with the name of the so called Procurator Graham Ingum Gorrin. The question is how on earth are these accounts being opened?

Surely in this day and age they must be doing some kind of security checks, after all when I went to open a new bank account, the documentation and proof of residence was extensive. Is this group that well prepared with all the fake documents to open these accounts or is it the banks are failing in their procedures?

To follow the story from the start, search Litigious Abogados in the search box.

Basic rules on keeping your hard earned money safe

As we have warned before, unless you have instructed a law firm to act on your behalf, then there is no case. The courts do not use outside agencies or companies to contact consumers who may have been victims of fraud. If they do need to contact you they will do so through official channels, not by telephone or email.

The courts do not issue cheques, especially from banks that are no longer in existence such as Banesto.

Spanish Courts will not be dealing with cases which have not been purchased within Spanish jurisdiction, so if your timeshare was purchased outside of Spain, then you do not have a case pending.

The Courts will also not appoint any company to investigate a missing cheque and recoup the money from the bank on your behalf.

Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs would not be getting involved, they will not contact you by telephone or email.

Do not be fooled by the promises of the huge sums being held and waiting for you to collect, or the very genuine looking paperwork.

Until you are 100% sure that it is genuine do not pay any money, whether it is for procurator fees to lodge the case, taxes, notary fees, or any other reason to release the money.

If you are in doubt and need help in verifying any company that has contacted you with any of these promises, get in touch with Inside Timeshare.

be careful

Timeshare Foreclosure

In yesterday’s article “Start the Week”, we had a look at the resale market in Europe, or the lack of it. We highlighted one resale company Fab Timeshare Resales, who specialise in Marriott resale. The prices advertised on their website started at a paltry 1000€ or $1,180 for a timeshare which starts at 17,000€ or $21,000 according to the Marriott website.

Today Irene Parker looks at the growing problem in the US of foreclosure and defaults, which may just be partly due to the lack of the resale or secondary market, but first a little more news from Europe.

here we go again

Last week in Friday’s Letter from America, we published the news released by Canarian Legal Alliance on their 60th Supreme Court ruling. Yesterday they announced another, which is now 61!

In this ruling it is yet again the Tenerife company Silverpoint, which bring rulings from Spain’s Highest Court against them to 22. The judges in this instance ruled the contract null and void with the return of over £43,000 plus legal fees and legal interest. We are still waiting for the actual infractions of the law to be released, but going by past judgements it will more than likely be the duration of the contract being more than 50 years.

alert

On the “scam” front, mindtimeshare have again highlighted another rather clever little ploy coming out of the Costa del Sol. This company is called Joint Returns Legal Consultants, who have apparently been appointed by the High Court to inform consumers that a case has gone through and the court is now holding money to be returned.

Obviously as with all these “scams”, there is a “TAX” to be paid and the “gentleman” on the phone going by the name Peter Sanchez, send emails confirming the story with letter headings from “Agencia Tributaria”. All this along with confirmation from the BBVA (Bank) and a Notary it all seems very plausible.

Telephone numbers:

Tel.: +34 632844887. Fax: 0872 113 1069

Email [email protected]

This really does go to show some of the lengths these people will go just to get your money, we have said this before and we will continue to issue the same warning.

THE COURTS DO NOT APPOINT PRIVATE COMPANIES TO INFORM CONSUMERS THAT MONEY IS BEING HELD. THERE ARE NO CASES AT COURT UNLESS YOU HAVE INSTIGATED THEM YOURSELF. DO NOT PAY ANY MONEY ESPECIALLY BY BANK TRANSFER TO AN INDIVIDUAL.

Now for today’s main article from Irene.

Timeshare Foreclosure

Is it survivable?

graph

By Irene Parker

September 26 2017

Inside Timeshare received five more complaints over the weekend. This makes over 150 timeshare complaints received. The rise in timeshare default rates reported by bond rating agencies and the lawsuits that have ensued as timeshare developers try to stop the flow of “Cease and desist” letters prove we are not imagining a crisis.

  1. Would you buy a house you could not sell?
  2. Would you buy a boat or car you could not sell?
  3. Would you pay $25,000 to over $500,000 to join a country club you can’t quit?

According to Bankrate

Avoid developer financing

Lenders won’t mortgage a time share because they haven’t been successful in resales or in their valuation, says Patricia Hayhurst, mortgage consultant for Capital Bank in Coral Gables, Florida. “They are considered high-risk lending.”

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/loans/timeshare-loans-primer.aspx

Our own Lisa Ann Schreier was quoted in the article.

