RCI Class Action

[Carolinian]

It is incestous when the same entity runs both. It absolutely reeks of conflict of interest. This has been identified as a major problem from the early days of RCI's journey into points. I remember Sing Li's front page article on RCI's coming points program in Timesharing Today that was published before RCI had even officially rolled out GPN (the early name of RCI Points).
Sing Li pointed out that transfers between the systems, which he referred to as ''magic balancing'' would be a major problem in the arrangement, and indeed it is. And Sing Li was able to figure that out even before RCI came out with its postively fraudulent crossover grids.

And then there is the question about whether RCI really gives anything at all back to Weeks for the inventory taken by Points members. An RCI employee posting on TimeshareTalk says they do not.

I think people forget that RCI weeks and RCI points are in effect two different exchange companies. RCI points is really little different than any other mini system that belongs to RCI such as FF or BG, etc. Think of it like Infinity and Nissan. Just like any of the other "mini" systems, RCI weeks doesn't get anything from RCI points unless they give a week in return. RCI weeks then uses the points gathered in this manner to reserve time to put into weeks. One can agree or disagree with the agreements made between an exchange company and it's affiliated mini systems but the truth is that in general, RCI weeks likely needs RCI points more than the reverse at this point. One could just as easily have a similar discussion about II and it's various mini systems. For example, DVC members can do request first for 2 years out and only pay a $75 exchange fee. There are other negatives to their system but these are pretty powerful concessions on II's part to get DVC to participate.

 

[Dean]

In a normal request first system, all members have access to all of the inventory. In the Weeks/Points interface, Points members have access to all of the Weeks inventory, but Weeks members have access only to whatever RCI might or might not decide to give back to Weeks, which may be nothing at all if one RCI employee posting at TimeshareTalk is correct. Under no ones information do Weeks members have reciprocal access to all inventory at Points, which is the test of whether it is a two way street or not.

Exactly, jut like any other mini system that is a member of the exchange company. However the idea that everything is available to everybody has never been true in II and I doubt it ever has been in RCI. It's called trade power and segregates members into MANY different groups.

BTW, did you think that if you don't deposit, then you can't grab ANYTHING at all?

And RCI doesn't get anything in return, just like many of us have said. Whether there is an unfair playing field set up is another matter, there may well be. If so, the way to fix that is to join up with the team that has the advantage. If you think that's weeks, go for it, if points, then join that team.

BTW, if the lawsuit ends with an admission of guilt on RCI's part, I'm willing to concede any applicable part of this argument. Are you willing to take the other side, by admitting that no admission of guilt and no finding of guilt means you were wrong? BTW, I think the outcome is predictable. RCI will likely settle this as the nuisance item it is with a statement that there is NO admission of guilt. Something in the range of a $5-10 per affected member value will be thrown around that is contingent on another trade and everyone will move on.

 

[Dean]

It is incestous when the same entity runs both. It absolutely reeks of conflict of interest. This has been identified as a major problem from the early days of RCI's journey into points. I remember Sing Li's front page article on RCI's coming points program in Timesharing Today that was published before RCI had even officially rolled out GPN (the early name of RCI Points).
Sing Li pointed out that transfers between the systems, which he referred to as ''magic balancing'' would be a major problem in the arrangement, and indeed it is. And Sing Li was able to figure that out even before RCI came out with its postively fraudulent crossover grids.

No doubt it does give them an advantage,whether it's an unfair advantage should be the question.

And then there is the question about whether RCI really gives anything at all back to Weeks for the inventory taken by Points members. An RCI employee posting on TimeshareTalk says they do not.

Maybe, maybe not, I find it highly unlikely to be true and highly likely that an employee that says so is wrong in one way or another. Maybe it's a disgruntled employee or just someone that likes to rattle cages or possibly they are simply mistaken. All are infinitely more likely to be true than what you say they say.

 

[Carolinian]

RCI does not get to decide what the settlement is; that is a mutual decision.
The amount of damages for past violations is not the important part of the case. On the contrary it is the injunctive relief to stop future activities. From what I have learned at least one of the lead plaintiffs is likely to hold out for real reform, and that should be enough to prevent RCI getting a sweatheart deal that overly narrows the injunctive relief.

