APEX

Has anyone had experience with a Timeshare Buying group named APEX? My husband and I fell for their sales pitch in December of 2009. We were trying to sell two of our four timeshares for some time without success. We went to their appoinment only presentation and paid $4600.00 for them to take them off our hands. Part of this was contingent on paying the 2010 maintenance fees before completing the transaction. We did so and felt relieved to be free of those weeks. Fourteen months later, we now seem to be the victims of a very professional scam. The two timeshares we thought we had sold are now insisting that we owe maintenance fees for 2011. They claim that the deeds were never transfered to APEX and that we were still the owner of record. We've tried numerous times to contact someone at APEX, but to no avail. They don't return any of our messages. What can we do now?

marciad36 wrote:

Has anyone had experience with a Timeshare Buying group named APEX? My husband and I fell for their sales pitch in December of 2009. We were trying to sell two of our four timeshares for some time without success. We went to their appoinment only presentation and paid $4600.00 for them to take them off our hands. Part of this was contingent on paying the 2010 maintenance fees before completing the transaction. We did so and felt relieved to be free of those weeks. Fourteen months later, we now seem to be the victims of a very professional scam. The two timeshares we thought we had sold are now insisting that we owe maintenance fees for 2011. They claim that the deeds were never transfered to APEX and that we were still the owner of record. We've tried numerous times to contact someone at APEX, but to no avail. They don't return any of our messages. What can we do now?

You've been had, alright. APEX sounds like a postcard company that supposedly takes your timeshare off your hands for a hefty price. Some postcard companies never have the deed transferred into their name so as far as the resort is concerned you still own the timeshares and owe the maintenance fees.

There's really not much you can do but file a complaint with the Attorney General in the state APEX is located.

Marciad, I am currently trying to write an article on the subject of Title Transfer Company Scams. I am trying to find out as much information as I possibly can in order to build a strong case here. My goal is to stop these thieves. The company of whom you speak has been doing this for years, and they are just now being brought out to legal action. If there is any way you would be willing to email me a statement of what exactly happened to you, it can remain completely anonymous, but it would help my article immensly. My email is timesharescams@hotmail.com Thank you for your time.

times21 wrote:

Marciad, I am currently trying to write an article on the subject of Title Transfer Company Scams. I am trying to find out as much information as I possibly can in order to build a strong case here. My goal is to stop these thieves. The company of whom you speak has been doing this for years, and they are just now being brought out to legal action. If there is any way you would be willing to email me a statement of what exactly happened to you, it can remain completely anonymous, but it would help my article immensly. My email is timesharescams@hotmail.com Thank you for your time.

Timeshare 'Title Transfer Companies' are not 'Postcard Companies' .... there are many legitimate timeshare title transfer companies .... there are many non-legitimate posctard companies along with some that are legitimate and they do what they say they'll do in transferring the title out of one's name.

The difference is figuring out the good apples from the bad.

The problem with the transfer companies or post card companies is not the proceudre it is the lies that they tell to put the fear of God in the elderly and uninformed seller. What these companies have done in the past 10-12 years is destroy the timeshare resale market for all Sellers. When they collect a big fee and then put the unit on ebay for $1.00 and then show that same ad to the next group of vicitims to show them how bad the market is they destroy the market. It is not the upfront fee that is bad it is the lies that are told to collect the upfront fee. KARMA

judikoz wrote:

The problem with the transfer companies or post card companies is not the proceudre it is the lies that they tell to put the fear of God in the elderly and uninformed seller. What these companies have done in the past 10-12 years is destroy the timeshare resale market for all Sellers. When they collect a big fee and then put the unit on ebay for $1.00 and then show that same ad to the next group of vicitims to show them how bad the market is they destroy the market. It is not the upfront fee that is bad it is the lies that are told to collect the upfront fee. KARMA

What you have stated above is correct in large part, but I must respectfully disagree regarding the PRIMARY problem associated with PostCard Companies. The larger issue in the overall picture is one that you haven't addressed (or even acknowledged) at all.

I have NO use for ANY PCC. NONE. Let me be very clear that I would NEVER recommend that anyone EVER pay one red cent (let alone thousands of dollars) to ANY PCC to relinquish ownership of their timeshare. That much clearly stated, whether PCC practices have driven down "resale market values" is true only for lesser value weeks. Prime weeks and prime locations cannot be (and have not been) impacted much, if at all, by the existence or practices of PCC's.

The much BIGGER issue regarding PCC's, in my personal opinion, is that far too many PCC - acquired weeks, when NOT successfully sold for a buck on eBay, too often end up in "ghost owner limbo" (i.e., placed into the names of bogus shell corporations or LLC's of fraudulent intent, which will never acknowledge any mail or bills and will never pay any maintenance fees). These "ghost ownerships" undermine the financial stability of impacted resorts which end up having weeks owned by "ghosts" who will never pay their share of maintenance fees. Foreclosure can then be initiated, of course, but that process costs a facility time and money --- yet still leaves no one responsible for maintenance fees on those weeks for as long as those foreclosure acquistions remain under HOA ownership.

Maintenace fees support a facility's operation. Without same, a facility cannot thrive (or survive long term), once "out from under" developer financial backing and control. To me, THAT is a MUCH bigger problem and issue than the fact that PCC's may have driven down resale market values for "lesser" weeks in many locations.

The bottom line to me is that if someone acquires a timeshare for a buck on eBay from a PCC, good for them --- as long as the new owner is a real person who will accept and exercise personal accountability and responsibility for paying the annual fees associated with that ownership.

This is just my personal opinion and my perspective is obviously quite different from yours, since I am NOT in the timeshare resale or real estate business...

I agree with you 100%.

DO NOT use this company or any company related to it. We paid in full all of our obligations to Apex, preferred transfers, direct transfer. They claim and sent proof they sent certified mail to us for our timeshare to be transferred. We NEVER received anything except a bill from westgate resorts for our past due maintenance fees. Thank goodness we received a bill or I wouldn't have known our account was closed. The manager told me I was lying and I did receive the mail. First lets start with the facts Our timeshare was paid off and all fees up to date when we started using apex. Anything required from us to apex was given right away. Never late on paperwork or any payment. We had to call several times due to the lack of movement on our account. Yes we were upset about it. Westgate itself has no record of anyone ever contacting them, regardless of how many times apex told us westgate is hard to work with. Now back to my not so wonderful conversation with the manager. She informed me that our case was closed because we didn't respond to certified mail. She told me I was lying when I informed her I didn't receive it. And I was trying to get out of paying my bills. I asked her why would my time share be paid in full, maintenance fees paid in full and never late, if I was trying to get out of paying my bills. I did tell her I was recording the conversation at the end. She promptly told me it was illegal and I didn't tell her in the beginning. I wasn't recording ever, I wanted to know her reaction. Why because this company is a fraud. Look them up they have to pay out to people all over the country..... Just think of all the people, our grandparents, parents, myself, who give their money to this hoax. Only for them to find some loophole to keep all of your money, and the service you paid for never happens. Wake up people, people are getting away with this it's stealing, lying, bullying. All for a paycheck.

A very unsatisfied customer