Sampler Just Purchased in Arizona

[Passepartout]

I have read that the Sampler packages are a bit different and have my fingers crossed. But I better try than not do anything, right? Nevada has 5 days to rescind a timeshare purchase.

You have that right about trying. Nevada law makers are in bed with the Real Estate industry, and have the most consumer UNfriendly rescission laws I know of. Including no rescission on resales. We join you in hoping they don't hold you to this purchase. Fingers crossed.

Jim

 

[Talya]

Talya, your story inspired me and I’m hoping it turns out well for me too! Already filed a complaint with BBB. Called my credit card company to also dispute the deposit charge. They have asked that I wait till my account is debited for the amount then I can dispute.

That is heartening. Thank you. Least one can be is a cautionary tale.

But I know that awful feeling while one waits. I saw izzy get her rescission and could just sit tight and hope. I was bracing myself for Sampler vacations, whatever they might turn out to be, and that wouldn't have been totally a waste, except that in my case the lost funds was a significant loss. Especially given that I lost a long-prepared-for vacation as a consequence.

So, I think I’ve done all I need to do, now to sit and wait. Perhaps i’ll start getting calls by tomorrow.

Be sure to let us know what happens for you.

I should write “I will never sign a contract without first taking the document home to do research “ 1000 lines just to be sure I’ve learned my lesson

Tell me about it! I already had that as one of my iron clad rules to live by and even so I somehow managed to breach all my safeguards. It's a puzzle to me.

Recently I've been watching Youtube videos regarding the Bernie Madoff scandal, that showed exactly how he managed to pull it off across decades, how he managed to snooker so many 'great and powerful', and one significant factor was the 'exclusive' aspect he managed to convey, that it was a 'special club' of only 'the best' that he was allowing into the special deal. Ask questions and Madoff would dismiss you without nary a backward glance, you were out the door on your bum. And it struck me that that was an element to the timeshare scam - after all, my credit had to be checked, I had to undergo a 'filter' to make sure I was one of a 'special group', the 'elect'. Is that what seduced me?

Then there was the castles-in-the-air picture of time sharing presented by the first sales rep, and now I realize that the guy was the 'set-up'. He pulled out albums of - personal, what he claimed were personal - pictures showing me rooms he and his wife had stayed at in the Middle East, in South Africa. (Tell-tale: no wife in pictures, all staged, probably stock photos). Really grand stuff, with endless stories about how he was able to put up his entire extended family at suites of rooms in various grand places. All that is stuffed into one's head - the money outlay is ridiculous so one easily says no (in my case, because I didn't have that kind of money though if one looked at my bank accounts one would have seen some interesting money amounts - and they seemed to make all their initial offerings in the vicinity of those bank account amounts - that is interesting: when they check one's credit do they get access to bank account balances?)

So after all that, here comes the Sampler guy, and it all looks so reasonable, like a sampler of chocolates. And so cheap!

 

[mrswolfe]

@Talya Exactly the same set up. I was even giving the first sales guy tips on what to buy for his wife’s upcoming birthday! I’m sure it was probably all part of the pitch!
I didn’t agree to give them my social security (cos I knew I wasn’t buying anyways), after many minutes of yes/no to providing the number, they took our word for it that we had good credit! Smh
Imagine that!
So fingers crossed and waiting for the calls. Hopefully I can put this behind me real soon!

 

[mrswolfe]

UPDATE: So I got a call from someone at DRI. Basically telling me that I had signed and that was it. She was quite rude and hung up without completing the conversation.
I called back trying to speak with her, because she didn’t leave a name I couldn’t ask for her directly. I spoke to someone who said my complaint had also been forwarded to the Investigation Dept and I should wait 3-5 days to hear from them.

I am so stressed and all I wanted was a stress free vacation

 

[Talya]

UPDATE: So I got a call from someone at DRI. Basically telling me that I had signed and that was it. She was quite rude and hung up without completing the conversation.

