Protestors outside the Florida Attorney General’s timeshare division office, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) 2019
A Combat Army Veteran battles Westgate Resorts
After Inside Timeshare published six reports submitted by active duty service members who found their security clearances in jeopardy because of a timeshare loan default, or even failure to pay maintenance fees. All reported unfair and deceptive sales and marketing practices. Today’s report was submitted by a disabled veteran whose security clearance is in jeopardy. Many veterans work for government agencies that require a security clearance. Today’s veteran works for the Pentagon.
We talk a lot about deceptive practices in “unfair and deceptive practices” as defined by the Federal Trade Commission, but we should not ignore unfair practices. Timeshares were routinely sold as being just like real estate, easy to sell. However, unlike a residential home, it is all but impossible to sell a timeshare with a loan outstanding. For active duty service members, the consequences of a loan default can be devastating in that a loan default can ultimately lead to involuntary separation from service.
Never Forget
Today’s Army veteran is 64, and 100% disabled. He served our country for 24 years, including deployments to Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. Despite an incurable lung condition, Westgate Resorts will not allow him a hardship release. We reached out to Westgate for comment on August 6th through their Legacy Department. They said Westgate does not have a media department.
The documentary The Queen of Versailles, portrays the lifestyle of Westgate owners David and Jackie Siegel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDreqlPe98
My wife and I bought a fixed week/float Westgate Resorts Vacation Villas timeshare unit in Orlando on November 13, 2021, for $20,000. Our down payment was $2,000. We financed $19,305. Since our purchase, my incurable, combat-related medical condition has worsened. My lung capacity is at 73%. I have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a fatal lung disease where the additional presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) reduces survival. In particular, the presence of coexistent pulmonary vascular disease in patients with advanced lung parenchymal disease results in worse outcomes than either diagnosis alone. My only option is a lung transplant, but in order to be moved up on the wait list, I have to be on a ventilator. This means I must be bedridden before I would be eligible for a transplant. It has become increasingly difficult to travel. I also have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease.
Our Westgate agents promised us that if we did not want to continue with the property, we could request to get out of the timeshare loan with no penalty and Westgate would retain the property without further financial charges. Our agents also said we could offset the cost of the property by renting the timeshare out and that Westgate would assist us with the rental process. The promised 90-minute presentation turned into six hours. I suffer from PTSD and TBI.
We reached out to Westgate to seek release. They were of no help. On April 1, 2022, we filed a complaint with the Florida Attorney General through the Military and Veterans Assistance Program. Westgate answered the Attorney General on April 4, acknowledging the complaint. After their review, they responded by stating that there was no misrepresentation. After two payments, in March of 2022, we stopped making loan payments.
I served in Iraq and Afghanistan. I worked in Military Intelligence. I have not lived in the US for 24 years. Since my return, I have experienced more stress being home in the US than being in war.
Why Timeshare Lending Poses a Risk to National Security
We want to thank all who served here and abroad for their sacrifice and to thank those in the military aiding our efforts to stop, or at least reduce, the harm described by today’s veteran, and the following active duty service members. We are proud to call them After Inside Timeshare contributors. We will be reaching out to base commanders to explain why timeshare lending is worse than Payday loan lending, which is already off-limits. At least Payday loan borrowers know why they are borrowing. Timeshare borrowers constantly report being sold or up-sold based on reasons they later learn do not exist. We will continue to plead with regulators and lawmakers asking them to take note and act.
If the developer really wanted you to know you should not believe anything a salesperson says, it would be disclosed prior to the sales presentation – not buried in the fine print of a voluminous contract.
Six Active Duty Navy, Marines, Air Force Member Reports:
Report 1 of 6: Active Duty Navy, Chief Petty Officer, 14 years served
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=1098
Report 2: Marine Veteran, 26 years served, security clearance
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=1115
Report 3: Active Duty Navy, 12 years served
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=1151
Report 4: Active Duty Navy, 18 years served
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=1191
Report 5: Husband & Wife, both Active Duty Air Force 10, 9 years
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=1243
Report 6: Active Duty Air National Guard, 8 1/2 years served
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=1291
Once again we must thank our latest contributor, not just for their story but also for 24 years of loyal service, something that doesn’t seem to count with Westgate. AIT has received many “Nightmares on Timeshare Street”, but our recent series highlighting Serving Military and especially Veterans has sickened all involved in the editing to the core, making it difficult to be objective and not let emotions take hold. But sometimes that is nigh on impossible.
