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Vacation Property Services Complaint - Vacation Property Services: A Den of Thieves - Timeshares
Timeshares - Complaint
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA -- Vacation Property Services -- the entire company -- is a den of thieves. [snip] left numerous urgent-sounding messages on my voice mail. When I finally called him, he announced that he had buyers for my timeshare (a weekly at a lake in Iowa). He claimed that Vacation Property Services had sent them on a week's vacation to my property, and they wanted to buy. The "buyers," he said, had offered $15,000. "You could counter-offer, but I wouldn't. That might scare them off." He told me I'd incur no costs except for deed and title, for $702.
He transferred me to the Verification Department for that damning taped monologue, during which the woman never once mentioned advertising. A week later, I received an "Advertisement Confirmation" letter, not the "Welcome Packet" the woman had mentioned. At the bottom, I saw my $702 had gone for "advertising." And my time to respond and cancel? The day before I received the letter.
I immediately took the matter up with Discover, who gave me a temporary credit but then reversed it when VPS provided "documentation," including the script the phony Verification Department employee never followed. I sent them the notes of my conversations with [snip], along with a copy of a five-page letter I wrote to the Economic Crimes Division of the Florida Attorney General's office, which had been investigating VPS for these deceptive practices.
[snip] of VPS called a few days later, saying that the Attorney General's office had contacted Frank Perry, the president of VPS. [snip] said he "had" me on tape, offered me a $100 credit and additional advertising, and said he could put me in touch with buyers. I asked him if he was insane. "Why would I need advertising when [snip] told me he'd sold the property? And he never mentioned advertising. I work for an ad agency. Don't you think I would have noticed if someone had mentioned advertising?" He couldn't have cared less.
In a recent letter, the Attorney General's office told me they'd closed their investigation but forwarded my letter to VPS, who "may or may not" take action. So, the crooks are the ones who get to decide whether they'll keep my money? Again, insane.
This has gone far beyond the measly $700. These people have no principles, morals or consciences. They don't deserve to do business anywhere! And if I can stop them, I will. If that means hiring an attorney to pursue a class-action suit, I will.
He transferred me to the Verification Department for that damning taped monologue, during which the woman never once mentioned advertising. A week later, I received an "Advertisement Confirmation" letter, not the "Welcome Packet" the woman had mentioned. At the bottom, I saw my $702 had gone for "advertising." And my time to respond and cancel? The day before I received the letter.
I immediately took the matter up with Discover, who gave me a temporary credit but then reversed it when VPS provided "documentation," including the script the phony Verification Department employee never followed. I sent them the notes of my conversations with [snip], along with a copy of a five-page letter I wrote to the Economic Crimes Division of the Florida Attorney General's office, which had been investigating VPS for these deceptive practices.
[snip] of VPS called a few days later, saying that the Attorney General's office had contacted Frank Perry, the president of VPS. [snip] said he "had" me on tape, offered me a $100 credit and additional advertising, and said he could put me in touch with buyers. I asked him if he was insane. "Why would I need advertising when [snip] told me he'd sold the property? And he never mentioned advertising. I work for an ad agency. Don't you think I would have noticed if someone had mentioned advertising?" He couldn't have cared less.
In a recent letter, the Attorney General's office told me they'd closed their investigation but forwarded my letter to VPS, who "may or may not" take action. So, the crooks are the ones who get to decide whether they'll keep my money? Again, insane.
This has gone far beyond the measly $700. These people have no principles, morals or consciences. They don't deserve to do business anywhere! And if I can stop them, I will. If that means hiring an attorney to pursue a class-action suit, I will.
Comments:
Posted by BobJohn on 2008-10-16:
Upfront fees are, in almost all situations, bogus. How much is your timeshare really worth? There are numerous sites on the web that have them for sale. Many times even the complex your timeshare is in has them for resale. Always best (in hindsight) to do your homework first. If you want to take the time you could (maybe) take them to small claims court. At least you'd be a pest to them and maybe even win if they don't show up. How to collect if you did win? That I don't know because I assume they are in a different jurisdiction than you are. Good luck.
Posted by Ruth2 on 2008-10-20:
When I was told the fee was for deed and title work (which would include everything a title company does), I believed the man. That was my mistake. But it's hard to believe that people have the nerve to out-and-out lie when they're representing an entire company. Seems everyone at this company lies. Just last week, I got a call from someone at the same company who was apparently unaware that I'd already been contacted and conned by them. She gave me the same song and dance, but quoted me a lower figure for "deed and title." It's all quite unbelievable.
I'm going to contact an attorney to see this through, either with a class-action suit or a mass tort -- because I'm not the only one they've done this to. I don't care that I look foolish; I don't want some other fool to pay like I did.
I'm going to contact an attorney to see this through, either with a class-action suit or a mass tort -- because I'm not the only one they've done this to. I don't care that I look foolish; I don't want some other fool to pay like I did.
Posted by cecilio on 2009-08-30:
Ruth2 I am very sorry 2 hear your story which is exactly 100% what I went through with this company. I actually did a BBB case against them though unfortunaely they are only mediators and nothing came of it since Vacation Porperty services is not an accredited business and could carless what the BBB thinks along with consumers. I have a great credit card company who listened and investigated my story with all the proof I had they credited my account for the amount those theives took and debited the money back from vacation property services account. I would be glad to email you my story if you would like. I would suggest you take legal action if you have enough proof. I will probably try to post my story on yahoo that way others can look them up and my story be the first thing they see.
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