My elderly parents bought 3 timeshares about 10 years ago, from Fairfield and RCI, via hard sells on-location. They could not say no, were told it was a good investment. Not true.
Now they have been trying to sell for 3 years, have used the rental and sales company Global Timeshares, which took $1300 for an initial contract, was not clear that the contract only last 90 days and it would be discontinued if WE did not contact THEM. My folks called back 6 months later because they had never even gotten a call back once. They were told they could renew the contract for $1000, my foolish parents renewed. We called regularly, but the salesman never got a bite.
We STILL don't understand how they are sold or rented. Very confusing.
We went to a seminar by a company that was offering to "buy" the timeshares, but turned out that they would take each timeshare and the maintenance fees "off your hands" for only $3000 per timeshare! Unbelievably, their offer to "buy" turned out to be WE PAY!!! We left furious.
One month later my dad gets a call from a "partner" of Global Timeshares (who later use Global Timeshares letterhead) who say GT gave them my folks contact info because they have a seller ready to buy their property, will pay $20,000, and my folks only need to pay the closing costs (or selling fees) up front. So my trusting dad pays $2000 with his VISA card. No written contract, just a paper in the mail confirming the transaction, but no amount listed! They were to get the signed paperwork to us within 2 weeks. It's now 8 weeks later, and no word!
Why can't our government enforce laws that protect the elderly from these scams? Where do we report these practices?
Sam from harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
U.S.A.
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