Most people who have signed a timeshare contract will tell you that the experience is terrible. Ever-increasing annual maintenance fees, the inability to schedule a vacation, the cost of repairs, and changing corporate ownership make the experience feel like an inescapable money pit. It’s no surprise then that many timeshare owners turn to exit companies to escape their contracts.
When you’re looking for a timeshare exit company, though, you should be careful. Timeshare Exit Team, for example, allegedly advised its customers to stop paying fees and caused them to wind up in foreclosure. The similarly named Timeshare termination team shocked everyone when they suddenly closed their doors, leaving both customers and employees high and dry.
Another example of a timeshare exit company making life difficult for its customers is Timeshare Freedom Group (TFG) in Laguna Hills, California. Like many timeshare exit companies, TFG advertised timeshare exit services with a money-back guarantee.
As indicated by TFG’s complaints and poor response rate at the Better Business Bureau, the company has become known for taking upfront fees from customers and then ghosting them, not returning their phone calls, and leaving them in an even worse financial position.
Unfortunately, however, TFG’s legal troubles go far beyond their individual customer difficulties. There are lawsuits against them from timeshare developers about a variety of topics, in addition to serious criminal charges against one of the company’s executives. The company’s legal problems, which involve their legal partners, are serious enough that they can result in the kinds of problems that their customers complain of.
In this article, we’ll take a look at these problems and how they have affected the legal standing of the company and its executives. We’ll also examine a new company, Forza Consumer Group, that was started by the same attorney who represented a TFG executive in his attempted murder case.
Finally, we’ll show you the difference that you can experience with a timeshare exit company that doesn’t have all of these legal problems and drama: Centerstone Group.
Timeshare Freedom Group Lawsuits From Bluegreen Vacations and Diamond Resorts
As the customers and employees of Timeshare Termination Team learned the hard way, civil lawsuits from timeshare developers can quickly sink your business if you’re not doing everything right.
One of the lawsuits involving Timeshare Termination Team (Case No. 1:2020cv25318, pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida) also involves Timeshare Freedom Group; one of its executives, Jordan Salkin; and Salkin’s criminal case attorney, Michael A. Molfetta.
That particular lawsuit, which at the time of this writing is ongoing according to its docket on Justia.com, involved the alleged false advertising and diversion of payments from Bluegreen Vacations. While Timeshare Termination Team has since shut down its business, Michael A. Molfetta and one of his businesses, a law firm known as Molfetta Law, LLC, are actively litigating the matter.
A similar case was also filed in the U.S. District Court in Florida (Case No. 6:2020cv01668) by Diamond Resorts Hawaii Collection Development, LLC. That case also involves TFG, Jordan Salkin, Michael A. Molfetta, and Molfetta Law, LLC. It appears that the claims in that case were partially settled in mid-2022 and, shortly after, Molfetta and his law group were dismissed from that case.
A review of the documents in these cases shows extensive, complex litigation taking place over years. While the fact that a complaint was brought against someone does not necessarily mean that the defendant is legally liable, the fact remains that complicated and costly legal issues tend to follow both TFG and its associated legal counsel throughout the country.
As with Timeshare Termination Team, these legal proceedings can slow down or even stop any timeshare exit plan you may have with that company. They can even potentially cause you to lose your money and have to start the whole process over again. And that’s even before you start considering the legal problems that can result when a member of your timeshare exit company is charged with attempted murder.
If you are reading this article, you are likely one of the legions of timeshare owners that need to get out of their contracts. You are tired of paying monthly maintenance fees for the rest of your life. You don’t want the pressure that comes with having to take vacations (which should be restful) with a certain company, subject to that company’s rules.
Lots of people want the same thing you do. So many, in fact, that there are a lot of companies offering timeshare exit services. These companies know that canceling a timeshare on your own can be hard at the best of times. They offer to handle the situation for you, making it easier and potentially more successful.
