Welcome to the Tuesday Slot with our very own Irene Parker, this week Irene explains the Diamond Resorts Owners Advocacy Facebook and what it stands for. Since its inception it has been growing its membership base on a daily basis, it is also becoming an influential force in US timeshare. But first a quick look at some news in Europe.
The UK news has been dominated recently by the death of a former Russian double agent and links to the murder of another Russian Businessman, but what has this to do with timeshare I hear you ask?
Well, according to the Daily Express and a story they published on Friday 23 March, police are also re-examining the murder of John “Goldfinger” Palmer, who many of you will remember from the Brinks Mat bullion robbery, but most of all for his timeshare empire in Tenerife.
John Palmer was found dead at his Essex home in June 2015, but it was not until around a week later they discovered he had been shot. According to the Express police are looking into his international associates, especially his connection with money laundering for a former associate of the Russian President. So the story of John Palmer continues, see link below for the Express story.
Once again Inside Timeshare warns readers of the fake law firms and claims companies that keep springing up. As always the call tells the owner their timeshare resort / company has been taken to court or are about to be taken to court, that there is a significant amount of money being held and just waiting to be paid out to them.
The next step is to have this money released, there is usually a tax that has to be paid to the court, or even that you need to get a Spanish NIE number, which they can get for you, obviously for a fee. Most of the time the money has to be paid by bank transfer to an account of a named individual. Don’t pay it!
If you are paying “tax” or costs for a service, you would not be paying into the account of a named person, would it not be the tax office, court or a named company?
Remember, once you have paid by bank transfer, the money will have disappeared and you will never get it back. Now for this weeks article from Irene.
What is the Diamond Resorts Owners Advocacy Facebook About?
We seek to provide Diamond Resort members a way to proactively address membership concerns; to advocate for timeshare reform; to obtain greater disclosure from the company; to advocate for a viable secondary market; and to educate prospective buyers.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiamondResortsOwnersAdvocacy/
By Irene Parker
March 27, 2018
A Comment on gun violence in America
There were a lot of voices being heard throughout America this past weekend, teens voicing their feelings about gun violence. Whether you are for or against their position, one can’t help but admire their courage, determination and persistence.
You can succumb to being a victim or you can use your experience to foster a greater good. Charles Thomas and I have listened to 366 US timeshare members express their anger since we began counting late 2016. We have received 101 US Diamond member complaints since January 1. Many of the families are outraged alleging they were sold by sales agents employing deceitful bait and switch tactics. Many members have been helped, but only after endless rebuttals, regulatory and law enforcement filings, and media outreach. Still, any timeshare company can just say no, knowing there is little timeshare regulation or enforcement.
Inside Timeshare supports families through the 180 day foreclosure process. The vast majority of those going through this painful process are responsible citizens who have rarely been late paying a bill. The timeshare contract is perpetual, there is virtually no secondary market. There are DRI Facebooks that have some exchange of Diamond points from member to member. Families in foreclosure:
Deneice Vargas: http://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-america-21/
Amanda and George Jones: http://insidetimeshare.com/tuesday-slot-irene-3/
Scotty Black: http://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-america-36/
Greg Jennings: http://insidetimeshare.com/tuesday-slot-irene-15/
Roy Simmons: http://insidetimeshare.com/tuesday-slot-irene-13/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_nca6lMA4U&feature=youtu.be
Ramond Mori: http://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-america-42/
Josh Parker: http://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-america-41/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezkJ7GlJN4U&feature=youtu.be
There are several others facing foreclosure who have not published an article. Three of the above are concerned about losing their Military/Law Enforcement Security Clearance. Four are disabled veterans, two 90% to 100% disabled.
Diamond Resorts has been responding to member complaints. About 100 of the 345 DRI complaints have been resolved through relinquishment, loan cancellation, refund or foreclosure. http://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-america-37/
One advocacy silver lining is that members foreclosed do not have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Like America’s teens raising their voices demanding change, foreclosed members can remain outfront and vocal advocates.
