Tips on Avoiding Timeshare Fraud from International Timeshare Refund Action

International Timeshare Refund Action

There has been an increase in timeshare complaints. People are complaining of abuse, timeshare fraud such as shady collection firms like QVC or Quality Vacation Club, high interest rates by financiers recommended by marketers, complex Internet advertising scams, and being lured by timeshare representatives using bribes. Other complaints are escalating maintenance fees, problems with the transfer and disposal of points and weeks, and problems getting selected balanced exchanges from exchange companies.
You could avoid seeking a timeshare refund in the first place by avoiding buying on the spot. Any company that pressures you into buying a timeshare on the spot is most likely up to no good. Companies or Resorts (such as Disney) will gladly give you a number to their sales office if they cannot get you to buy then and there, but scam companies are not likely to take no for an answer.

Have a lawyer review the contract. If you are going to be bothered into signing a contract, at least make sure the company allows you to have a lawyer review it before you give in and sign on the dotted line. A trained eye will be able to tell in a heartbeat whether a deal is legitimate, so do not leave it up to chance. If the company will not give you a copy for your lawyer to examine, odds are they are crooks.

Research the company. With the emergence of smart phones, this step has never been easier. While listening to the presentation, conduct an internet search on the company. Pay attention to any testimonials you come across. Odds are if this company scammed someone before, the victim will have made a public complaint online. If you are not at the presentation, and are speaking to a sales person over the phone, just use your home computer.

Always read the fine print. This tip even applies to legitimate companies, but it is especially important when you suspect the deal might be a scam. There might be hidden fees or other such traps in your contract, so be diligent when reading. Do not skip a single word, especially if it is in smaller print.

Never pay an up-front fee. If a timeshare resale company requires a payment up-front before the timeshare sale is final, walk away. The timeshare resale company may call the fee by any number of different names such as an appraisal fee, a market analysis fee, an initial advertising fee, or something similar. If there is any type of fee that requires a prepayment before the timeshare is sold, the consumer is likely to lose that money and never get their timeshare sold.
Check with consumer protection agencies. Another important tip is that you should not believe everything timeshare presentations promise. Always be sceptical, particularly avoiding anything that promises you too much too quickly.

International Timeshare Refund Action

If you feel you may have been scammed, you need not spend a fortune filing a timeshare law suit. With the increase in timeshare complaints, Owners Action and International Timeshare Refund Action (ITRA) are offering the opportunity for timeshare owners to participate in a timeshare class action.

To find out more, visit the ITRA website

International Timeshare Refund Action - New US visa scheme being debated

A new scheme which would allow foreign buyers easier access to the US is currently being debated by Congress.
The Visa Improvement to Stimulate International Tourism to the United States of America (VISIT-USA) Act has several parts but includes the creation of a new non-immigrant visa, renewable every three years, for overseas investors who spend at least $500,000 to purchase single-family homes in the United States. In order to be eligible, those applying must spend at least $250,000 on a primary residence where they will reside for at least 180 days out of the year while paying taxes to the U.S.

The debate comes as a new act, allowing the US to take action against fraudulent timeshare companies, has just become legislation.

The Timeshare Resale Accountability Act will force companies to offer easier get out clauses for investors, and also to be more upfront about the terms of their products. Penalties will be applied to companies which fail to apply.

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International Timeshare Refund Action

Our current UK Class Action claim is only for members of RCI Europe. This is because of legal corporate jurisdiction. RCI have many different companies operating under their banner throughout the World. For example, in the USA RCI trade as RCI - LLC which is an American company. They have recently made a settlement for their wrongdoings to their USA week’s owners and a claim by point’s owners is still ongoing.
We have recently appointed ITRA licensed agents who have opened offices in Singapore, South Africa and Australia who are pursuing claims and action where appropriate against RCI, resorts and management companies locally in much the same way of our European current operations.

Contact International Timeshare Refund Action for more information: www.itra.net

International Timeshare Refund Action

Florida Timeshare Resale Accountability Act Affords Consumer Protections

International Timeshare Refund Action

International Timeshare Refund Action (ITRA) is encouraged by the Florida Legislature’s passage of the Timeshare Resale Accountability Act, sponsored by Florida State Senator Andy Gardiner and Florida State Representative Eric Eisnaugle and supported by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“Florida has taken a giant step in providing consumer protection against fraudulent and deceptive business practices utilized by unsavory timeshare resellers,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA (American Resort Development Association). “The timeshare industry plays an increasingly significant role in Florida’s recovering economy as tourism returns and grows in the state”.
The Timeshare Resale Accountability Act protects Florida consumers and helps put an end to deceptive marketing practices conducted by fraudulent timeshare resale companies that have been targeting consumers under the guise of offering a service to help sell their timeshare product. Specifically, timeshare owners will be given more information to make better decisions about purchasing timeshare resale services. For example, the legislation seeks greater transparency and will require, among other things, timeshare resale companies to disclose all terms and conditions of their business relationship with a consumer, provide for a right of rescission for consumers to cancel a contract for resale services, and impose penalties on companies who continue these deceptive practices.
Nearly 25 percent of all timeshare resorts in the United States are located in Florida, and these resorts represent a large and growing share of Florida’s tourism market. The Timeshare Resale Accountability Act is proactive legislation that is vital to ensuring the long-term health of a key sector of Florida’s tourism industry by protecting timeshare owners and legitimate businesses alike.