Not all exit companies are created equal though. Companies like Centerstone Group have high standards and are recognized for providing excellent service. For example, our Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating speaks for itself.
Other companies present serious legal and business issues that can make your timeshare problem worse. They use high-pressure, pushy sales tactics to get you to sign up for incomplete services that don’t get the job done. Maybe they offer a money-back guarantee. Then, once the scam is done, they go silent, and your money is gone.
One of the companies that is currently experiencing serious legal problems is Timeshare Exit Team, a Washington company that targets unhappy timeshare owners with promises to get them out of their units. Timeshare Exit Team’s track record, though, is not great. Besides the lawsuit filed by the Washington Attorney General, they also have received a BBB rating of F.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the troubles presented by Timeshare exit team and what you can learn from them. We’ll also explain how Centerstone Group takes steps to avoid those problems by behaving responsibly and ethically.
A Brief History of Timeshare Exit Team
Timeshare Exit Team: Articles of Incorporation document
The Washington Secretary of State’s records show that Timeshare Exit Team — first called World Travel Seattle LLC — was formed by Brandon Reed in 2012 in Kirkland, Washington. The next year Trevor Hein changed the name of the company to Reed Hein & Associates LLC. Timeshare Exit Team advertised itself as a company that helps people exit unwanted timeshares.
According to the Washington State Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, Timeshare Exit Team represented that it could force resorts to take back timeshares. At the start of the lawsuit, though, Washington alleged that only about half of the requested exits had been accomplished. There was also concern that the exits accomplished may not have been proper.
Alleged Business Practices
Woman looking stressed while being forced to sign a document
According to the publicly filed allegations of the Washington Attorney General, Timeshare Exit Team itself did not have any prior experience in the timeshare industry. Before starting Timeshare Exit Team in 2012, Hein and Reed sold rain gutter systems. This lack of experience in the industry makes them ineffective at securing releases for their clients because it takes an inside knowledge to achieve success.
In an attempt to make up for the lack of experience, their business model matched unhappy timeshare owners with “vendors” who did have experience.
For example, if a timeshare owner needed to file a lawsuit to get out of an unconscionable contract, Timeshare Exit Team would contact an attorney who would then represent the timeshare owner. It does not appear that Timeshare Exit Team had any control over the vendors it selected to help timeshare owners.
Some of the exit practices were legally risky. For example, some timeshare owners were allegedly advised to stop paying maintenance fees and mortgages. This then resulted in foreclosure proceedings against timeshare units, causing more legal problems for timeshare owners.
Perhaps the biggest alleged problem with the Timeshare Exit Team model was their huge fees, which were sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. Timeshare Exit Team did offer a money-back guarantee for its services. But according to BBB complaints, people often had difficulty getting these refunds, when they did get them at all.
While litigation and fact-finding regarding Timeshare Exit Team’s practices is ongoing, these stories should give you pause. If you are trying to legally and ethically exit your timeshare contract, it is imperative that you hire the best, most experienced people possible, not rain gutter salesmen. You should also make sure that their policies are in your best interest.
In the case of these alleged policies, it should be of concern that Timeshare Exit Team did not apparently have any record of timeshare exit experience before 2012. Putting together a team of people to exit a legal arrangement is difficult. Without strong leadership and vision, the task becomes much more difficult or even impossible.
Perhaps most importantly, your timeshare exit company should do its best to limit your upfront cost. Timeshare Exit Team has a reputation for charging exorbitant fees upfront, with little or no results. Centerstone Group, on the other hand, offers long-term financing and an escrow option that can help ease your financial pain.
Every timeshare exit case is different. While one owner may need a lawyer to get out of their contract, the next might need a Realtor. Charging thousands of dollars upfront to simply look at a file and assign vendors is a huge red flag.
