vacation sales and marketing scam

Sellmytimesharenow is a HUGE scam. The just post it on a board of tens of thousands of other ads. They are so obscured I couldn't even find my ad in all that. What a waste of money. And no chance of a refund, so buyer beware. I get tons of calls from people saying they'll sell my timeshare for top dollar. Are they all crooks?

lynnb198 wrote:

Sellmytimesharenow is a HUGE scam. The just post it on a board of tens of thousands of other ads. They are so obscured I couldn't even find my ad in all that. What a waste of money. And no chance of a refund, so buyer beware. I get tons of calls from people saying they'll sell my timeshare for top dollar. Are they all crooks?

If they want an upfront fee in the hundreds/thousands of dollars then they're indeed crooks, criminals, scammers and thieves.

I honestly don't know why something hasn't been done about these crooks as it's a major money maker with all the lies they tell prospective clients.

Hi,

I'm not sure how we got lumped into this discussion, but we do not conduct business the way these companies do. We operate essentially as an online classified section, same as a newspaper or companies such as autotrader.com or monster.com, all of which ask for advertising payment before placing the ad. Anyone doing a Google search for timeshare-related search terms will see us come up near the top on page 1 which is how we attract buyers to our site, same as the other companies I mentioned. We make no guarantees about sales timeframes or "having a buyer waiting" and other dubious tactics. Without knowing the specifics of lynnb98's situation (such as her asking price) I cannot comment further. However, feel free to contact me at steveluba@sellmytimesharenow.com if you have any questions about us or, if you are a current customer, about the status of your account.

Sincerely, Steve Luba Director of Communications SellMyTimeshareNow.com

stevel251 wrote:

We operate essentially as an online classified section, same as a newspaper or companies such as autotrader.com or monster.com, all of which ask for advertising payment before placing the ad. Anyone doing a Google search for timeshare-related search terms will see us come up near the top on page 1 which is how we attract buyers to our site, same as the other companies I mentioned.

Would you be willing to match their prices?

NEVER pay an upfront fee to sell your timeshare. These are scams. I was, in fact, just contacted by a company called Timeshare Mega Media and Marketing Group. They wanted over $500 to sell my timeshare to a group of "European investors". They spent almost half an hour telling me how great my Virginia timeshare was and how they could get me more than I paid for it a few years ago. I know, from this website, and others, that timeshares on the resell market do not in fact sell for the prices that they indicated they could get. When I indicated that I was not willing to pay an upfront fee "for advertising and other costs", but would pay a 3% brokers fee when the property sold, theyquickly hung up on me.

Promises to return your money once they have it? Give me a break, that just does not happen. Are you willing to travel to another state to sue them for your $500 when they do not give it back? Of course not! That would cost you more than the $500! They know that. I was a consumer legal aid attorney for many years and I know a rip off when I see it.

Want to see your timeshare? List it at a reasonable cost ($50 for 6 month listing?) on one of many sites or find a LICENSED real estate broker who agrees to accept the fees at the real estate closing of the property, and not one minute sooner. Don't keep feeding the sharks.

stevel251 wrote:

Hi,

I'm not sure how we got lumped into this discussion, but we do not conduct business the way these companies do. We operate essentially as an online classified section, same as a newspaper or companies such as autotrader.com or monster.com, all of which ask for advertising payment before placing the ad. Anyone doing a Google search for timeshare-related search terms will see us come up near the top on page 1 which is how we attract buyers to our site, same as the other companies I mentioned. We make no guarantees about sales timeframes or "having a buyer waiting" and other dubious tactics. Without knowing the specifics of lynnb98's situation (such as her asking price) I cannot comment further. However, feel free to contact me at steveluba@sellmytimesharenow.com if you have any questions about us or, if you are a current customer, about the status of your account.

Sincerely, Steve Luba Director of Communications SellMyTimeshareNow.com

BS personified ..... if you charge an upfront fee in the hundreds/thousands of dollars then your company is a scam like all others ..... classified ads in newspapers and other media DO NOT charge that amount of money .... sorry that this forum and other timeshare forums have put a huge dent in your business ..... maybe it's time you sought other employment because we're not going away ..... it's my mission to educate as many people as I can on 'upfront fee company' scams .... thanks to the internet your business has dropped considerably.

My question is how do you sleep at night with all the lies you tell prospective clients ...... "what goes around comes around" ..... you and your compadres will get yours one day.

The ONLY way your and other upfront fee companies will EVER gain respectibility is when you start charging a fee after you sell, period.

I really don't think I'd want my name publicly (especially on the internet) associated with any upfront fee company (that charges in the hundreds/thouands dollars) ..... shame on you and your associates.

