Royal Holiday Scam-- You Do Have Rights

ComplaintsTravelRoyal Holiday

Complaint

0
Vin Manzello
Country: United States
We made the purchase of a vacation club membership with Royal Holiday on May 31, 2010 while on vacation in Cancun. We had agreed with the sales director, Ernesto Barberi to exchange 1 of our paid in full timeshare properties in addition to a cash deposit for a paid in full membership package.  Later that evening while reading through the membership packet, we realized numerous discrepancies and outright lies between what was presented and what was contained within the language of the packet.  We therefore decided that night to exercise our legal right to cancel the membership and receive a full refund.  We exercised that right the very next day, June 1, 2010 and met with Mr. Barberi, who claimed that he was unable to process the cancellation at the sales office and gave us instructions of what he needed to do to obtain cancellation and refund authorization.  Needles to say, Mr. Barberi has failed to  respond to any phone calls, emails or letter since that date.

We have sent registered letters to all adresses in the contract, email notifications, faxes and phone calls on a daily basis and all within the legal time frame allowed, all without results.  All our attempts to obtain a cancellation and refund within the allowed 5 business days  been roadblocked by the company.  Each and every person we contact via email or phone claims that they are either unaware of the process to provide a cancellation/refund or they are not authorized to do so.  Also, they are unwilling to provide a name or contact number of any person who knows how to process a cancellation / refund or is authorized to do so..  Ironically, although not authorized to process a cancellation, each representative is authorized to offer upgrades and downgrades galore.

After conducting an internet search, I was amazed to find literally hundreds, if not thousands, of complaints  of fraud on behalf of the Royal Holiday representatives.   I also found an extremely shocking number  of cases of victims attempting to cancel within the legal timeframe as is their right by Article 56 of the Federal Consumer Protection Act all to no avail as the company refuses to abide by the law.

Know You Rights
Article 56 of the Federal Consumer Protection Law
The contract will be perfected within five working days from the delivery of, or the company/signature of the contract, which ever occurs the latest. During this period, the consumer will have the right to revoke his consent without any responsibility. The revocation will have to be by means of warning or delivery of notice, in person, by registered mail, or another method of average reliability. The revocation according to this Article, will terminate the contract. In this case, the costs of shipping and insurance will be the responsibility of the consumer. If the contract is for services, this article will not be applicable if the date of receipt of the service is less than ten working days from the date of the order of purchase.

ARTICLE 32 OF the Federal Consumer Protection Law
The information or publicity relative to goods or services that spread by any means or forms, will have to be truthful, verifiable and clear of texts, dialogues, sounds, images and other descriptions that induce or can induce error or confusion, by its inaccuracy.

Immediate Cancellation Procedure
To protect your right to cancel within 5 days of signing your contract you must immediately send notification of your intent to cancel and exercise your rights under ARTICLE 56 OF Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor.

You need to send your cancellation by a means that you can easily prove that you complied with Article 56. It is best to send a certified letter to all Mexican Addresses contained within the agreement and to follow up via email and fax.  You should also copy yourself, and PROFECO (the Mexican Federal Consumer Protection Agency at: extranjeros@profeco.gob.mx ) on your email. If your email system allows, you should request delivery confirmation and a return receipt. Do this even if you make the cancellation in person.

Also,  it is best to forward copies of all correspondence to the Mexican Embassy in your home town or better yet, show up with documentation in hand.  They will assist you with a PROFECO claim.

As an added measure of insurance, forward all correspondence to the Mexican Embassy in Washington, DC, the US Consulate in Mexico, and the Mexican Board of Tourism.

Contact Your Credit card company immediately to stop payment and issue an dispute.  Provide copies of all written, emailed, faxed correspondence in addition to a copy of Article 56

If you feel you were defrauded at a timeshare or vacation package sale in Mexico, you can fight back for a full refund…Check out http://www.mescam.com/index.htm

Check out the following for more assistance:
http://www.thesqueakywheel.com/
http://www.ripoffreport.com/
http://www.complaintsboard.com/?search=royal+holiday
http://royalholidayclubmexicoscammedme.blogspot.com/
http://www.timeshareconsumergroup.org/fraud_royal.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1W2HVGnNls  20/20 Royal Holiday Timeshare Investigation
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/WgFSMGOF9gA7WwjJdplNoA
http://www.thetimeshareauthority.com/2008/04/ ... reasons-part-i/