How Centerstone Group Is Different
Three people having a meeting
A quick look at the BBB reviews and rating for Centerstone Group should ease any concerns you have about our practices. First and foremost, Centerstone Group’s professionals have over 33 years of combined experience in the timeshare industry. Though an unwanted timeshare problem can seem like uncharted waters, rest assured that we have probably seen it before.
Centerstone Group also has a unique three-pronged approach to ensure maximum chances of success in getting rid of your unwanted timeshare. First, it enters into a pressure campaign that involves both direct contact and smart use of social media to change a developer’s position. Sometimes, a pressure campaign can even include government regulatory complaints.
At the same time, Centerstone Group will see whether you qualify for a transfer process with a receiver. In the context of timeshare exit cases, a receiver is a person who takes over the financial and other obligations associated with your timeshare during the exit process. This particular feature of Centerstone Group’s strategy gives you peace of mind and control over your situation.
Finally, Centerstone Group realizes that some timeshare exit cases are going to be more difficult than others. Particularly contentious cases may require the aid or opinion of a lawyer. The most complicated may involve a lawsuit to rescind a contract or address fraudulent behavior by your timeshare developer.
One of the sad truths about the modern travel industry is that timeshares and vacation clubs continue to prey on travelers. Hundreds of thousands of timeshare products are purchased every year by travelers who were lured into slick sales presentations at timeshare resorts — only to find out that they purchased an ongoing financial burden of timeshare maintenance fees, exchange fees, repairs, and other costs.
To add insult to injury, these owners find that there is no real timeshare resale market, so they can’t make money back. Timeshare developers also prevent them from defraying their costs by blocking rentals or charging large upfront fees for allowing those rentals.
This ongoing problem has led to the formation of the timeshare exit industry. These companies were formed to help people get out of their timeshare contracts. The great need has led to the creation of many Timeshare exit company. If you are an unhappy timeshare owner, you have a lot of choices.
Beware, though. Not all timeshare companies are created equal. While some are better than others, there are a few that have created even more legal and financial problems for the people that they were supposed to be helping. With that in mind and the number of options when it comes to timeshare exit companies, you may not know where to start.
This article will discuss many of the timeshare exit companies from the past few years. We’ll look at the costs of using their timeshare exit services as well as customer testimonials and the reputations the companies have established. Most importantly, we’ll look at the timeshare exit scams you should avoid at all costs.
Timeshare Compliance
Timeshare exit companies: old employee with stacks of documents on his desk
Timeshare Compliance has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2016. They have established a good reputation for achieving timeshare exits in some cases, though they have had 21 complaints in the past three years. In others, though, their communication has fallen short and caused some trouble for their customers, which the company then had to fix after receiving negative reviews.
Many timeshare exit companies have a money-back guarantee. Timeshare Compliance offers an escrow option whereby a fee can be held by a third party until the company does its job. There are reports, though, that almost none of Timeshare Compliance’s customers qualify for this option, which is offered more as a marketing ploy than a genuine option.
The services offered by Timeshare Compliance, as currently described on their website, are vague. The site focuses on legal solutions and referring cases to lawyers. Though timeshare attorneys can help resolve a case, their services can be quite expensive and are not always necessary.
As a result, fees from Timeshare Compliance can add up quickly. Their fees begin at $4,500, though they can get up into the tens of thousands of dollars. There is at least one report that the final fees from this company went as high as $100,000.
There have also been complaints about communication and tactics advised by the company after fees were paid. This includes three lawsuits from timeshare companies who allege that Timeshare Compliance told clients to simply stop making payments to the companies. This is not an exit solution nor a service that anyone should pay for. Apart from not solving a client’s problem, this can also cause foreclosure, deficiency judgments, and ruin credit scores.
Wesley Financial Group
Building in Franklin, Tennessee
Wesley Financial Group, LLC, is a non-BBB-accredited timeshare cancellation company based in Franklin, Tennessee. The company’s website promises termination of timeshare agreements using their in-house team but is very light on details as to the company’s timeshare exit process. This appears to consist of a combination of legal representation and advocacy directly to the developer on an owner’s behalf.