I called back trying to speak with her, because she didn’t leave a name I couldn’t ask for her directly. I spoke to someone who said my complaint had also been forwarded to the Investigation Dept and I should wait 3-5 days to hear from them.

I am so stressed and all I wanted was a stress free vacation

Do you mean your BBB complaint? Or your complaint to them about the rude sales rep?

That's what I experienced with the initial call I received after DRI received my rescission request. No budging (for the same reason given to you) and that was followed by a letter stating the same pov. Dead stop.

It was the BBB compliant that got the wheels moving to my advantage.

BTW I am puzzled by your credit card - is it Amex?

 

[mrswolfe]

I think it’s the BBB complaint that is with their Investigations dept. I don’t think they care much about the rudeness of their reps. So much fretting and hand wringing until I hear from them again!
My credit card is with Scotiabank, I don’t know what their process is. I will wait till the end of the week to contact them again.

 

[Talya]

My credit card is with Scotiabank, I don’t know what their process is. I will wait till the end of the week to contact them again.

I meant was your credit card with Amex or Visa or MasterCard or Dicscover, etc. It's not the bank but the credit card company. Did you call the credit card company?

 

[mrswolfe]

Credit card is with Visa. I called the bank and that’s the information they gave me. So should I call Visa instead?

 

[Passepartout]

Credit card is with Visa. I called the bank and that’s the information they gave me. So should I call Visa instead?

It's the number on the back of the card. Just out of morbid curiosity, what it the total price of this Sampler package? And how much did you give them upfront? I guess where I'm headed is some idea of it this was a life changing mistake. A poll was taken here on TUG, asking where WE had bought our first timeshare. And it seems that just about exactly half of us bought them from the developer. And while there was some buyer's remorse, most of us went ahead, paid them off, and even bought more (mostly resale).

I know that the Sampler is a smaller deal, a stay or two as a resort, another chance for another sales team to get a crack at you, then you're done. So worst case, you and the family get another vacation, some memories, and after we arm you with ways to tell the next salesweasels NO! Even if state law doesn't allow you to rescind this, the reasons you signed up, even if they lied and exaggerated, are still valid.

Know that we still hope for a rescission for you, but that the majority of us have walked in your shoes, and lived to tell the tale.

Jim

 

[mrswolfe]

I’ve called my Bank, and they seem to be giving me the runaround. They have asked me to wait for a response from DRI or 15 days from cancellation before they can raise a dispute. The lady I spoke to said I had to get a refund code from DRI first (I’m like heck yeah, they’ll give me a refund code just like that!)
Next call to Visa, they say talk to your bank’s dispute resolution Team.

So sad! Appears the only thing I have going for me now is the BBB complaint.

 

[mrswolfe]

It's the number on the back of the card. Just out of morbid curiosity, what it the total price of this Sampler package? And how much did you give them upfront? I guess where I'm headed is some idea of it this was a life changing mistake. A poll was taken here on TUG, asking where WE had bought our first timeshare. And it seems that just about exactly half of us bought them from the developer. And while there was some buyer's remorse, most of us went ahead, paid them off, and even bought more (mostly resale).

I know that the Sampler is a smaller deal, a stay or two as a resort, another chance for another sales team to get a crack at you, then you're done. So worst case, you and the family get another vacation, some memories, and after we arm you with ways to tell the next salesweasels NO! Even if state law doesn't allow you to rescind this, the reasons you signed up, even if they lied and exaggerated, are still valid.

Know that we still hope for a rescission for you, but that the majority of us have walked in your shoes, and lived to tell the tale.

Jim

Not so much that I can’t live without and if I can’t cancel, will use it anyways.
I think it’s more of the concept of being “had” that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
My anger is more at myself not them. Asides from the shady tactics, I did sign the purchase and nobody held a gun to my head.
So if push comes to shove, I welcome their sales team to take another crack at me. I will be returning to Vegas and will be requesting the same team that sold me the Sampler

 

[Passepartout]

Can we interest you in the 'official' TUG, "I paid more for this T-shirt than for my timeshare" t-shirt? They work great in salesrooms- youre thrown out instantly.

