Dont let them cheat/deceive you

OMG....Thanks for the laugh. Are you really his big of dufas or you just making this up.

wk7 wrote:

OMG....Thanks for the laugh. Are you really his big of dufas or you just making this up.

A TALE OF TWO FAMILIES

Family “A” goes to a foreign land, Mexico, for vacation in beautiful Puerto Vallarta. While there, they are approached to go to a presentation and are offered gifts or cash to attend. Ignoring the saying “there is no free lunch” they go. A salesman shows them a beautiful hotel with gorgeous grounds and pool and offers them an “opportunity” to vacation there for years to come for only $33,000 plus guaranteed to increase maintenance fees they must pay every year. They know they cannot afford this but greed reared it’s ugly head when it was suggested that they could rent their weeks and make a profit so they buy into this farce of a story and plunk down their cash. To add insult to injury they go back for a second bite of this apple and plunk down who knows how much to upgrade to a “rentable” two bedroom unit. Whatever happened to the wise words, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!”

Now four year’s later, family “A” screams, we have been robbed…it’s a heist! Send for the savior of the world Super Obama! Save me savior Obama. Save me my elected representatives. Save me, President Felipe Calderon from myself and these bad men who took the money I offered to them. I want it back! Every dime!

Then there is family “B”. Family “B” also went on presentations. But family “B” was wise enough to know that giving this salesman $33,000 wasn’t a wise use of their money. So when they went home they did some due diligence and found they could purchase time in a two bedroom at the same hotel by buying online from family “C”. Family “B” happily paid family “C” $4100 for what they paid $25,000. Yes they chaff a bit about the yearly maintenance fees, but they have good friends who go on vacation each year with them and they cover half the fees. Then while there, family “B” goes on other presentations and collects up to $900 which pays the rest of the maintenance fees and pays back on the initial payment. So to recap, the stay is free, friends and family have a great time, just add air fare and food. Life is good!

What can family “A” take away from this tale? Well, they can continue to whine and keep seeking Merlin the magician to magically bring back spent money. (He’s dead by the way. And the savior Obama is a real life farce.) Your money is not sitting in a vault just waiting to be given back to you….It’s gone and long ago spent.

OR

They can forget about the money that is gone and start enjoying what they bought. Invite good friends and family to enjoy a beautiful vacation. Go to wonderful restaurants and have a good time. Go to other presentations and take back some of your money piece by piece. Just enjoy life! AND LEARN HOW TO JUST SAY NOOOOOO!!!!

ps: Please don’t drown the messenger in the pool.

Nice advice, but it won't help my situation. It doesn't change how a lot of us feel. There are a lot of others here on RedWeek who feel like I do, and, perhaps, some who don't. I'm happy for you that you're smarter than me. But this time I had to laugh at your story.

So do you still have six weeks in a two bedroom unit after your upgrade? Exactly what do you have? And are you current on your dues?

(I doubt I'm smarter then you, it's easy to get caught up in the moment. And being honest, some of the timeshare salespeople are very good at their trade.)

dukep wrote:

wk7 wrote:

OMG....Thanks for the laugh. Are you really his big of dufas or you just making this up.

Enjoy your laugh on me. Yes, I guess I am that big of dufas. I am too trusting by nature. But regardless of how much blame is on me, I have nothing to loose trying to get my money back from the Velas. They purposely lied to me and took my money, KNOWING those weeks wouldn't rent. They sell you on this program, then hide behind a third party, washing their hands after the heist. Nice racket. And I'm sure I'm the only 'dufas' who believed them.

Your interpretation of "A" --- "B" and "C" was pretty remarkable. Hopefully when we do visit Velas again we can Enjoy our time there and not think about how many people put their carts before the horse. I think the recent economy hit played a role in the bad feelings that "we" the people of the USA have been taken advantage of, mislead into thinking it would be a good investment.... If we can use it great, if not it's another hard lesson learned.

Same thing happened to us. Has anyone found a way to sell these units (especially without the additional scams of money up front to sell it for you).

Back in the spring, I sent a message out to my facebook friends that we couldn't use our weeks this year since we just had a baby and I got several responses and was able to rent it. All I had to do was touch base with Velas that I would be renting it to a friend and they were fine with that and put the reservation in their name as my guest.

This outfit is totally crooked. They are lying thieves. Anyone who has bought a timeshare here has just kissed their hard earned dollars good-by. You can't rent it (as promised), the people who will sell your other timeshare for more than enough to cover the cost of buying this one take your $500.00 and it is gone too. The only way to use it is to trade it in RCI for a week somewhere you would really like to go. It is too bad we can't all picket the place and keep other people from getting screwed.

"Can't rent it" Huh... I guess you will have to tell that to the folks we are renting our second week from this year... Not the first time we have rented a second week through Red Week.

Yeah I know what you mean they told us you can rent out your week and make some extra money we tried that for a couple of years never got rented. We are going to try and sell it we well see how that goes.

We bought a second two bedroom week this summer for the sum of $1.00 plus the closing costs. We will use and entertain friends and family for a few more years, two weeks at a time.

I wish everyone would wise up and quit going up those stairs, quit listening to the B.S. Visited with some nice Canadian folk that were talked into "upgrading" to "all inclusive" for $13k in 2013. Told that there maintenance fees would cover the all inclusive fees each year. (same B.S. we heard that in 2013) When they checked-in in December they found out that was a lie... They had to dig into their pockets even more for their "all inclusive").

We enjoyed our stay as usual but didn't go upstairs to listen to the lies. Same message as always.... Be wise. Realize they are there only to separate you from your money. If you feel the need to listen to their pitch, TAKE THEIR MONEY and then JUST SAY NO!

Hi Karen,

I know this is really old and you may have forgotten about this nightmare but my parents are currently in this terrible situation.

When you said you wrote to them, did you mean you emailed them, and also copied PROFECO? I'm trying to find their office in California online but have had no such luck.

Please help if you can.. thank you so much.

karenl311 wrote:

I was able to get a refund on my down payment and cancel the sale. Basically you just write the company and tell them you have changed your mind. Make sure you copy Profeco. I was within the 5 day window (and that does not include weekends). I sent certified copies of the cancellation to the hotel, and the office in california. I emailed the initial copy within the timeframe and then sent certified letters to both offices--that is a little pricey--$60. But I did not want to take any chances.

I mentioned the sales tactics in my cancellation letter (they told me I had waived my right to change my mind, for example). My credit card was refunded in full and they did not use any guerilla tactics.

I did not get a refund on the $499 to rent my Velas weeks so I will ask Profeco to work on that one. I asked Velas to refund that portion but they referred me too the rental company. Of course, since there was no contract, I am getting more of the runaround. But again, I'll just let Profeco work on that one.