henry.hall3
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Has anyone used them? They are trying to buy my timeshare from me.
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Spot Light Resorts in California???
- Thread starter henry.hall3
- Start date
DeniseM
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There is a simple rule of thumb for dealing with timeshare business offers:
Any company that charges you a large upfront fee of any kind to sell or rent your timeshare, or to get your money back from another company, makes their money from the upfront fee - they have NO intention of buying your timeshare!
They make their money with the upfront fee and then they make no attempt to sell/rent your timeshare, or to get your money back. They ALREADY have your money - why should they!
Legitimate businesses charge a commission after the service, but these companies all ask for a large upfront payment.
Here are some warnings signs with these kinds of companies:
If you answer yes to any of these questions, then this is the usual scenario:
This is a bitter pill to swallow, but right now, most timeshares are selling for 0-20% of the original retail price. It's not a good time to sell a timeshare.
To see what your timeshare is really worth on the current resale market:
Any company that charges you a large upfront fee of any kind to sell or rent your timeshare, or to get your money back from another company, makes their money from the upfront fee - they have NO intention of buying your timeshare!
They make their money with the upfront fee and then they make no attempt to sell/rent your timeshare, or to get your money back. They ALREADY have your money - why should they!
Legitimate businesses charge a commission after the service, but these companies all ask for a large upfront payment.
Here are some warnings signs with these kinds of companies:
1) Did you get an unsolicited sales call or mailing or email from them?
2) Do they say that they already have a renter/buyer for your timeshare? (Or an established market like people attending conventions.)
3) Do they claim that they can get your money back from another scammer?
4) Do they want you to pay hundreds/thousands of dollars for a title search, or transfer fees, or taxes, or a closing fee, or appraisal, or ANY large fee, UPFRONT?
5) Are they offering to rent/sell it for far more than the market value?
6) Do they want you to pay a large up front fee that supposedly you will get back?
7) Do they want your credit card number over the phone?
2) Do they say that they already have a renter/buyer for your timeshare? (Or an established market like people attending conventions.)
3) Do they claim that they can get your money back from another scammer?
4) Do they want you to pay hundreds/thousands of dollars for a title search, or transfer fees, or taxes, or a closing fee, or appraisal, or ANY large fee, UPFRONT?
5) Are they offering to rent/sell it for far more than the market value?
6) Do they want you to pay a large up front fee that supposedly you will get back?
7) Do they want your credit card number over the phone?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, then this is the usual scenario:
Once you pay the fee and receive the contract, you discover that the company has only promised to advertise your resort, not to rent/sell it, and they don't mention having a renter/buyer in the contract.
Then, you won't hear anything from them for a long time, and when you contact them, they will tell you that the renter/buyer backed out, but they will advertise your timeshare on their over-priced website.
Finally, when you try to get your money back, they will point out that you signed a contract, and it's only for advertising.
When you try to challenge it with your credit card company, they will tell you that you only had 60 days to dispute the charge, and that it's too late to do anything.
Then, you won't hear anything from them for a long time, and when you contact them, they will tell you that the renter/buyer backed out, but they will advertise your timeshare on their over-priced website.
Finally, when you try to get your money back, they will point out that you signed a contract, and it's only for advertising.
When you try to challenge it with your credit card company, they will tell you that you only had 60 days to dispute the charge, and that it's too late to do anything.
This is a bitter pill to swallow, but right now, most timeshares are selling for 0-20% of the original retail price. It's not a good time to sell a timeshare.
To see what your timeshare is really worth on the current resale market:
1) Register with ebay
2) Sign in
3) Search for your resort by exact name
4) From the menu on the left click "completed listings"
5) The next page will show you current selling prices
(Be sure you look at the completed listings - those are actually SELLING prices - you will find asking prices all over the place, but what really counts is what they actually sold for.)
2) Sign in
3) Search for your resort by exact name
4) From the menu on the left click "completed listings"
5) The next page will show you current selling prices
(Be sure you look at the completed listings - those are actually SELLING prices - you will find asking prices all over the place, but what really counts is what they actually sold for.)
henry.hall3
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Thanks Denise! I appreciate the FYI.
RX8
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This company is an advertising website. It appears that they charge a membership fee and advertising services. Most of these companies are nothing more than a money making machine by charging big bucks for the "advertising" on their website. The reality is that the website is full of overpriced timeshares that will never sell. I am from Southern California previously and I have never heard if this company before. I would be surprised if any TUGger has purchased a timeshare from one of these sites.
Many of these companies ride the fine line between outright fraud and just questionable business practices. For those companies falling towards the fraud side, we have heard people being promised that a buyer is waiting and they just needed $X amount to begin the process. They soon find out however that the fee paid was only for advertising.
I would be concerned that you were told that they wanted to buy your timeshare. This is certainly not true. Even their terms and conditions state "Spotlight Resorts exposes you to millions of potential buyers/renters, but does not have a specific buyer/renter at the present time."
Many of these companies ride the fine line between outright fraud and just questionable business practices. For those companies falling towards the fraud side, we have heard people being promised that a buyer is waiting and they just needed $X amount to begin the process. They soon find out however that the fee paid was only for advertising.
I would be concerned that you were told that they wanted to buy your timeshare. This is certainly not true. Even their terms and conditions state "Spotlight Resorts exposes you to millions of potential buyers/renters, but does not have a specific buyer/renter at the present time."
S
Spot
Response with attorney letter [SHILL POST]
To whom it may concern,
This is the same person that wrote on another site. An investigation was done that this person was lying and posted false information. They don't buy timeshares, that is false. Spotlight Resorts is the only company in the United States that does T.V, radio, and frequent live events. The proof is on the website. There are posted events that they did over the summer, you can sell all the T.V. commercials that are nationwide too. You can listen to all the radio commercials playing on 250 radio stations nationwide. Also, the interview and press releases in regards to all the fraud out there. Spotlight is the only real marketing and advertising company out there today. They are changing the industry and making a huge difference. They DO NOT charge for any marketing or advertising. They are the real deal people, we need them!