P.S. are you blind ..... have you not read all the negative testimonials here concerning your company ripping people off ..... sheesh .... it's in black and white right here in this thread.

I have been taken by these also before i wised up.I have no respect for these people or the ones that want to hold you up when trying to sell or give away your timeshare. Like paying them thousands for them to take your timeshare off your hands. They will get payback one day.

I took a chance on this company and have not been able to get my money back. They either don't answer the phone or hang up when they find out why I called. I sent them a certified letter and received the signed receipt. I would appreciate any info on how to get this money back if anyone has had any luck in doing so.

They told me they had people longing for my property, and they would list it at $29,900 and probably sell it for between $25k and $27k. All I had to do was give them $399 on a credit card and then they would send me the contract, with a guarantee that if it didn't close in a year, they would return my money.

I made them the offer that if they sold my property for $25000, I would send them a cashiers check for $1000. They declined, saying that would be illegal.

Thanks out there, because someone from vacation sales and marketing just called me and my husband and i are desperate to sell..she wanted 899.00 yeah well i have blocked her # and e-mail .

I also found that their BBB rating is "D" I callled their man back today because I had told him I would. Suddenly they were not nearly as nice as they had been, letting me know that Better Business Bureau did not keep very good records, and there were only four complaints out there.

I wished them a good day!

candiceh18 wrote:

Thanks out there, because someone from vacation sales and marketing just called me and my husband and i are desperate to sell..she wanted 899.00 yeah well i have blocked her # and e-mail .

Good for you! Please accept my sincere congratulations.

The way to drive ALL of these bottom dwelling parasites right out of existence is for a populace of educated consumers to recognize pure BS whenever they hear it, and just promptly bid these assorted, deceitful, lying pond scum a prompt and firm GOODBYE...

I keep reading about people that have been scammed, including myself, isn't there anyone out there who has had success in selling their timeshare??

michaelk91 wrote:

I keep reading about people that have been scammed, including myself, isn't there anyone out there who has had success in selling their timeshare??

Sure --- but certainly NOT through ANY "upfront fee" parasites. To sell a timeshare, you must advertise on your own, at a competitive price.

I have sold 6 (out of a total of 10 owned) timeshare weeks over the past two years or so, making no attempt to sell the remaining four. *ALL* were sold entirely on my own. It takes some time and effort, minor costs to advertise, as well as honesty and accuracy in the resort / unit details provided in the advertising. Patience and good (and timely) communication with interested buyers is also important. Last but not least, your price must be both realistic and competitive. That all said, however, some timeshares really ARE virtually worthless in a weak economy, if they are at run down facilities, in off season, in remote places of little interest, and/or have high maintenance fees.

Sellers sometimes forget that no buyer cares (...not even one little bit) what a seller may have paid previously. Buyers (quite understandably) only care about the price at which THEY can purchase the same or comparable week TODAY, whether from you or from someone else. In other words, in order to get sold, yours needs to be about the lowest price around for the same (or closely comparable) unit / week.

Relying upon someone else to sell your week(s) for you is generally just wishful thinking if you really want it sold. Paying someone a fee "upfront" to just "list" your timeshare on an obscure, unknown web site at a grossly inflated price, buried among hundreds of other overpriced weeks, is simply a complete waste of both your time and your money (...and it will also never actually result in a sale).

michaelk91 wrote:

I keep reading about people that have been scammed, including myself, isn't there anyone out there who has had success in selling their timeshare??

I've sold 9 timeshares via internet listing sites such as Redweek, however you have to keep in mind that it's definitely a buyer's market with this bad economy and you have to price your week competitively and well below other listings IF you can sell it at all (depending on time owned and the popularity of the location and resort) .... some timeshare weeks can't even be given away.

I will have to admit that I sold all 9 of my timeshares before postcard companies hit the market with their 1 cent, 25 cent and $1.00 timeshares on Ebay .... I probably couldn't GIVE my previously owned timeshares away now for free .... postcard companies and this rescession have devalued ALL timeshares (even the high ends such as Marriott, Westin, Hilton, 4 Seasons etc). Marriott has even discontinued ROFR (right of first refusal).

IMHO, I don't see the timeshare industry ever recouping as it was before this rescession as people have learned a valubale lesson concerning buying luxury items (especially those with never ending rising maintenance fees and special assessments) and financing a developer purchase will be harder and harder (what entity is going to finance a timeshare with it's a volumous rate of foreclosures?) .... the industry will never recover from this rescession and the memories it will invoke in the future.