What the Diamond Resort Owners Advocacy Facebook is not:
The Diamond Resorts Owners Advocacy Facebook is not a complaint site. If members join only to express displeasure, they are better served by posting on Trustpilot or Tripadvisor. While venting may make a person feel better, ranting on a complaint site will do nothing to change what we feel are predatory and criminal business practices, as defined by the FBI. Sheilah Brust wrote this article about her experience reporting her complaint to the FBI. Sheilah can now advise others. Sheila has not signed a non-disclosure agreement. http://insidetimeshare.com/tuesday-slot-irene-14/
There has been no response from ARDA challenging their Code of Ethics. Timeshare members need to research what the “Voluntary ARDA ROC” “donation” is doing on their maintenance fee invoice.
https://www.redweek.com/resources/ask-redweek/arda-roc-donation-in-maintenance-bill
Timeshare Advocacy Group™
https://www.facebook.com/timeshareadvocategroup/
Timeshare Advocacy Group™ was launched by a small group of advocates that has grown to a solid group of 44 advocates concerned about the volume of timeshare complaints found on the internet directed against Wyndham, Bluegreen, Diamond Resorts, Vacation Village and a few others. The only timeshare that seems to have almost no complaints is Disney Vacation Club. TAG feels timeshare members should have a safe place to get straight answers about their timeshare concerns and be provided with assistance when regulatory and law enforcement fillings are called for.
We hope lessons learned by consumers who purchased a timeshare product they did not understand will reach the general public so prospective timeshare buyers know what questions to ask before buying or upgrading a timeshare.
http://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-america-16/
Our Advocates are here for support. The only reasons for removing a member from our Diamond Resorts Advocacy Facebook are:
- A member will be removed if they are insulting or disrespectful to another member.
- If a transfer, listing agent, or “get you out of your timeshare guaranteed” company solicits a member, they will be immediately removed. Karen Krokosh wrote this article about her experience with Sell My Timeshare Now and is now researching member complaints of this nature. http://insidetimeshare.com/tuesday-slot-irene-5/
Members need to be aware that there have been reports of timeshare members being charged thousands of dollars for a guaranteed exit, only to learn the exit company considers foreclosure a guarantee. No one should sign up with anyone demanding upfront money, even an attorney, without checking with us because we have learned there are some lawyers with questionable business practices.
http://insidetimeshare.com/legal-news-us-castle-law-group-pc-v-timeshare-developers/
We support our members from their first Facebook post through resolution. This is our complaint form: http://insidetimeshare.com/file-timeshare-complaint-revised/
Inside Timeshare is part and parcel of the Diamond Resorts Owners Advocacy Facebook. Timeshare Advocacy Group™ was formed hoping timeshare members will look beyond just their own timeshare company concerns. We feel there are some deceitful and predatory timeshare business practices so ingrained; they are endorsed and encouraged from the top levels of the management down to the person who responds with, “Sorry you signed a contract.” Checking with the FBI we have learned many of the complaints reported to Inside Timeshare meet the FBI’s definition of White Collar Crime – deceit, concealment, violation of trust and bait and switch. See Sheilah’s article for more information about the FBI.
Other self-help Timeshare Support Groups, in our opinion, not industry influenced,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/180578055325962/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/465692163568779/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1639958046252175/
We don’t mind if industry insiders or Diamond employees join our Facebook as long as they are respectful. In fact, we encourage this hoping they will confront the serious problems we have uncovered. It would be great if we could all just get along. I have always said, “Half a problem goes away when confronted.”
Thank you Irene and also a big thank you to all the volunteers who give up their time to help others, between us we are changing the face of timeshare.
If you have any comments or questions about this or any other article published, or just need information about any company that has contacted you or you are thinking of doing business with, contact Inside Timeshare and we will point you in the right direction.
The post The Tuesday Slot with Irene appeared first on Inside Timeshare.