I worked at a timeshare SCAM....I want to tell you about it.

Advising you on where to advertize conflicts with Redweek's goal to have you advertise on their site.

I have to say though that if "Visions" is advertising on Redweek, why pay "Visions" when you can place an ad on your own for a lot less? Normally I would make a different argument but too many large up front fee fee companies make their money on the up front fee with far less effort spent on securing customers for you. If the fee is up front, the smaller fee FSBO / FRBO websites with larger internet presence are your only acceptable option. IMHO the larger fee companies are really FSBO / FRBO entities in diguise. They might hold your hand a bit to complete the deal, they might respond to inquiries. But they aren't selling your unit. Agents relying on commission are working to sell units becasue they don't get paid otherwise. I feel strongly that pretty much all other entities have not proven (regardless of what they say) they actively find/convince customers to buy/rent from owners.

If your timeshare has an owner site, see if they have a forum, ask a few members (or other owners if you learn how to contact a few) who live closer to the timeshare what options they are aware of for advertising in that region. I noticed when traveling my Google results are VERY different while in international locations vs when at home. Searches appear to be regionalized/nationalized and a US Google search is not maximizing your ability to identify regional/national websites.

peterp151 wrote:

Advising you on where to advertize conflicts with Redweek's goal to have you advertise on their site.

Redweek is merely an internet timeshare ad site .... they don't solicit or do cold calls (with lie after lie) to people interested in renting or selling their timshare .... the renter, rentee or seller finds Redweek themselves.

if you didnt signt he contract you can get your money back. They are a newly established corporation. I have done my research on them. They have no history to base any trust on them whatsoever. And P.S. they all call themselves inventory managers-they didnt already visit your resort.....its all a big scam. I am working on taking companies like this down. I will have some more information for you in the next two weeks if you want to go after the company you already paid.

I can verify from experience that there are timeshare companies with extremely bad reputations being sued every which way to Sunday which HAVE completed sales. People just dont go around on the internet bragging about how they got their timeshare sold. Consumers are the first ones to complain but never the first ones to compliment. Believe me I do not think it is right the way these companies lead people to believe their units are sold upfront but it is a fact that a select few of them do produce sales. Speaking of American Marketing Group....owner Gino Marquez was arrested for operating without a license this week.

International resort solutions is not reputable and it is a lie you can cancel at any time.

I did not pay them but I would be interested in any info on these scammers. Hope you are successful

janed290 wrote:

I can verify from experience that there are timeshare companies with extremely bad reputations being sued every which way to Sunday which HAVE completed sales. People just dont go around on the internet bragging about how they got their timeshare sold. Consumers are the first ones to complain but never the first ones to compliment. Believe me I do not think it is right the way these companies lead people to believe their units are sold upfront but it is a fact that a select few of them do produce sales. Speaking of American Marketing Group....owner Gino Marquez was arrested for operating without a license this week.

I admit wholeheartedly that the industry is a mess but not everyone is out to get you.

jimc273 wrote:

Timeshares actually DO get sold working with third party agencies, even with those that have upfront fees. I know this for sure because it has happened for my clients. It's impossible to get them ALL sold but it is up to the owner to do all the advertising possible to get the job done. I recommend Meridian Media Group and TimeshareAdvisor.com.

I admit wholeheartedly that the industry is a mess but not everyone is out to get you.

Again, never, ever pay any company an upfront fee in the hundreds/thousands to list a timeshare for sale ..... SHILL ALERT above !!!!!

jayjay wrote:

jimc273 wrote:

Timeshares actually DO get sold working with third party agencies, even with those that have upfront fees. I know this for sure because it has happened for my clients. It's impossible to get them ALL sold but it is up to the owner to do all the advertising possible to get the job done. I recommend Meridian Media Group and TimeshareAdvisor.com.

I admit wholeheartedly that the industry is a mess but not everyone is out to get you.

Again, never, ever pay any company an upfront fee in the hundreds/thousands to list a timeshare for sale ..... SHILL ALERT above !!!!!

Who in their right mind would knowingly give any company money after what this forum has stated? Ask me and I will tell you the truth !!!!

larryw242 wrote:

Who in their right mind would knowingly give any company money after what this forum has stated? Ask me and I will tell you the truth !!!!

jayjay wrote:

peterp151 wrote:

Advising you on where to advertize conflicts with Redweek's goal to have you advertise on their site.

