Here we are with another Tuesday Slot with Irene, this week it is all about “Whistleblowers”, those who decide they need to tell the inside truth about companies, organisations or even politicians. Inside Timeshare has highlighted this topic before, without them we would never know the truth. But first a quick look at Europe.
We started this week with a warning about the scam involving clients of Ramirez and Ramirez, our old friends from the Costa del Sol, this one had an unusual twist as it involved the Supreme Court in Portugal. We are used to seeing letters supposedly from Spanish Courts, maybe because they have been highlighted this so often the “fraudsters” have decided to take a different angle.
There is still no news on the sentencing of Dominic and Stephanie O’Reilly of EZE Group, last year they pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates Court, they were sent to the Crown Court for sentencing as the powers of the Magistrates Court were deemed insufficient due to the severity of the offences. When we know what they receive we will let you know.
We are still receiving emails from clients of the Mark Rowe companies being investigated by the South West Police, Regional Organised Crime Unit, that they have been contacted by the Police and are making statements. This is obviously a huge investigation and will take some time, we will keep you informed of any developments.
To finish off the European news this has just come in from the courts in Maspalomas.
The Court of First Instance Number 4 has issued their latest sentence against Anfi, The judge has declared the CLA clients contract null and void and ordered the return of over £26,000 plus legal Interest. This is another blow to Anfi and the CEO’s claim they are not losing in the courts!
Now for the Tuesday Slot with Irene Parker.
United in Speaking Truth to Power
A borrowed headline from Whistleblowers of America
Press release
February 20, 2018
Introduction by Irene Parker
The Whistleblowers of America press release below describes alleged misuse of power. Seekers of justice and fair play seek to change corporate and/or government corruption. Deceit can become ingrained and accepted. It becomes the norm until those brave and determined enough to fight back, strike back.
Vivieca Wright Simpson, VA’s third-most-senior official, altered language in an email from an aide coordinating the trip to make it appear that Shulkin was receiving an award from the Danish government, then used the award to justify paying for his wife’s travel, Inspector General Michael J. Missal said in a report released Wednesday. VA paid more than $4,300 for her airfare. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/veterans-affairs-chief-shulkin-staff-misled-ethics-officials-about-european-trip-report-finds/2018/02/14/f7fbc020-0c3a-11e8-8b0d-891602206fb7_story.html?utm_term=.e6c8f81cab95
Inside Timeshare has connected 31 active duty and retired military and law enforcement members, alleging they were a victim of timeshare fraud for profit. Whistleblowers of America is dedicated to seeking justice for this population.
Five members of our military and law enforcement group are worried about losing their security clearance, including two who have published articles:
Amanda and George Jones http://insidetimeshare.com/tuesday-slot-irene-3/
Scotty Black http://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-america-36/
I have highlighted the following excerpts in red from the Whistleblowers of America press release below, noting similarities between what VA workers and timeshare victims confront when power and wealth seek to destroy individuals and families by way of corporate greed and misuse of power.
First, several VA employees noted that their cases have lasted from three to eight years while investigations continue – far greater than the 6 months it took to investigate Shulkin. However, some have reported that the OIG never even responds to their complaints. They have called repeatedly, but their reports of fraud have not been investigated.
It takes at most a day to buy a timeshare, but weeks, months and sometimes years to cancel a timeshare contract. There are endless rebuttal emails responding to timeshare contract fine print experts (also known as customer service representatives), regulatory and law enforcement filings, YouTube interviews, and media outreach.
Such has been the case with reports of homelessness numbers being underreported
Non-disclosure agreements and private and binding arbitration rulings have effectively swept timeshare corruption under the rug, but recent Attorneys General actions, Social Media, and lawsuits are saying, “No more.”
One whistleblower said, “If you don’t have photographs, they don’t investigate.”
If a fraudulent timeshare presentation is recorded, or the victim works for the media or for an Attorney General’s office, or has a family member working in these fields, resolution is quickly achieved.
Another whistleblower in the Philadelphia Regional Office laments that the new Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) is being used to fire employees over production.
One timeshare company initiated the recording of Quality Assurance sessions, announced as a consumer protection. The QA session occurs after a two to eight hour hard sell sales presentation, basically a nodding, initialing and signing session. The sales session where the crimes are committed is not recorded and members have reported the recording of the QA session being used against them and some buyers coached on how to “pass” QA because they didn’t get “the letter” (that was never sent).
Several other whistleblowers report that once they are terminated or forced to resign, they can no longer afford to pay costly attorney fees. These out of pocket expenses can soar above $100,000 before settling.
The timeshare industry counts on this, knowing the amounts involved will not withstand the time and expense it takes to litigate. State enforcement is spotty at best. Federal enforcement, like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is ineffective because members often can’t even select a lender when filing a complaint because payments are made to the timeshare company that services the loan, and timeshare companies are not a choice from the CFPB dropdown menu.