Complaints (of which there have been 61 in the last three years) about Wesley Financial Group center on sporadic or infrequent communication (contrary to what was promised) and the number of fees paid. The amount of fees reported is between $4,000 and $10,000. Some owners, however, have reported fees that would be almost as much as what they would just pay their developer to get out of their contract.
At least one customer complained on Yelp that he had been paying Wesley Financial Group for nearly a year, then sought to cancel the engagement because he was unhappy with the services. When he sought to collect on the company’s money-back guarantee (which is used instead of an escrow option), they denied it was an issue covered by the guarantee and refused a refund.
Vacation Consulting Services
Whereas Timeshare Compliance and Wesley Financial Group have mixed reviews, Vacation Consulting Services has a dismal F rating on the BBB website. This company is notable for its promise that if it was unable to achieve a timeshare exit within one year, it would buy its clients’ interests from them.
If that promise sounds too good to be true, that’s because it was just another of the many scams that have arisen in this area. In 2020, the Missouri Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Vacation Consulting Services for its failure to provide this relief to its clients.
The company also allegedly advised some of its clients to default on their timeshare payments, leading to foreclosures and other legal problems for those clients. Reckless advice like this can also ruin a timeshare owner’s credit score.
For all these reasons, Vacation Consulting Services is among the timeshare exit companies that should not be recommended to anybody.
Nationwide Settlement Solutions/American Settlement Solutions
Room full of documents
These two non-BBB-accredited timeshare exit companies are owned by the same person (Michael Miles) and have similar reputations and complaints, filled with red flags.
Nationwide maintains a C+ BBB rating, with a dismal customer rating of 1.6-out-of-five stars and 15 complaints in the last three years. American has a similarly bad reputation, with a C BBB rating, a 3.08-out-of-five star rating, and 14 complaints in the last three years.
Complaints about these companies show fees well over $10,000 and a lack of results, putting clients in an even worse financial position than they were when they hired the company. The BBB itself has noted a “pattern of consumer complaints alleging failure to issue refunds, failure to cancel contracts, misleading sales presentation, harassing phone calls and overall poor customer service.”
For these reasons, engagement of either of these companies should be avoided at all costs.
Timeshare Exit Team
Timeshare Exit Team was also the subject of a state attorney general’s lawsuit, which they settled in exchange for paying a huge fine. This company also charges fees in the tens of thousands of dollars without getting good results for its clients. BBB complaints show that despite those outrageous fees and a “money-back guarantee,” clients have not been successful in getting their money back.
As we’ve seen with other companies, Timeshare Exit Team also has advised its clients to stop paying on their timeshares, causing them to go into foreclosure and suffer other serious legal consequences. Timeshare Exit Team has therefore proven that it is an untrustworthy company, as its customers almost always ended up regretting the experience.
Thankfully, Timeshare Exit Team has closed all operations and is no longer an option for owners.
Centerstone Group Has the Best Resources to Get You Out of Your Timeshare
Happy woman reading some files
Centerstone Group is proud to have been featured elsewhere on the internet as the best among the timeshare exit companies. Its specialists have collective decades of experience in the timeshare industry, and their expertise has been recognized with an A rating from the BBB, as well as numerous positive customer reviews.
Not only do we have an excellent reputation as one of the best timeshare exit companies, we also offer more options, and execute them better, than any of our competitors. For example, we offer a real escrow option for our clients to ensure that they get their money’s worth.
In terms of our actual services, we don’t just refer cases out to lawyers or ask our clients to default on their timeshare mortgages. Instead, we look at your case and pick one or more out of several options that suit your situation. For some owners, our proprietary pressure campaign against a developer (with administrative complaints) may be the way to go.
In other cases, more legal help may be needed. Then, and only then, would we work with one of our attorney or law firm partners to get you the result you need. And we would always ensure that only work an attorney is needed for should be done by the legal team, so we can keep your costs down.
