IA Vacations/ American Timeshare Closings

That's part of their modus operandi .... the lies.

Hard to believe, but I actually got my check yesterday, 8 months later. I don't know if complaints to the Attorney General and BBB helped, or if this is just the time frame it takes. I had just about given up hope of ever getting paid.

The only reason you probably got paid is that they finally got enough money to pay you. I think they are using our money for other things and then when they get enough money they pay people. I have been looking online and several people have stated they have had to wait forever to get their check. I still haven't got my money, and like always I call and get to listen to the lies that Ms. Kim Whaley feeds me. I talked to another girl the other day and they gave me some more lies. They must train them when they get a job their to lie. I also called IA and they act like they are so concerned about my check, but I still haven't received my check. I have been doing some more research they do not have a real estate license with Tennessee Real Estate commission. Now, I don't know this, but to sell timeshares do you not have to have a license. Can someone let me know? I left a message with the Tenn. Real estate commission, so hopefully someone will call me back. Also one friday I called their offices and the phone was cut off. I wonder if now they are having financial problems that they can't pay the bills or is their something else going on. I am going to be in town soon and I am thinking of just dropping in on them and asking for my check.

I THINK THEY HAD TO SELL MY TIMESHARE THEY BOUGHT FROM ME BEFORE THEY COULD SEND ME MY MONEY. BUT I SUGGEST YOU REPORT THEM TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TENN. I SENT THEM ALL THE MESSAGES ON THIS BOARD TO GIVE THEM AN IDEA OF HOW BAD THIS COMPANY IS. I THINK THAT IF A LOT OF US REPORT THEM THEY MAYBE THE ATTY GEN WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

I've done my research as well. I was thinking of dealing with them. But not now. Apparently April Underwood, owner of ATC, and Stacy Gillispie, owner of IA Vacations, are husband and wife. I found out that the manager doesn't even make any decisions, and can't do anything until the owner tells her to. So, it is up to the owner's to put the money. Between the complaints with the BBB and the attorney general it is all the same story. It seems that most don't even get their money unless they have a lawyer write in or a major complaint filed. I think I'll save my time and go elsewhere.

Goodluck to the rest of you.

It has got to the point I would GIVE my Summerbay T/S away just to get rid of the payments and maintenance fees. We have learned the hard way by loosing thosands by "paying" someone to sell and now dealing with fraud complants to our credit companies and banks. MAJOR headachs. From what I have been able to tell Timeshare sales have dropped to near bottom. I have not ruled out forclosure, but afraid what the credit recourse would be. has anyone found a true Timeshare Sales company out there?

Dwain

Ms Pam I am feeling the same way, Have you recieved any response to your question that could benifit me as well?

Thanks Dwain N.

dwaind2 wrote:

It has got to the point I would GIVE my Summerbay T/S away just to get rid of the payments and maintenance fees. We have learned the hard way by loosing thosands by "paying" someone to sell and now dealing with fraud complants to our credit companies and banks. MAJOR headachs. From what I have been able to tell Timeshare sales have dropped to near bottom. I have not ruled out forclosure, but afraid what the credit recourse would be. has anyone found a true Timeshare Sales company out there? Dwain

If you financed your timeshare and are still making payments, then there's no way anyone will take it off your hands. It's hard enough in this economy to sell a timeshare when it's paid off. If you let it go into foreclosure it will ruin your credit, both for not paying off the loan and not paying maintenance fees. I feel your pain as you are between a rock and a hard place .... the best advice I can give you is to pay it off and then try to sell it, but be aware that some timeshare weeks can't even be given away .... it depends on the supply and demand of the week you own and the resort ..... both Orlando and Vegas (don't know which Summer Bay you own at) are severely overbuilt with timeshare resorts.

Laura...I am not sure if my first message went through, however, if not here goes. My husband and I have been victimized by these jerks and we are not going quietly. They have sold our timeshare, kept the money and now we are unable to contact them at any phone numbers. I would like to speak with you about this if you feel comfortable calling me to tell you what we are doing about this. We need to stop these people from doing this to others. My name is Kathy McGonigle and my number is (484) 612-3947. P.S. I was just talking to the people who supposedly bought our property and they were "victimized" just like us and we are going to work together to bring these people down. Please call. Thank you.

Russ...My husband and I were using these people to sell our timeshare, although at the time the buyer was not listed as IA Vacations. We just recently found this out. To make a long story short, they sold it on ebay for way more than they were going to pay us for it, kept the money and we are left holding the bag. We did find out who the new owner is and I am pretty sure they really don't own it either as a deed was never recorded in St. Thomas. Anyway I have contacted the new owners and we are going to work together to see if we can bring these people down. If you would like to call us, please send an email to kccmac@aol.com with a phone number and we will let you know how we are going to handle this. Hope to hear from you.

