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WYNDHAM:SHARKS...Canceled contract but won't cancel fradulent "down payment"

Sabrina T. · 2012-08-12T09:08:56-0700

My husband and I are wyndham owers at the grand desert in Las Vegas. We have been owners since 2005, our shares will be paid off 2015. On April 6, 2012while on vacation we attend an owners update that included breakfast and free items. While talking with the lady she asked if we would be interested in hearing about their new program because effective October 2012 the points system will increase and a new program will go into effect. However, we would keep what we have. She said its a good time to get into this new program. We sat and heard the information, it sounded very good. We explained to her that we didnt have any money to do anything not even a down payment for this. She indicated that we would only need to purchase 128,000 more points to be VIP which is the first step in this new program. We told her we didnt have any money and couldnt really afford any more monthly payment. You know how it goes. She ran our shares and came back with another lady. I guess it was her manager. They said they were able to pull funds from our equiity since we had never upgraded and that our payment to upgrade to VIP by adding an additional 128,000 points would be about $150.00 more and about $50.00 more in maintence fees. We asked them how much down? they said, nothing down. no money out of your pocket! REALLY? Our total monthly would be $496 and $158 for maintance; no money down, first payment May 15th. Sounded like a good deal to us. Well we went through with it because there was no money down, the payment was okay and we got a few more hundred thousands points more to use. We confirmed several times if that was the final payment and no other monies would be have to pay. They said, no this is it. We will pull from your equity. Well knowing what that means, i mean timeshares have equity? So we can borrow off our timeshare and use the money to re-do our home kitchen? Right? NOT! I found that out. Anyway, We signed the contract and while doing so we noticed a "BILL ME LATER" mentioned in the contract. When asked what was "BILL ME LATER" they said it was the finance company for the timeshare. We accepted that, I mean there are changes going on so we went ahead. Well we enjoyed our vacation, left Vegas came home and was telling all our friends and family that are owners as well as those that are considering Wyndham ownership how good this was and about the upgrade. Ha! Some goodnedss. On April 10th we get in the mail a bill from "BILL ME LATER", we thought it was a statment until we noticed an amount of $4,695.00 due with payments of $171.00 to beg November 1, 2012. What is this, we havent made any bills for $4K. So I called bill me later and they said, yes you made a purchase on April 6th in Las Vegas at Wyndham? YEs we did but for not this amount. So we called Wyndham and they said it was our down payment. Huh? No we didnt have a downpayment, was our response. We were told they was taking the downpayment from the equity with nothing additional and our monthly payment was $496.00. No ma'am you need to speak with "BILL ME LATER" because that is your down payment you have to pay. WHAT THE $#!@. We we filed a formal complaint and having been dealing with this issue since April 11th. We made our first monthly payment on May 15th. On June 4th we receive via email a letter from a Jennifer Mason, she is a member of the esculation team on members complaints and investigations. She indicated that based upon their review and my email stating what happened. Wyndham was releasing us from that contract / cancelling the new contract and re-instating our two traded contracts. YIPPY! Great. Well on Friday, August 10, 2012 we found out that yes, they are canceling the contract but will not cancel the "BILL ME LATER". Well that arose out of the contract. Between all of this we stop making our payments and was advised that no payments were to be made until the traded contracts were placed in effect. We stop paying! On Tuesday, Aug 7, 2012, Jennifer Mason and I talked ( you can never get a hold of her you always have to leave messages and wait days before she calls back) she said, that there are points used from the new contract that we have to pay for. in addtion, the account is behind and the down payment will be used to pay for the used points ( we haven't used them the vacations arent until August 24th and November 19) and any pass due payments. I told her we didnt have a down payment. She said, yes you put down $4695. I said NO. That is what we are disputing. We never physically put any money down. I told her the vacation in NOvember was booked with the new points and to please cancel that because we are not paying. I told her the vacation in August was booked earlier this year with points from our traded contract, so we dont own on that one. I told her we will pay the pass due amounts in cash. I asked her how is it that the contract is being cancelled and you're not calceling the "BILL ME LATER" which arose out of the contract? She said, ma'am im just letting you know. I said, you're wrong and this is unacceptable. You can say, you gonna cancel the contract ( we have in writing) and now we still have to pay the down payment. What kinda crap is that. Not to mention she called on Friday and said we are 6 months behind in payments.. not true and they will use 2500 of the 5500 down payment that was made to bring the account current. WHAT? So now the amounts change. So, you are taking back on your word to cancel the contract or you're canceling it in part; which has not been stated and you are increasing the down payment of $4695 to 5500. And you're telling me we when asked what happens to the other portion of that down payment that there is no refund this is what we are doing. I know this is a long story and i have tried to give it as simple as possible but you know when you're going to a crises and when you hve been treated unfailly you want to get it all out. I have left minor things out. But there it is. Please know, our account is NOT 6 months behing on 3 months ( june, july and aug is due on the 20th) we received a bill yesterday, August 11th saying please pay your pass due amount of $1500, which we will do tomorrow. We have no intentions on using the share until this is resolved. My vacation for Aug 22nd - 25th we have booked hotel. so no points are necessary to be used or need to be paid for. I need clarifcation on this supposive down payment with bill me later. How can they hold us to pay for this when the contract is being terminated and our new contracts are being reinstated. That bill me later arose out of the new contract. Shouldnt they contract bill me later and cancel that transaction? So bottom line, we are being forced to pay for something that we didnt use. So in essences we are giving bill me later $4695 just because. Please please please help us and clarify this. This is totally wrong. Also, if we were six months behind we never received notication of this and our monthly payments have been deducted from our checking account with the last one being made in May. HELP!!!!

