[2012] [Access Travel Network] RCI scam [merged]

[GoldPointer]

Hi RX8,
I appreciate your reply. Very learned and masterly. All your points are well taken.

I did learn something about the BBB. As you noted, ATN is "...rated an F with the BBB with many complaints." I read the complaints. All of them. Most were resolved, and most of the complainants got refunds. Some didn't bother to "finish up" the complaint after the company filed the resolution statement.
When I told Kay, the crusty one, about her company's BBB rating, she said the BBB makes companies pay to upgrade their status. She likened it to a mob shakedown. Now I feel like investigating the BBB. It has a good reputation among consumers, but I wonder if businesses are able to buy their way out of a bad rating. If so, an A rating would mean the company had no complaints, or they bought their way out. How would we know?
It's been an interesting journey. Coincidentally, FedEx just dropped off my new American Express card. I canceled the card number I gave ATN. Right after I gave my dear Jeanenne the number, I thought, "Hm. Maybe I should exercise a little due diligence." That's when I got a face full of Google doo. Rather than panicking, I simply called Amex and said, "Cancel my old number and send me a new card." I figured that if ATN turned out to be legitimate I could use a different card. It bought me the time I needed to investigate the claims of the company and the claims of the poor, poor victims…who, after reading their stories made me think they are not so much poor as nuts. So much drama and fearfulness. I don't trust the voice of frenzy. Interestingly, many of them were not actually harmed. They were just frightened about what COULD HAVE happened. When someone gets disconnected after being on hold for 10 minutes, and uses that as evidence of fraud, I wonder what they would do in a real situation of fraud. "I trusted him because he played my favorites songs while I was on hold." I'll never accuse you of leaping again…if you don't leap, that is. And we'll both try to use our brains when our guts give us the go ahead. Thanks again.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Goldpointer, using paragraph breaks would make it easier to read.

This is a scam, pure and simple. I turned this company into Pam Bondi's office today after getting a phone call that was nonsensical. Seriously. I couldn't understand what this scammer was trying to tell me he was going to do for my deposit of $1,400 or whatever he was talking about.

Anyone who listens to what this Jason has to say can tell he is a scammer. He talks in circles, and even told me he worked for the government at one point. Nothing he said made sense in any way. He kept saying I could cancel the credit card charge within 24 hours, if I don't believe him.

He had me look at his site on Orlando's chamber of commerce website, which is said was a government site, when in fact it is not. He said that gives his company legitimacy. I called the chamber of commerce and told them what he said, and they just take money to list people on that site, and it is not related to the government at all.

The company as an F rating with the BBB. Pam Bondi is a tiger on these scammers and will probably catch them. I am so sick of these calls, I am going to turn all Florida companies into the Florida AG as I get them. I will take the time to fill out the form. It's worth it to maybe be on more complaint and force the AG's hand to make an arrest.

 

[GoldPointer]

paragraph breaks…yes!

Thanks, Rick and Cindy!

I appreciate the feedback. Well said. Good luck with Pam Bondi. (don't know who that is, but sounds like you do).

My "Jason" was the opposite of your Jason. Jeanenne was clear, human, normal-sounding, like a person you could actually talk to…and a good listener. I hope they don't "break" her and turn into one of their fast-talking clones. She has a future in legitimate sales, that one.

All the best.

 

[R&D]

Advanced luxury solutions?

we got a call today that sounded very similar and the representative called his company "Advanced Luxury Solutions" and gave their web address as aluxurysolutions.com .
Sounds so similar that they maybe have just changed their name? Anyhow, they wanted to buy our 12 getaway RCI weeks and promised $1500 per week in 60-90 days. all we needed to do was to pay $200 (per week) upfront by credit card, money they would use to obtain the weeks from RCI on our behalf.

We did not bite on their offer and therefore lost nothing but time, but is there some Agency we should report this to? we would like to help stop this stuff, as they are sound smooth enough as to be dangerous to consumers. Their website says they are in California.
R&D

 

[Hophop4]

we got a call today that sounded very similar and the representative called his company "Advanced Luxury Solutions" and gave their web address as aluxurysolutions.com .
Sounds so similar that they maybe have just changed their name? Anyhow, they wanted to buy our 12 getaway RCI weeks and promised $1500 per week in 60-90 days. all we needed to do was to pay $200 (per week) upfront by credit card, money they would use to obtain the weeks from RCI on our behalf.

We did not bite on their offer and therefore lost nothing but time, but is there some Agency we should report this to? we would like to help stop this stuff, as they are sound smooth enough as to be dangerous to consumers. Their website says they are in California.
R&D

We received a phone call from these same people "Advanced Luxury Solutions" they wanted to know if we were interested in getting rid of our timeshare. My husband played along with them for a bit and told them what was one of our weeks. They said they would check out our week if they would take it and call back. Anyways we got 3 calls from them but they did not want to talk to me....haha wonder why. I did get a little info from them tho. They claim there is no upfront charge to me. So how do you get your commission, I ask? He says we finance the t/s to the new owner and we make our money from the financing. They offered 33K to give me for my week. When is your husband going to be home? Well they called again at night and he answered, told them we were not interested and got rid of him.

