[2010] Vacation Max

Has anyone ever heard of Vacation Max? I received a call from one of there reps today wanting to purchase my time share. I told them I currently was not interested in selling since I had not tried it and had 200,000 bonus points to use before I was going to sell it. Just was wondering if this company was ligit, and worth looking into. Sounds too good to be true. illinois123

What terms did they offer you? Was there an upfront fee?

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:

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 the same thing.

When/if you decide to sell, please see the article at the top of the Buying, Selling, Renting page entitled "How to Sell Your Timeshare."

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44

Sorry, never heard of them...

Vacation Max

I just received a phone call from Jeff Maggio of Vacation Max 877-299-7927. He says they have been in business for 21 years, but their web site www.vacationmax1.com gives very little information other than listing a Wilmington, Delaware address. He says he wants to sell my timeshare for $20k +/- to complete a block of units for a corporate buyer and it must close by January 12th. A $1,500 fee will be required to pay for an estoppel and for a deed & title search. Sounds like just another scam to me. Anyone have specific knowledge of them?

Same

Got a call, same as mentioned by illinois123. He wanted $1,100 from me as part of the $2,200 closing costs and they would give me over $20,000 for my TS. I asked him why the closing costs were 5 times the going rate and why they would buy my week when it is only worth about 1% what they are buying it for. He gave me some jiberish about lawyers and corporate clients wanting 15 of these units and I was #13.

I told him if he would pay the $1,100 for me I would give him twice that back at closing, when I get my +$20,000. To make a long story short, he would not trust me with $1,100 up front and so I didn't trust him with $1,100 up front.

An obvious scam but it was entertaining to talk with him because he tried to sound so legit. This is one of the most blatant scan attempts I have personally witnessed. They could buy the weeks new from the resort for less than that, especially if they wanted 15! He gave me their website as vacationmax1. They do have a website so I guess that part is legit. :rofl:

Vacation Max = Deceptive Practice

I got a call from various people from Vacation Max in Wilmington, DE. I think the names were Maggie, Bethany and finally Richard (call him Dick). They asked me about my timeshare and asked if I wanted to sell it. I said "yes - but only if the price is acceptable to me." They asked me some questions and then came back and told me they had a business who was looking to purchase a block of timeshares (50 or so) and they had been working for 2 months to provide them with this block. They asked if I had any unused weeks I was willing to sell and I said yes. Then they told me that this "business" was willing to pay me $ 23K for my timeshare. I asked them WHY a business would be willing to pay me more than 2x what my timeshare was worth. They said the business was looking for a tax shelter and to provide incentives to their clients. I told them I didn't think that business was making a good business decision; tax shelter or not, business people are generally NOT STUPID. They wouldn't stay in business long.

They told me that I had to pay a fee UPFRONT ($ 1200 or so) and I would get my money back when I closed on the deal. I had them send a contract over to me for review. It looked like a standard contract but the contract didn't promise to sell anything. They are an advertising and marketing company. So....if they take my money and NEVER sell the timeshare, they can keep my money.

Dick said Vacation Max had great reviews and NO complaints. When I tried to find reviews, I couldn't find any. He was right. No complaints. The only problem is that I also got NO good reviews. If a company has been in business for any length of time, there would be reviews....some good, some neutral, some bad. This company has NO reviews. Suspicious?

They also told me they were in business for 17 years and were members of ARDA, D&B Small business and Delaware Chamber of Commerce. When I checked the ARDA site, they were a NEW member that signed up in 2009. They also signed up with the DE Chamber of Commerce in 2009. I guess if you pay a membership fee, you can claim this would make you respectable.

Hey....ARDA will make ME a member if I pay a fee. Maybe the DE Chamber will let me join and I could claim to be respectable and people would send me money just because I am a member. (Please note that I don't mean to malign ARDA or the DE Chamber of Commerce; they are truly good resources). The D&B Small business site will run a check on Vacation Max if I paid them; which I didn't want to do because I have no intention of investing my money in Vacation Max.

I told Dick that I would make him a better deal. If he can sell my timeshare for $ 23-26K, I would give him a 50% commission. I would even sign a contract to this effect. He HUNG UP ON ME! How dumb is that? He could have made $ 13K! He said he had a buyer!

My complaint is that this company is running a scam. Likely I could not find any reviews (good or bad) because they changed their company name. I would like to note that my personal opinion is that VACATION MAX personnel are making deceptive claims and they should not be preying on people.

Not sure but my information tells me that if this is the outfit out of Las Vegas, this is TRA operating under a new name

I receved already 2 calls from them, 6 months apart. Second time they didn't asked about moneyt. Only after I asked them if any fee, they told me about $1500 fee up front for research. I can't find any good or bad review on them. But if company 17 years in business there should be some comments and reviews. My personal opinion is that VACATION MAX is a scam!

plano123 said:

My personal opinion is that VACATION MAX is a scam!

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Duh...
Next time, tell them you need their bank's rounting & account #'s so you can wire the money.

LMAO @ Vacation Max

yup they are a scam

Got 2 calls from them today, first one to get some basic information to reach me, I said sure <I knew from here on out it was a scam> but that is ok I will contact the BBB and check the information about this so called company

Tonight a sells rep called me, telling me they will pay me .23 cents for each point I have in Wyndam, and the total payout to me would be almost $65,000 but they wanted me to payout upfront cost of $3000 for title fees, lawyers etc.

