FTC Report Review – How to get out of a Timeshare

Consumer Justice Analysis – from a Timeshare Consumer Protection Law Firm

The safest approach to timeshare divestment involves building Consumer Awareness of the pitfalls and practices involving timeshares, and ultimately, the legal protections for consumers. The FTC performed a vital analysis concerning: Timeshares, Vacation Clubs, and Related Scams | Consumer Advice. The FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION consumer advisement for Timeshare Owners, includes how to get out of a timeshare. See the link above for the full article:

Chapter 1 – What does my timeshare really cost me?
Chapter 2 – Goodbye Real Deeds, Hello Glittery New Points!
Chapter 3 – THE AGE OF THE VACATION CLUB
Appendix A – Can You Sell a Timeshare?
Appendix B – What Are Timeshare Exit Companies?
Appendix C – FTC Read This! – Before A Purchase

Chapter 1 – What does my timeshare really cost me?

In this first chapter of a three Chapter series, the FTC brings to light timeshare owner issues that are also experienced by consumers in cases by The Timeshare Law Firm, a law firm that focuses exclusively on timeshare law and timeshare divestment, which means Timeshare Litigation to enforce Consumer Rights [tactical use of consumer protection laws specifically designed to protect owners].

“Good Value” FACT-CHECK
A big point of owning a timeshare is that it is presented as a good value for the consumer, a system for saving money on booking rooms. “Good value” means that we can mathematically fact-check the total expenditures to buy, and we can also do a direct mathematical comparison of the cost of “ownership” versus the prices to book the exact same accommodations online.

FTC Advisement on True Cost
The FTC wants consumers to understand the true cost of the timeshare: “Add up all the payments, including the initial payment, fees, taxes, and travel costs to get there, plus any other yearly charges. Is that the amount you want to spend on a vacation every year?”

——————COSTS TEST compliments of The Timeshare Law Firm————————————COSTS TEST compliments of The Timeshare Law Firm——————

Hard Numbers – Hard to Swallow
In the above example, it cost the timeshare “owner” three to five times more [3x to 5x more] than simply booking the resort online without booking restrictions and claims of non-availability (freely book any day you see, and stay).

Chapter 2 – Goodbye Real Deeds, Hello Glittery New Points!

POINTS-BASED BOOKING SYSTEMS

Valueless Points – Restrictive Insider Booking Companies
Most of the modern timeshares are “point” based systems that restrict Use by the owner through the booking company rules and regulations. What was promised as anywhere, anytime, Worldwide access, may end up being highly restrictive in a booking system that is stacked against you.

Sham Deeds
Don’t believe you have a real Deed that is as LEGALLY binding as simple real estate (like your home), because Sham Deeds pretty much look the same. Often times, Older Deeds have been abandoned long ago in favor of lucrative point systems.

Points Systems permit the making of huge profits selling points without Deeded rights or value, which end up requiring constant upgrading to work even close to the way they were promised. Points for decades now, mean a whole different proposition:

No market value is typical (consumers can find many thousands of vacation points on eBay that are not selling for $1.00). The timeshares are Paid-in-full, and still have no sales, mainly because the Fees alone can be more than booking it online.
Highly restrictive booking rules and black-outs (no availability of promised destinations) restrict use through Insider Booking Companies that were created, owned and like the largest in the world, have their offices at the same corporate address as the major resort that created them, as seen in consumer litigation allegations. These insider booking companies, if used to frustrate bookings, will force owners to need upgrades just to get what they were already promised.
Owners keep paying huge amounts money for a timeshare that you can’t be used as promised. If you don’t upgrade for thousands, frequently, you may end up not using your timeshare at all (for the resort, that means pure profit with no use expenses).

Chapter 3 – THE AGE OF THE VACATION CLUB

Is this your Timeshare? It can make a big difference.
Multinational Timeshare Conglomerates – The Modern Age of Vacation Clubs
Point Systems are Vacation Clubs, like the largest one in the world: Wyndham Vacation Club (Worldmark by Wyndham and others), second largest resort Hilton Grand Vacations club (with Diamond Resorts and Bluegreen Resorts both recently acquired by Hilton), and third largest resort Marriott Vacation Club (Hyatt Vacation Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, Vistana and others in the Marriott family), as well as, Holiday Inn Vacation Club, Capital Vacations Club, Westgate Travel Club, and others that see the value {substantial profits to be made} in Points systems. So if your resort is on the above list, we may have a textbook case for points devaluing and false promises of nonexistent deeded rights.

Owner Upgrade Requirements – Resort Profits Soar
The Club/Points system, means that the Resorts Win Big, and conversely, Consumers Lose Big Money! Lawsuit allegations expose Points-based Use systems that do not work, allegedly made that way by purposeful design to constantly force upgrades.

More Difficulty and Less Flexibility… for more money?
Timeshare Owners must carefully consider purchase options, special programs, any limitations (if disclosed) and the various amounts of Points that will be required to take the precise vacations they want. All of these features and programs are used to Upgrade your timeshare, but they all come with substantial increases in costs (if properly disclosed at the time of sale, which could be a whole new Chapter to this analysis). So there is all of this complexity to consider… what a mess!

Vacation Freedom is Booking Freedom:
(1) as you want, (2) when you want, and (3) where you want.

If you don’t have exactly what you expect in a clear concise written form signed by the resort, you may just have a bunch of unenforceable Bait & Switch lies from a predatory sales person making a big commission. If the resorts can’t perform openly and legally, then you can do it all yourself, without oppressive restrictions. And if your “DO THE TEST “ above showed you are paying 2x to 20x the cost to simply book online, you will appreciate all this control and efficiency, will also, save you lots of money!

