Consumer Advocates Services Enterprises Inc....a scam? Anyone please help

Hello,

I am very concerned myself being a timeshare owner, but friends are too, and they mentioned to me about a company claiming they can get their money back they spent (thousands I might add) from companies claiming to sell their timeshare, well they paid upfront fees originally. Now this company Consume Advocates Services Enterprises wants to help them get back their money due to them...but get this...they are requesting $895.00 upfront! Ughh...I am trying to tell them not to do this. Please has anyone dealt with this company at all good or bad. Thank you!

claudetteb8 wrote:

Hello,

I am very concerned myself being a timeshare owner, but friends are too, and they mentioned to me about a company claiming they can get their money back they spent (thousands I might add) from companies claiming to sell their timeshare, well they paid upfront fees originally. Now this company Consume Advocates Services Enterprises wants to help them get back their money due to them...but get this...they are requesting $895.00 upfront! Ughh...I am trying to tell them not to do this. Please has anyone dealt with this company at all good or bad. Thank you!

These are more than likely the same people that took your friend's money in the first place .... they change timeshare scams like most folks change clothes daily (fool me once shame on you .... fool me twice shame on me). Never, ever pay a large upfront fee to any timeshare entity that claims they have a buyer for your timeshare or that they can get money back from a previous scam .... they're all scams.

A more fruitful endeavor would be to file a complaint with the Attorney-General of the state where the scam operation is located.

Also, if the scam originated in Florida, your friends could (and should) file a report with the Orlando police.

Once you pay one of these scam comapnies money they sell your information to others and put you on the " sucker list " for more scams. As of Sunday a new law goes into effect down here in Florida that makes it illegal for anyone to charge up front fees to sell a timeshare. It also makes it a crime to state that there is a buyer for a timeshare if none exists. Hpoefully this will cut down on some of the scammers.

donp196 wrote:

Once you pay one of these scam comapnies money they sell your information to others and put you on the " sucker list " for more scams. As of Sunday a new law goes into effect down here in Florida that makes it illegal for anyone to charge up front fees to sell a timeshare. It also makes it a crime to state that there is a buyer for a timeshare if none exists. Hpoefully this will cut down on some of the scammers.

Kudos to Florida .... hope they set a precedent for the rest of the country to follow suit.

From all of the information that I have received from this company, Yes it is a scam, I indicated that I had paid money over the last 4 years to 2 timeshare sales, and also wanted to received back the money that I invested in the French Quarter. all they did was quote a figure of $1,950 for there fee with no further information on the timeshaes. There is no way that this firm will be able to received funds back froma bankrupt company, Also, Timeshare Advocacy in Tennessee. or TAI, is also a real Scam. Consuemr advocate services or CSA did not even ask for any details on these timeshare companies, of course they were able to quote a price for their supposed great services, Yes, a SCAM all the way

This company has had success disputing my credit card transactions with these fraudulent marketing companies. Not only have they opened the dispute and got me the temporary credit, but when it comes time for the bank to investigate, Consumer Advocate Services stayed with it until the end to make sure the temporary credit became permanent. Their Reputation with the department of consumer and agriculture in Florida is very strong. If you check Consumer advocates licensing their number starts with a C, not a TC, meaning they are a legitimate collection firm. The firms that start with TC are the advertising companies. Always double check the licensing number because the companies that market the timeshare start with TC and they rob people. I appreciate all the help that Consumer Advocate Services Ent. has done for me. Even though I lost 14,000 they have gotten back 7,000, even from years past.

sams331 wrote:

This company has had success disputing my credit card transactions with these fraudulent marketing companies. Not only have they opened the dispute and got me the temporary credit, but when it comes time for the bank to investigate, Consumer Advocate Services stayed with it until the end to make sure the temporary credit became permanent. Their Reputation with the department of consumer and agriculture in Florida is very strong. If you check Consumer advocates licensing their number starts with a C, not a TC, meaning they are a legitimate collection firm. The firms that start with TC are the advertising companies. Always double check the licensing number because the companies that market the timeshare start with TC and they rob people. I appreciate all the help that Consumer Advocate Services Ent. has done for me. Even though I lost 14,000 they have gotten back 7,000, even from years past.

I smell a shill bigtime .... there is NO way any entity can get your money back from the purchase of a timeshare .... all they really want is your upfront fee and then you're history.