Linda V. Jul 09, 2018

Due to illness we never used our Wyndham. We need help to camel after couple years of Payments

Lance C. Jul 09, 2018

Do you have a loan or mortgage owing on it? Are the maintenance fees up to date? If not, then you will have a hard time getting rid of it.

Have you checked out Wyndham's Ovation program where they are taking back a select, limited number of units that are paid off and maintenance fees up to date? More information can be found in the pinned thread under timeshare companies.

Just do not go paying any company, charity, or law firm that claims it can "cancel" your timeshare.

John I. Jul 10, 2018

Wyndham has a relatively new program called "Wyndham Cares." It is mostly in response to the so-called cancellation firms who have caused Wyndham much annoyance. You can search the term "Wyndham Cares" to find their link. They are supposedly trying to help people who have had life-changing events and can no longer afford their timeshare. I have no real idea if Wyndham really does care, but you could try the website. Good luck.

Don P. Jul 10, 2018

Just make sure you are dealing directly with Wyndham .

Wayne C. Jul 10, 2018

Sir, you can just walk away from it. A Mexican right to use is no ownership. I have worked in Mexico for many years doing contracts, and there are no legal obligations on your part as a foreigner. They CANNOT affect your credit from a purchase Mexico.

Best of luck.

Wayne C. Robinson

Wayne C. Jul 10, 2018

Mexico is not the U.S. There is only a right to use, and therefore, they can sell as many weeks as people will buy. I have worked there in sales and marketing for many years.

You can simply walk away and there is nothing they or will do. They CANNOT affect your U.S. credit.

Best of luck!

Last edited by vhines on Jul 25, 2018 08:02 AM

Randi H. Sep 22, 2019

I need the head boss contact for wyndham im in a bad situation

Lance C. Sep 24, 2019

randih36 wrote:
I need the head boss contact for wyndham im in a bad situation

What is your "bad situation"? You might not necessarily need the head boss.

Rod S. Mar 04, 2021

I have this same issue they did a fraud down payment under vacation club credit through comenity the contract was closed on 6-17-19 yet this is in collections over a year I need that off my credit soon

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