“Most (consumers) I hear from are using the developer’s financing as they are unaware of any other alternatives,” says Lisa Ann Schreier, founder of the consumer consulting company Timeshare Insights in Clermont, Florida. “If a consumer can obtain a personal loan (elsewhere) for the time share, the interest rate can be significantly lower as typical developer financing runs 15% to 19%.”

The problem is this is how sales are made. “When you get home, get a home equity loan,” is a common suggestion as it gets the developer off the hook once the buyer realizes they cannot afford the timeshare. Rather than sign off on a high interest rate loan on the spot, demand that you have time to check with your bank or credit union to find out if such statements are true and if you qualify.

Financial journalist Robert Shaw in his 2016 Seeking Alpha article, “Does timeshare need a millennial act to attract new buyers?” questions the industry’s over reliance on upgrading or up-selling existing buyers.

Since an existing owner is familiar and already pleased with the product, sales to existing owners are typically much easier to close. It is hard to visualize an existing owner who is totally dissatisfied with their current ownership sitting through a 90-minute sales tour.

sales pitch

Based on the accounts heard by those reaching out to Inside Timeshare, the reason the upgrade is easy to close, is because of deception on the front end of the timeshare sales, offering buy-back and resale programs that do not exist, or ways to offset maintenance fees to those already financially burdened that do not exist.

Mr. Shaw also feels timeshare is no longer sold as an investment. Yes it is. Buy now because the price is going to double refers to the retail price, not the resale price, yet over and over we hear this repeated as the reason the member purchased additional points. Not one member who has contacted Inside Timeshare realized their contract was perpetual and there was no secondary market.

Timeshare is definitely not a real estate investment and apart from the occasional overzealous sales associate, timeshare companies long ago stopped pitching it as such an investment. Yet, its lack of being a real estate investment may make it less attractive to newer, younger buyers who are wanting value and the ability to sell it when they no longer want or need it.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/3991819-timeshare-need-new-act-attract-millennial-buyers

At least Mr. Shaw questions the concerns expressed by timeshare insiders. Most financial news services merely want to justify the buy on the stock price.

The Foreclosure process is gruesome. There will be threatening calls and the hit on your credit score. We are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice, but the Nolo article about timeshare foreclosure is one of the best articles I’ve read on the subject. Many have tried to resolve issues with their resort, but the oral representation clause reigns.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/options-avoid-timeshare-foreclosure.html

A good number of those reporting back to us that their resort will not cancel their loan, despite alleged deception on the front end of the sale, has led to many indicating they will not be paying their 2018 maintenance fees. They have no choice because they cannot afford the timeshare. Do not respond to the ads appearing when we publish our articles asking for upfront money to get you out of your timeshare.

I question how the industry can survive. Almost all of the members contacting us have children and grandchildren. Although there is a bit of a role reversal with several parents telling us, “We haven’t told our kids about this”, many have, and those children and grandchildren want nothing to do with the timeshare product once they learn their parents were deceived into buying it.

Please continue to report your grievances. In the book The Burglary by former Washington Post reporter Betty Medsger, describing the break-in at the FBI office in late 1970 that led to the exposure of J Edgar Hoover’s illegal surveillance tactics, led by a Haverford College physics professor at the Media, PA FBI office.  Gloria Steinem wrote as a testimonial:

“Ordinary people have the courage and community to defeat the most powerful and punitive of institutions.”

Timeshare today is broken. When sales agents can lie and laugh about it, at the expense of the young and the old, financially devastated by their vacation plan, something is very wrong. Lawmakers, heavily influenced by the industry, don’t seem to care because timeshare buyers don’t typically buy a timeshare in the state they live in. Attorneys General try to protect the public, but the settlements achieved are mere speed bumps in extraordinary revenue streams.

Add your voice to the growing number of timeshare members who have had enough. Contact Inside Timeshare or one of these self-help groups if you have had enough of the hamster wheel called timeshare sales if deceit has been used to sell the product, foreclosure to retrieve it, and resale at full price to continue the never ending process.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiamondResortsOwnersAdvocacy/

https://www.facebook.com/timeshareadvocategroup/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/180578055325962/

green advocacy

 

So there we have it, no resale or secondary market equals foreclosure, what a state of affairs.

In Europe we are seeing the proliferation of the bogus claims companies, these are playing on the desperation of those who want out but are unable to do so. It may be the resorts or developers will not allow them out, it may be they are unable to sell due to no market, it used to be bogus resale companies that took owners for thousands, how times have changed or have they?