I wish the RCI lawsuit plaintiffs would put as much energy into closing down upfront fee resale company scammers .....

I wish the RCI lawsuit plaintiffs and backers would put as much energy into closing down upfront fee resale company scammers as they have put into the RCI lawsuit, which has no validity whatsoever according to RCI's Terms and Conditions that plainly states when one deposits their week(s) with RCI, then they're (in essence) RCI's week(s) to do what they wish, including renting deposits if they so choose.

Upfront fee resale companies (that charge in the hundreds/thousands of dollars) are the worst parasites (of many) in the entire timeshare industry ripping off thousands of people a year with their blatant lies in order to get that upfront fee.

jayjay wrote:

I wish the RCI lawsuit plaintiffs and backers would put as much energy into closing down upfront fee resale company scammers as they have put into the RCI lawsuit.......Upfront fee resale companies (that charge in the hundreds/thousands of dollars) are the worst parasites (of many) in the entire timeshare industry ripping off thousands of people a year with their blatant lies in order to get that upfront fee.

I agree with your assessment of upfront fee parasite companies, but your "wish" is unfortunately an apples vs. oranges comparison:

RCI members can (and did) initiate a civil class action lawsuit against RCI because, as RCI members impacted by RCI practices, those RCI members had the "legal standing" to file that particular civil action against RCI.

On the other hand, taking on the upfront fee parasites is something which must be done by an entirely different and completely unrelated legal avenue. Specifically, legislation (...preferably Federal, so as to be applicable nationwide) would first be required to be passed, making the current practices of the upfront fee parasites overtly unlawful --- and thereby subject to criminal prosecution (not civil suit) by governmental authorities (not by private citizens). At present, unfortunately, what the upfront fee parasites do is unethical, deceitful and reprehensible --- but NOT illegal.

Different courts, completely different legal processes, and (currently non-existent) legislation would first be required and involved. Simply stated, RCI members have neither the legal standing nor any statutory basis on which to go after the upfront fee "advertising" companies. It's a non sequitor...

Okay then, perhaps apples to oranges, but if the same ardent plaintiffs and their backers would inundate legislators (both federal and state) regarding upfront fee company scams, then perhaps something could be done about the sleazebags ..... I'm not speaking of the same litigation as the RCI lawsuit, but a grass roots effort to change the way the scums do business and to make it a requirement to record all conversations as many other companies do (ie: the many lies told to prospective clients).

It's a crying shame that these criminals get away with what they do ..... they should be in prison since they are out and out thieves, but they get away with their thievery due to the wording of how they socall operate in calling themselves ad agencies ..... it blows my mind that these thieves have not been investigated and charged.

jayjay wrote:

It's a crying shame that these criminals get away with what they do ..... they should be in prison since they are out and out thieves, but they get away with their thievery due to the wording of how they socall operate in calling themselves ad agencies ..... it blows my mind that these thieves have not been investigated and charged.

I certainly understand your frustration, but the simple fact remains that these parasites are NOT "criminals", since they are NOT actually violating any laws (which is clearly a requirement for ANY criminal act). For these parasites to be "charged", it would first require an applicable statute, whose alleged violation appropriate authorities could then "investigate". In the absence of any such applicable statute(s), there simply is no legal avenue for either investigation OR prosecution.

Meanwhile, people continue to voluntarily CHOOSE to pay these parasites serious money for worthless, obscure advertising which will NEVER result in the sale of their timeshare. It's quite sad, but as P.T Barnum allegedly once said, "There's a sucker born every minute"...

ken1193 wrote:

Meanwhile, people continue to voluntarily CHOOSE to pay these parasites serious money for worthless, obscure advertising which will NEVER result in the sale of their timeshare. It's quite sad, but as P.T Barnum allegedly once said, "There's a sucker born every minute"...

The 'suckers' voluntarily choose to pay those parasites due to all the lies they are told (people are waiting in line to buy your timeshare, corporations are interested in buying your timeshare, we can get you $10K more than you paid developer) .... the list of lies go on and on as you have read in these forums and on Tug yourself. To me, the lies are out and out illegal and the parasites should be shut down for those lies, if for nothing else.

I really don't call their clients 'suckers' (although I never even ventured a thought of using any upfront fee resale company to sell my timeshares but I was timeshare educated when I sold all of mine myself via the internet), but the upfront fee bottom feeders are very good actors, have phone presence, tell the prospective client everything they want to hear, have very slick professional webpages and they prey on the ignorance of those less timeshare educated and the elderly.

There needs to be something done about the thieves .... I don't know what, but something. If a group of lawyers and plaintiffs can go after RCI for something that's written plainly in RCI's terms and conditions, then why can't those same slick lawyers go after upfront fee resale company thieves in some legal way?

There has to be some solution in shutting those criminals down. If enough people would complain to the Attorney General of the United States of America, then I guarantee you something would be done, but it would have to be a grass roots effort by millions of people that have been ripped off by these scums.

jayjay wrote:

There needs to be something done about the thieves .... I don't know what, but something. If a group of lawyers and plaintiffs can go after RCI for something that's written plainly in RCI's terms and conditions, then why can't those same slick lawyers go after upfront fee resale company thieves in some legal way?

To repeat myself (...once again and for the last time), if there is no applicable law, then there is no way to violate a law which does not exist in the first place. It's really that simple. Even "slick" lawyers cannot change that irrefutable, undeniable and simple fact.

The day MAY come when there is protective legislation on this matter, but in an economy where people are continually losing their jobs and their homes, legislation about timeshares (which are a luxury item, no matter how you slice it) is not exactly a legislative priority --- except perhaps to those who have fallen for the "upfront fee" BS and have voluntarily chosen to pay good money to no good or productive end.

ken1193 wrote:

The day MAY come when there is protective legislation on this matter, but in an economy where people are continually losing their jobs and their homes, legislation about timeshares (which are a luxury item, no matter how you slice it) is not exactly a legislative priority --- except perhaps to those who have fallen for the "upfront fee" BS and have voluntarily chosen to pay good money to no good or productive end.

I know there's no legislation or laws now, but that's what I'm trying to get people to do. Everyone should contact legislators and attorney generals with complaints instead of merely griping on an internet forum ..... there's power in numbers and just because someone bought a luxury item, wants to sell it and a bunch of crooks call you with a bunch of lies, that is out and out fraud and they should be investigated and shut down, period.

If an upfront fee resale company had scammed me, I would go to the ends of the earth to see that they were put out of business no matter how long it took.