Diamond Resorts International (DRI) "THE CLUB" Points Program & Converting your Week to Points

you sound connect to DRI, trolling these sites to make it sound like they are reputable.... It has nothing to do with the properties, I like our place at Poipu, In my opinion DRI scams its owners and distorts the truth

michaeld414 wrote:

you sound connect to DRI, trolling these sites to make it sound like they are reputable.... It has nothing to do with the properties, I like our place at Poipu, In my opinion DRI scams its owners and distorts the truth

No Michael I am not a troll and again I do not work for DRI.

randys307 wrote:

Hello..thanks for such a great site. After reading all of this, I think I might have just got screwed over by DRI. I think/hope I have a few days to kill the deal, although they never said anything about that.

Ok, here is the deal I made with the devil…I have a 2 bedroom timeshare at Welk Resort in San Diego that they said they would give me $15000 for as a trade in for DRI membership/points. They would pay all closing costs, etc, charge me an additional 17k and give me 4000 points under this confusing to understand "trust" structure. Also, the would “throw in” the obligatory free vaca, a $100 gift Visa, and 3000 bonus points for the first year. Seeing the advantages of the points system, wanting so terribly to get out of my old school 1/50th ownership structure, and being a total idiot, I agreed. So, basically I gave up a timeshare (paid for in full), paid 17k, and got 4000 points. After reading all of this I can see it is a bad deal.

The red flag should have been that when I went to sign docs they said they could only write down $5000 for the trade so that I would not have to pay taxes. It sounded a bit sketchy, but I was brainwashed by their friendliness and charm...ugg.

Also, being frustrated by not being able to book things I wanted through II, I specifically asked the salesperson if she had stats on what % of the time you can actually book the property you want. She said "Everytime, unless it is a major holiday". Now after reading these threads I can see that this is not true.

Can anyone guide me into what I should do? Can I still get out of it? Did I get pummeled?

Thanks so much, Randy 619-884-7827

Randy,

Per our conversation, RUN from this deal. Don't let them tell you otherwise. Remember, they are giving you so much less than you already have.

Hello, We made the mistake many years ago to allow them (DRI at Kaanapali Beach Club) to talk us into buying more, now over 30,000 points. But with the Water Intrusion Problem (at a resort we've never even been to) we are now being billed $6114 for this year alone!!! That doesn't count the last 2 years that we already paid over $5000 each year. We want to get out! How did you do that? When we talked to someone at DRI before, they said it's up to them whether they "want" to take the points back! But it's our Credit Score that gets ruined if we just stop paying the exorbitant Maintenance Fees! Thanks for suggestions...if you've been successful. Lisa N

michaeld414 wrote:

You have 7 days to cancel and would suggest you do cancel... We walked away after paying 55,000 $$ in cash, I thought about cancelling and called them with my reasons and wanted assurances in several area's, they lied, outright lied about the issues I questioned... Then 18 months later they made public that what I had asked about was true... The water intrusion problem and a charge of 60 Million $$ to the membership... Plus the maintenance fees went from 100 $ per vacation day to over 300 $....

lisan250 wrote:

Hello, We made the mistake many years ago to allow them (DRI at Kaanapali Beach Club) to talk us into buying more, now over 30,000 points. But with the Water Intrusion Problem (at a resort we've never even been to) we are now being billed $6114 for this year alone!!! That doesn't count the last 2 years that we already paid over $5000 each year. We want to get out! How did you do that? When we talked to someone at DRI before, they said it's up to them whether they "want" to take the points back! But it's our Credit Score that gets ruined if we just stop paying the exorbitant Maintenance Fees! Thanks for suggestions...if you've been successful. Lisa N

michaeld414 wrote:

You have 7 days to cancel and would suggest you do cancel... We walked away after paying 55,000 $$ in cash, I thought about cancelling and called them with my reasons and wanted assurances in several area's, they lied, outright lied about the issues I questioned... Then 18 months later they made public that what I had asked about was true... The water intrusion problem and a charge of 60 Million $$ to the membership... Plus the maintenance fees went from 100 $ per vacation day to over 300 $....

