RCI Innovations Inc.

judikoz wrote:

There is never a reason to pay an upfront fee. If you have and you want to file a complaint go to www.ltrba.com and click on file a complaint.

I certainly agree that there is NEVER a reason to pay ANYONE an upfront fee, but I have to ask (with no disrespect or offense intended) what exactly would be the point or purpose in "filing a complaint" with a commercial entity such as ltrba.com?

Ken, The website www.ltrba.com (Licensed Timeshare Resale Brokers Association) was put up so the consumer would have a place to file a complaint without us having to walk them through different websites. So it really isn't a commercial entity. It is a not for profit corporation. If you look at the file a complaint one link goes to Tug with all the AG's office, one link goes to the BBB, one link goes to the National Association of Consumer Affairs, one to the Consumers Affairs USA, and one to the Ripoff report. We are not soliciting business. We want everyone to complain LOUD to everyone they can to stop the scam in this industry. I have to sit in my office on a daily basis and listen to the horror stories of people who wait for their social security check to pay these scumbags and then find out there is no buyer for their timeshare and all the other stories that are on these blogs. I also get a call a day from one of the scumbags and am now making a record of every offer I get and am reporting them to the appropriate agencies so that we can see some proactive things happen. If you look at what is happening in Florida our group is very active in reporting to the agencies what is happening in the market with the lowlife scumbags that are taking advantage of the consumer. You will see more of our group helping to take the word scam out of timeshare resales. As a licensed real estate brokers we have a license to uphold and as a Realtor we have a code of ethics that we need to follow. We would like for everyone who sells resale timeshare to abide by those codes. I did not take your question as offensive or disrespectful.

There are two reasons we are asked to pay an upfront fee. First: Any company not licensed to sell real estate in the state the timeshare resides in, or in the state the company resides in, will have to charge an up front listing fee and is not legally allowed to represent the buyer or seller in any sales transaction. Second: Scammers know owners have a very difficult time selling or renting their units and there is not a properly regulated environment to prevent them from taking advantage of the situation.

Rather than constanting telling people not to pay the upfront fee it would be far better to encourage lobbying our politicians, property management companies and developers who manage our timeshares, and DA's to create an environment with true penalties for scams, standardized nationwide sales regulations (rather than state by state due to the challenges of owning timeshares in states we don't reside in, or the fact that many of us own multiple timeshares in multiple states, or the fact that timeshare sales on the internet list units in all states as well as international units for sale), and enforcement for violations.

Technically advertising requires an up front fee, with pretty much the only exception being for sale of "traditional" real estate. Depending on the ads, fees range from $10 to thousands and the upper range can be incurred in respected publications such as the Wall Street Journal. So the problem is not with the up front fee. It's with the complete lack of protection, enforcement, and regulation of the timeshare industry - both in the protection for owners during the initial purchase but even more importantly for resale.

I tend to agree with you, however telling people NOT TO PAY an upfront fee, after having been told countless lies by the scammers, is the first step (education) followed by reporting them to AGs and other agencies.

I do agree there needs to be federal regulation concerning upfront fee scammers .... I honestly can't believe it hasn't happened before now .... AG's (they ARE lawyers) should report customer complaints to the proper federal agency .... I also can't believe ARDA hasn't reported them to the FEDS, however that might open up a whole new can of worms involving developers.