 

[RX8]

We received a phone call from these same people "Advanced Luxury Solutions" they wanted to know if we were interested in getting rid of our timeshare. My husband played along with them for a bit and told them what was one of our weeks. They said they would check out our week if they would take it and call back. Anyways we got 3 calls from them but they did not want to talk to me....haha wonder why. I did get a little info from them tho. They claim there is no upfront charge to me. So how do you get your commission, I ask? He says we finance the t/s to the new owner and we make our money from the financing. They offered 33K to give me for my week. When is your husband going to be home? Well they called again at night and he answered, told them we were not interested and got rid of him.

1. Cold calls
2. Using proven scam about wanting your getaway weeks
3. Offering outrageous price to buy your timeshare
4. New website (August 2012)
5. Got to be legit because they are in Beverly Hills, right? Wrong, they are using a virtual office that costs $75.00 per month.

http://www.davincivirtual.com/loc/us/california/beverly-hills-virtual-offices/facility-618


Add all those up and it equals SCAM.

 

[carl2591]

[Access Travel Network] RCI scam

this thing is still going on..

it has all the classic scam markers..

cold call..

sounds to good to be true offer.

pay up front fee.

what happens with credit card is they will drag this out past the 60 day period you can dispute the charge. So you are screwed out of the money.

Looks like scam, walks like a scam
[Access Travel Network] RCI scam

 

[Buddha79]

Phone number for them

They are now known as Business Travel Network. I have their most recent phone number as (866) 610-0655. Call and harass them. The original number called me from (706) 305-4569 (Atlanta ZIP code). I got the same song and dance as everyone else. 706 number has been calling with no one on the line, so decided to call them at the 866 number and hang up several times in a row. I got a call back from a 407 area code (Orlando) asking why I was doing that. So now you can ALL call them!

 

[csxjohn]

They are now known as Business Travel Network. I have their most recent phone number as (866) 610-0655. Call and harass them. The original number called me from (706) 305-4569 (Atlanta ZIP code). I got the same song and dance as everyone else. 706 number has been calling with no one on the line, so decided to call them at the 866 number and hang up several times in a row. I got a call back from a 407 area code (Orlando) asking why I was doing that. So now you can ALL call them!

If you want to call anyone and not have your number show up on their caller ID, dial *67 then the number.

It is a one time block and there is no charge. It can be used as often as you want and only blocks the call you immediately make.

 

[mosu0105]

Latest scam victim

RCI scam: I lost $3,447.

Access Travel Network told me to send money to Joe Sanders, $1788. I used a Barclay credit card around October 2012, then I sent money to Henri Martinez, 6/21/2013, $1159. I used Western Union because they were no longer taking credit cards. Eric Moore called me but he failed to swindle any money from me. As if that wasn't enough, Louis Freeman called me and told me if I wanted to close the account, I needed to send more money to Rey Cabrera, 7/5/2013, $500. I again, used Western Union.

Scam artists love to use Western Union because once they get the money, it's gone! This experience was like adding insult to injury by conning me a third time.

Why was I willing to spend money that would put me in a financial bind? I knew there was the potential I was being scammed but because I have never been scammed, I thought it would be a very valuable learning lesson. I thought they'd prove me wrong if I gave them the benefit of the doubt. They did, just not the way I thought.

Did they use fake names? I think so.

Joe Sanders aka Jason ? aka Henri Martinez from the Dominican Republic. This con artist convinced me that they were good with the Florida BBB by providing a legitimate web site. I failed to ask how long they have been in business. They were probably on good terms with the BBB because they just got started. But then again, I failed to realize anyone can post on the Florida Chamber of Commerce for a fee.

Eric Moore supposedly got demoted from the Closing dept to the Sales dept. According to Louis Freeman, he was going to get fired if he could not do his job. However, on July 5, 2013, Eric Moore called from Oregon(?), supposedly this number, 503-568-7627. A definite red flag because they couldn't get their stories straight.

Louis Freeman aka Rey Cabrera from the Dominican Republic. He told me I would get back not only my $18,000 but also the refund of $1159. I should have been suspicious when he couldn't tell me the exact amount that I sent to Jason ?.

The number (305-712-5163), Louis was calling from was a magic jack number. Hmmm. Why the magic jack number? Why would a legitimate business use magic jack? That's because scammers like to use magic jack! When I did a reverse phone lookup, I notice the telecom was YMAX Communications Corp, the inventor of magicJack.

Today, I got a call from another rep whose name I did not get. He said he was from Universal Travel blah blah blah. Could he have been the guy who called me earlier but posing as someone else? His voice sounded familiar. He said Eric Moore didn't get fired. He was one of the bosses in the closing dept. I asked him if he was trying to scam me out of more money. He said he would call me back. He's probably checking back with his associates so he can get his story straight. I won't be surprised if he doesn't call me back.

Lesson learned, very expensive but unlike others who were scammed, I could afford to lose the money.

 

[mosu0105]

P.S.

I posted a complaint to the BBB. I don't expect to get any money back but I thought it would help others. They're still at it. The scam is still on. Learn from me. Don't do it.

 

[mosu0105]

Verify facts

Call RCI to verify facts. I was too lazy to check and could have saved my money!

 

[TUGBrian]

as if anyone needed any convincing this was a scam

http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/69b51adbde044cc98e50f5c216fa4883/WV--Time-Share-Violations/