Redweek is merely an internet timeshare ad site .... they don't solicit or do cold calls (with lie after lie) to people interested in renting or selling their timshare .... the renter, rentee or seller finds Redweek themselves.

While I have been cold called to pay a listing company for their services to get my unit sold (one to fifty times a month, and the high end is no exageration at one point), I have NEVER been called to buy a timeshare except for calls from developers such as DRI, Worldmark, SVO, etc.

Since those fee based resale companies apparently never cold call prospective customers my point remains. I've been told many times how they have professional staff and marketing engines, and web sites. But it's pretty much impossible to see these "marketing engines" to verify the company is doing what they say they are doing. If I've received hundreds or maybe thousands of calls to list my units for sale but none to buy a resale unit, I doubt they are cold calling. The only mailers I receive focus on me paying to list my unit. I think maybe the RI Stroman mailer also suggests I can buy a unit but the others are 100% sell your unit or come to out presentation where we can help you get rid of your unit.

And a lot of these fee based companies have websites which are not designed to sell units. All they do is list units for sale, often using a rather opaque method of listing units without any thought towards enabling a buyer to find the unit they desire.

Thus my point remains. If the fee based companies use other FSBO sites to list on, or worse have their own sties which are basically non functional for true marketing purposes, we are better off paying the FSBO sites ourselves.

Ok I just got off the phone with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, he is head of the Economic Crimes Division, if you have ever paid Timeshare FSBO, Timeshare MLS, GMAC Timeshare Division any money and they did not do what they promised, then we can do a class action lawsuit against the owners of the companies, as well as the scam artist salespeople that work for GMAC Timeshare Division, and hold them responsible. Here is how we can get our money back, go to www.myfloridalegal.com and file a report about GMAC Timeshare Division and the salesperson that took your money, or call 1-866-966-7226 and ask for the Economic Crimes Division and file a report, GMAC Timeshare Division is currently already under investigation. This company preys on those who need help the most, and they bet on the fact that most of us people will not do anything to try to get our money back. Prove them wrong, call your credit card company and dispute the charge, and then file a formal complaint against them. TAKE ACTION!

What about Worldwide Marketing Solutions? They took $1997.00 from me!

susieh25 wrote:

What about Worldwide Marketing Solutions? They took $1997.00 from me!

Any timeshare resale company that charges an upfront fee are scams.

gloriak43 wrote:

Ok I just got off the phone with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, he is head of the Economic Crimes Division, if you have ever paid Timeshare FSBO, Timeshare MLS, GMAC Timeshare Division any money and they did not do what they promised, then we can do a class action lawsuit against the owners of the companies, as well as the scam artist salespeople that work for GMAC Timeshare Division, and hold them responsible. Here is how we can get our money back, go to www.myfloridalegal.com and file a report about GMAC Timeshare Division and the salesperson that took your money, or call 1-866-966-7226 and ask for the Economic Crimes Division and file a report, GMAC Timeshare Division is currently already under investigation. This company preys on those who need help the most, and they bet on the fact that most of us people will not do anything to try to get our money back. Prove them wrong, call your credit card company and dispute the charge, and then file a formal complaint against them. TAKE ACTION!

Good for you gloria .... now others need to follow your lead .... this is the ONLY way the timeshare upfront fee resale scam companies will be put out of business for GOOD.

Gloria, if you don't mind I'm going to post your info in a thread of it's own.

gloriak43 wrote:

Ok I just got off the phone with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, he is head of the Economic Crimes Division, if you have ever paid Timeshare FSBO, Timeshare MLS, GMAC Timeshare Division any money and they did not do what they promised, then we can do a class action lawsuit against the owners of the companies, as well as the scam artist salespeople that work for GMAC Timeshare Division, and hold them responsible. Here is how we can get our money back, go to www.myfloridalegal.com and file a report about GMAC Timeshare Division and the salesperson that took your money, or call 1-866-966-7226 and ask for the Economic Crimes Division and file a report, GMAC Timeshare Division is currently already under investigation. This company preys on those who need help the most, and they bet on the fact that most of us people will not do anything to try to get our money back. Prove them wrong, call your credit card company and dispute the charge, and then file a formal complaint against them. TAKE ACTION!

That number, 866-966-7226, constantly says "your call cannot be completed at this time." Is this a REAL number to call?

susieh25 wrote:

That number, 866-966-7226, constantly says "your call cannot be completed at this time." Is this a REAL number to call?

I checked the Fla Attorney General's webpage and that's the number listed but you have to put a one before the phone number.