If your points are paid for, and you have no outstanding debt but maintenance fee's for unused points, you can surrender your points and walk away.... $ 6,100 is almost $ 400 per day of a maintenance fee, and it will never go down... I am glad we walk away, yes leaving a $ 55,000 chunk of cash with DRI was not what I wanted to do, but to pay them for what I believe is Fraud for years to come bothered me more...

Michael, How did you get through the process? We too, were also scammed with the promise of a resort soon to be built on the Big Island(2008), which for us would've alleviated the need for air fare and a car rental. Very high pressured and the paper shuffle scam is correct. What effect did this have on your credit score, as our is in the high 800's? I, also noticed that our points are not what they should be for the up coming year 2014 and 2015! Thank you for any help that you might have....we want out! Kathy D

michaeld414 wrote:

lisan250 wrote:

Hello, We made the mistake many years ago to allow them (DRI at Kaanapali Beach Club) to talk us into buying more, now over 30,000 points. But with the Water Intrusion Problem (at a resort we've never even been to) we are now being billed $6114 for this year alone!!! That doesn't count the last 2 years that we already paid over $5000 each year. We want to get out! How did you do that? When we talked to someone at DRI before, they said it's up to them whether they "want" to take the points back! But it's our Credit Score that gets ruined if we just stop paying the exorbitant Maintenance Fees! Thanks for suggestions...if you've been successful. Lisa N

michaeld414 wrote:

You have 7 days to cancel and would suggest you do cancel... We walked away after paying 55,000 $$ in cash, I thought about cancelling and called them with my reasons and wanted assurances in several area's, they lied, outright lied about the issues I questioned... Then 18 months later they made public that what I had asked about was true... The water intrusion problem and a charge of 60 Million $$ to the membership... Plus the maintenance fees went from 100 $ per vacation day to over 300 $....

If your points are paid for, and you have no outstanding debt but maintenance fee's for unused points, you can surrender your points and walk away.... $ 6,100 is almost $ 400 per day of a maintenance fee, and it will never go down... I am glad we walk away, yes leaving a $ 55,000 chunk of cash with DRI was not what I wanted to do, but to pay them for what I believe is Fraud for years to come bothered me more...

kathleend251 wrote:

Michael, How did you get through the process? We too, were also scammed with the promise of a resort soon to be built on the Big Island(2008), which for us would've alleviated the need for air fare and a car rental. Very high pressured and the paper shuffle scam is correct. What effect did this have on your credit score, as our is in the high 800's? I, also noticed that our points are not what they should be for the up coming year 2014 and 2015! Thank you for any help that you might have....we want out! Kathy D

michaeld414 wrote:

lisan250 wrote:

Hello, We made the mistake many years ago to allow them (DRI at Kaanapali Beach Club) to talk us into buying more, now over 30,000 points. But with the Water Intrusion Problem (at a resort we've never even been to) we are now being billed $6114 for this year alone!!! That doesn't count the last 2 years that we already paid over $5000 each year. We want to get out! How did you do that? When we talked to someone at DRI before, they said it's up to them whether they "want" to take the points back! But it's our Credit Score that gets ruined if we just stop paying the exorbitant Maintenance Fees! Thanks for suggestions...if you've been successful. Lisa N

michaeld414 wrote:

You have 7 days to cancel and would suggest you do cancel... We walked away after paying 55,000 $$ in cash, I thought about cancelling and called them with my reasons and wanted assurances in several area's, they lied, outright lied about the issues I questioned... Then 18 months later they made public that what I had asked about was true... The water intrusion problem and a charge of 60 Million $$ to the membership... Plus the maintenance fees went from 100 $ per vacation day to over 300 $....

