- Timeshare Discussion Forums
- Buying, Renting, and Selling Timeshares
- Vallarta Gardens Timeshare Scam
Vallarta Gardens Timeshare Scam
lorenzoh5 wrote:VG still has $5000 of our down payment, which was on a credit card. I tried once to dispute it and lost. But I may try again. What are they going to do, say 'no'?
If "they" is the credit card company, then yes, it's possible that "they" will say No and side with VG. In the eyes of the credit card company, "they" usually say that you willfully and legally entered into a contract and purchase and that VG did everything according to the contract. Of course, It's likely that the sales people lied to you but you paid according to what was written in the contract.
You can try again if you wish but I wouldn't expect a different result.
Lance C.
lorenzoh5 wrote:UPDATE: Nothing has changed since the last time we were called by the collection agency. We haven't heard anything at all. I half-expected to hear from lawyers by now, or maybe a hit on our credit history and rating, but nothing so far.VG still has $5000 of our downpayment, which was on a credit card. I tried once to dispute it and lost. But I may try again. What are they going to do, say 'no'?
Did you ever contact PROFECO, as was suggested to you months ago (and again on October 12, 2023 in this very same discussion thread)?
You previously claimed to have submitted a contract rescission within the 5 days time frame provided under (what passes for) "Mexican law". If that was the case and you can properly document that you, in fact, submitted a rescission within that allotted 5 days time frame, PROFECO will very likely help you. PROFECO will not help in cases involving nothing more than belated "buyers remorse" (regardless of whether or not you were lied to by sales weasels), but a sales entity failing to process a timely and properly submitted written and signed contract rescission is actually a violation of law, which is another matter entirely and one in which PROFECO can and will assist you.
Forget about disputing the credit card charge — that is just a waste of time and energy. As already pointed out by Lance above, you signed a contract and the credit card issuer therefore has no basis on which to aid in your attempt to get a refund of your deposit on a valid contract that you voluntarily signed of your own free will and choice. Your only course of action with ANY chance of success is PROFECO, which will help you if VG failed to process a properly and timely submitted contract rescission and you can prove it with supporting documentation accurately reflecting the actual dates.
P.S. You are not going to hear from any lawyers. VG will be completely satisfied to just keep your $5,000 and forget all about you --- unless you actively enlist the authority and involvement of PROFECO, which will cost you absolutely nothing and which would promptly get the undivided attention of VG. Or, you can instead just continue to provide periodic meaningless and content-free “updates” without ever having bothered to initiate the one and only course of action that can actually help you. Your choice...
KC
Last edited by ken1193 on Dec 04, 2023 09:49 AM
Have definitely been “scammed” by Innova Marketing Services re: Vallarta Garden Timeshare/Vacation Package Scam. Have tried to contact them and receive a generated reply with no follow up. Save your time by not getting a free trip/breakfast as you’ll be high pressured to purchase something you won’t receive. The owner of Vallarta Gardens, unless he’s part of the scam, should be investigated, but, alas, it’s corrupt Mexico.
Michael Z.
