The FTC has been on a mission to put an end to timeshare donation scams over the years. Help the Vets, Inc. was shut down after becoming a major player as they collected over $20 million dollars from victims between 2013 and 2017. Travis Deloy Peterson was also charged for his attempt to target innocent timeshare owners with a military ploy.
A majority of timeshare buyers try to negotiate with the resort to make the purchase worthwhile only to find themselves enslaved by additional contracts and the same dissatisfaction. Even when owners turn to 3rd party solutions, they have a hard time finding an ethical service that actually cares about relieving them of their timeshare woes. Is a settlement attainable?
By 2012, Information Management Forum Inc. (IMF) had deceived thousands of vacation owners by manipulating them to consider recouping portions of their purchase. Some were even led to believe they could remove their financial obligation by selling their timeshare quickly.
When it comes to timeshare relief, there are a plethora of options for owners to choose from. Making the decision to give away timeshare contracts can be a tough one when there are hundreds of sales pitches flooding your inbox. Every offer is going to cause you to second guess your decision.
Apparently, hundreds of timeshare owners initially invested in what was once called Sand Castle South, only to simply lose interest. Although the property management company purchased two full floors at the popular Sandcastle Oceanfront Resort in one of the most popular tourist cities in America, they weren’t able to keep buyers engaged.
If you really feel the need to give away your property, there are a few things you need to consider in order to properly donate timeshare contracts. First and foremost, the donated timeshare has to be paid off or have a satisfied mortgage (free and clear). From here, you’d have to approach the donation as a transfer.
After telling the timeshare, “No,” Sims started to notice the aggressive nature of the sale. The high pressure tactics continued even after he told them he couldn’t afford it. Sims started to realize that the only way he and his wife would get any alone time was if he were to say, “Yes.”
If you’re being stubborn due to an unfortunate encounter with an ineffective exit team, then ask yourself if protecting your pride and limiting your credit is more important than moving on from the timeshare purchase for good.
The BBB officially categorized M&T Property Management as an operational timeshare scam in Portland, Oregon. They determined M&T is simply acting as a timeshare property resale company and there is no evidence showing the company actually knows how to help timeshare owners sell their property or offload their contract.
While the inconsistency of the purchase has travelers looking elsewhere for vacations, the unpredictability of timeshare termination has owners looking to legal teams for relief. Once the purchase is deemed a mistake, many buyers immediately believe that hiring a litigation attorney is their most logical solution.
After receiving over a dozen complaints regarding failed cancellation services, the Arkansas Attorney General believes Real Travel duped their customers out of nearly $140K by using aggressive sales tactics and disturbing levels of deception. Her conclusion alleges they, “Preyed on consumers who were desperate to get rid of timeshares that they no longer wanted or could not afford.” Learn more..
If the timeshare property is rarely available and the costs continue to compile, many owners believe legal action is necessary. You can’t blame them when nothing they were promised transpires. They usually feel like they’ve been scammed by the resort so the trust is no longer there. It may also seem like everyone else that’s trying to “help” only wants their money too.
Similar to other vacation destinations across America, timesharing has a stronghold in Southwest Missouri. But the general public is beginning notice the level of deception going on behind the scenes. As the timeshare sales market dwindles (due to improved travel options), the region has turned into a hotbed for timeshare relief agencies. It’s safe to assume a majority of these “cancellation firms” used to sell fractional ownership.
Instead of experiencing more bang for their buck, many buyers receive less than they expected for more than they anticipated. This is where the financial commitment can become extremely problematic. Once buyers are locked into a perpetual contract, timeshare companies focus on creating a demand for an improved experience.
For nearly 20 years, Bass Pro Shops has allowed Bluegreen to sell fractional ownership in their stores. The agreement gave customers store discounts and other promotional items if they attended Bluegreen timeshare presentations. From 2016-2018, nearly 15% of Bluegreen’s revenue came from the retailer. It’s why they were so willing to pay Bass Pro $40 million to settle their differences.