The time has come for all Lawmakers, and Attornies General to bring these “criminals” to justice, the developers allow their sales agents to lie, cheat and swindle countless consumers for greed, the developers take no responsibility for these actions, the simple answer is they now have more income from new members. Why “rock the boat?”
As was suggested in the title banner, “Timeshare Sales The Enemy Within”, is very apt, the sales agents lies and deceit all we might add with the connivance of their employer puts at risk the security clearance of serving military, therefore it also puts the security of the country at risk. These security clearances are not just given, they are earned, it will take many years of dedicated service to get there, yet the sales agents are free to destroy that in moments. In my book that makes them all “Enemies Within”.
That is all for this week, please leave any comments on the relevant article and if you have any questions please use the details on our contact page. We hope that you all have a good weekend, Baby Dog has decided he wants to put aside the “Undercover Watchdog” and turn to become “Enforcer Dog”, the problem is he just hasn’t got the face!
Chris B.
The “Queen of Versailles” is nothing more than glamorizing scam artists who deceive and parasitize off of hard-working people. The only reason such crooked behavior is not criminalized in the USA is that your crooked government officials get kickbacks from the scammers. This is mafia control. People, when you vote for crooks you will continue to have a crooked government and pay a dear price for it.
Benn Dover
There should always be a way out. No one knows what the future holds and when a medical or financial hardship arises no one should have to deal with a timeshare in addition to the stress of any hardship. Especially when the purchase occurred because of misrepresentation!
Teri
So true and even during two years of COVID-19 they still wanted the monthly payments and maintenance fees, when no one could request dates but the timeshare always got their pay check or delinquent automatic 5% added until purchase was complete. There has to be new regulations policies to rain in these timeshares that apparently even the state representatives side with the timeshares. Oh and who elects them the very individuals who pay their wages and taxes on top of that so we might want to look into new rules for these individuals to go by or we all will end up in the poor house with terrible credit. Don’t get me started on secret clearance in the US Air Force that one discrepancy can cost you everything you worked YEARS TO ACHIEVE! Do they care not one bit!
Jackie
Vacations are supposed to relieve stress…instead these timeshare developers are causing people quite a lot of DIStress.
It’s the job of the Consumer Protection Agency, the Federal Trade Commission and Attorney General offices nationwide, to stop overlooking unethical and illegal timeshare practices, and favoring Developers.
It’s hard to fathom that here in America, in the 21st century, salespeople are allowed/not discouraged from both omitting key facts as well as lying to thousands of people, during sales-pitches, whom as a result unwillingly become financial prisoners to them…for life.
(Scribe) Timeshare Warning
The scamming has to stop!
Kent
I can’t believe the government can’t do a better job of regulating timeshare companies. The many misrepresentations told at sales presentations are totally unacceptable . Now we have military people in jeopardy of losing their security clearances due to the misrepresentations of unscrupulous sales people. It needs to stop now!!
Jim
Westgate along with other timeshare corporations continue to lie to sell their timeshares and continue to take advantage of senior citizens and military veterans. What I don’t understand is why they don’t have lawyers go in and tape some of these conversations during the sale of the timeshares to show how many lies we are told. I think we should all stop paying for these rediculous so called timeshares, march on Washington and demand they do something about these money grabbing rich fat cats who keep getting fatter from honest hard working people!
Irene Parker
There have been several recordings in states where it is legal to record without the other person aware. Anyone can record in one-party states. Thank you for reading.
Sherida Nett
Like one battle weary veteran said: he feels he is in a bigger war at home with these ruthless timeshare agents than when he was facing an enemy overseas.
Timeshare Insider
A sad reflection on society.
Sheilah
It is so sad when a ruthless Timeshare Company and their sales staff believe the all mighty $$$$ dollar they make off of any human-being is an honorable way to make money. Shame on government for looking the other way and helping the Timeshare Industry continue to be able to hide behind wording that people don’t understand and not making a law to give people the right to think about the contract for at least 2 days before signing.
A lot of the time during the sales pitch they keep you for hours and after 5 hours or longer you just finely give in. Then you have hours longer for paperwork and singing. I know if I had it to do over again I would stop on every page and read it before signing and there are a lot of pages. I wouldn’t care how long I made them stay. Of course because I have done this before I would know to pack a lunch, then on the last page I would say NO I am not buying this. If you do purchase and it was under pressure, and probably was, find out when you are signing where the rescind statement is and request to see it. Take your paperwork and the next business day write a statement per what the resend paper says to do and RUN to the post office. Send to where the paper said by Certified mail with Return Receipt.
Donna
timeshare companies should be accountable and have full disclosure to potential clients. this lifetime payment with annual maintenance fee increases is ludicrous.d