Another (Non) Isolated Incident

This is not my story, but the story of a daughter who has become an advocate based on the truly horrible way her parents have been treated.  

I’d like to say this is an isolated incident. It isn’t. It seems to be happening more and more. 

After my parents purchased 17,000 timeshare points in 2014 for $49,492, for no reason, I started looking into their transactions. 

In 2018 I accompanied them to a timeshare presentation at the company they had invested in. I took notes under the table. 

"I am writing this at my parent's last timeshare update March 13, 2018. I am convinced my parents, at age 83 and 79, would have purchased 30,000 additional timeshare vacation points for $234,295 had I not been with them. This offer required a down payment of $69,993. I kept the paper of these terms under the table because members are not allowed to walk out with hand-written notes."

My dad was not feeling well that day. He falls asleep in his wheelchair and had spent six months in the hospital after a heart attack. The stress over this expense has caused my parents' health to deteriorate further.

I first learned of their timeshare purchase when my mom told me they had purchased an investment. She said they had invested in property. I called the company when my dad said they wanted to sell some points. When I asked how to go about selling points, the agent laughed at me.

Like many, my parents used their timeshare for years without complaint. They said they were told they had to give up their deed and buy vacation points. I've learned they did not have to do that. Since then their annual maintenance fees have increased from $2,600 to $4,600.

When the collection calls started, I changed their phone number because they made my mom so upset. She still shakes when she hears the phone ring. She has never been late on paying a bill in her life, so this has caused her to lose weight and lose sleep. I learned my mom's entire Social Security check goes to pay the timeshare mortgage. We have learned their timeshare has no secondary market value.

What they bought:

4,000 points purchased in 3/12/2013 for $20,416

2500 points purchased in 6/25/2013 for $8,325

2500 points purchased in 7/29/2013 for $8,616

15000 trial points 5/4/2014 for $2,995

At ages 79 and 75 they were sold a trial program?

When I called the company and told them that they needed to take back this last purchase at the very least, they said they would work with us but had to talk to my parents directly. 

What did they do -- they sold my parents 17,000 more points over the phone at then ages 79 and 75 for $49,492. My parents said they were told they could not cancel the trial program, but the points could be added to something else. This is why they are in foreclosure. The caller said they would need to attach the trial points to another program. I could not believe it. Their new maintenance fees are $4,780.

My parents are not stupid people. My parents have never had financial problems until now. This situation and this timeshare developer have made me what I am today-a timeshare advocate who will do whatever she can to warn others of these horrible practices.