Original Message:
Re: I worked at a timeshare SCAM....I want to tell you about it. (by Irene P.):
Chris V We have an organized effort and two lobbyist working towards timeshare reform. Both are volunteers who knows more about timeshare than any of these guys with pockets padded.
As to renting, Diamond members have had their accounts suspended, terminated and issued a cease and desist, even one member who only posted one add on RedWeek, totally devastated. They expected her to pay $2,300 a month in loan payments and $26,000 in maintenance fees while they rented out her points for the year suspended. She is a VP with a major financial firm and had been up-sold points for reasons that did not exist. She used to give her points to her clients and friends. Other resorts have restrictions on renting as well. Diamond does not allow renting via a third party website like TUG or RedWeek, never mind there are hundreds of ads. They pick and choose who to target.
Our efforts helped to defeat two bills proposed in Nevada and Florida that on the surface looked like they were pro-consumer with ARDA and developers saying they were concerned about their members experiencing unfair and deceptive sales practices. The bill proposed that buyers get 24 hours before signing a contract with exit service providers. Exit companies said fine, but what is good for goose is good for Gander. Allow timeshare buyers 24 hours before signing as a "cooling off" period, not to be confused with a rescission period that is the period you have to review a contract after it is signed. Representatives at the Florida legislative workshop I attended on March 12 shared how they had experienced unfair and deceptive timeshare sales practices. Rep Newton (R) even said he had to file for bankruptcy in the 90s to be rid of his timeshare. If you would like to join our efforts, let me know. I'm easy to find. A comic book illustrator and animator is launching a petition asking for 24 hours for timeshare buyers before signing, looking for a lawmaker to sponsor for 2021 legislative session.
On the flip side, the timeshare lobby ARDA ROC worked vigorously to defeat a pro-consumer timeshare bill in Nevada. One of the lobbyists was from the Arizona AG's office. Even the AG of Arizona got nowhere despite the bill passed in three separate committees. Senator Rita said that these are adults who came to a meeting of the mind and signed a contract. We have to wait until one of her kids gets duped as the representative sponsoring the bill got duped by a timeshare sales agent.