The first thing you need to do is report that company to the DA in the county where the scam company is located .... that's the only way upfront fee resale scammers will be shut down.

My husband and I have bought and sold timeshares on Redweek.com and used First American Title Company from that website without any problems. This was the first time we went outside our comfort zone and allowed someone else to take care of our sale. BIG MISTAKE! However, I will hound these scamming, fraudlent, forging a-holes into hell. I will never give it up until someone from a legal agency pays attention and does something about IA Vacations, Stacy Gillespie, American Timeshare Closing and April Underwood Gillespie. They are theives and con artists and need to be brought to justice.

"they sold it on ebay for way more than they were going to pay us for it, kept the money and we are left holding the bag"

I think that's their modus operandi --- our deed, which was finally recorded etc, states that the sale price was $1000 ... but we paid over $6000. I did contact the seller and told him how much we paid, not sure whether he ever got his money. IA did finally pay their portion of the taxes ... so our claim was reduced to the lengthy delay getting the unit registered (and we could not book until it was registered and recognized by the resort).

George Arrants never responded to me so I doubt he is interested in pursuing these claims. He did not even have the coutesy to say "I can't help you" ... he just ignored my request.

Yes, I have had the same problem with them and I am blogging about them right now to warn other people. I contacted the police department in Sevierville, TN and spoke with a detective D Shanks at 865-428-1899 to file a complaint. He drove to their office and confronted them again (apparently they have a history of this) and they cut a check right away to avoid prosecution.

Good Luck

Aaron

Hi Aaron,

We are having all the same problems as everyone else. It has been almost 9 months since we signed a contract with IA Vacations. Thanks for the info. I have filed a complaint with the TN BBB and Consumer Affairs Dept. Next the Attorney General's Office and Licensing board.

Just wanted everyone to know on here that persistence pays off. I filed complaints with every organization I could find with regard to fraud, forgergy and theft. I sent certified letters to George Arrants, CEO of Marriott, US Attorney General, all the judges & county officials of Sevierville, IA Vacations and American Timeshare Closings. I also sent a detailed email to Don Meyers, Chief of Police of Sevierville, TN. The only responses I received was from the attorney for Marriott who was kind enough to fax me a copy of the recorded deed which had my husband's forged signature on it. Don Myers responded immediately and promised to put a detective on the case, which he did. A few weeks later, my husband received a call from a detective who was standing in the offices of American Timeshare Closing and made sure they put a check in the mail right then and there. All the rest of the people I notified never responded in any way. So that is why these people are allowed to continue to break the law by fraud, theft and forgery. The squeaky wheel gets the oil, so keep after them until they pay you what you deserve.

kathleenc98 wrote:

Just wanted everyone to know on here that persistence pays off. I filed complaints with every organization I could find with regard to fraud, forgergy and theft. I sent certified letters to George Arrants, CEO of Marriott, US Attorney General, all the judges & county officials of Sevierville, IA Vacations and American Timeshare Closings. I also sent a detailed email to Don Meyers, Chief of Police of Sevierville, TN. The only responses I received was from the attorney for Marriott who was kind enough to fax me a copy of the recorded deed which had my husband's forged signature on it. Don Myers responded immediately and promised to put a detective on the case, which he did. A few weeks later, my husband received a call from a detective who was standing in the offices of American Timeshare Closing and made sure they put a check in the mail right then and there. All the rest of the people I notified never responded in any way. So that is why these people are allowed to continue to break the law by fraud, theft and forgery. The squeaky wheel gets the oil, so keep after them until they pay you what you deserve.

You did what everyone that's been scammed SHOULD DO ..... report the scams to every agency out there. You're indeed correct that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Does anyone have the physical address of IA vacation. I understand they moved from Dolly Parton Parkway.

The Atty General "Dept of Consumer Complaints" did nothing for us other than stamp the letters that went back and forth. Nothing more than leeches sucking the lifeblood of our economy. Even the BBB was pretty much useless. Arrants won't work on mickey mouse stuff, I guess. We ended up eating IA's crap and getting on with our lives.

I sent a certified letter to IA Vacations at 1353 Dolly Parton Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37864 on September 25, 2010 and received a signed return receipt back from them on September 27,2010 and was sent back to me. So as of that date, they were still at that physical address. At that same time, I also sent a letter to their partner in crime, American Timeshare Closing at 1355 Dolly Parton Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37864 and received a signed return receipt back from them. What was interesting was that both receipts, although at different addresses, was signed by the same individual and in such a way you could not make out the name even where they were asked to print it. They are just way too clever....their arrogance will be their undoing!