I asked them let me think about it and call me back in 2 days, they started getting short but agreed to this. Oh I cant wait for the call back when I will toy with them LMAO :rofl:

Unbelievable (not really)

I received a call this evening about selling my 3 Wyndam properties at a price that's hard to think is real. After reading the post here from performing a search on VM, it doesn't look really like this is an upstanding offer.

I think I'll do that previously mentioned thing about asking for their account numbers to route the 2k for settlement fees...to be returned upon settlement. Oh yea... I'll have it put in escrow! This is gonna be fun.

VMaxtoday Web Site

So they called back tonight and I asked inquiring questions. I told them no we didn't want to sell at this time. They gave me their website address to check them out.

www.Vmaxtoday.com

Wanna buy some dry land in Fla?

Fraud Allert!!!!!

VACATION MAX IS A FRAUD! THEIR BBB SCORE IS "F" FOR A GOOD REASON.

i have been forced to deal with them. they are a fraud. the delaware address on their website is a mail box only. they are actually located in georgia. if you need help against them, call the georgia attorney general's office and ask for consumer affairs. their phone number is 404-656-3300. they are very nice and very helpful.

MauiLea said:

I told Dick that I would make him a better deal. If he can sell my timeshare for $ 23-26K, I would give him a 50% commission. I would even sign a contract to this effect. He HUNG UP ON ME! How dumb is that? He could have made $ 13K! He said he had a buyer!

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I love this answer!!! This should be the standard answer to any of these scammers. Tell them they can sell the timeshare for any amount they say they have a buyer for....and can keep 50% of the commission. :hysterical:

A FRAUD indeed. I filed a complaint with the BBB. More of us need to do that to help others avoid these bums.

Roger St. Germain said:

A FRAUD indeed. I filed a complaint with the BBB. More of us need to do that to help others avoid these bums.

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Filing a complaint with the BBB will get you nowhere. If you were scammed by this company, you're best is to file a dispute with your credit card company. If the credit card company doesn't overturn the charge or if you sent a check, then your next best bet is to file a report/complaint to the Attorney-General of the state in which the scammer is located.

Vacation Max Hard Sell

Agree with ALL the posts and the scenarios. I was offered $31,455 for my TS -- 1 bdrm, 1 fixed week, hardly worth what I paid for it in today's economy. If it's too good to be true, run from it. I am waiting for the "contract" from VM as I am typing this.

I am so frustrated. All I want to do is unload this regretful decision and clear my name from any affiliation and get rid of this maintenance fee. Is there any legitimate company out there?

There are definitely legitimate brokers out there who charge a commission AFTER the sale - usually starting at about $1,000.

However, in this economy, few timeshares are even selling for $1,000.

To see what your timeshare is really worth on the current resale market:


If you find that your TS has no resale value, you may want to consider giving it away yourself.

Let us know if you need info. about that.

Vacation Max

I am selling some vacation to these people and although I've read good reviews about them I feel it's a scheme. They did ask for $2000 up front and by this March it will be a year with no sale. At that time they will give me my $2000 back. What are they using it for during the year. Buying CDs? Seems like a Ponzy scheme. Has anyone had this experience?

At that time they will give me my $2000 back. What are they using it for during the year. Buying CDs? Seems like a Ponzy scheme. Has anyone had this experience?

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Be sure to let us know if when it comes back.....

vmax

I will let you know when/if I get the $2000 back.

Vacation Max

I called them and told them I was skeptical regarding the "sale" of my property and wondered why it would take exactly ONE YEAR to complete the deal. I also told them there was a lot of bad press on the internet about (no names given). They told me they had been in business 15 years and, yes, some of the stories were true but that was long ago. Then the next day they called and wanted to give me my $2000 back by signing a waiver but they would hold the property and I would get what they promised when it was sold. Hmmmm. I declined and said I would wait and see. Let us pray. :annoyed:

sineal said:

I am selling some vacation to these people and although I've read good reviews about them I feel it's a scheme. They did ask for $2000 up front and by this March it will be a year with no sale. At that time they will give me my $2000 back. What are they using it for during the year. Buying CDs? Seems like a Ponzy scheme. Has anyone had this experience?

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I am in the same shoe here , I gave this company money last April and they told me that they bought a block of 20 time share and that it was a for sure thing and that I would have a check for our timeshare within 90 day and it will be a year in april , everytime I call they tell me the person I need to talk to is on the phone , although he does call me back he says that it is in the final stages and that with-in 30 day I will have a check Now this is the longest 30 days of my life . again I was told by Jan 31,2011 everything would be completed and nothing so scam I believe it is more then a scam I dont know how theses people can work for a company that takes advantage of hard working people like myself and you and can be proud to say they work for Vacation Max I hope they don't sleep at night , God help them in their time of need .

I also am in the same frustrating situation with Vacation Max and have contacted the Georgia Attorney General's Office and they shared they have received several complaints about Vacation Max and have heard they are in GA but can not find an address. I talked with "my" customer rep from Vacation Max and he admitted the corporate office is in Stone Mountain, GA but has not yet provided me an address. Do you have their GA address and did you get any refund or help against Vacation Max?
Thanks for sharing any advice....Mark...rusefamily4@yahoo.com

never mind....