Are you saying that ARDA should report their members to the FEDS? There isn't a problem with the upfront fee. I think there should be one. Then we would not have to charge a high commission on the back end for those who do end up selling. The problem with the upfront fees is the lies that are told to collect the fee. If I told you that I was going to charge you $150.00 upfront to advertise your listing on eBay there would be nothing wrong with that. That is what the ad cost me. I don't do that but I see nothing wrong with it. If I told you your $500 timeshare was worth $15,000 and for $699 I would advertise it until it sells or I guarantee you your money back that is a problem. So keep telling them to NEVER PAY AN UPFRONT FEE. Our group is working on the Legislators, Attorney Generals, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Real Estate commissions in our States, the Developers and the HOA's and the Management Companies. You will find that many of the resorts will now give out a list of Brokers that do not charge upfront fees. You will see more aggressiveness on the part of the people who can make a difference. The Agencies will become more proactive as we press on. In case you can't tell I am a cheerleader for stopping this abuse. If you check Timesharing Today and Tug you will see on the forums that things are happening to the scammers. They are being fined heavily. They need to do jail time. Then we will see changes. After watching the medicare scams on dateline I wonder why these scammers aren't scamming the Government instead of the elderly and the unaware. That is my two cents worth.

"If I told you your $500 timeshare was worth $15,000 and for $699 I would advertise it until it sells or I guarantee you your money back that is a problem."

Judikoz,

I saw the article, "New Association of Licensed Brokers" written by you on page 32 of the "Timesharing Today" Sep/Oct issue. I certainly support your goal of providing a transparent service to timeshare owners who wish to sell "collecting a commission only after the timeshare is sold". I also support your efforts to rid the industry of the scammers that collect huge upfront fees with a guaratee of a full refund if the property does not sell. They may advertise the timeshare on a remote web site but they never intend to refund any money. This type of scam should be addressed by Federal consumer protection statutes with significant monetary penalties personally payable by the individuals involved, that is, the statute should pierce the corporate veil and go right to the individual scammers.

carvana wrote:

They may advertise the timeshare on a remote web site but they never intend to refund any money. This type of scam should be addressed by Federal consumer protection statutes with significant monetary penalties personally payable by the individuals involved, that is, the statute should pierce the corporate veil and go right to the individual scammers.

Actually, I think the scammers should be arrested and jailed like any other criminal/thief.

Listen...my uncle has 9 timeshares and got ripped off several times..from these companies that are subpoena...these companies are getting suid and have to give refunds back to consumers. We called first choice advocates at 866 6114750 and talked to Nettie and she helped me file claimes to get my money back and its the best thing that ever happend to us. IM SICK OF ALL THESE COMPANIES, ESPECIALLY the ones that im working with saying they have a buyer but they need more money. Consumers shouldnt have to give out any money to sell a timeshare...call them and ask for her and she will explain to you what is going on and how to go about on getting your money back from these FRAUD companies.

These reselling companies dont have the right to sell your timeshare...if you read your contract it says..for sale by owner...marketing your timeshare only..they say they get buyers and then ask for more money. ..in order for someone to sell your time share they would have to have a real estate license. We have been taken advantage and I am doing something that is legal..My uncle and I are working with an organization called first choice and they are helping us recover our money. I didnt believe them when I first talked to them, because it was just another voice on the phone. I did file one claim for vaction depot and I did end up getting my money back. I called back and did the rest of the companies that took our money..plus the recovery company that said they were going to get our money back and never did. My uncle is in his late 70's..so i help him out with all of this...and this companie truely helped us out on recovering money. Its First Choice 8666114750 ask for Neri and she will lead you in the right direction. The reason why im leaving my advice is because I know how you guys feel. If my uncle new that owning a timeshare was going to be like this..he would of never got into this industry. THANKS good luck with everyone and their timeshares.

Hi, so, first of all, the whole timeshare industry has got my husband so upset! I believe that if everything worked the way that the salesmen said it would, it would be a very timely and valuable industry. I am just tired of thinking that I can get a good vacation from owning a timeshare and seeing people at my timeshare who have paid less have the same service and vacation as I have without the investment. Maybe I just don't get it? Also, after I upgraded, my husband took a call from someone claiming to be able to sell our timeshares; he paid around $2000 US and basically got nothing. I am glad that we are able to live with this financially, not comfortably, but at least, we are not destitute. I just can't stand the lack of integrity. I wonder how these people live with themselves...well, they might as well be out robbing senior citizens. Anyway, that's my take on it, C

Unfortunately, too many people, too often, use very poor judgement when it comes to timeshares. In my opinion and experience, a few simple rules can save a lot of heartache:

1. NEVER buy from a developer; you will pay FAR too much. Buy ONLY on the resale market.

2. Buy ONLY what you you would be happy to actually USE each year, and ONLY at a location where you can reliably (and affordably) travel to. If you buy a timeshare to exchange it, to rent it out or as a "financial investment", you will inevitably be bitterly disappointed.

