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3.2 114 Reviews

Silverleaf Resorts Complaints Summary

61 Resolved
53 Unresolved
Our verdict: While Silverleaf Resorts has an above-average resolution rate, there’s room for improvement. Investigate common issues reported by customers and understand how they were resolved. Be prepared to follow up on your queries if needed, and keep detailed records of all interactions.
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4:37 pm EDT

Silverleaf Resorts sales reps are treated worse than rats!

I worked for Seaside in Galveston. I actually moved out to Galveston to be close to my job. I started selling write away, then all the sudden put on the back burner. I tried more training which I pissed off the Favourite girl who lied to the director and then he wouldn't put me out at all hardly. This led me to fall far behind on draw, which I had know idea. You don't find out about any money until you have been there for a few weeks wondering where it is. We were told not to say a word to new reps or they would take the redeye.

Finally one of the others needed help and I offered to drive them if I was allowed to go back out and sell. Well since then I started selling all the time and was put in the power group.

Guess what I lost my job because I had to go to court for a couple of hours on my regular scheduled day to work. I was told if I went I would be fired. Here I was with a fever and never had taken off sick and if I didn't show would be in contempt of court and arrested.

Then they added a day, well I was in school. Hmmm some others are also in school and get to come in at 12. You know what people? We aren't allowed breaks. The HR lady would come into the bathroom while I was on the potty telling me to take another tour, while some of the guys hid so they could protect their bonus's. I sold enough in two months that I was denied my bonus because I was forced to take other reps tours.

One day I couldn't breath or catch my breath as the HR lady jumped my case and demanded I go out and take another tour. Here I was gasping for air, hadn't had a break, and crying because I wasn't sure I was having a heart attack as I was verbally accosted further by this women and then forced to leave. Here I sat in the car crying because I couldn't breath or drive for over an hour. One of my friends kept me on the phone and convinced me to try and drive until I got home. My blood pressure was 179/113. Now you tell me if anyone deserves to be treated like this!

Even with some of the BS I always picked my tours up with a smile and was energetic. My people loved me as I over heard others saying I wish I had her.

You know what else? Some of my TO's were giving my sales to the VC councelors because they weren't making any money. Are you kidding me? All the time this happened as a matter of fact one tour said yes as her family was split up on tours. Well my TO excused me off my table and tried to give my sale to the new girl|. How do you like them apples|. You know I would have split the commission to be fair had he not tried to screw me over?.

Now I believed in the program, but knew nothing of the downfalls, so on a personal not I hope all my people were satified because I wasn't there long enough to know anything shabby from the financial part!.

Well to my disbelieve the director really let me down|. He fired me because I wssn't going to be there at a time when I really needed the support, then he lied to the unemployement people about my character, and other things.. Rudy you know what I never said one bad thing about you even after you fired me.. I was a good employee and I believed in you.

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Cali3846
houston, US
Jun 11, 2012 3:36 pm EDT
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You are absolutely right, I want to start a lawsuit for that exact reason. Would you be interested in assisting us? Calisuccess@gmail.com is my e mail

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1:07 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Silverleaf Resorts timeshare ownership

I had a time getting rid of my Silver Leaf timeshare week. I was frustrated at the rising fees and no one
Is buying them for close to what they are worth and I’m spending too much trying to get rid of it. So I
Was reading on pissed.com and there was a post from a girl at a Company and they were taking
Silver Leaf timeshare weeks and can have them out of your name in six weeks and you pay nothing
Out of pocket and get a tax donation write-off in addition (so it’s like selling- get money back)-
Well I’m a skeptical person but I figured I should give it a try so I emailed the girl in the ad/comment-
Nanette and she mailed me a small welcome packet of information on donation and I faxed in
Information and sure enough the week was out of my name in six weeks and I had a $5000.00 tax
Donation to file with my taxes. They were honest courteous and reliable so I wanted to let everyone
Know. (And also wanted to help Nanette she was wonderful.) Good luck getting rid of your Silver Leaf.
Go to www. trejesto. Com and fill out donation form –please put Nanette in referral – she’s a big help.