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International Timeshare Refund Action has entered into dialogue with thousands of timeshare owners from which we have discovered a pattern of abuse, deception and even fraudulent issues that have been systematically perpetrated by many of the major timeshare industry players to the detriment of owners.

ITRA now has many thousands of UK claimants who are joining our NO WIN – NO FEE action group to claim compensation from RCI for irregularities including skimming and renting high season weeks from their Spacebank to the detriment of their members. This case is currently being rigorously pursued and is at an advanced stage with our legal team. Full details and an online pre qualification form may be found within our website. www.itra.net

International Timeshare Refund Action

International Timeshare Refund Action–Survey Reveals Brits Like to Return to Same Resort

The British are officially creatures of habit! According to a new survey by RCI, the timeshare exchange company, nearly two-thirds (65%) of Brits have returned to the same holiday resort more than once, revealing people like familiarity when it comes to their holidays. Surprisingly, more than one in ten (11%) of respondents said they had returned to the same resort six times or more!

The main reason cited for returning to the same resort was that they had a good time there so they simply went back to have the same holiday (45%). Other reasons people stated were that they felt it met all their criteria (29%) and over a quarter (27%) said they didn’t see a need to go elsewhere if they had already found somewhere they liked. Respondents also stated they went back to the same place as they liked familiarity (14%) and found it less stressful knowing exactly what to expect where they are going (12%).

With over a third of people (36%) now taking fewer holidays than normal, it seems holidaymakers want to remove the risk of having a disappointing break. Returning to somewhere they have been before and enjoyed seems to have been given higher priority than having different experiences.

Sean Lowe, managing director of RCI, said: “We commissioned the research to gain insight into people's holiday habits and what is important is guaranteeing they have a good time. While travelling and trying different experiences suits some people, it’s apparent that ensuring a consistent quality and knowing what you’re buying is important to many which is why timeshare holidays and holiday exchange have remained popular.  Over a third (35%) of the people we surveyed who ‘repeat holiday’, said they would actually try a different holiday if they knew they would get a similar experience.”

Other holiday habits:

• ‘Familiar fun’ – nearly half (43%) of people tended to do the same activities and 6% saying they did the exact same things
• ‘Repeat eating’ – nearly a third (30%) of people surveyed said they went back to the same place to eat/drink
• ‘Meal monotony’ – 18% of people said they will only eat food they are familiar with and 12% said they order the exact same meal
• ‘Bay Watch’ – one in 20 (5%) people said they actually wait and then take the first opportunity to get their usual spot on the beach or by the pool!

* The survey was conducted by Online Opinions, and featured 1,000 adults who were polled online between 24-27 February 2012.

Whilst returning to the same resort every year may be a popular choice for any Brits, here at International Timeshare Refund Action (ITRA) we have found that owning a timeshare is not necessarily the ideal holiday solution that many timeshare owners had hoped.

We have discovered a pattern of abuse, deception and even fraudulent issues that have been systematically perpetrated by many of the major timeshare industry players to the detriment of owners. Many timeshare owners have found that rising maintenance fees and difficulty in obtaining suitable exchanges from companies like RCI have rendered their timeshare ownership virtually unusable and un-economical.

At International Timeshare Refund Action (ITRA) our objective is to support the consumer in timeshare disputes.

To find out more about the International Timeshare Refund Action visit our website www.itra.net

ITRA - Time Share Resale Scams Surging

Throughout the country, thousands of time-share owners are doing their utmost to rid themselves of properties that they no longer need or want. Unfortunately, for them there is an abundance of timeshare scams surging fees for paperwork and sales processing are taken upfront on the pretext of having buyers, which do not materialise. The result of course, is a no sale and the fee money paid is lost.

ITRA – Standing against Timeshare Fraud

An example of the scams taking place is shown when a Yuba City couple, Doug and Armelita Stoddard, bought a one-week timeshare in the Napa Valley some years ago. They ended up hardly using the property and trying to sell it online, they discovered a Florida based company who ‘found a buyer’ within weeks. However, they first had to send fees of $3,000 in two cashier checks, by overnight delivery.

Needless to say, after paying the checks, the company disappeared without a trace. This is a good example of the timeshare scams emerging repeatedly, designed for the sole purpose of taking gullible and desperate people for a financial ride.

Timeshare scams surge, when the economy is on a downturn, as by necessity there is a ready market to target. There are people who desperately needing money, want to dispose of their timeshare, as they can no longer afford the upkeep of them. They become easy targets for fraudsters, who take full advantage of the situation by making promises but failing to fulfil them.

Many of these so- called companies are not legitimate real estate brokers. Legally, a realtor requires to be licensed in the state in which the timeshare is located.

Claiming by phone or email to have potential buyers, either local or foreign, they get your attention. The next step is asking for upfront money for various expenses. Be aware, and react carefully to what is offered before parting with your cash, in order to avoid being scammed.

Source: Inaudit to read or comment on the original article click here

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ITRA – on your side

At ITRA our objective is to support the consumer in timeshare disputes. We have discovered a pattern of abuse, deception and even fraudulent issues that have been systematically perpetrated by many of the major timeshare industry players to the detriment of owners.

If you feel you have been a victim of a similar scam contact us now.

To find out more about the International Timeshare Refund Action visit our website www.itra.net