Comments

  • 0
    lmack
    | 3 replies
    YOU CAN GET A REFUND!! WORK QUICKLY AND TIMELY!!! I GOT MY REFUND IN 3 WEEKS!!
    I too was caught in the Royal Holiday scam. I followed the advice above and took immediate action (within 1 day)
    1 - I filed an immediate dispute with my credit card company
    2 - I emailed every address for Royal Holiday that I could and copied my email to PROFECO
    3-  I sent a letter via Fedex to the resort in Cozumel where I had signed the agreement including copies of all emails sent and the PROFECO information I had received about Article 56
    4- I continued to fax every update to my credit card for the dispute claim and I do believe that I would have won the dispute as I had proven very clearly I had met article 56.  The refund was processed before the final decision.

    Good News! Within 3 weeks of filing, I received a FULL refund.  I did have to field various phone calls from different representatives from Royal Holiday to explain why I was cancelling.  While, they would not discuss cancellation process, I stuck to my guns and simply said my reason was that I had changed my mind and that I could so under Article 56.  In my case, the message was the same from my credit card company and PROFECO - as long as you can prove that you have met the 5 day cancellation notice under Article 56, you have a legitimate claim.  PROFECO and VISA were great giving me all the information I needed.
    • 0
      Ruby yankah replies to lmack
      Please what do I do if Royal holiday had taken money from my account since last year march to date and tried to concealed and they refuse. What should I do in this situation ?
    • 0
      Blake Erickson replies to lmack
      Thank-you so much for taking the time to pass this helpful information along. It has been of great benefit to us. I did everything in just the last few days. In talking to VISA today I believe we are going to receive our refund from these devils. Best wishes to you! Blake Erickson, Nanaimo, BC
    • 0
      Olga replies to lmack
      Hi! Did Royal holiday send you a cancellation letter for the contract? They are telling me that my contract is cancelled and that they don't send cancellation notices that for me to use their email as proof of cancelation.
  • 0
    Alwaysroaming
    This advice is the best. Follow these steps and it will work.  It is best to dispute while you are still in town.. Just be sure it is what you really want before buying it... It seems that it takes a while to get your value out of the plans they offer. It's just the quick and pressure driven technique they use stinks.... Goodluck
  • 0
    alejandra
    | 2 replies
    I did the membership ,yes I know so stupid,but when I asked them if went a get home and I talk with my boyfriend and he didn't like it I have time to cancelled the membership ,of course they lied they tell me you have 30 days,when I got home I find out about this companie right away I called the credit card,I called the person who sell me the membersip and the manager and the other manager
    They don't want to cancelled my membership and no even put the money back to the credit card
    I'm from Canada and I don't know what to do
    Now the lady said she will send all my papers to there lawyers
    So somebody can help me
    Please
    • 0
      JOHN HOWARD replies to alejandra
      | 1 reply
      OK WE GOT MEMBERSHIP ON THE 13 MAY 2012, WE LEFT BRAVO PRINCESS ON THE 14 MAY ON ARRIVEING BACK IN CANADA WE TRIED TO BOOK A HOLIDAY AT THE SAME HOTEL
      AS THEY TOLD US WE CAN STAY THERE FOR $45.00 PER DAY, BUT WHEN WE TRYED TO BOOK FOR 7 DAYS  IT WAS $1800'OO EACH I TOLD THEM I WAS CANCELLING THE MEMBERSHIP, I DID EVERY THINGE  BY email  SO THERE REPLY WAS LOGED INTO MY COMPUTER  WHICH I PRINTED OUT AND SENT TO ROYAY BANK VISA AND MY LAWYER ,
      TODAY MY DEPOSIT $2025.00 WAS REPAID INTO MY VISA ACCOUNT
      THEY OFFERED A LOWER RATE BUT DID NOT ACCEPT IT
      TO MANY LIES ie 20 TO 80 % OF AIRFARES
      SO GIVE ALL YOUR DETAILS TO YOUR LAWYER AND VISA
      HOPE YOU GET YOUR MONEY BACK WE DID
      PHONE 709 5798360 9 NEWFOUNDLAND AND DO NOT PAY THEM IF YOU DID THEN YOU ARE STUCK WITH THEM BUT PHONE ME ANY TIME LET SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU
      • 0
        Allison replies to JOHN HOWARD
        Just bought our membership 30,000  money just went in to their account on friday 15th feb cant get ahold of them Please help us.
        From canada
  • 0
    Jason hopper
    I got the membership 5 years ago and wasn't able to use it due to kids and job now I can but it always say not available and they don't won't to give me all my points it's paid for  can I get my money back or atleast just get out of it.
  • 0
    Robert, Boston Mass.
    | 1 reply