Hello Curtis It's been 2 years since you purchased at Vallarta Gardens with the belief that they would pay you for your extra weeks and that you would profit from this investment. Do you still believe this and has if worked out the way you expected or did all the promisses for profit from the weeks you turned back in for marketing rentals $$ evaporate like it has for most of the other people? We bought into this property (Hamptons Penthouse) January 2022 with the guaranteed promise that our 5-6 weeks per year would earn us $3500USD/week through thier affiliated marketing company Allianz Marketing. That's $17,500 USD per year which they told us would pay back our investment in less that 3 years. We put our 5 weeks back into the "rental/marketing pool" as was sold to us at the sales presentation (1 week was deducted from the purchase price as it was already February). 12 months later (Jan 2023) we were due to recieve our funds from Allianz Marketing but no deposit arrived. We contacted them and with a week or two of back and forth comunication they informed us that Vallarta Gardens had not sent them our Certificate of Ownership document so they would have to recieve it first. Not Good. I contacted VG and after a few minor excuses and appologies they sent the document to us and to Allianz. OK. We were then told the funds would be wire tranferred to our bank the following day but would take 8-10 business days to arrive after bouncing around inside the banking system. I checked with my bank and they said is seemed long but perhaps within the realm of possibility and that perhaps they didn't want to over-promise the timing. OK We waited expectedly for two weeks and still no deposit. I called Allianz M. and they said that it was actually 8-10 banking days and in Mexico the banks are only open 3-4 days per week and only til 2pm daily so could take longer. Bullshit ! I visited my bank to discuss this and they said they get transfers from Mexico regularily and that this is getting a bit far fetched as an excuse. Not Good. Blah, Blah, Blah..... I could bore you with more details about the excuses and promised phone calls but I'll just give you the current status. Allianz Marketing stopped answering thier phones or calling back messages, stopped responding to emails (May 2023) and to date (11 months later) no funds and no hope of resolution so far. We contacted Vallarta Gardens many times and they take no ownership even though it was thier sales team that sold us the marketing promise. VG claim to have no affiliation of ownership with AM but they continue to sell the vacation ownership with the added promise of yearly profits to the buyers.
Curtis I am just very curious to know if you've ever recieved the promised revenue from the weeks you purchased. We have noticed that our situation has been experienced by many other couples and you are the first and only person I've found that feels they were advantaged by VG.
curtise28 wrote:Ok Guys, I bought into a 4 to 5 weeks Vallarta Gardens Villa Partial Ownership, just TODAY!So, this is my honest perception of WHAT I WAS SOLD !
Yes, the Vallarta Gardens seems to be well kept, and its really just like one of the HIGH-DOLLAR costing Luxury Resorts we have visited in San Carlos, Bahia De Kino, Mazatlan, Tulum, Cancun, Playa De Carmen, other parts of the Yucatan Peninsula, just this past year alone.
Other than the Sonora desert coast on the Sea of Cortez where San Carlos and Bahia de Kino are on, all of the other vacation areas were mostly very tropical and JUNGLE LIKE, just like the entire property of Vallarta Gardens!
But, I was told by my Vallarta Gardens tour guide, that most of that humungous amount of spectacular foliage you see all over the property were IMPORTED from other areas of Mexico and planted there.
So, just like, even most of the NEGATIVE commenters stated on here, and on Trip Advisor, The PLACE is indeed fabulous!
Also, as was stated on here, they OFFER you several different Villa accommodations to choose from, based on your needs, and also on your budget, just like buying a NEW CAR!
The Villa I selected was a one bedroom in The Hamptons, which cost me $44,000 and some change, including 9% in closing costs and taxes. It was for 4 to 5 weeks per year. I paid for 4 weeks, but there was somethings that kept saying 5 weeks in the most popular winter vacation season, but I forget to get them to explain the difference.
If I didn't show up at all that year, they would use my time to invite NEW guests to stay in my place. Mind you, guest who they can then PITCH the same "presentation" to and its tour packages.
But, here's the thing.
Just like others mentioned on here, we were in the Nuevo Vallarta WALMART shopping mall looking around, for really nothing in particular, and one of their STREET PITCHERS started his spill, which we had been ignoring the hordes of them who are everywhere in the entire area, for all month long. But, this day we had a dental appointment, and we had over an hour to kill, so I decided to STOP and LISTEN!
The main difference from most others on here who are complaining, many of whom went to Vallarta Gardens just to receive one of their advertising/promotional FREEBIES, or perhaps a CHEAP $199.00 Puerta Vallarta area All-Exclusive Vacation, WE WENT there LOOKING TO BUY into something, JUST LIKE what their street guy was pitching!!!!
They have a bi-annual, or every two years maintenance fee of $1100 or so.
However, they waive it every 2 years after you make your payment, IF I didn't show up for usage during those two years...