 

[mrswolfe]

Can we interest you in the 'official' TUG, "I paid more for this T-shirt than for my timeshare" t-shirt? They work great in salesrooms- youre thrown out instantly.

Does it come with a hat as well? I would gladly purchase a full outfit when I’m ready to “go and stay vacationed”

 

[Talya]

I’ve called my Bank, and they seem to be giving me the runaround. They have asked me to wait for a response from DRI or 15 days from cancellation before they can raise a dispute. The lady I spoke to said I had to get a refund code from DRI first (I’m like heck yeah, they’ll give me a refund code just like that!) Next call to Visa, they say talk to your bank’s dispute resolution Team.

I am finding this odd. I have cancelled payments with PayPal (for example) and there is never a question - they just do it, no codes. It's between me and the vendor, not the go-between (imo).

I was very pleased with Amex - the way they handled it was immediate, no code (but my Amex was issued through my bank - Wells Fargo - so maybe I was actually speaking to my bank? I was pretty sure I was talking to Amex, though because it was a bank issued card perhaps the two roles are conflated). However, they did ask me to send all the documentation: copy of the document I signed. (I had not yet done the BBB complaint at that point). The Amex rep was completely neutral, promised nothing, said it could go either way, seemed very familiar with Sampler/DRI purchases, in fact. He was the one who (without my asking) removed the charge from my account. Not sure what that meant: was the money in a sort of limbo? or had DRI already gotten the money? I don't know. DRI did dump the money back into my account when they did the refund so that makes me think they got the money - but I actually don't know what money went where if at all. Was what the Amex rep did merely an accounting notation? Don't know. In the end, when the refund finally came in (happy day!) my Amex account showed a negative so that Amex had to re-instate the charge, so all was copacetic.

At the moment of purchase I made the deliberate decision to use my Amex because I view them as business customer friendly with more protections at point-of-sale. I may be wrong but that's my impression. Seems to be born out with with your experience - however......

So sad! Appears the only thing I have going for me now is the BBB complaint.

Seems so and that strikes me as so strange. Why could Amex initiate a dispute without codes? And not your Visa? Thing is, if DRI does not respond to a credit card dispute then the customer wins by default. It's like your Visa card is circumventing this little loophole. Why? The only thing that comes to mind is the window for cancellation - I did my Amex cancellation within 7 days of the purchase - might have been at 4 days out - and I actually don't know the cancellation window with Amex but I know I was within it because the Amex rep make mention that I was within the window for cancellation. Had I not been, it would have been a different story. He explained that it was a more complicated process and if I'm not mistaken it throws the advantage to the vendor. This may be what has happened to you. Did you cancel outside of your credit card's cancellation window?

So the question: did you initiate the cancellation within the cancellation window? If you were outside your window for cancellation maybe that explains the codes and all that.

 

[Talya]

Can we interest you in the 'official' TUG, "I paid more for this T-shirt than for my timeshare" t-shirt? They work great in salesrooms- youre thrown out instantly.

Really? I'd like to be there to see that. Have you had it happen to you? Tell!

Does it come with a hat as well? I would gladly purchase a full outfit when I’m ready to “go and stay vacationed”

So if push comes to shove, I welcome their sales team to take another crack at me. I will be returning to Vegas and will be requesting the same team that sold me the Sampler

Oh please let me come and watch! I'll pay for a round of drinks afterwards.

Not so much that I can’t live without and if I can’t cancel, will use it anyways. I think it’s more of the concept of being “had” that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. My anger is more at myself not them. Asides from the shady tactics, I did sign the purchase and nobody held a gun to my head.

Exactly so! (Though there is a fair amount of upset with the sales people because every step of the way it had to have been so clear that I was looking at the Sampler skewed to it's real use - and not once did they correct my impressions).

