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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-06-17 06:38:00
Update: The Better Business Bureau of San Diego has downgraded its rating of Grand Weeks/Servicios Vacacionales to a C. You can read the complaints on the BBB site.
Essential Resorts (fake address in Miami) and Financial Services Int'l. (fake address in San Antonio) now both have a BBB rating of F.
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Author: Don't Give up
Date: 2012-06-08 19:28:57
I don't mind I would...my email is selwardany@hotmail.com
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-06-06 07:53:24
Macnib - they cannot "own" your Grand Mayan timeshare without your written approval. Have you checked with them to be sure that the timeshare is now in someone else's name? I very seriously doubt that it is. These scumbuckets want but one thing only, and that is cold hard cash. They have no use for timeshares.
So do investigate with your timeshare administrator. Also, if you have paid anything by credit card, contact your bank to dispute the charges now.
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Author: Macnib
Date: 2012-06-06 06:34:38
everything you see is true,these slimebags are a complete ripoff outfit,I do not understand how they are allowed to operate this way...I was in the Restaraunt in CABO,and was ripped off by Grand Weeks, which led to dealings with Essential Resorts and Financial Services International..I have sent them money, all to no avail...meanwhile they have screwed me for my 8000.00 dollar timeshare that I had with Grand mayan sea gardens..I am thinking that any dealing with Mexican pressure sales are a complete RIPOFF. It is disgusting bthat these SLIMEBAGS are allowed to operate at all...So much bfor Mexican Tourism & Hospitality!!!
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Author: Chacha
Date: 2012-05-31 04:47:23
Thank you, I am going to file complaints with several of the agencies you gave me.
Chuck
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-31 04:14:21
Any victims of these criminals who lives in San Diego? I've been in touch with a consumer reporter who wants to interview you.
Let me know. Thanks.
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-27 04:24:20
Chacha (and others) -- here you go:
WHERE TO FILE COMPLAINTS
Timeshare User Group (TUG) – post description of your experience under Buying, Selling, Renting
http://tugbbs.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13
Profeco (Mexican consumer protection agency)
http://revistadelconsumidor.gob.mx/?p=7731
Ripoff Report
Add to this report:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/travel-services/essential-resorts/essential-resorts-grand-weeks-1b793.htm
Internet Crime Complaint Center
http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx
FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
Paypal - report fraudulent seller (Essential Resorts)
https://www.paypal.com/webapps/helpcenter/article/?currentIssueID=10893&topicID=11500023&m=TCI
State Attorneys General (there are complaint forms on each state’s site)
http://www.naag.org/current-attorneys-general.php
Better Business Bureau (file complaint for Miami, San Diego, and San Antonio)
https://www.bbb.org/consumer-complaints/file-a-complaint/get-started
Florida Division of Consumer Services
https://csapp.800helpfla.com/CSPublicApp/Complaints/FileComplaint.aspx
State of Florida Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation
Bureau of Compliance - Timeshare Section
Complete this form and mail with supporting documentation:
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/lsc/documents/complaint_english.pdf
Miami-Dade County Consumer Protection Office (re Essential Resorts)
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/csd/complaint_form.asp
Miami-Dade Police Dept. (re Essential Resorts)
Call the Economic Crimes Bureau: 305-994-1000 (M-F 8A-5P EST)
Web site: http://www.miamidade.gov/mdpd/
Orlando Police Dept. - Timeshare crimes investigation
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165128
Detectives Michael Stevens and Hilary Bledsoe
email: michael.stevens@cityoforlando.net, hilary.bledsoe@cityoforlandonet
San Diego Police Dept.
http://www.sandiego.gov/police/crimereports/startaccess.html
San Antonio Police Dept.
http://www.sanantonio.gov/sapd/
email: carla.zainie@sanantonio.gov
U.S. Secret Service - field office phone #s by state (pg. 26):
http://www.secretservice.gov/press/Take_Charge.pdf
HSBC – if you have received counterfeited HSBC documents, such as a wire transfer receipt from Financial Services
email: usphishing@us.hsbc.com
Also contact media:
Jackie Callaway, Tampa Bay Consumer Action Reporter
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/about_us/staff/Jackie-Callaway
email: jcallaway@abcactionnews.com
And email your local ABC, NBC, and CBS TV consumers' rights reporters.
Will Hobson, reporter for Tampa Bay Times
email: whobson@tampabay.com
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Author: Chacha
Date: 2012-05-27 03:40:34
Thank you for your comments. I have not sent them any money and have no intention of doing so. I would like to report my emails to someone in case they could help in shutting these 2 down. Any idea of whoI should contact
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Author: simon
Date: 2012-05-26 15:57:43
So what would be the best way to sell my timeshare???
I got scamed already once by those two companies and i dont trust anyone anymore ar this point.
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-26 11:58:49
Most of the online complaint forms ask for some basic information. So here are the so-called companies involved. If you have had problems with others, be sure to report them too.
Essential Resorts
Contact names: Julian Rosenthal, Cindy Watts, Raul Mendez
Phone: 786-347-6485
Email: jrosenthal@essentialresortsltd.com, cwatts@essentialresortsltd.com, rmendez888@gmx.com, rmendez@grandweeksvip.com
Web site: http://www.essentialresortsltd.com
Servicios Vacacionales/Grand Weeks
Contact names: Raul Mendez, Cindy Watts, Julian Rosenthal
Phone: 888-560-4058
Email: rmendez888@gmx.com, rmendez@grandweeksvip.com, cwatts@essentialresortsltd.com, jrosenthal@essentialresortsltd.com
Web sites: http://www.grandweeks.com (shut down), http://www.grandweeksvip.com
Financial Services Int'l. Inc.