If your points are paid for, and you have no outstanding debt but maintenance fee's for unused points, you can surrender your points and walk away.... $ 6,100 is almost $ 400 per day of a maintenance fee, and it will never go down... I am glad we walk away, yes leaving a $ 55,000 chunk of cash with DRI was not what I wanted to do, but to pay them for what I believe is Fraud for years to come bothered me more...

Kathy D.... We are Island Neighbors as I have a place on the big island near Hakalau... send me a note via email at migueldd45@gmail.com

i just bought a diamond resort. i put the down payment. when we came home me and my wife toked it and we could not afford it we called got the run around and finally talk to a rep and said he had cancelled our membership we sent a e mail a certified letter and were told that we could not cancel because we had bought a sampler membership i don't even no what a sampler membership is can anybody help

jessp15 wrote:

i just bought a diamond resort. i put the down payment. when we came home me and my wife toked it and we could not afford it we called got the run around and finally talk to a rep and said he had cancelled our membership we sent a e mail a certified letter and were told that we could not cancel because we had bought a sampler membership i don't even no what a sampler membership is can anybody help

You have 7 days to back out regardless of what they all it... File a complaint with the State Attorney General and any consumer protection agency near you

Why isn't Steven Cloobeck rotting in some dank prison cell and why does our government allow such businesses to thrive, much less exist at all?

Why is this kind of mendacious predation legal in our country?

Why are we so pathetically stupid to keep electing people to office who facilitate these kind of schemes?

Just curious...

Do not do it, we did and they screwed us! They changed us from Hawaii ownership to Branson!!! what a nightmare!! loose trading worth on several levels.

randys307 wrote:

Hello..thanks for such a great site. After reading all of this, I think I might have just got screwed over by DRI. I think/hope I have a few days to kill the deal, although they never said anything about that.

Ok, here is the deal I made with the devil…I have a 2 bedroom timeshare at Welk Resort in San Diego that they said they would give me $15000 for as a trade in for DRI membership/points. They would pay all closing costs, etc, charge me an additional 17k and give me 4000 points under this confusing to understand "trust" structure. Also, the would “throw in” the obligatory free vaca, a $100 gift Visa, and 3000 bonus points for the first year. Seeing the advantages of the points system, wanting so terribly to get out of my old school 1/50th ownership structure, and being a total idiot, I agreed. So, basically I gave up a timeshare (paid for in full), paid 17k, and got 4000 points. After reading all of this I can see it is a bad deal.

The red flag should have been that when I went to sign docs they said they could only write down $5000 for the trade so that I would not have to pay taxes. It sounded a bit sketchy, but I was brainwashed by their friendliness and charm...ugg.

Also, being frustrated by not being able to book things I wanted through II, I specifically asked the salesperson if she had stats on what % of the time you can actually book the property you want. She said "Everytime, unless it is a major holiday". Now after reading these threads I can see that this is not true.

Can anyone guide me into what I should do? Can I still get out of it? Did I get pummeled?

Thanks so much, Randy 619-884-7827

randys307 wrote:

Hello..thanks for such a great site. After reading all of this, I think I might have just got screwed over by DRI. I think/hope I have a few days to kill the deal, although they never said anything about that.

Ok, here is the deal I made with the devil…I have a 2 bedroom timeshare at Welk Resort in San Diego that they said they would give me $15000 for as a trade in for DRI membership/points. They would pay all closing costs, etc, charge me an additional 17k and give me 4000 points under this confusing to understand "trust" structure. Also, the would “throw in” the obligatory free vaca, a $100 gift Visa, and 3000 bonus points for the first year. Seeing the advantages of the points system, wanting so terribly to get out of my old school 1/50th ownership structure, and being a total idiot, I agreed. So, basically I gave up a timeshare (paid for in full), paid 17k, and got 4000 points. After reading all of this I can see it is a bad deal.

The red flag should have been that when I went to sign docs they said they could only write down $5000 for the trade so that I would not have to pay taxes. It sounded a bit sketchy, but I was brainwashed by their friendliness and charm...ugg.