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5:27 pm EDT
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Silverleaf Resorts are they legit

They offered me a trip to Lee Mass about time shres.The prizes they offer is funny because they claim i will win one of five prizes, Mercedes, Bahama trip, 49, 000 cash monies etc I dont want to travel if its not real.They say they are on the up and up but as you know there are scammers out there.My complaint is that it sounds too easy buying atime share in which im very intersted in doing.I just dont want to trave if this is some knd of scam.I went through you before and gave me great advice can you let me know if theses peopl/Silver leaf resorts or/Oak and spruce are legeit? Thankyou Mary Root
[protected]@yahoo.com

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TimeshareSocial
Oldsmar, US
May 26, 2011 2:59 pm EDT
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As a timeshare owner we can all end the misery of the RCI membership by going to http://www.timesharesocial.com . This site is free to join and you can upload videos of the resort and talk to other timeshare owners as well.

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geminijef
Astoria, US
May 17, 2011 7:20 pm EDT

Silverleaf is available at: silverleafresorts.com.
I own with Silverleaf Resorts. Their pitch is legitimate in that they put your name in a hat and you can win one of the "grand prizes" (Mercedes; $49K; Bahamas; etc). Since they are in the business of timeshares, 99.99% of everyone wins the 3-day Bahamas or Las Vegas (or similar) trip. This is nice, and you get to see what one of their Timeshares is like. However, they are good at the "hard sell" and can convince you of anything. You can't afford option 1? What about option 2? Option 3? 4, 5, 6, 7? Let me get my manager to get you option 8! They sell the properties by giving you the monthly cost (e.g. only $89 per month? You can afford that!). As I said, I do own with them. If you have the time, and the interest, it is worth it, I think. Silverleaf lets you use any of their 12 resorts in the country or (what most people do) is trade it in with RCI and travel anywhere in the world. I've been to Cancun, Disney, and Las Vegas with RCI and it's always been great! I've stayed at Silverleaf in MA quite a few times, and it is nice being right there in the Berkshires. Three things to consider: 1) You may want to look into going directly to RCI and getting a timeshare with them, so you don't have to pay extra service fee to travel the world. 2) You may want to just save (e.g.) that $89 per month and use that money to travel with once a year instead. 3) You can rent timeshares at a lower price and with no obligation at websites like sellmytimesharenow.com and buyatimeshare.com. Good Luck!

ComplaintsBoard
S
9:52 am EDT

Silverleaf Resorts fraud

Ok so there are a lot of complaints on these people on this website yet nothing in the BBB about them. We bought a red week timeshare with unlimited bonus time at The Villages in Flint Texas. It was explained to us that we would actually own a specific unit and they gave us a number. We went the first time and were not able to have “our” unit that they showed us and was given one on the 2nd floor of a three story building. It was loud and peoples everywhere. We went in to our condo and the carpet had burns from the kitchen to the back patio, the kitchen counter was burned also. We complained and were told that they were full and we could not be moved. We decided to try to have fun anyway so we went to the water park. It was a joke! So many locals that we couldn’t even sit down anywhere. we left after 30 mins and all that money. We went to the club house and attempted to play miniature golf, tennis, basketball and were unable to because all the equipment was out. Went to the game room and the floor was soaking wet with fans blowing from a leak and it smelled horrible. We went back to our room and found that the party down stairs was in full force with a fish cooker going and numerous people drinking and having a good ol time. We went to bed and listened to that and the toilet run all night! We wanted out! We left the weekend early and called the following Monday to get a refund. We were told it was too late. We have suffered through all of this for a year. We were told we could use any silverleaf resort across the country so we attempted to go to Galvaston. We were told were could not use any resort only the five in our immediate area. All of this is so frustrating to me and I am going to hire an attorney tomorrow. Everything they said was a lie and a joke! I have stopped paying maintenance fees.

I had a long talk about all of this with a person at the corporate offices in Dallas. She was rude and degrading to me and said that she would comp us a room ect. I told her we can go anytime we want for free because we have bonus time. She had no answers. I demanded our money back and she stated she would pull our file and look to see if any mistakes were made at the time of purchase but that she could not promise anything. She then said “I will call you tomorrow because its 10 til 5 and I get off at 5!” Please file a complaint with the better business bureau on these people that are the only way anyone will find out about the scam that goes on there. I told the women that I would go out to the resort on the sales day and picket and tell everyone there it was a scam and she stated that she would not stand for threats! I told er it was not a threat. She hung up on me! Whatever happened to customer service? Did I mention that when you sign in people were getting all kinds of gifts and when I asked about it they said that’s only for the presidential owners! Really! Anyway please file the complaint with the BBB.

