Busting Some Bad Guys

I had the distinct pleasure of busting some bad guys yesterday, or at least attempting to bust them.

I received one of those postcards addressed to people who were fed up with their timeshares (as if I’m fed up with my timeshare). The postcard offered a solution and made it quite clear that they were going to be in my area for a few days to make “an immediate offer” on timeshares.

It turns out, of course, that this company wanted me and other consumers to hand over the deed to our timeshares AND $3,495 in an attempt to get us out of the “ever increasing annual fees.”

While I agree that annual fees have, in many cases, increased, and that it can be difficult to obtain a decent trade through both RCI and II due to too much inventory available to renters, the story that this “Mr. Charles” spun for us contained many out and out lies. Among them:

*  You cannot quit-claim your timeshare deed

*  Resorts charge 10% of the purchase price to change the name(s) on the deed

*  Less than 3% of timeshare owners are able to sell their timeshares

Amazingly enough, this company was able to convince one unsuspecting person to give up her deed and the “discounted price” of only $3,200.

When the local news media interviewed another couple who did not fall for this “offer,” Mr. Charles and several of his fellow workers came running out of the hotel lobby and insisted that their “offer” and story were valid.

While sane consumers would never fall for this with any other kind of deed, they seem to fall for these “offers” when they concern timeshare. All the more reason for consumers to band together and demand that the industry (all of the industry) enforce more ethics and let people know the truth, both good and bad, of the product and the industry.

Until then, keep reading this blog and find out how to educate yourself.

Lisa Ann Schreier
The Timeshare Crusader
Blogger at HolidayGroup.com
Author of Surviving A Timeshare Presentation, and Timeshare Vacations For Dummies

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