We are also available to help you with timeshares outside the United States. For example, we have an excellent track record for getting timeshare exits for units in Mexico.
Timeshares eat your money, your vacations, and your peace of mind. Don’t pay tens of thousands in upfront fees or default on your timeshare obligations. We would be honored if you allow us to help you with an exit strategy. Contact Centerstone Group today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
A free to play game is a game that allows a player to enjoy a game for free. Most of the game’s trappings are optional, such as hats. Other trappings include unlocking crates for weapons that players can craft. Some free to play games even have cosmetics that players can purchase. In some cases, these cosmetics are necessary to play the online battle royale mode. These free games may offer a limited number of weapons, so acquiring them isn’t necessarily necessary.
Free to play games have improved over the years, but still have some negative connotations. As with any other form of game, there are negative aspects to be aware of. Although free to play games are largely free, they can still be exploitative. Fortnite, Dota 2, and League of Legends are just a few examples of these free games. Free to play games are increasingly popular because they provide a large amount of free content and can be played by almost anyone.
One example of a free to play game done right is My Friend Pedro: Ripe for Revenge. This sequel to the popular MMORPG features less challenging controls and cuter graphics. Both games revolve around a slingshot mechanic. One finger is used to aim and shoot. Some of the skill shots are slow-mo, and the game’s controls are easy to learn and master. The free version of My Friend Pedro: Ripe for Revenge is also worth playing.
Another free to play game that has received a significant update is Overwatch. This action RPG has recently been released by Chinese developers and has been compared to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This game has grossed more than $2 billion in its first year. Its popularity has led to a variety of expansions and more modes. Once players start getting bored of the game, it may not be enough to lure them to purchase microtransactions.
Splitgate is a first person shooter released in early access on Xbox One and PS4. This has been updated and is now available on Xbox One and PS4. It will also be available on iOS and Android. The game includes Ubisoft’s mascot, who will be joining the fray soon. There are some other free to play games available, but many of them aren’t worth the money. With that said, the free to play games that you can get are a great way to try out a new game.
If you’re looking for an action-RPG, a free to play game that features microtransactions is Path of Exile. Developed by Smilegate RPG and published by Amazon Games, the game offers 15 character classes and a robust endgame. Other free to play games include Runescape, which is a fantasy MMO that has been updated frequently for more than two decades. It is a great way to test your skills and level up while having a good time with your friends.
Another free to play game is EVE Online. This massive space exploration title sees players fighting each other and rising and falling empires. Players will fly around the galaxy in spaceships, engage in scuffles, and trade with other players. Any role can be played and the rewards are immense, but remember that there are risks involved. As with most games, the rewards are usually higher but the risks are higher. In EVE Online, players must take the greatest risks to reap the maximum rewards.
Monster Hunter World is a fun and challenging game that is available for free on the PC. You can also join a team of up to three friends in co-op and complete missions together. Dauntless offers the same monster-slaying experience, with the added benefit of supporting up to three friends. The game also features increasingly difficult Behemoths, each with a unique attack and ability. To be successful, players must carry various weapons and use chaining abilities.
Another free to play game that you should check out is Warzone. Like its predecessor, it’s another Call of Duty game. Unlike the first one, Warzone is a battle royale with 150 players. Infinity Ward has stripped away the complex looting system and added respawn mechanics. If you’re looking for a free to play game that allows you to participate in battle royales, Warzone is a good choice.
One of the sad truths about the modern travel industry is that timeshares and vacation clubs continue to prey on travelers. Hundreds of thousands of timeshare products are purchased every year by travelers who were lured into slick sales presentations at timeshare resorts — only to find out that they purchased an ongoing financial burden of timeshare maintenance fees, exchange fees, repairs, and other costs.