Also, being frustrated by not being able to book things I wanted through II, I specifically asked the salesperson if she had stats on what % of the time you can actually book the property you want. She said "Everytime, unless it is a major holiday". Now after reading these threads I can see that this is not true.

Can anyone guide me into what I should do? Can I still get out of it? Did I get pummeled?

Thanks so much, Randy 619-884-7827

Randy,, take it from one who gave up a 2 bdrm at Kaanapalli Beach resort for 15000 points. saw my maintaince Fee's go from $680. a year to $2,500 a year, in five years, with no tangable property to show for it. Also trying to get rid of it will give you an ulser. I finally relinquished all rights of use for a $250 dollar fee. Approx. total loss $19,000, US IF YOU CAN GET OUT OF THE POINTS, GOOD LUCK>>>>>>>>>>LJA

DRI has taken our deeded week and converted it into points against all protests from me. We have absolutely no contract with them. Our deed came from ILX. The points are not enough to trade, which was easy when we could deposit our week into Interval. They cannot force their Club on me as their California State license to do business has been forfeited! (There are 2 other DRI licenses on file with the Secretary of State here in California. Hoping to see them forfeited as well one of these days.)

the more i read about DRI the better i feel in NOT buying at ANY dri resort.. TOO bad they took over The former Cypress Pointe Grand Villa resort in Orlando..

We stayed there several years ago and went on Tour to see what the deal was.. we had a couple South Africa units at the time and the deal they were pitching was sounding good, too good.. that's when i figured it was a good deal for THEM..not me..

I started pointing out mis-truths and was riducled by the salesman and his manager.. I let them know a lot of what he was telling me as a lie and i was not going to get sucked in..

They tried to strong arm me with counter points and i started talking louder and louder about the crap they are feeding me.. at one point the tables around us started looking at us and paying attention..

that when they decided i had won and off we went to gifts.

got my 4 free disney tickets and 200 cash for my 90ish mins of hell.. but i think some in the room started to question as well.. talked with one couple afterwards and they said it sounded to good to be true..

I thought Waste..er WestGate as the worse lie teller till it got to these guys..

bottom line STAY AWAY no matter how good it sounds.

Carl I loved your story. I have been encouraging people to stand up at the post card company meetings and do the exact same thing. I belong to the National Timeshare Owners Association and we did that to all the post card companies we could and saved a lot of people the misery of being scammed.

I like the idea that they shuffled you off to the gifts immediately. I hope your idea catches on and more people do the same. Thanks for sharing your great idea and experience.

DRI's license to operate THE Club in California has been forfeited per the Secretary of State's Office. It's illegal for them to sell memberships here in California. Report them. Let DRI know you are on to them!

randys307 wrote:

Hello..thanks for such a great site. After reading all of this, I think I might have just got screwed over by DRI. I think/hope I have a few days to kill the deal, although they never said anything about that.

Ok, here is the deal I made with the devil…I have a 2 bedroom timeshare at Welk Resort in San Diego that they said they would give me $15000 for as a trade in for DRI membership/points. They would pay all closing costs, etc, charge me an additional 17k and give me 4000 points under this confusing to understand "trust" structure. Also, the would “throw in” the obligatory free vaca, a $100 gift Visa, and 3000 bonus points for the first year. Seeing the advantages of the points system, wanting so terribly to get out of my old school 1/50th ownership structure, and being a total idiot, I agreed. So, basically I gave up a timeshare (paid for in full), paid 17k, and got 4000 points. After reading all of this I can see it is a bad deal.

The red flag should have been that when I went to sign docs they said they could only write down $5000 for the trade so that I would not have to pay taxes. It sounded a bit sketchy, but I was brainwashed by their friendliness and charm...ugg.

Also, being frustrated by not being able to book things I wanted through II, I specifically asked the salesperson if she had stats on what % of the time you can actually book the property you want. She said "Everytime, unless it is a major holiday". Now after reading these threads I can see that this is not true.