A Washingtonian whistleblower familiar with the Shulkin attorneys’ fees reports that their insurance rate is $275 an hour, but other whistleblowers report spending $500 an hour on attorneys while the government lawyers defend the perpetrators of the wrongdoing.
Timeshare members are sometimes at the mercy of arbitrators, hired by the timeshare company. Arbitrators charge $400 to $500 and have a reputation of being pro-industry. If the arbitrator rules against the timeshare member, not only are they liable for the timeshare debt, they can be assigned to pay the timeshare developer’s attorney fees.
Whistleblowers have lost their homes and college tuition for their children.
The first article we wrote was about the Saldana family, transferring a $30,000 loan balance to a home equity loan, forfeiting $60,000 in timeshare points back to the timeshare company, left with no vacation, a $30,000 home equity loan, and a high school graduate starting college that year.
http://insidetimeshare.com/irene-parker-write-barclay-card-usa/
United in Speaking Truth to Power
www.whistleblowersofamerica.org
601 Pennsylvania Ave, South Tower, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20004
#USTOO: Whistleblowers United in Seeking Justice WoA is a nonprofit organization assisting whistleblowers who have suffered retaliation after having identified harm to individuals or the public. Together, we can speak truth to power.
Washington, DC, Feb 13, 2018 – USA Today reported on February 12, 2018, that the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that Secretary David Shulkin inappropriately accepted gifts and travel expenses for his wife during his visit to Europe last July. After this story posted, Whistleblowers of America (WoA) was inundated by VA employees outraged by the different standards by which their leadership is held versus the scrutiny they endure.
Shulkin has hired lawyers Justin Shur, Eric Nitz, and Emily Damrau to rebut the OIG findings related to the wrongdoing.
First, several VA employees noted that their cases have lasted from three to eight years while investigations continue – far greater than the 6 months it took to investigate Shulkin. However, some have reported that the OIG never even responds to their complaints. They have called repeatedly, but their reports of fraud have not been investigated.
Such has been the case with reports of homelessness numbers being underreported at medical centers in the Midwest and 14,000 disability claims lost out of the Oakland Regional Office.
One whistleblower said, “If you don’t have photographs, they don’t investigate.”
Another whistleblower in the Philadelphia Regional Office laments that the new Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) is being used to fire employees over production.
Allegedly, one employee with 28 years of service has been served a proposed termination notice for recently missing production standards. However, these production standards have been a sore point with Congress over the last decade as numerous Veterans Service Organizations have testified that quality should beget quantity and for Raters to “Do it right the first time.”
Even when the OIG finds in their favor, many whistleblowers still suffer the consequences of retaliation and must take their cases to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) for further adjudication. One whistleblower who could no longer tolerate the stress of months of retaliation, resigned before hearing back from OAWP.
Several other whistleblowers report that once they are terminated or forced to resign, they can no longer afford to pay costly attorney fees. These out of pocket expenses can soar above $100,000 before settling.
A Washingtonian whistleblower familiar with the Shulkin attorneys’ fees reports that their insurance rate is $275 an hour, but other whistleblowers report spending $500 an hour on attorneys while the government lawyers defend the perpetrators of the wrongdoing.
While it may be affordable for a VA Secretary to hire three counselors to battle his own OIG, most VA employees who report wrongdoing are GS 12 – 15s. They quickly run through their family savings and retirement funds to fight whistleblower retaliation and if they do not reach settlement and damages, then the financial losses have impacts for several years. Whistleblowers have lost their homes and college tuition for their children.
And for those who are not terminated, remaining employed often means being marginalized to lesser assignments, lost pay or advancement opportunities, privacy invasions, poor performance evaluations that mar personnel folders, which then obstruct their ability to compete for other gainful employment. Even attempts at Alternative Dispute Resolutions that can resolve conflicts at the most internal levels are fraught with impartial mediators, lack appropriate decision-makers and can be non-binding, so costly when final arbitration is still needed at a higher level. Whistleblowing has been labeled “career suicide.” When you are not the VA Secretary or other senior leader, life gets tough when harmful disclosures are made to the OIG.
WoA is a 501C3 that provides peer support to whistleblowers because retaliation has consequences that can result in depression, anxiety, substance abuse, divorce, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide, as USA Today once reported in the case of psychologist, Chris Kirkpatrick. He died by suicide after reporting overmedication of patients at the Tomah VA Medical Center in Wisconsin and was fired.
Contact:
Jacqueline Garrick, Executive Director
www.whistleblowersofamerica.org
202-309-1870
jackie@whistleblowersofamerica.org
Thank you Irene and Whistleblowers of America, a very interesting article.
If you have any information regarding the practices in the sale of timeshare and want the world to know the real truth behind the industry, then Inside Timeshare welcomes any information you can share.
Been contacted by a firm and want to know who they are, or if they are genuine? Then contact Inside Timeshare for honest, truthful and impartial help and advice.
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