Instead of ME paying THEM, they will not only refund my maintenance fees from the previous 2 years, they will even deposit a $3000 cash bounty BACK into my bank account in exchange for me "selling" my 4 to 5 weeks of usage back to them during those 2 years.
Disclaimer: DO YOUR OWN DUE DILLIGENCE!
Now starting today, I have from 5 business days, or some say on here, 30 full days, to allow my LEGAL SHIELD Lawyer to review my signed paperwork FREE to me, as a part of my annual LEGAL SHIELD Membership benefits.
If what they SAID is not 100% TRUE, based on what is WRITTEN in the Contract, I have a choice to ignore it, and hope for the best, or put my American Express charge into a disputed against them, per both of their contract, and Mexican Law. (American Express dispute process & Vallarta Garden's Mexico Timeshare Law)
But, here are the hip-kickers, that really made me decide to JUST DO IT, without thinking about it for at least a few days FIRST....
1. I just retired at age 62 several months ago, from being an over-the-road, 125,000+ miles per year truck driver for the last 22 years! And I decided NOT to collect Social Security YET, so any extra income from this Mexican vacation property OWNERSHIP would be a PLUS, to me!
2. For the last few years, I have been dating a Mexican Citizen, who is also pretty much retired. We had already been PLANNING to live both in Mexico, and the US for parts of the year, and we had plans to travel a lot more in the places we liked all over Mexico. Eventually travelling all around the world, while we both were still "young" enough to enjoy it. So, their GUARANTEED lowest price Travel Concierge Service would also be another PLUS!
3. I had the DISCRETIONARY MONEY ON HAND, and that amount wouldn't at all compromise my long-term financial security, IF it didn't work out and I LOST 100% of it!
4. They PROMISED by "contract" that they would deposit money into a type of annuity fund that guarantees a steady yield, and it would be enough to COVER my investment cost over 10 years, IF I wanted to just sellout at the MINIMUM.
5. At any time, I could list my 4 or 5 weeks back with them, and they would just resell it to someone else, based 100% on REAL MARKET values at that time, just like selling a HOUSE!
6. I will get a DEED that will allow me to virtually instantly become a Legal Permanent Resident in Mexico, based on their property OWNERSHIP laws, without having to LIVE in the Mexico nonstop for a few years!
7. I can also immediately get a Mexico Bank account, based on that same law of Mexican property OWNERSHIP!
8. I can also use my weeks, similar to an AirBnB property, where I can "SELL" my own vacation time to anyone else, and at whatever price I want. Or I can just allow ANYONE I want to vacation there at no extra cost to them during my time.
9. They have 10 fully manned and stocked FISHING BOATS that are owned by the property, and the only thing you have to pay for when you used them is the GAS, which for me is at a fixed cost for the next 4 years.
10. All the 1+ bedroom Villas comes with everything you have at home, including a MODERN refrigerator, washer/dryer, and all appliances, but the one you OWN isn't LOCKED, meaning you can upgrade it to a more spacious Villa at anytime they are available, simply by paying an extra fee, and its extra maintenance cost for that year.
Now, this NEXT part they fully explained to me, and I kept asking them several questions about it to make sure I understood it.
But, its still really hard to believe.
In ADDITION to giving me that $3000 bounty for "selling" my 4 to 5 weeks back to them, and not using them myself, with a 4 weeks OWNERSHIP, they will also pay me $12,000 per year, so they are able to rent out my weeks to OTHER Villa sales prospects that year!
This part is a PROMOTION, that will last for only the next 10 years of my Ownership, while they are completing the NEXT construction phases of increasing NEW Villa capacity.
This benefit is designed to help Vallarta Gardens Promotions be 100% guaranteed to have inventory available for those who they invite to come down for one of their "5 Day/4 Nights, ALL-Inclusive Vacations". When during the Winter season I chose to OWN 4 weeks in, close to 1 MILLION people just willy nilly decide to pay the highest prices, just to be in one of the HORDES and HORDES of "vanilla" Puerta Vallarta area hotels.