3. Once you own a timeshare, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pay ANYONE a penny "upfriont" to either sell or rent your timeshare for you. If you do so, then you are simply CHOOSING to voluntarily throw your money away.

You cannot get burned following the above simple rules.

While I generally agree with Ken, My feelings about buying from the developer are a bit different. I've read too many rants from people who may have bought cheap on the resale market but know nothing about what they got or how to use it. We may have paid through the nose for developer points but we DO know how they work and use them with great success and pleasure. (If all else fails, read the directions.)

Timesharing is a life style choice, not a financial investment with the idea of making big money from renting etc. although we do indeed rent some out ourselves. Yes, if there is someplace you want to go year after year, you might as well buy there, but the ability to exchange when you want to is certainly a plus. Buying from (or into) a company with many locations around the country is also useful and, in most cases, these "internal exchange" do not have any extra fees.

Consider renting a timeshare that you think you might enjoy so that you can sample the experience. Do "the tour" and pick brains with every questions you can think of. If this all still makes sense to you, consider buying a small package (if we are talking about a points system resort group) from the developer or resale, but be aware that resale will usually not get you some of the VIP benefits you will hear about.

That may still make economic sense but don't expect to get off cheap and still have all the little extras such as free up-grades, reduced point cost for late reservations, free guest certificates, etc. Obviously, what these are will depend upon which company you are buying into. VIP perks may or may not be enough to tip the scales in your opinion.

Oh, yeah. Whether you buy from the developer or resale makes no difference in the amount you will pay annually for maintenance fees. KNOW what these will be for your proposed purchase, realize that they will go up just as everything else does, and decide realistically whether you can afford these costs AND have the time to take full advantage of your purchase. If you buy something but fail to make use of it, don't blame the seller. MD

If you own a timeshare, it is public record. RCI gets a hold of timeshare owners by getting lists of these owners and scams them. For those of you who have been taken you can call 888-647-6191 (CHG) for a shot at getting at least some money back or for information on these companies. (Timeshares are not selling right now.......no one that calls you is going to sell it and they do NOT have any buyers waiting to close. Do not pay them ANYTHING! Ever!)

richc77 wrote:

If you own a timeshare, it is public record. RCI gets a hold of timeshare owners by getting lists of these owners and scams them. For those of you who have been taken you can call 888-647-6191 (CHG) for a shot at getting at least some money back or for information on these companies. (Timeshares are not selling right now.......no one that calls you is going to sell it and they do NOT have any buyers waiting to close. Do not pay them ANYTHING! Ever!)

RCI (Resorts Condominium International) is an exchange company and has nothing to do with buying, selling or renting timeshare weeks. If there is such an entity as RCI Innovations as a resale or rental company, then they are pirating/stealing the RCI name and RCI should be informed of such.

Yes, and RCI Innovations and another RCI which called me last week from Los Angeles area code 818 both heavily use the name RCI without distinguishing themselves from Resorts Condominium International. In the case of the call last week I kept asking them if they are Resorts Condominium International RCI or another RCI which has been scamming owners and they said they were Resorts Condominium International the exchange company! But their website was blahblahblahNow.com - I'm sorry, if I find my notes later I'll update this but I have forgotten the specific name and site.

This time I went to call RCI but it was this last Saturday when they shut down for the entire weekend for the website overhaul. So I have the notes somewhere, but until I find them I can't call RCI to complain that another company is actively representing themselves as RCI in more than one way.

Heck, my notes are immediately to the right of my laptop!

