I am an owner of a timeshare with Avalon Resorts that I have advertised for sale or rental in hopes to make some money to use in furthering my education. A call from Rick Williams from Global Timeshares was the first contact I received in December. He said that he was working with several families interested in Avalon Resorts timeshares. He felt that he could get a better sale price for my timeshare than I had advertised and I wouldn't have to pay a commission. He said that his commission on a sale comes from a financing company that he refers a potential buyer to and the buyer receives financing from that company.
After a few encouraging phone conversations over about five days with Rick, he mentioned an $1150 fee I would need to pay to Global Timeshares, which he had never mentioned previously. This news raised a red flag for me. Rick explained that the $1150 is for marketing and when he has a buyer for my timeshare, a title search is done and a quit claim deed is sent to me for my signature. I told him that I had not even seen any information about Global Timeshares and I would need to think about moving forward and paying Global's fee.
From Global's website, I found a phone number for the company. I called and spoke to Jim Bradley, the Sales Manager. I told Jim about my conversations with Rick and and having not heard about an $1150 fee until the last time I had spoken to Rick. I explained that I had already paid two other companies to advertise my timeshare. Jim said that he was in this business for 20 years and would not ask me to pay Global's fee until he would have a definite buyer for my timeshare. He seemed confident that he could find a buyer and explained the steps that would be gone through in finalizing a sale. Jim gave me his cell phone number, saying I could contact him anytime, and faxed some company information to me. I felt more comfortable dealing with Jim than with Rick.
Within a week, Jim Bradley informed me that he had found a family interested in buying my timeshare and they were approved for financing after being referred by him to two financing companies. Jim explained that for a sale to move forward, I would need to pay Global's $1150 fee and sign a listing agreement. He told me that it was actually illegal for him to tell me that he had a buyer for my timeshare (even though he had). This should have raised a big red flag to me, but I trusted in a salesperson and company that I should not have. I paid the fee with a credit card over the phone and Jim went over the timeline of the process of agreements, etc.in the sale. I was told that someone from Verification would be calling me to verify my information. When this person called, the conversation was recorded and one of the questions asked was if I had been told by anyone with Global that there was a buyer for my timeshare. I answered no due to Jim saying it was illegal for him to tell me there was a buyer.
I have gradually come to realize that I was misled into believing that Jim Bradley is a salesperson actively working on selling my timeshare. After paying Global's $1150 fee, all I have experienced and seen is my timeshare being listed for sale on Global Timeshares' web site.
On January 3rd I left a message on Jim's cell phone. (Now his phone just gives a message that the subscriber is not accepting incoming calls.) I have called Global's main number many times since January 4th asking for Jim. He has no voice mail through Global. When calling, I've been told that Jim would be in later on the day I was calling, expected in the next day, out in Las Vegas for some meetings and some vacation, and even on a leave of absence by one girl and would need to call customer service to find out who would be taking over my account. Calling customer service always puts you into voice mail. After being told Jim was on a leave of absence, a few hours later, I was told he was expected in the next day. (I was told on the next day, 1/9, by the sales office manager, Kevin Neale, that Jim's cell phone was stolen in Vegas. He would be getting a new phone when he returned to Florida. Kevin also told me to trust Global. He said Jim could be working on a sale for me in Vegas and Why would they let a sale fall through the cracks?) I have never gotten a call back from Jim.
I cannot find out any information or status about the family that Jim said was interested in my timeshare and approved for financing. There is no record of this family in Global's computer system. The only record of activity with my account in Global's computer system, on 1/8, was that there were some people interested in my timeshare and things seem to be going strong. (Told to me by someone named Ben Hannins at Global)
On the internet I found that Global Timeshares has an unsatisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida due to a pattern of complaints concerning misrepresentation in selling practices. I also found two complaints against Global Timeshares on usacomplaints.com.
I have called my credit card company about disputing Global's charge to my account. I was told to first ask Global for a refund before putting in a dispute. I called Global and spoke to Kevin Neale. Kevin told me that the fee I paid was non-refundable and I had signed and returned a contract. When I said I would then dispute the credit card charge, he said to do what I had to do. He then threatened me by saying that when the credit card company contacted Global, they would say I was not interested in selling my timeshare and I would be out my money and their services.
I am planning to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office and consult a lawyer. I will also pursue other avenues in trying to get my money back from this company with employees who lie to consumers.
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