    We cancelled our club membership within 16 hours and since April have not recieved any refund of the $7000 paid upfront. Wish Casa Del Mar warned us first but its our fault. Do not go on any "free day pass" rides with these people. We never even left the lobby and we cancelled it in person and still no refund. We did contact Profeco, Mexican Embassy, The U.S. Consolate and the Mexican Board of tourism. Over 25,000 people have been scammed by them....dont be 25001!!!
    • 0
      Blake Erickson replies to Robert, Boston Mass.
      Just wondering if you ever got your refind from these bums?
  • 0
    iwasntfooled
    Royal Holiday: located in puerto vallarta, hotel los tules;
  • 0
    Cajun Girl
    Yes, it is all a scam. We purchased a timeshare (can't believe I let my husband talk me into this)!  Anyway, we were given bonus points as incentive to purchase. Well, once we tried to use the "BONUS POINTS" we were told we have to pay $720 to activate the points. No where in the contract indicates we had to Pay to activate BONUS points. Such a scam! I am not sure if there are honest lawyers that can help. I have been told by a group of international lawyers that they have never lost a case and can get my money back; another group told me there is a slim chance to get a refund but may get out of the contract. I DON'T KNOW WHO TO TRUST ANYMORE!!
  • 0
    RoyalSucks
    I am stocked with this Royal scam...I bought my timeshare back in 2010 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  I tried to cancel the contract next day me and wife signed and the lady there said we cannot cancel the contract.  I did not know about my rights until after I read this post here...my wife and I have kids and are not even using this crap...the thing that kills us is the $530 yearly fee for "Maintenance" what stupid is that Maintenance fee for?  How the heck I get out of this now that is too late for Article 56?
  • 0
    Lily
    We just joint this membership Dec 16, 2012. Like most people's complaint, we are in same bad situation. They promised us we could get 50% discount for any airline in the world and get cheaper hotel too, but now we are planing to book our next trip, they told us that they never book airplan tickets for anyone. Everything the salesperson said is not true. We have paid $11000, we don't know how to do right now. Can you give us any suggestion? my email: lilyfeng1096@hotmail.com
  • 0
    Royal Holiday Timeshare Complaints
    Royal Holiday timeshare scam be careful, they will promise to sell back weeks so you can make money while owning their timeshare.This will not happen. They will take your money and you will get nothing but headaches in return. They are dangerous people!!
  • 0
    dusica
    We were scammed by Royal Holiday in september 2011 in Punta Cana, until we got home back in Canada we realized it was a scam, tried booking airfare with discount but they were more expensive then on regular websites, we payed them up until now over 10.000 $ and we have 3 more years to pay monthly payments + annual fee and with the third kid coming next year we really cant afford it !!!! I would really just like to get out of this regarding money I already paid to them, I consider it paying for my mistakes but how to stop paying them more and more??? Please if anyone can help me, my email is: krsticka@yahoo.com
  • 0
    Royal Scammers
    Just got back from Punta Cana.  Royal Holiday ruined our holiday.  We hadn't even finished signing all parer work. And told them we had doubts started catching them in lies.  They said well try the 5 star at no charge if we like we could continue if not opting out was not a prob.  After a day we felt uncomfortable and deciced to call our credit card company.  They had charged us 9000.00 as soon as we said Scam our credit card co. who has obviously heard of them stop payment.  We were lucky but they were still intimidating even though they did not know we had cancelled our card and of course were telling us we couldn't cancell.  Can't believe it not all paperwork was signed.  Trying to spread the word as much as we can so no other innocent hard working travellers get taken.
  • 0
    Carl
    Royal Holiday is the best, it has always worked for me you fools jaja
  • 0
    K
    I have also been scammed by Royal Holiday at Grand Riviera Princess at PDC/Cancun. I was told that the fees will be only applicable if I decide to travel that year. It looks like it is a mandatory fee. Also I was told it will never go up and it looks like it does reading ocean of complaints online.This is after paying upfront (big mistake), $11K for the silver membership. I was not even told that I could cancel within 5 days and we did not find out we could until after I came back from my trip. I tried booking some hotels on Royal Holiday site and there aren't many available even for off season. What's the point? I will start the process of asking for my money back and get legal involved as necessary.

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