Friday’s Letter From America is from Irene Parker, written from Poco Diablo Resorts, a Diamond Affiliated property in Sedona, Arizona. Irene thought our EU readers would like to hear about an unusual travel activity that takes place annually in Sedona, one of the most popular tourist destinations in America, south of Arizona’s Grand Canyon.
Irene said she received good value for her Diamond points. All timeshare members should remember their timeshare math, checking the value of maintenance fee dollars against booking online. Given Poco Diablo’s $13 per night fee for something, and a 13% tax, it was significantly less using Diamond points. She checked into Poco Diablo on Friday the 13th.
Inside Timeshare has been asked by Canarian Legal Alliance to issue the following warning.
A company going by the name of Abogados Lopez (Gran Canaria & Marbell) is contacting clients and stating they are calling on behalf of CLA. In the call clients are told that a settlement has been reached and a considerable sum has been offered.
To finalise the payment of these funds, a processing fee of 10% is required, this is to be paid by bank transfer.
According to the email after the initial telephone conversation, the processing fee covers the following:
Modelo 214: This is a Tax declaration form, it has to be filled in by their Notary on the clients behalf. It is to confirm that the money awarded by the judicial system is non-taxable, but when is arrives into the clients personal account via bank transfer the client must inform the Inland Revenue.
Modelo 037: Another form which enables their Notary to set up an online verification account in the client’s name.
Modelo 790: Yet another form which gives them authority to enter the clients non-residential NIE number into the fiscal system, attaching it to the clients case file. The client is also told it is only valid for three months.
The attached letter in the email has what looks like official stamps and logos, so it does look very official to the uninitiated.
They are using 2 telephone numbers, one is a Spanish mobile number: 0034 602 657 670 and a UK number with a Chepstow code: 01291 440500, when dialled this number does not connect, another number that has been given is 0034 951 242 867 which is a Malaga number.
Their email address is: admin@javierlopezabogados.com, there is a website but it does not contain any information. The website was registered on 22 March 2018 and is using a privacy service to hide the owners.
The address that Abogados Lopez is using is: Calle Teniente C Castillo, Olivares 12, 35011, Palmas De Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria, España.
This is yet another fake law firm and is not working with Canarian Legal Alliance and has no authority from them, if you have been contacted by Abogados Lopez and received any information from them via email, contact Inside Timeshare and we will pass on the information to the lawyers at CLA.
Now for this weeks Letter from America
Our Diamond Resorts Experience at Poco Diablo, Sedona, Arizona
The War In Between, by Director Producer Riccardo Ferrais
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCyCTQXJiGM
A documentary about PTSD diagnosed veterans and wolves and why timeshare sales agents should not defraud our veterans
By Irene Parker
April 27, 2018
Tuesday May 1: A Military PSA by Joshua Parker, US Army, Ret, OIF
A Wolf Friendly Resort – Wolf Week April 17 – 22 at Poco Diablo
An unusual resort activity
POCO DIABLO RESORT is a trademark of Poco Diablo Resort, LLC, a limited liability company formed under the Limited Liability Code of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
Those who suffer from the effects of a traumatic event can do one of two things – fall victim or channel outward in the fashion of John Walsh, producer and director of the American television show, America’s Most Wanted, advocating on behalf of homicide victims and their families. Joshua Parker is an army combat veteran alleging he was defrauded by timeshare and told by a company vice president, “We are not responsible for what our sales agents say,” Joshua has joined our advocacy efforts reaching out to military publications to warn veterans, and especially Active Duty military, several in danger of losing their Security Clearance due to timeshare foreclosure. Sales agents, by the words of this vice president, are encouraged to make up outrageous claims to sell vacation points. Inside Timeshare has heard from 42 members of the military alleging they were defrauded by timeshare sales agents.
Scamming consumers is bad enough, but we find nothing more disturbing than preying on war heroes who have put their physical and mental health on the line to protect all Americans. About a third of our veterans are combat veterans, several 90 to 100% disabled. We believe the reports of the war heroes over the denials by timeshare sales agents, several repeat offenders. According to the FTC:
Travel, vacation, and timeshare frauds were the most costly with people losing a median amount of $1,710. The FTC also broke out fraud losses for members of the military and found their median fraud loss to be 44 percent higher than the general population. https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/04/06/ftc-releases-2017-complaint-statistics/493425002/
Wolves and veterans
One of the activities during Wolf Week in Sedona was the showing of the documentary, The War In Between. Combat veterans, diagnosed with PTSD and wolves, victimized by illegal trappings, work towards recovery. After the film, we had the opportunity to meet director Riccardo Ferrais and the wolves.