However, the resale market may do well in the future (for some popular locations, times and resorts) .... only time will tell, but it's the rising maintenance fees and special assessments that will hurt even the resale market as many maintenance fees have risen above what owners can get on the rental market .... in other words, many owners have to post their rental rates lower than their maintenance fees if they want to rent their week it at all, sometimes much lower and it's not a guarantee that the unit will rent at all (it's all about supply and demand of that particular resort and time owned).

The only thing I can say is that I tired to list my timeshare with Timeshare Media Group and for 40 days I thought that I was being scammed. Eventually guess what guys the damn deal went through!!. I couldn't believe it. I had been scammed three times before. My GOD work in mysterious ways.

sharonl262 wrote:

The only thing I can say is that I tired to list my timeshare with Timeshare Media Group and for 40 days I thought that I was being scammed. Eventually guess what guys the damn deal went through!!. I couldn't believe it. I had been scammed three times before. My GOD work in mysterious ways.

In 26 years of timeshare ownership and extensive experience with the industry, I have NEVER ONCE even HEARD of this particular entity, which you claim sold your timeshare --- in 40 days, no less! That's not "God working in mysterious ways" --- that's a flat out MIRACLE!

All six of my own sales in the past few years took considerably longer than 40 days, even at rock bottom prices. Most closing processes alone take 6-8 weeks, AFTER buyer and seller reach an agreement.

Frankly, I do NOT believe your claim --- not for one moment, despite your invoking God's name in making this unsubstantiated claim. Further, I think that what you are actually doing in placing this post is just a (not very subtle --- and not at all convincing) attempt to get FREE ADVERTISING for this entity by posting a "success story", one containing no verifiable facts, no resort name, no dates, no nada...

Would you have us believe that you previously got scammed THREE TIMES, learning no lesson from the first (...or second, or third...) experience, and then yet somehow chose to trust a FOURTH upfront fee company, one which then miraculously succeeded in selling your timeshare in a mere 40 days? Please.....I was born early in the morning, but it certainly wasn't early YESTERDAY morning.

Why don't you just prove me wrong by openly identifying here the County in which this alleged "sale" occurred, citing the specific book and page number of the recorded deed? Any and all interested parties can then look it up online and confirm this "miraculous transaction" for themselves? (You would have been provided a copy of this new deed after recording, so this is very easy for you to do). I won't be holding my breath waiting for that to happen, however...

The bottom line to ALL readers here is NEVER pay anyone ONE CENT upfront to sell your timeshare. NEVER! Advertise it yourself and sell it yourself if you want it to ever get sold at all. Even if you end up having to sell it on eBay for mere pennies, at least you still won't have thrown away HUNDREDS of dollars by voluntarily donating that money to a useless, ineffective, upfront fee parasite. Do the math!

NEVER send ANY upfront fee "advertising" company a PENNY!

Instead, CHOOSE to starve them all right out of existence! THAT'S the way to make them disappear NOW, without waiting for protective legislation which isn't magically appearing anytime soon anyhow. If people would just STOP sending these parasites their hard earned money, then the parasites would HAVE to go away --- and MAYBE even have to go find a real job and make an HONEST living!

sharonl262 wrote:

The only thing I can say is that I tired to list my timeshare with Timeshare Media Group and for 40 days I thought that I was being scammed. Eventually guess what guys the damn deal went through!!. I couldn't believe it. I had been scammed three times before. My GOD work in mysterious ways.

Beware, SHILL alert.

Yes, I listed my elderly mother's property with a licensed real broker estate, who just happened to be the president of the timeshare homeowners' association of the property in question. (motivated, perhaps?). She actually negotiated a price upwards when I agreed to throw in a week of "banked time". With check in hand and no more maintenance fees, I have only 2 more timeshares to get rid of.....Oh my! This process is never easy. This sale came after a a 5-mo. battle with Premier Timeshare Vacations in Florida who scammed my 92-yr. old mom into charging $1000 on her credit card to list a another property that she no longer owned!!!! After countless phone calls, emails, exchange of trust documents, property power of attorney,etc. and proof that she did NOT own the Wyndham property in question....the final piece of evidence made the difference. It was a transcript of the phone (scam) call where my mother was "fed" every bit of information about herself and the property....to which she she replied "yes "(yes, she's in the beginning stages of dementia)...Only her credit card #'s were original. Fortunately, placing the credit card purchase in dispute, coupled with the "scam transcript" resulted in the return of the $1000. Whew!!! It was exhausting.....and no surpise to anyone....I have a very bad attitude about timehares, in general. Anybody, want a good deal on one in Oceanside, CA or Palm Desert, CA????