In other words, having this inventory available, and not having it being used by an OWNER will help to guarantee they will have opportunities to SELL more and more of their increasing number of NEW Villas, on top of any relisted for SALE Villas, over the next 10 years!
I'm typing all of this from MEMORY, so I may have some of the details incorrect, or a few of the numbers incorrect, but that's the gist of what the presenters said, and what the paperwork I SIGNED, as a part of my Vallarta Gardens Fractional Ownership Contract!
Again, now I have at least 5 business days to let my LEGAL SHIELD Lawyer review these entire Contract that I already signed, as a part of my LEGAL SHIELD annual Attorney Retainer Membership!
Guys, we are all constantly being SOLD STUFF by professional sales people, all throughout the year, right? Particularly, HIGH-DOLLAR STUFF that can be, or has a history of being "shady", its always best to have a Lawyer on retainer that will look over the paperwork during the COOLING OFF PERIOD of the Contract!
Having a LAWYER on retainer all year long, only cost a FAMILY less than $1 per day.
In these days and times, its almost CRAZY not to keep a Lawyer on retainer for all of the many different LEGAL issues, just like this, that any individual Family Member may have at anytime all year long!
Robert V.
ratand2 wrote:We are now freaking out because a collection agency called Monterey Financial in LA is calling us. What to do? Can they hurt us?
If they have weapons then, yes they can hurt you. Are you wondering if they can take your money? Collection agencies are usually all bark and no bite.
You haven't explained why they (or who) are sicking a collection agency on you. what do you owe/ How long have you owed this?
Lance C.
WINNING!!!
Just to summarize: We rescinded our agreement with VG within the 5-day period. We never heard a word from VH. No 'Past Due' notices, no email, no phone calls - nothing. Then last year, VG sent our accout to a collection agency. This collection agency has actually contacted us on two separate instances. We have gone back and forth with them - I've always tried to be VERY patient, but stern in my stance. We provided all documentation we had to the collection agency, and were very clear that we do not owe this debt.
Today we got a call from the collection agency that they are closing the file - basically they agreed with us that we do not owe this debt.
I'm not sure what VG's next step will be, but I plan to use that decision by the collection agency to "request" that they refund our remaining deposit. I really don't expect them to fork over the money, but I will use this decision by the collection agency as further proof to my credit card company that my dispute should be granted.
Lorenzo H.
We purchased $7,500 USD worth of 100 weeks @ $799 USD/Week through Innova Marketing Incentives AKS VacationChoiceRewards. (VCR). This was right before COVID, not knowing it was a scam, I was expecting to use the entitlements post COVID 19 lockdown (who knew how long that was going to be) I therefore had no interest in reminding any decision.
Now, I keep getting scam "Realty Companies" offer to buy my weeks but a transfer fee needs to be paid and they promise to reimburse the transfer fees in the purchase price. These efforts (x3) over 3 years, always net with false brick & mortar presence, scrapped websites etc. Vallarta Gardens is complicit.
Kevin G.
keving636 wrote:Now, I keep getting scam "Realty Companies" offer to buy my weeks but a transfer fee needs to be paid and they promise to reimburse the transfer fees in the purchase price. These efforts (x3) over 3 years, always net with false brick & mortar presence, scrapped websites etc. Vallarta Gardens is complicit.
I don't know if VG is involved in these scams or not but it's good that you are able to sniff out this scam and not fall for it. Never pay anyone an upfront fee to sell or rent out your timeshare.
Lance C.
paulh1041 wrote:What about Allianz Marketing Strategies. Did you have luck with depositing your week and getting your promised money in return? What is the phone number and person name you talk with at Allianz?
From your posts, I gather that Allianz Marketing Strategies is one of those scam upfront fee companies that promise to sell or rent out your unit and get you a boatload of cash for it, is that correct? If so, then it appears you have been scammed. Sadly, there are many of these companies out there with the same agenda --- to get timeshare owners to fork over money and get noting in return
Lance C.