Plan B Founder and advocate with her rescued victims, Chaos and Theory
https://lockwoodarc.org/larc-veterans
Wolf Week was presented by The Plan B to Save Wolves and Apex Protection Project with Presenting Sponsor Poco Diablo Resort an Enterprise of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
Founded by Betsy Klein and Timon Pratt, the Plan B Foundation is a 501(c)3 corporation created to support organizations and individuals in their mission to protect, preserve and rescue wolves and wolf dogs through advocacy, education and funding.
From the book Wolfer, by Carter Niemeyer, a Wolf Week guest speaker:
“Carter stands between these waring groups, the furious ranchers and outraged environmentalists, mediating, doing what he has to do, with a heavy heart.”
Nicholas Evans, Author of The Horse Whisperer
Having spent almost three years now listening to reports from families describing how their lives have been ruined after falling victim to predatory and deceptive timeshare sales, I understood the bittersweet experiences wolf advocates experience on a daily basis. We wish we could win them all too, but reluctant regulators and timeshare developers, who care little how points are sold, allow the hamster wheel of recycled timeshare inventory to continue unchecked. The best we can do for some is guide the member and their family through the painful foreclosure process. Despite what “Get you out of your timeshare” ads advertise, there are no guaranteed timeshare exits. We have had members report being charged thousands of dollars, only to eventually be told foreclosure is a guarantee. Most timeshare members have high credit scores and have rarely been late on a payment, but rising maintenance fees, the lack of a secondary market, and rising fraud have spelled disaster for many families. Inside Timeshare US and Timeshare Advocacy Group
has assisted 406 families, 148 since January 1.
I hear members say things like, “There is never any availability” or “You can always book cheaper online.” My husband and I own 10,200 Diamond points. We used 8,000 points to book two weeks (which happened to be during Wolf Week) at the Diamond affiliate Poco Diablo property. Our first timeshare exchange thirty years ago was at Poco Diablo. Compared to Booking.com, we saved a good bit using Diamond points over booking online. The wolf friendly Poco Diablo resort, of the same name, borders the timeshare Poco Diablo.
We usually stay at Diamond’s Los Abrigados resort in Sedona, our home resort, but Los Abrigados was not available this year. We own Diamond US Collection points and Premier Vacation Club points. I’m told PVC members pay the highest maintenance fees. When we asked to use the Spa at Los Abrigados, checking the box that said we were PVC members, we were denied access. We explained that the reason we were not staying at Los Abrigados was because there was no availability and that our maintenance fees went toward the spa maintenance. The attendant said they would make an exception this one time, but advised that we would have more flexibility if we gave up our PVC points for Diamond points. After a ten minute lecture, the attendant said, “Maybe I’ll look for another job.” Diamond advertises Poco Diablo as a Diamond property.
https://www.diamondresorts.com/destinations/property/Villas-at-Poco-Diablo
Our advocates are available free of charge. We have saved more than a few members from the nets of scams. We have assisted hundreds of members with regulatory and, if needed, law enforcement filings. We thank all our advocates for their part in the process, and thank timeshare members for reporting. Without regulatory filings, nothing will ever change. Contact one of these self-help groups we feel are not industry influenced if you need help with a timeshare concern.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiamondResortsOwnersAdvocacy/
https://www.facebook.com/timeshareadvocategroup/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/180578055325962/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/465692163568779/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1639958046252175/
Thank you Irene, we all hope you and Don had a very enjoyable vacation, although we do know you were still hard at work on behalf of all those who have contacted us.
If you have any comments or questions about any article published use our contact page and get in touch with us.
Have you had a call regarding your timeshare, be it resale or claims and want to know if the company is genuine, then get in touch and we will point you in the right direction.
Join us again next week when we bring you the latest news on the timeshare world, we also hope to have some news about the EZE Group case at Birmingham Crown Court, where Dominic & Stephanie O’Reilly will be told their fate.
Have a great weekend.
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