Contact names: James Hoffman, Tony Rogers, Frank Rivers
Phone: 210-401-8702
Email: financialservicesint@gmail.com
Web site: http://www.financialservices-int.com
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-25 18:25:41
Chuck: Please read the below comments I have posted. These are scumbag CRIMINALS. They are not buying your timeshare. They will never never EVER give you the money they promised. The reason they won't take PayPal or credit card for the so-called "title search" is because you can dispute those charges later on (as I did).
Tell them to go F themselves. Cease communication with them, and do not send them any money. And if you have paid anything by credit card so far, call your bank immediately to dispute the charges.
Also, do not talk with Financial Services. They are part of this scam.
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Author: Chacha
Date: 2012-05-25 16:44:16
I am dealing with Essential Resorts International at this moment. I have been faxing forms to them, Equity apprasial and release forms. Now I have been asked for $699.00 for them to do a title search. assuring me it would be returned with my asking price of my timeshare when the title is cleared. They will not take a credit card or pay pal. Is this a warning to get out.
Chuck
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-23 22:44:02
Simon: Be sure to file a complaint (online) with the State Attorneys General for the states these places claim to have offices: Florida, California, and Texas.
Again: Dispute any and all charges made to your credit card (incl. PayPal) and do not send any more of your hard-earned money to these despicable criminals.
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-23 22:41:44
That is one of the best places to file a complaint. I have more than a dozen others.
You'll find one of them by doing a search for "Essential Resorts" on ripoffreport.com. There's a place where you can add your own complaint.
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Author: Simon
Date: 2012-05-17 21:19:56
ME AND MY WIFE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS TWO COMPANIES AND I REPORTED BOTH OF THEM TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREA. THERE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY JUST TO CANCEL TRANSACTION. ESSENTIONAL TOOK 699.00 FOR OWNERSHIP VERFICATION AND FINANCIAL TOOK 1578.00 FOR CLOSING COST AND ASKING FOR THE SAME THING LAWYER FEES OF 1948.00 TO CLEAR THE MONEY FROM MEXICO. WHAT SHOULD I DO, I NEED HELP MY EMAIL IS SELWARDANY@HOTMAIL.COM IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO TO RECOVER THAT MONEY OR JUST PUT THESE GUYS IN JAIL.
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-16 04:49:21
Don't believe you. These con artists are in the business of taking money from others ONLY.
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Author: luke
Date: 2012-05-14 23:40:35
hi i had the same problem whit financial but i did get my money witch was owe to me by a company called travelvacation ltd
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-14 20:56:47
Contact your credit card company right away to dispute charges. And don't pay any more bribe money - you'll never see it again.
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-14 20:56:07
Contact your credit card company right away to dispute charges. And don't pay any more bribe money - you'll never see it again.
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Author: Don't Get Mad
Date: 2012-05-14 20:54:24
These criminals have been busy. Do NOT send them a dime more.
Here's my personal summary:
There's a fairly fresh scam that involves several "front" companies (presumably all in Mexico) working together to defraud consumers. They prey on American travelers vacationing in such places as Cabo San Lucas, telling them they can sell their timeshare for them at an impressively high amount. To gain credibility, they claim to be part of the Sabre Travel Network (which they are not) and say that this company is willing to purchase timeshares and then use the cost for tax write-off purposes.
The wrinkle is that you need to buy a membership to a phony travel club, which allegedly allows you to stay at five- and six-star properties at highly discounted rates. Membership to this club costs $2000, plus financing fees and bank fees for foreign currency conversion on credit card charges.
They claim that you will receive payment for your timeshare within 60-90 days. But that never happens. Instead, one of the front companies insists that you must pay $700 for a title search, while another front company (claiming to handle the escrow) demands that you wire $875 in closing costs to Mexico. Then -- they demand another $800+, claiming that the bank in Mexico won't allow a wire transfer in excess of X amount of money -- and that to get your money, you have to pay attorneys' fees.
Throughout all this, there are lots of demands for documentation to prove you (the consumer) are who you say you are, but everything about them is a lie.
Here are the so-called "companies" involved:
Essential Resorts (which is allegedly a vacation property procurement company) is run by a guy who calls himself Julian Rosenthal. His colleague is Cindy Watts. This company is not licensed in the state of FL.
The Miami address they list on their web site is actually a 900 sf condo property that's zoned for commercial use.
http://www.essentialresortsltd.com
Grand Weeks/Servicios Vacacionales. Servicios Vacacionales is ostensibly in San Diego, but it's run by Raul Mendez (possibly his real name), who works his fraud from a restaurant on the marina in Cabo San Lucas.
They are not licensed in the state of CA and the office address they use is in reality only a P.O. box. Their slick marketing materials make big promises, but their service is useless. They have two web sites, one of which is now shut down.
http://www.grandweeks.com
http://www.grandweeksvip.com
Financial Services International (so-called escrow company)
http://www.financialservices-int.com
They are not licensed in the state of Texas, and are not tenants in the San Antonio, Texas building listed on their web site. Instead they seem to be running their scam from a boiler room in Mexico. Key players call themselves James Hoffman, Tony Rogers, and Frank Rivers.
All of these web sites were established last fall. It's quite possible that they were doing business under different names before, and very likely that they will all create new names and web sites again.
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Author: Smarklinger
Date: 2012-05-10 05:38:57
We are having the same issue, please contact me at smarklinger@hotmail.com
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Author: Maxreader3
Date: 2012-05-09 01:01:24
Out next step is to file a complaint with www.IC3.gov.
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Author: Maxreader3
Date: 2012-05-09 00:42:57
We are having the same issue. Now it is that our title search has expired. So we need to pay more money for an additional title search.
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