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FAYEHOBLEY
, US
Apr 30, 2013 12:54 pm EDT
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I PURCHASED A FREE EVENT WITH SILVERLEAF IN TYLER, TX., (WELL NOT FREE BUT 79.00) AND TOLD I HAD THIRTY DAYS TO CANCEL. WELL I BOOKED THE ROOM AND FROM THE START LIES. YOU DO NOT STAY ON THE RESORT AQS PROMISED IF YOU BOOK DURING THE WEEK--BUT AT A NEARBY HOTEL--THEN I COULD NOT GET MY MONEY BACK (NO THIRTY DAY) RULE---THE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS POOR AND I WON'T EVEN CONSIDER PURCHASING ANYTHING FROM THEM IN THE FUTURE. ROOMS ARE NEVER AVAILABLE ON SITE WHEN NEEDED. SILVERLEAF IS TRASH. I WISHED I HAD RESEARCHED BEFORE JUMPING ON SUCH A "GREAT DEAL."

SCAM, SCAM SCAM----

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nflguy2003
Fort Worth, US
Jun 17, 2012 9:17 am EDT

I can't believe so many people still pay for timeshares. It's common knowledge that timeshares are ripoffs. I'm going to assume any buyer that actually believed they would "OWN" a timeshare unit was either a teenager or mentally challenged.

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sophie210
Branson, US
Jun 08, 2011 12:55 am EDT

I had a time getting rid of my Silver Leaf timeshare week. I was frustrated at the rising fees and no one
Is buying them for close to what they are worth and I’m spending too much trying to get rid of it. So I
Was reading on pissed.com and there was a post from a girl at a Company and they were taking
Silver Leaf timeshare weeks and can have them out of your name in six weeks and you pay nothing
Out of pocket and get a tax donation write-off in addition (so it’s like selling- get money back)-
Well I’m a skeptical person but I figured I should give it a try so I emailed the girl in the ad/comment-
Nanette and she mailed me a small welcome packet of information on donation and I faxed in
Information and sure enough the week was out of my name in six weeks and I had a $5000.00 tax
Donation to file with my taxes. They were honest courteous and reliable so I wanted to let everyone
Know. (And also wanted to help Nanette she was wonderful.) Good luck getting rid of your Silver Leaf.
Go to www. trejesto. Com and fill out donation form –please put Nanette in referral – she’s a big help

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5:04 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Silverleaf Resorts do not fall for it!

My girlfriend jokingly entered one of those contests set up in malls with the flashy cars and huge prizes, and got a phone call saying she was selected to win one of 4 prizes if she came out to a resort in Flint, TX and listened to some presentation.
She decided we should go, and we were both more than prepared to say no. We sat down one-on-one with one of their salespeople, and spent a good 45 minutes just answering questions about where and how often we like to vacation. After some basic math, she told us that over the next 20 years, we'd spend about $80, 000 on vacationing. Before telling us the price of this supposed 'great offer' she took us on a tour of the resort. It was nothing too special, and not many actual guests around. She was more than friendly the whole time, joking with us and incorporating other things we had told her previously into her spiel.
Once we sat back down and she told us the outrageous $3, 000+ down payment and $400+ a month payments, we said no. After that, she seemed to get a little distant and uninterested in us, now that she knew she wouldn't be getting her commission off our purchase. She called a manager over, who was supposedly from a different department and was just helping out. He too was very friendly and jovial, and said he wanted to find a way to help us afford this timeshare.
He came back with what was, in comparison to the first set of numbers, a great deal. It was an old deed, bought years ago when the resort was nothing but construction, that had been sold in order to upgrade. He said he was able to offer it to us for roughly $8, 000, and included bonus time and an RCI upgrade option. Basically, any time during our "blue week" period (the "starter" time period, which included early January-mid March, and mid November-mid December), we could come out for a few days at a time during the week and stay at no charge. Nice perk, I guess, if you don't mind the weather during most of that time period. What really got us whas the RCI exchange program. He pulled out a huge book, opened it to a random page, and showed us multiple 5-star resorts in exotic placed that we could stay in at any time of the year, for only $199.
Once he checked my credit, he gave us a small down payment, and very low monthly payments, and we were sold.
We signed the papers, played a scratch-off card for one of the prizes we initially came for, and were on our way home.
In that 2-hour drive, however, it hit us that we were now tied down into a 7-year loan, with a high interest rate, and were probably not going to fit much vacationing into the very limited blue time frame. I read into the contract, found that we had 6 days to cancel, and had two letters of cancellation in the mail, both to the resort and the corporate offices, the next day.
Don't get fooled by these great "one time" deals they offer at these presentations. I can guarantee they would give you the exact same deal any other time you came in if it meant getting your business. I've read enough stories from satisfied owners to know that you CAN get what you pay for, but other times, it's just flashy sales tactics and supposed great deals that no one else would be able to get, just to keep you from walking away.
This is not something that should be decided in the couple hours they talk to you, especially with salespeople pressuring you. You CAN cancel these loans without damage to your credit, and if they try to tell you otherwise, don't listen. If you cancel within your state's "cool-off period", there is legally nothing they can do to keep you in the contract.
If you made the same mistake I, and other people, have, there is a way out.