If you need help to get out, our Law Firm is 100% dedicated to Timeshare Owner Legal Representation. Since 2004 we have been exclusively Timeshare Lawyers working in a Timeshare Law Firm. If you need a law firm to fight for your rights against a billion dollar resort, that is precisely what we do:

The Timeshare Law Firm: 321-224-111 or see us at TheAbramsFirm.com

Appendices: further consumer information from the FTC Advisory and The Timeshare Law Firm

Appendix A
Can you Sell a Timeshare?

The BIG scam is when timeshare owners who are desperately trying to get out of a timeshare interest, finally find what appears to be a hopeful aftermarket solution, but then it only turns out to be a Scam company run by predatory Con-Artists.

TIMESHARE DIVESTMENT

Timeshare Divestment is one of the most elusive tasks within a minefield of aftermarket timeshare Fraud companies claiming they can achieve a timeshare sale (to sell your timeshare) or a timeshare contract cancelation by an Exit Company. However, many never achieve a lawful timeshare divestment.

How it may be possible for some to Do a Timeshare Resale
Selling a timeshare or even just giving it away might be difficult if not impossible in many cases. Unless you have a resale promise in writing, you may find like countless others, that the resale program doesn’t exist and the promise of a future resale or profit, was a pure fabrication to induce a sale. If any resort is ever willing to put a buyback or resale program in writing, then take that and all your contract docs to a licensed attorney for a contract review, PRIOR TO, signing any contracts.

Please Note: if you have one of those rare timeshares (sometimes a very old Deed with very low yearly fees) the FTC resale advisement should be read in detail, it is well suited to your information needs.

But BEWARE: if you think, as some Resale Companies say, they can sell anybody’s timeshare, consider this next excerpt, which is a very firm set of warnings from the FTC’s consumer advisories:

——————from The FTC Advisory [start of quotation]——————
You’ll see or hear lots of ads from companies claiming to be experts at selling timeshares — they’re online, on the radio, and on social media. But sometimes these companies exaggerate or flat-out lie about what they offer you. They take your money and then do little to nothing to help you.

These are some of the things you’ll see in timeshare resale ads:

“The market is ‘hot,’ so we’ll sell your unit fast.” (That’s a lie.)
“Your timeshare will sell quickly,” or “it will sell in months.” (Unlikely.)
“We have lots of buyers ready to purchase your timeshare.” (Doubtful.)
“We guarantee you’ll get big returns on your resale.” (That’s a lie.)

Be careful — these could be ads from timeshare resale scammers who will take your money but won’t help you sell your timeshare. The truth is, the timeshare market is overcrowded, and it might be hard, if not impossible, to sell a timeshare. Anyone who guarantees a sale or big returns is a scammer.
——————from The FTC Advisory [end of quotation] ——————

Check out the FTC’s infographic on timeshare reseller scams in the link at the top.

Appendix B
What Are Timeshare Exit Companies?

Many Timeshare Exit Companies Are Not Safe for Consumers
The FTC identifies Exit Company Scams, where scammers use public records to mine your personal information and try to convince you they have some way to get out of a timeshare; in some cases they say they can recover some of your money. These are not Lawyers that represent you in a courtroom, they are scammers who make big lies, including a false “guarantee” to get you out.

The FTC has identified some red flags to look out for:

“Unsolicited calls or messages offering advice or assistance to get out of your timeshare”

Legal Advisement on Contracts requires a licensed Attorney, otherwise such advisement is an Unauthorized Practice of Law (a “UPL”) [check UPL laws by the state of the offender].

“Instructions to stop paying your mortgage or fees”

Legal Advisement on stopping Contract payments is the job of a licensed Attorney, otherwise such advice is an Unauthorized Practice of Law, and is done by Exit Companies just so you have money to pay them.

Appendix C
FTC Advisement – Read This! – Before A Purchase
This section is for YOU, if you haven’t purchased a timeshare yet, or if you are considering an upgrade based upon sales promises concerning future benefits (which may contain deceptions and/or false inducements). If you haven’t signed yet, this final Supplement is for YOU.

The FTC forewarns consumers:
“Are you thinking about going to a sales presentation, buying a timeshare, or joining a vacation club? Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into. You don’t want to be pressured into buying, or surprised later by unexpected charges or challenges…”

Sales Presentations – a Lifetime of Debt for a small gift or prize
As the FTC points out, the resort wants to make you buy: “the entire atmosphere is set up for you to feel like you’re already on a vacation. They show you amazing photos of luxurious resorts, or they take you on a tour…” But what if your timeshare contract is nothing like the sales room promises? Predatory sales practices are designed to wear people down for many hours (this is brutal to the elderly), and then compel them to sign away their rights in as little as 5-10 minutes. Consumers are stressed out for many hours, and as the FTC points out, the purchaser is: “exhausted… so that you’ll sign anything just to get out of there.”

Pressure to Sign – That Day
They try to force you to sign that day with tremendous pressure to buy what may be in reality, a very expensive timeshare purchase. This can mean tens of thousands in very high-interest loans and ever-rising maintenance fees for a lifetime.

The Timeshare Law Firm has performed thousands of consumer fact inquiries and testimonies that have contributed to a Knowledge Base of timeshare consumer protections. And, you may be able to arrange a free consultation with an Attorney to review your specific matter: Knowledge is Power!

FTC Report Review – How to get out of a Timeshare