I know that, it is impossible to get your money back from the Resort. That is not what they have helped me with. I paid a bunch of companies that GUARANTEED the Resale of my property or MONEY COMES BACK. That is illegal, the property never sold, and Consumer Advocate Services helped me and is helping me.

Why don't you go ahead and call up the company for yourself! They pick up, they aren't going anywhere, they dispute charges with you over the phone in a 3 way call with the bank, they send cease and assist letters to frauds and notify the police of fraudulent activity in the area. Go ahead and call them, they pick up and are customer service friendly.

sams331 wrote:

Why don't you go ahead and call up the company for yourself! They pick up, they aren't going anywhere, they dispute charges with you over the phone in a 3 way call with the bank, they send cease and assist letters to frauds and notify the police of fraudulent activity in the area. Go ahead and call them, they pick up and are customer service friendly.

From my research of Consumer Advocates Services .... they ask for large upfront fees ..... you say they allegedly helped you .... you could have had the same services by filing a complaint with the attorney general in the state the scammers are located without paying one dime .... every state has a consumer advocacy unit under their state attorney general.

Consumer adv . servcers, this one located in calif, of CSA called mek, they listed ten areas they help consumer a refund of their monies, Well, timeshares revovery is not listed in their area of expertise. I advised that I had a problem with a calif, co. on printer cartridges also two timeshare co., that I hate to say it, but paid $1,995 to Timdshare Advocate service, and Sean Austin, a real slick individual, and also French Quarter that is in bankruptcy. CSA quoted up front fee of $1,950 when they did not even investigae the facts involved in these scams. When I said, NO, I did not hear from them again, By the Way, I filed a complaint with The Calif attorney general over $600 worth of ink cartiridgs for my printer that was a "scam". The Calif Attorney General was the only State that helped in the return of the scam on my $600. In fact the pres, of this comppany called me and advised that I had filed a omplaint with the att. gen, and and refunded my %600. There has been zero help from Kans. Missouri or Tenn. att.l general in recovery of payments to up front scam. Timeshare advocacy is a real scam. I was "dumb" enough to listen to their real 'foolproof method" getting rid of the French Quarter, I did not even read the contract, it was \typed up for sale of a Vacation Club. Of course seaq austin called me all kinds of names to the Tenn. attorney general etc.l The only good news is that VISA Credit card Co in St.\ Louis read my complaint, and only thanks to , the cancelledthe $1,995 that I had on the books with Visa I plan to write TAC again even though it happen over two years ago. It seems like many companies think of new names and say that they havean unique way for refund of your \amount paid for a timeshare.since i had still owned the surrey, I recieved amout 2 phone calls per week in the last 4 months wanting to LIST my timeshare for an upfront fee.

fefunhelp from Tenn., Kans, or Missouri attorney general. Back to the timeshares, adv, on red week, sold Westgagte for $250, also sold grandcrowne for $500, to a family that has retired, , only french quarter is left. .

Ok, that last message was difficult to understand. I am talking about Consumer advocate services. They deal with multiple fraudulent businesses. Not just timeshares. I paid them to take care of the situation I was in. I don't have time to put together letters to the departments in Florida or to even do disputes, I have a career where I'm busy and a family to take care of. They scheduled a specific dispute time with me and took care of the problem. They even reopened disputes I tried doing on my own, I'm no genius, they helped close the person on the line at my bank. They convinced them I was a victim of fraud when I couldn't do it on my own. I had the money to give Consumer Advocate Services to take care of my problem, and they did. I don't know why you are bashing a company that helps people. If they don't help then call them up and give em some lip, they always pick up the phone for crying out loud.

roberts1192 wrote:

The Calif Attorney General was the only State that helped in the return of the scam on my $600. In fact the pres, of this comppany called me and advised that I had filed a omplaint with the att. gen, and and refunded my %600. There has been zero help from Kans. Missouri or Tenn. att.l general in recovery of payments to up front scam.

Keep filing your complaint with those states that haven't yet helped you ..... file every week if you have to until you get a response from them .... you can do this online.

sams331 wrote:

I don't have time to put together letters to the departments in Florida or to even do disputes, I have a career where I'm busy and a family to take care of.

