New Owners

" Mr. *******, wanted to know about our current timeshare and that he could sell it for us through their broker for a fee of $99 within 30 days. He convinced us that by doing that we can pay the Stormy Point Village timeshare he was presenting. He put someone on the phone to check the value of the Hyatt timeshare. The person on the phone (I think his name was Ed) said we had a great timeshare and the value of it was $37,000.00. Mr. ******* said the Hyatt property can sell quickly for $35,000 and we will be receiving a check in the mail for the equity on the Hyatt timeshare which will be $14,000.00. Mr. ******* said we can do whatever we wanted with this money. We can pay the Summerwinds timeshare off or use the money elsewhere. It was our choice. We went ahead and signed with that agreement. " - - - - - - - That's exactly what the salesman who quit told me they were doing, and why he quit when he found out there were no resales being done.

A Florida man was sentenced to 14 years in prison in a timeshare resale telemarketing scam that involved 54 victims in southern Illinois.

Brian Christopher Morris, 46, of Boynton Beach, Florida was sentenced to 14 years in prison, five years of supervised release, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee.

Morris pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with telemarketing in February 2012.

The indictment alleged Morris and other were involved in a telemarketing scam in Florida that bilked more than 22,000 victims of $30 million in all 50 states.

Morris was a manager of Universal Marketing Solutions and later Creative Vacation Solutions in Palm Beach County, Florida. The scheme began in October 2007 and continued through January 2010.

Telemarketers called timeshare owners and falsely represented that the company had actual buyers for the owners' timeshare properties. They solicited advance fees up to several thousand dollars and promised they would be refunded once closing on the property occurred. Despite collecting fees from 22,000 victims, the indictment alleged the companies did not sell a single timeshare unit.

Several others have been charged and sentenced in the case.

Customer Complaints Summary 130 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 67 closed in last 12 months Advertising / Sales Issues 78 Billing / Collection Issues 3 Delivery Issues 2 Problems with Product / Service 47 Guarantee / Warranty Issues 0 Total Closed Complaints - - - - - - No other company this size in SW MO has more than 25 complaints.

http://www.bbb.org/southwestern-missouri/business-reviews/timeshare-companies/summerwinds-resort-services-in-branson-mo-29040/complaints

Almost every BBB complaint is resolved like this. They know what they are doing/did and refund money, but only to those who complain:

Business Response Dear *******, We have looked into this matter and will make a full refund to Mr. **** with-in 90 days from the date of this letter. We are sorry that the unit has not sold, the resale market is real slow at this time. If Mr. **** has any questions he may call me at X-XXX-XXX-XXXX. Thanks for your time and concern with this matter.

****** ******* Customer Service Manager Summerwinds Resorts

133 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years

Well, the rating and all information has disappeared from the BBB site. The previous link no longer works.

"Sorry, we can't find the requested page."

When you search this company on SW MO BBB, all it says is,

"BBB's information on this company is being updated, and no report is available at this time."

see my post on June 28th. Just want to warn everyone that just because you got your money refunded your not off the hook I did the song and dance show with the bbb and the last rebuttal from Summerwinds Resort Services was to E-mail all the personal infr they got when we purchased. ssn,credit card, driver licenses, checking account infr. The BBB put our file as unresolved that summerwinds make an effort to resolve it. Idon't know what the relationship is between those two is but the BBB should be red flaging them. You know you are dealing with a bunch of low life con men and they will sale or use all your personal data. I have a case file number with Missouri AG and I would advise everyone to file with the AG. We are waiting for the elections to get over to really put the heat on this outfit because they have to be put in Jail

The BBB page is back up:

133 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 65 closed in last 12 months

http://www.bbb.org/southwestern-missouri/business-reviews/timeshare-companies/summerwinds-resort-services-in-branson-mo-29040/complaints

The salesman that told me the full truth is with another Branson outift now, and he says it is above board, which in this industry means just normally sleazy.

There's either not much interest in this gross ripoff, or this forum is dead.

One or the other.

Lengthy explanation by customer of lying by several on sales staff, and more lying to keep customer from rescinding.

After complaint to BBB, Sumerwinds responds:

Business Response Dear *******,

We have looked into this matter and we are going to allow this contract to be canceled and a full refund will be sent to them within 60 days. We do sell Timeshare and we are proud of it and what we have to offer. No payments have been made on this contract so the only refund will be of the down payment.

Thanks for your time and concern with this matter.

************* Customer Service Manager Summerwinds Resorts

I have read through this forum and all the same lies were told to us. I have signed petition at change.org Will be writing to AG, Mr. Joyce, Mr. Elliot. Have you had any luck?

137 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years

140 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years - - - - - - It just keeps growing.

But, I guess it's relative. Here's Westgate's Orlando record:

674 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years

I own 2 cottages, basically 2 weeks per year. Bought my deeds on eBay, avoided the salesmen and their promises. Bought additional weeks just by calling customer service. At first, they were booked, they recommended calling back. I called everyday waiting for my desired week to open up. Very successful. Staff is great. Never any issues. We upgraded to a 4 bedroom unit

http://www.bbb.org/southwestern-missouri/business-reviews/timeshare-companies/summerwinds-resort-services-in-branson-mo-29040/complaints

174 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 86 closed in last 12 months

This Business is not BBB Accredited Summerwinds Resort Services, LLC Customer Complaints Summary 195 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 98 closed in last 12 months

I am to the arbitration stage following BBB complaint, MO Attorney General complaint, and ARDA complaint. Looking for witnesses to testify or give an affidavit regarding their experience with Summerwinds. Can you help?

I'm sorry that I can't provide a name, but I can provide a very specific accounting of how propspects were being lied to in an overt, intentional marketing scam, related to me by a salesperson involved, who quit when he found out about it.

At the time he quit, he was the #1 salesperson.

You know what? is there a way you can PM me, or that we can communicate via email?

I know better than to post my email address on the Internet. There are, after all, some very dangerous and unscrupulous people on the Internet, who go to such extremes as to uncover your real identity and try to do you harm.

I know one who is a regular on this forum.

Would like to hear about it. However, I don't much want to publish my info here either. I can't come up with a way around it. Thank you though.

It's not so much that I don't want others to see it, but that it is very long and detailed, and I could give you, or whoever, enough information to determine who it was that told me about the scam, because he was unknowingly involved in it.

Hey, it's no shock that people lie in order to saddle people with timeshares they do not want, but this is far more blatant than that.

They know that, so why shouldn't everyone?

When I read the BBB complaints, I can see where people are complaining about exactly what was confirmed to me. Of course, sending those complaints to the people perpetrating the scam, and then accepting their answer, whatever it might be, does not do it proper justice.

The person who shared with me said the people who complained got taken care of, and they were still coming out ahead. That's what I see in the BBB complaints, the really solid complainers getting refunds. - - - - - -

I'm not sure how this site works.

I can click on me, and there is a place where i can check for messages.

I can't click on you to send you one.

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable can explain how this site works. - - - - - - http://www.redweek.com/resources/message-box?popup=1

Copy and paste that to your browser.