Can anyone guide me into what I should do? Can I still get out of it? Did I get pummeled?

Thanks so much, Randy 619-884-7827

Run like HELL, you have 7 days in most states to rescind....

I should get me a TUG (timeshare users group) tshirt and have that under my light jacket.. when i get in then take off the jacket and let it shine.

I was reading on the tug site,, tug2.net one guy took off his jacket and the salesman saw the tshirt and got up to get manager.. they came over and just told him to go to gifting.. IN an out in 20 min..

they are on cafepress site.. and on tug website.

Avoid any deal from these people like the plague. Spent $2300.00 for the DRI experience, good for 18 months, and came to Palm Springs CA. Tried over a year ago to book and it took over a month to actually get something. First week here was in an efficiency and the second is in a one bedroom. There is no option for decent internet access and after two weeks of talking to current owners I am so grateful that I am only out the $2300.00 and this vacation will be over.

I wanted to let everyone know about my experience with my 76 year old mother last evening. She is a deeded owner in The Villas at Pollo Tower. She bought the time share in 2001 for $25K and pays $1,300 a year in maintenance. She was told by Diamond Resorts this was a owner complaint session, and they knew things had gone wrong and wanted to fix it. She has never been able to use the time share ($39K latter), even though she was told she could "float" her week when she bough it. She asked me to come along to listen. By the time I left I was dumbfounded, enraged, and ready to call the state's attorney, BBB, and the local news. This is what happened: We explained she had never been able to use it. The Salesman seemed shocked. He said he would "check into it" while we ate. After dinner, he came back with an upset face (my mother told him he didn't look happy). He said "it's the worse scenario" and proceeded to explain how the "developer" had put the deeded shares in a trust, how a new law required that people who don't pay thier timeshare fees get 150% penalty on the balance charged every year, and did the math showing in 6 years she could owe $100,000+ (She has been paying her maintenance fees). He then explained when she died, the deeded timeshare would attach to her estate and would FORCE IT INTO PROBATE along with her personal residence! He told her since she hadn't showed up to a dinner in June Diamond had pulled their offer off the table to help her get out of this dilemma and anything he did that night would be at the grace of the company deciding whether to help her. He had her write a statement saying she was sick in June and didn't know she would be offered a way out so she hadn't purposefully declined any offer in June. He asked about Trust, and Irrevocabble Trust... He said there might be a way to isolate her personal house so this wouldn't happen. But his solution was to convert the deeded timeshare into.... You got it.... the points system. At this point I started asking questions. Was he an attorney? (He was offering legal advice). What would happen if she just sold her personal house to her children . . . that is the only assett in her estate other than the timeshare. He actually told me SHE COULDNT SELL HER HOUSE WHILE SHE STILL HAD THE TIMESHARE>>>> IT WOULD ATTACH ITSELF. I corrected him and let him know he obviously did not know the Oklahoma laws. He then wanted to help her fix it, if he could talk the company into it, of course. The first proposal was $10,000 down that day, and $500 for 10 years, then $8k down at $400, ect, ect. It got down to, "hey, I'm going to pay $1300 maintenance fees a year, show me a way to do it for no additional money, and I'll look at it" He came back with $124 a month for 10 years and $3400 down that day. Oh but the maintenance fee for next year was $2,800 which she could not use her new points for. At this point (10 pm - it started a 6:30) I told her not to do anything (of course this was a one time offer to 'fix' the problem and she had to act that night) and call me when she left. She called at 11 saying they had just given her back her credit card and drivers license! THIS COMPANY IS PURE EVIL! DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM. IF YOU THINK YOU"VE BEEN SCAMMED, CONTACT PROFESSIONAL HELP! I am spending the day today reaching out to my contacts in the State Government, OK Securities Commission, and my Attorney friends to see what was true, how her estate may be vulnerable, and reporting this company to everyone I can. They are SHAMELESS!