To add insult to injury, these owners find that there is no real timeshare resale market, so they can’t make money back. Timeshare developers also prevent them from defraying their costs by blocking rentals or charging large upfront fees for allowing those rentals.
This ongoing problem has led to the formation of the timeshare exit industry. These companies were formed to help people get out of their timeshare contracts. The great need has led to the creation of many Timeshare Exit companies. If you are an unhappy timeshare owner, you have a lot of choices.
Beware, though. Not all timeshare companies are created equal. While some are better than others, there are a few that have created even more legal and financial problems for the people that they were supposed to be helping. With that in mind and the number of options when it comes to timeshare exit companies, you may not know where to start.
This article will discuss many of the timeshare exit companies from the past few years. We’ll look at the costs of using their timeshare exit services as well as customer testimonials and the reputations the companies have established. Most importantly, we’ll look at the timeshare exit scams you should avoid at all costs.
Timeshare Compliance
Timeshare exit companies: old employee with stacks of documents on his desk
Timeshare Compliance has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2016. They have established a good reputation for achieving timeshare exits in some cases, though they have had 21 complaints in the past three years. In others, though, their communication has fallen short and caused some trouble for their customers, which the company then had to fix after receiving negative reviews.
Many timeshare exit companies have a money-back guarantee. Timeshare Compliance offers an escrow option whereby a fee can be held by a third party until the company does its job. There are reports, though, that almost none of Timeshare Compliance’s customers qualify for this option, which is offered more as a marketing ploy than a genuine option.
The services offered by Timeshare Compliance, as currently described on their website, are vague. The site focuses on legal solutions and referring cases to lawyers. Though timeshare attorneys can help resolve a case, their services can be quite expensive and are not always necessary.
As a result, fees from Timeshare Compliance can add up quickly. Their fees begin at $4,500, though they can get up into the tens of thousands of dollars. There is at least one report that the final fees from this company went as high as $100,000.
There have also been complaints about communication and tactics advised by the company after fees were paid. This includes three lawsuits from timeshare companies who allege that Timeshare Compliance told clients to simply stop making payments to the companies. This is not an exit solution nor a service that anyone should pay for. Apart from not solving a client’s problem, this can also cause foreclosure, deficiency judgments, and ruin credit scores.
Wesley Financial Group
Building in Franklin, Tennessee
Wesley Financial Group, LLC, is a non-BBB-accredited timeshare cancellation company based in Franklin, Tennessee. The company’s website promises termination of timeshare agreements using their in-house team but is very light on details as to the company’s timeshare exit process. This appears to consist of a combination of legal representation and advocacy directly to the developer on an owner’s behalf.
Complaints (of which there have been 61 in the last three years) about Wesley Financial Group center on sporadic or infrequent communication (contrary to what was promised) and the number of fees paid. The amount of fees reported is between $4,000 and $10,000. Some owners, however, have reported fees that would be almost as much as what they would just pay their developer to get out of their contract.
At least one customer complained on Yelp that he had been paying Wesley Financial Group for nearly a year, then sought to cancel the engagement because he was unhappy with the services. When he sought to collect on the company’s money-back guarantee (which is used instead of an escrow option), they denied it was an issue covered by the guarantee and refused a refund.
Vacation Consulting Services
Whereas Timeshare Compliance and Wesley Financial Group have mixed reviews, Vacation Consulting Services has a dismal F rating on the BBB website. This company is notable for its promise that if it was unable to achieve a timeshare exit within one year, it would buy its clients’ interests from them.
If that promise sounds too good to be true, that’s because it was just another of the many scams that have arisen in this area. In 2020, the Missouri Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Vacation Consulting Services for its failure to provide this relief to its clients.
The company also allegedly advised some of its clients to default on their timeshare payments, leading to foreclosures and other legal problems for those clients. Reckless advice like this can also ruin a timeshare owner’s credit score.
For all these reasons, Vacation Consulting Services is among the timeshare exit companies that should not be recommended to anybody.