Daniel Boone Sales and Advertising 515 S Flower St, 36th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 877-900-4RCI called from 818-339-8307 www.rciNow.com

Even though he gave me this and encouraged me to call "The coprporate RCI number" I am amazed he confirmed they were RCI the exchange company. And While I guess he was truthful he was not with RCI Innovations, who I labled as the scam company who called me before, he most specifically confirmed he was part of Resorts Condominium International even though they are Resort Connection International. I'm sure his argument will be that I misunderstood him since the two names are very similar but I clearly challenged his reference to RCI the exchange company and he said he was from their saled department.

peterp151 wrote:

Heck, my notes are immediately to the right of my laptop!

Daniel Boone Sales and Advertising 515 S Flower St, 36th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 877-900-4RCI called from 818-339-8307 www.rciNow.com

Even though he gave me this and encouraged me to call "The coprporate RCI number" I am amazed he confirmed they were RCI the exchange company. And While I guess he was truthful he was not with RCI Innovations, who I labled as the scam company who called me before, he most specifically confirmed he was part of Resorts Condominium International even though they are Resort Connection International. I'm sure his argument will be that I misunderstood him since the two names are very similar but I clearly challenged his reference to RCI the exchange company and he said he was from their saled department.

He was outright lying ..... RCI has no affiliation whatsoever with any timeshare rental or resale company .... they are in the business of exchanging only. I would notify the real RCI of the pirating/stealing of the RCI name.

Wow, finally glad I found all this info. We were scammed by RCI Innovations, or RGM Regus Inc. Long story short, they billed my card 3000.00 of which BofA has now said they won't reimburse because it was legit. ?? RCI also used my card to buy themselves lunch at a restaurant in FL. They also used it two more times. BofA credited me back some of the money, but not the 3 grand. It's so frustrating that I fell for their tactics. What a bunch of losers.

jayjay wrote:

RCI has no affiliation whatsoever with any timeshare rental or resale company .... they are in the business of exchanging only.

RCI (Resort Condos International) owns or operates NUMEROUS different rental outlets and operations. One that comes immediately to mind is Leisure Link. Another one is SnapTravel. There may be others too. I recall the Leisure Link acquisition very clearly because the RCI press release announcing this particular acquisition (about 3 years ago) truly surprised me with its' wording, wherein RCI openly described ITSELF as "a RENTAL and exchange company" (quoted verbatim; capitalization of the word RENTAL is mine, for emphasis). Note which function is listed FIRST in that self-description published in a press release which was prepared and issued by RCI itself!

RCI has also, for a very long time now, rented out weeks to RCI members under a program which they call "Extra Vacations". RCI has of course ALSO become somewhat notorious in recent years for renting out prime weeks directly to the general public (i.e., in addition to the "Extra Vacations" rentals available to RCI members). These are prime weeks which RCI has received from RCI members as "deposits for exchange". In fact, this practice of direct rentals to the public by RCI is EXACTLY what first prompted the Murillo vs. RCI lawsuit, which was initially filed against RCI back in March, 2005.

It is certainly true that *MANY YEARS AGO* RCI started out as being ONLY an "exchange" company, but the times (and the pertinent facts) have changed considerably since then. In the words of an old Chad & Jeremy song "...But that was yesterday, and yestersday's GONE."

julies585 wrote:

Wow, finally glad I found all this info. We were scammed by RCI Innovations, or RGM Regus Inc. Long story short, they billed my card 3000.00 of which BofA has now said they won't reimburse because it was legit. ?? RCI also used my card to buy themselves lunch at a restaurant in FL. They also used it two more times. BofA credited me back some of the money, but not the 3 grand. It's so frustrating that I fell for their tactics. What a bunch of losers.

The entity calling themselves RCI Innovations has absolutely no ties to RCI (Resort Condominiums International). This needs to be stipulated to your credit card company ..... they are pirating RCI's name .... they are two completely different entities.