Unfortunately the information I learned about htis company came a bit too late. I was solicited by a Mr Michael Starr and his shill on April 11. I have been on the National do not call registry since 2005. They led my to believe they were from my timeshare company and said the Special Events section were low on inventory and badly in need of units to rent for the PGA. As I had more points than I could use I thought it reasonable so I agreed to rentals. I was told they could get up to $2200 per week.
Mr Starr said I was eligible for this program and I just needed to be registered to participate. All this time I'm thinking it's my timeshare company. He explained a bit about how the program worked. So he started enrolling me and after a while said it was not going through and he needed to speak to the people who do the enrollments more often. After a while he came back and said that the reason it was not going through was because I was not registered for this option and perhaps my timeshare company did not inform me of this option.
It was at this point that I was told to be registered I had to pay a one-time fee of $3493 plus $25 annually. Naturally I balked. I still did not realize I was not speaking to people from my timeshare company. Mr Starr siad that by the time I get my first bill I would have a check for $13,000 for the 5 week rental period. He further stated that it took 5-7 business days (I later realized the reason for this time lag is so the 7 day cancellation, which he never even told me about, could expire before you even got started) for the enrollment to become active before I could rent and that he would keep me updated during that time.
He called a few times afterwards saying my enrollment was still being processed. I was reassured by the calls. But when 7 days came and went and no further info from Mr Starr, I started calling of course he was never available and I left several messages. I received a call from one of his assistants making excuses for him and apologizing for the delay but that things were progressing and she'd keep me informed. She then said that Mr Starr wanted to give me $200 refund for the delay but that I had to sign a form. Well I was stunned. The form said that I will receive "the sum of $200 in full and complete resolution of matters at hand".
I refused to sign as I could not grasp what matters she was talking about and it seemed egregious to me that for $200 they would rob me of any redress for the $3493. They gouged from me. I received voicemails begging me to sign the form so they could process my $200. I subsequently sent a letter asking for a refund of my money as it became evident that this was not what was "sold to me" not they were not whom I thought they were. I left several messages for Mr Starr which he never responded to but I said I wanted a full refund. I then wrote a letter requesting a refund.
It was after that Carmen Ciliberti got into the picture saying he was from corporate and investigating my complaint. He was a fast talker and very persuasive. He said there was a breakdown somewhere and he was trying to fix the problem. He said the program really worked and he begged me to give him a chance to resolve my problem and he went so far as to make guarantees that I'd have a $3000. Rental by Friday 1st June. (I have the emails and voice messages to prove) He said that I had to sign a form a Continuing Advertising Authorization form (CAAF). I refused but he said he couldn't not book the guaranteed rental until he had the form.
I was very reluctant and told him if he removed the offending sentence about full and complete resolution I would. He said it was a corporate form and he couldn't change it. He called my phone several times leaving me messages about how he wanted to prove to me the program worked etc; he sent me an email reiterating the offer available with more to follow. So against my better judgment I signed the form given what Carmen told me. Nothing materialized. I called Carmen and true to form no return calls then he called me last Monday to say he didn't know what happened that he was away due to a friend's suicide.
He said he'd follow up with the front office to see what happened, haven't heard back from him. Then I got a letter from Kevin White stating there would be no refund because I signed the CAAF. Imagine. They are breaking the law at every turn and invoking the sancity of their fraudulent forms. I later learned that while they were signing an agreement with the Florida AG on May 2 to refrain from their unfair business practices and cease and desist from their misrepresentations it was business as usual at Timeshares by owners.
Nothing I was told was factual, there is no Special Events bookings for the PGA, he had no rentals though I was guranteed a $3000 rental by Friday June 1st. These guys are ruthless and criminal and I will pursue them until I get the money they defrauded me off.
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