It's simple (5 mins at most) to post a complaint online to state attorneys general where the scammers are located ....you can google for contact info. I've had 2 state attorneys help me get a refund ..... one was GA and the other one I can't remember.

sams331 wrote:

Ok, that last message was difficult to understand. I am talking about Consumer advocate services. They deal with multiple fraudulent businesses. Not just timeshares. I paid them to take care of the situation I was in. I don't have time to put together letters to the departments in Florida or to even do disputes, I have a career where I'm busy and a family to take care of. They scheduled a specific dispute time with me and took care of the problem. They even reopened disputes I tried doing on my own, I'm no genius, they helped close the person on the line at my bank. They convinced them I was a victim of fraud when I couldn't do it on my own. I had the money to give Consumer Advocate Services to take care of my problem, and they did. I don't know why you are bashing a company that helps people. If they don't help then call them up and give em some lip, they always pick up the phone for crying out loud.

We regular posters on Redweek's forums do not condone paying any type of a large UPFRONT FEE .... you could (and should have) given them their commission, via a signed contract, after they allegedly helped you get a refund ..... why would you pay them a large upfront fee before they even tried to recover your money ..... would you do this with any other business .... I seriously doubt it.

I smell a shill bigtime .... there is NO way any entity can get your money back from the purchase of a timeshare .... all they really want is your upfront fee and then you're history.

I get why people feel this way about any advocacy group. The problem is there names are similar and when you have been burned, like I have a number of times I was hesitant. Did my homework checked if there was complaints with the Cal ATG, the BBB and the BCA and there were none. I let them handle a case with TSBO and they won. Then I gave them 2 more "resellers" one against Right Choice Transfer and one with Timeshare Hotlist. They won the RCT case for $4995 and lost the Timeshare Hotlist case because it was too old. Overall they got me almost $7k back. Did it cost me? Hell ya it did but it was still well worth it. They also did all the paperwork for the ATG, Dept of Consumer Services, FTC and let me have a voice. I inherited this when my mother passed away never wanted it in the first place and they have been the first legit company I ever dealt with. I understand why people's reactions are automatically it has to be a fraud the problem is if there is a good company out there and my experience tells me Consumer Advocate Services is then why discourage people for no reason? IMO

jamesp695 wrote:

I get why people feel this way about any advocacy group. The problem is there names are similar and when you have been burned, like I have a number of times I was hesitant. Did my homework checked if there was complaints with the Cal ATG, the BBB and the BCA and there were none. I let them handle a case with TSBO and they won. Then I gave them 2 more "resellers" one against Right Choice Transfer and one with Timeshare Hotlist. They won the RCT case for $4995 and lost the Timeshare Hotlist case because it was too old. Overall they got me almost $7k back. Did it cost me? Hell ya it did but it was still well worth it. They also did all the paperwork for the ATG, Dept of Consumer Services, FTC and let me have a voice. I inherited this when my mother passed away never wanted it in the first place and they have been the first legit company I ever dealt with. I understand why people's reactions are automatically it has to be a fraud the problem is if there is a good company out there and my experience tells me Consumer Advocate Services is then why discourage people for no reason? IMO

One more time I smell a shill .... if one has signed a legally binding contract to buy a timeshare then no advocacy group in the world can get one out of that contract UNLESS FRAUD can be PROVED and that fraud has to be included in the written contract, not what was stated verbally in a presentation.

Why would any state AG (much less the FTC) hire an unknown entity to do the work that they (AGs) do on a daily basis (and what the tax payer pays them to do) ..... answer is, they don't. A state AG has no authority to hire a second party to handle their cases .... they handle their own cases.

?

this mysterious figure that keeps bashing this company clearly has a learning deficiency or just poor reading comprehension, judging from the testimonies of the people on this forum ( most of which actually paid for the service, myself included) it would seem that at no point in time has Consumer Advocate Services claimed to be able to get people money back from the RESORT. I paid them over $1,000 dollars to pursue scam artist's that told me they could net me $36,700 for my timeshare via third party sale. This was after i spent the time and energy (and postage) to correspond with the useless office's of Pamela Bondi (AG in FL) and Adam Putnam (commissioner of the D.A.C.) only to be told they do NOT handle INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS. I'll make this clear, i hate timeshare's, i absolutely did not want to pay one more person to do anything but against my better judgement i did. i have the same story as the gentleman above, lost nearly 13k on credit cards and another 5k and some change via personal checks. Every charge on my cards has either been struck from my financial responsibility or i was given a temporary credit that became permanent after the dispute was closed out in my favor. Been on the phone at least 20 times with the head of the dispute department (Jordan Van Atta) and seen them do what they said in front of my face. I wish i didn't have to pay to have that happen but hey i hate paying taxes too. The money back on my credit card speaks much louder than the gripings of people who got a sale's pitch and jumped to their own conclusions.