 

[mrswolfe]

I am finding this odd. I have cancelled payments with PayPal (for example) and there is never a question - they just do it, no codes. It's between me and the vendor, not the go-between (imo).

I was very pleased with Amex - the way they handled it was immediate, no code (but my Amex was issued through my bank - Wells Fargo - so maybe I was actually speaking to my bank? I was pretty sure I was talking to Amex, though because it was a bank issued card perhaps the two roles are conflated). However, they did ask me to send all the documentation: copy of the document I signed. (I had not yet done the BBB complaint at that point). The Amex rep was completely neutral, promised nothing, said it could go either way, seemed very familiar with Sampler/DRI purchases, in fact. He was the one who (without my asking) removed the charge from my account. Not sure what that meant: was the money in a sort of limbo? or had DRI already gotten the money? I don't know. DRI did dump the money back into my account when they did the refund so that makes me think they got the money - but I actually don't know what money went where if at all. Was what the Amex rep did merely an accounting notation? Don't know. In the end, when the refund finally came in (happy day!) my Amex account showed a negative so that Amex had to re-instate the charge, so all was copacetic.

At the moment of purchase I made the deliberate decision to use my Amex because I view them as business customer friendly with more protections at point-of-sale. I may be wrong but that's my impression. Seems to be born out with with your experience - however......

Seems so and that strikes me as so strange. Why could Amex initiate a dispute without codes? And not your Visa? Thing is, if DRI does not respond to a credit card dispute then the customer wins by default. It's like your Visa card is circumventing this little loophole. Why? The only thing that comes to mind is the window for cancellation - I did my Amex cancellation within 7 days of the purchase - might have been at 4 days out - and I actually don't know the cancellation window with Amex but I know I was within it because the Amex rep make mention that I was within the window for cancellation. Had I not been, it would have been a different story. He explained that it was a more complicated process and if I'm not mistaken it throws the advantage to the vendor. This may be what has happened to you. Did you cancel outside of your credit card's cancellation window?

So the question: did you initiate the cancellation within the cancellation window? If you were outside your window for cancellation maybe that explains the codes and all that.

I am disputing within the official window. Everything’s been less than a week so I’m not quite sure what they want me to do at this time. I still intent to call back and maybe speak to a supervisor and maybe fax off the dispute documents anyways whether they ask me to or not!
Hooray for Amex. Not sure what’s happening here in Canada...

 

[Talya]

I am disputing within the official window. Everything’s been less than a week so I’m not quite sure what they want me to do at this time. I still intent to call back and maybe speak to a supervisor and maybe fax off the dispute documents anyways whether they ask me to or not! Hooray for Amex. Not sure what’s happening here in Canada...

Ah, this may be the nub of it: different country, different banking rules? Maybe.

 

[Talya]

I am disputing within the official window. Everything’s been less than a week so I’m not quite sure what they want me to do at this time. I still intent to call back and maybe speak to a supervisor and maybe fax off the dispute documents anyways whether they ask me to or not! Hooray for Amex. Not sure what’s happening here in Canada...

No news is NOT good news in this case I am thinking. How's it gone, @mrswolfe ?

 

[mrswolfe]

No news sadly
I did get the letter from DRI saying I couldn’t cancel and Visa says I cannot dispute the charge until DRI agrees to a refund and sends me a refund voucher (like that’s gonna happen)
So it seems like there’s nothing more to be done. No word from BBB either..
Sigh

 

[Passepartout]

No news sadly
I did get the letter from DRI saying I couldn’t cancel and Visa says I cannot dispute the charge until DRI agrees to a refund and sends me a refund voucher (like that’s gonna happen)

Well, this is probably why they located this sale in Realtor friendly (anti consumer) Nevada. You may as well start planning that next vacation. If they won't let you cancel, you might as well use it. We know you will NOT be buying what they want to sell you, and will probably make sure that the other 'marks' in the sales room will know how you feel. On the good side, their resorts are very nice if you can get over the feeling that you were taken advantage of.