"July, 2014
My name is KENNETH A. ROBERTS. I am an attorney in Orange County California.
I was retained by SPOTLIGHT RESORTS, INC., to investigate an Internet web site known as "Rip-off Report," that had posted a derogatory report on "Spot Light Resorts" on April 1, 2014 from an alleged customer of Spotlight Reports named Lisa, from Chicago Illinois. The reports indicated that Lisa and her husband had contracted with Spotlight Resorts eight months prior to the report. On first contact with Spotlight resorts, Lisa spoke with an employee named Erica. This first contact would have to have been in October of 1013.There is an employee named Erica, but her employment begin in January of 1014. On inquiring of Erica, she informed me she has never spoken with any customer named Lisa from Chicago at any time.
The Rip-off report stated that Lisa had paid Spotlight Resorts $500.00 upfront. On inspection of the records of Spotlight Resorts, I could not find any entries for the sum of $500.00 from any customer named Lisa or anyone else for that amount. In fact all the charges are in sums of odd amounts such as $396.00
The Rip-off report also reveled that Lisa had spoken with "Steve Hill" an employee of Spotlight Resorts. Steve Hill indicates he has never spoken with anyone named Lisa from Chicago and Never charges $500.00 upfront to open an account with anyone.
Further investigation revealed that another employee who had only been employed from March 17, 2014 to March 28, 2014, had been terminated just prior to the report posted on "Rip-off Reports" This employee had full knowledge of the company information that was given to new customers and this information appears on the "Rip-off Report" in a manner only an employee would know.. He did not know Erica was also a new employee, hired just two months prior to his employment.
Based on the details of the Rip-off Report by the alleged customer named Lisa from Chicago, it is my opinion based on all the information acquired above that the disgruntled employee filed this false report and not the alleged Lisa from Chicago.
I would like to hear from anyone named Lisa from Chicago who would verify the information as correct with proof of payment to Spotlight Resorts and a contract with them to verify the alleged report. Otherwise this Rip-off Report is false and highly defamatory.
[phone number deleted]
To whom it may concern,
This is the same person that wrote on another site. An investigation was done that this person was lying and posted false information. They don't buy timeshares, that is false. Spotlight Resorts is the only company in the United States that does T.V, radio, and frequent live events. The proof is on the website. There are posted events that they did over the summer, you can sell all the T.V. commercials that are nationwide too. You can listen to all the radio commercials playing on 250 radio stations nationwide. Also, the interview and press releases in regards to all the fraud out there. Spotlight is the only real marketing and advertising company out there today. They are changing the industry and making a huge difference. They DO NOT charge for any marketing or advertising. They are the real deal people, we need them!
"July, 2014
My name is KENNETH A. ROBERTS. I am an attorney in Orange County California.
I was retained by SPOTLIGHT RESORTS, INC., to investigate an Internet web site known as "Rip-off Report," that had posted a derogatory report on "Spot Light Resorts" on April 1, 2014 from an alleged customer of Spotlight Reports named Lisa, from Chicago Illinois. The reports indicated that Lisa and her husband had contracted with Spotlight Resorts eight months prior to the report. On first contact with Spotlight resorts, Lisa spoke with an employee named Erica. This first contact would have to have been in October of 1013.There is an employee named Erica, but her employment begin in January of 1014. On inquiring of Erica, she informed me she has never spoken with any customer named Lisa from Chicago at any time.
The Rip-off report stated that Lisa had paid Spotlight Resorts $500.00 upfront. On inspection of the records of Spotlight Resorts, I could not find any entries for the sum of $500.00 from any customer named Lisa or anyone else for that amount. In fact all the charges are in sums of odd amounts such as $396.00
The Rip-off report also reveled that Lisa had spoken with "Steve Hill" an employee of Spotlight Resorts. Steve Hill indicates he has never spoken with anyone named Lisa from Chicago and Never charges $500.00 upfront to open an account with anyone.
Further investigation revealed that another employee who had only been employed from March 17, 2014 to March 28, 2014, had been terminated just prior to the report posted on "Rip-off Reports" This employee had full knowledge of the company information that was given to new customers and this information appears on the "Rip-off Report" in a manner only an employee would know.. He did not know Erica was also a new employee, hired just two months prior to his employment.
Based on the details of the Rip-off Report by the alleged customer named Lisa from Chicago, it is my opinion based on all the information acquired above that the disgruntled employee filed this false report and not the alleged Lisa from Chicago.
I would like to hear from anyone named Lisa from Chicago who would verify the information as correct with proof of payment to Spotlight Resorts and a contract with them to verify the alleged report. Otherwise this Rip-off Report is false and highly defamatory.
[phone number deleted]
Last edited by a moderator:
DeniseM
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"WHO" is the same person that wrote on another site?
You apparently work for this company? [Confirmed - they registered with their business email.]
This thread is 10 months old...
Last edited:
Rent_Share
TUG Member
One would think that an attorney would know that it's 2014, not 1014 (x2)
DeniseM
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Yeah - I don't think you have to be a genius to be a scammer… 
In fact, I'm pretty sure the two things are mutually exclusive...
In fact, I'm pretty sure the two things are mutually exclusive...
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So they only rip you off for $396 instead of $500.:hysterical:
We don't need to hear from Lisa in ChiTown to know these are scammers.
We don't need to hear from Lisa in ChiTown to know these are scammers.
harveyhaddixfan
TUG Member
BURN!!!!!!!!!