This is not a cirminal case, so NOBODY is found ''guilty''. It is a civil case.

Of course everything meeting trading power standards is shown. The problem for RCI Weeks members is that nothing is shown in Points inventory and that in a nutshell shows the unfairness.

Exactly, jut like any other mini system that is a member of the exchange company. However the idea that everything is available to everybody has never been true in II and I doubt it ever has been in RCI. It's called trade power and segregates members into MANY different groups.

And RCI doesn't get anything in return, just like many of us have said. Whether there is an unfair playing field set up is another matter, there may well be. If so, the way to fix that is to join up with the team that has the advantage. If you think that's weeks, go for it, if points, then join that team.

BTW, if the lawsuit ends with an admission of guilt on RCI's part, I'm willing to concede any applicable part of this argument. Are you willing to take the other side, by admitting that no admission of guilt and no finding of guilt means you were wrong? BTW, I think the outcome is predictable. RCI will likely settle this as the nuisance item it is with a statement that there is NO admission of guilt. Something in the range of a $5-10 per affected member value will be thrown around that is contingent on another trade and everyone will move on.

 

[Carolinian]

If you don't believe that RCI-employee Anon posted that at www.timesharetalk.co.uk , go look it up under the Ask RCI Insider thread on the RCI board there. You might be enlightened.

No doubt it does give them an advantage,whether it's an unfair advantage should be the question.


Maybe, maybe not, I find it highly unlikely to be true and highly likely that an employee that says so is wrong in one way or another. Maybe it's a disgruntled employee or just someone that likes to rattle cages or possibly they are simply mistaken. All are infinitely more likely to be true than what you say they say.

 

["Roger"]

I'm afraid Anon lost his credibility when he claimed that RCI never put anything into the Weeks account to replace what Points took out. No "screen shot" would show that. He would have to look at all of the Points deposits and trace what happened to them. Throw in that this would be a Sarbanes Oxley violation (I seriously doubt even RCI would chance that -- and if they would, they certainly would not let a low level employed know about it) and Anon begins to look like someone just leading someone on -- feeding him whatever he wants to hear. (Actually, if you have ever seen scam artists at work, it looks like that anyway.)

 

[Carolinian]

Nice try at running interference, BUT Anon never posted screenshots at TimeshareTalk. That was a different RCI employee.

What gives it credibility is all of the backing and filling and double talk, with no straight answer ever forthcoming from Madge other than a ''trust us'' generalization on the same question. She certainly responded in the fashion of someone trying to hide something.

I'm afraid Anon lost his credibility when he claimed that RCI never put anything into the Weeks account to replace what Points took out. No "screen shot" would show that. He would have to look at all of the Points deposits and trace what happened to them. Throw in that this would be a Sarbanes Oxley violation (I seriously doubt even RCI would chance that -- and if they would, they certainly would not let a low level employed know about it) and Anon begins to look like someone just leading someone on -- feeding him whatever he wants to hear. (Actually, if you have ever seen scam artists at work, it looks like that anyway.)

 

["Roger"]

By the numbers...

• Something like 15% of RCI members are now in Points.
• Most of the Point member activity is robbing and pillaging Weeks.(Caroliinian's claim -- he uses that to support his claim that Points is a pyramid scheme.)
• Nothing is being placed into the back into Weeks to take the place of the units that Points members have taken out.
• Percentagewise, very few developer units are coming into the system. (Carolinian's reading of the Seasons diatribe.)
• In addition, RCI is renting weeks wholesale out of the system.
• RCI reports that 95% of owners are finding an exchange. (If that number is incorrect, the CEO will go to jail.)

Something is not adding up here. When things become mathematically impossible, I think it is time to be a bit suspicious.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Rob, Shmobb. Pillage, Shmillage.

Most of the Point member activity is robbing and pillaging Weeks.

Don't know how others do it, but every time I Raid The Weeks Inventory using points, I snag a full weeks-resort week for 9,000 points (well, 7,500 points actually, but who's counting?), via Instant Exchange.

Instant Exchange is what they call it when they make available for minimal points (plus exahgne fee) all of the remaining unwanted offseason & out-of-the-way dogs & cats still left 45 days or sooner before check-in.

Some "raid."

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​