Jim

 

[mrswolfe]

Well, this is probably why they located this sale in Realtor friendly (anti consumer) Nevada. You may as well start planning that next vacation. If they won't let you cancel, you might as well use it. We know you will NOT be buying what they want to sell you, and will probably make sure that the other 'marks' in the sales room will know how you feel. On the good side, their resorts are very nice if you can get over the feeling that you were taken advantage of.

Jim

I guess I should plan a holiday.. Sigh.. I don’t think i’ll Ever shake off the feeling of being had but for sure i’ll enjoy my holiday. Perhaps you could point me to good locations?

 

[Talya]

No news sadly I did get the letter from DRI saying I couldn’t cancel

Yes, they will default to that. A given. There is no real conversation with them up front.

and Visa says I cannot dispute the charge until DRI agrees to a refund and sends me a refund voucher (like that’s gonna happen)

This makes no sense. It's not a disputed charge if DRI agrees to a refund.

You are instructing Visa to cancel the charge. You have that right, correct? Press this with your Visa people. You made a purchase, you have not used the 'item', you want the charge reversed. Ask them why they are not abiding by your wishes and protecting you as the buyer using their card? I'd really push with the Visa people. It makes utterly no sense to dispute a charge when the vendor has agreed to a refund - what is there to 'dispute' in that scenario? Everyone is in accord - there is no dispute.

So it seems like there’s nothing more to be done. No word from BBB either..Sigh

Call BBB.

Again, maybe some of this, like the Visa banking business, has something to do with Canadian law, or with Visa itself.

Sorry about this, mrswolfe, I was really hoping. Do like Passepartout recommends: make the sales people's job an uphill climb whenever you are around. But I, too, as the time wore on (though it all took place within a month - pretty fast) was reconciling myself to having vacations in spots I never would have gone, on timelines so far out that I might have forgotten the dates.

 

[Passepartout]

I guess I should plan a holiday.. Sigh.. I don’t think i’ll Ever shake off the feeling of being had but for sure i’ll enjoy my holiday. Perhaps you could point me to good locations?

I'm not a DRI owner, so not familiar with their locations. Did they give you a catalog of resort locations? Any of them look like someplace you wouldn't visit even if it wasn't pre-paid?

 

[mrswolfe]

Yes, they will default to that. A given. There is no real conversation with them up front.

This makes no sense. It's not a disputed charge if DRI agrees to a refund.

You are instructing Visa to cancel the charge. You have that right, correct? Press this with your Visa people. You made a purchase, you have not used the 'item', you want the charge reversed. Ask them why they are not abiding by your wishes and protecting you as the buyer using their card? I'd really push with the Visa people. It makes utterly no sense to dispute a charge when the vendor has agreed to a refund - what is there to 'dispute' in that scenario? Everyone is in accord - there is no dispute.

Call BBB.

Again, maybe some of this, like the Visa banking business, has something to do with Canadian law, or with Visa itself.

Sorry about this, mrswolfe, I was really hoping. Do like Passepartout recommends: make the sales people's job an uphill climb whenever you are around. But I, too, as the time wore on (though it all took place within a month - pretty fast) was reconciling myself to having vacations in spots I never would have gone, on timelines so far out that I might have forgotten the dates.

I must have spoken to my bank and Visa card representatives a million times. It makes no sense to dispute if they are providing a refund code. They only said sorry, they are familiar with the company and sorry I fell for whatever scam they were selling (their exact words). It doesn’t seem like there’s going to be any help from their end.
I have tried to call BBB but I haven’t been able to get through to the number I found online. Will keep trying.
Tbh I have sort of given up. Guess you guys were the lucky ones

 

[mrswolfe]

I'm not a DRI owner, so not familiar with their locations. Did they give you a catalog of resort locations? Any of them look like someplace you wouldn't visit even if it wasn't pre-paid?

Yes they did but I’d rather not look at it yet...