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Listen carefully!!
Austin, US
Feb 05, 2013 9:04 pm EST

Wow! Now I know to avoid those flashy car entry prizes at the mall. They lure you in don't they. I just received a call saying if I go to the hill country resort I will win one of the four prizes. Named all the nice cars, vacations and 500 cash. Reality if I really did win just mail me the 500 then lol. But good thing my cellphone died to avoid the scam of it all.

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Cali3846
houston, US
Jun 11, 2012 4:00 pm EDT
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That's the same game they ran on my wife and I but we declined the second offer of 8k with 700 down. So they offered us a 1yr trial period for 90$ down and 90$ a month so we took that but when we visited the resort for the first time on a day pass, it was a terrible experience and they flat out lied about the free amenities and the service and food were horrible as well.

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2:10 pm EST

Silverleaf Resorts don't fall for this!

My Husband and I just attended to this 90 min tour this weekend at the Hill Country Resort/ Silver leaf resort. And believe me it all sounded so great and loved the presentation. but when we told them our credit was bad and we didn't’t think we could buy because of that, they said not to worry that they sell to everyone even with bad credit. she said they don't care how bad your credit is, because they don't even run a credit check. So to us that was a red flag! NO way in He** could this be Lagitament ..and also I did not like the fact that she told us anyone can buy! I asked her what about sexual predators? Do they run a back ground check since kids are running around freely in these so called resorts, and amazingly she said they don't. another RED FLAG! we decided to pass and wow! so many different staff employees came by trying to get us a better deal until we finally said NO THANK YOU! so please don't FALL FOR THIS!keep your money and take your family to somewhere really nice..These people are just a waist a time!

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Cali3846
houston, US
Jun 11, 2012 4:09 pm EDT
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They sucker you into a contract then don't want to let you cancel it when you realise how much of a rip off it is... It's ok though their are a lot of people who feel like I do and if the don't let me cancel my trial membership a lawsuitis in progress and wow there are a lot of people willing to testify in court that were promised the world and not delivered accordingly... You sound like someone who profits from this business.

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snoopster
Mansfield, US
Feb 26, 2011 6:31 am EST
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Look a little deeper before you jump to a conclusion. They do not care about the credit because they use in-house financing. Silverleaf does not make a payment for the acerage or buildings; they own it outright. Your deed is an ownership for a specified amount of time per year for life; once you pay it off, you will always be able to use it in the manner your contract and deed describe. If you fail to pay or fail to make arrangements if there is a financial issue, it is simple, it will be foreclosed on and that is that.

Sexual Predators... let's see... They are everywhere, period. Each resort facility has 24x7 on-site security and patrols. There are no hidden places to take and abuse a child or anyone else for that matter. The resorts are geared very specifically towards families and children; there are a lot of wyes on everyone at all times, most just do not know it. Employees all have background checks and tolerance for offense, inappropriate actions / activities by employees is about zero. These resorts are really resorts; there are tons of things to do, places to go, and activities to do around the clock. They are safer than Disney Land, Vegas, or some flea bag motel off the interstate.

If you had these red flags, as you say, then you should have asked about them directly as there really are answers, policies, and protective measures in-place for everyone. The ownership of this particular company did not just wake up yesterday and decide to sell timeshares... they have been creating vacations and memories through timeshare ownership and consistent planned vacations for over 40 years. If you were to give them a chance to talk to you about your concerns, I am sure you would find that they have considered and acted upon those fears for a very long time.

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11:08 am EST

Silverleaf Resorts bad service

The Service I got from mrs boyd sucked! She is a very rude *** excuse my language but facts are facts. I was trying to get some help my wife lost her job and was need some type of assistance. Mrs boydtold me to deal with it thats life. Asked to talk with someone else she stated I am the manager asked to talk to someone higher she got smart and stated if you cqll ford and ask for the ceo are you goin to talk to them. I just asked to speak with someone else rather than her. I hung up called back yet I was transfered to mrs boyd she refused to give me her full name when I asked. Im very upset im calling to get some help yet this is what im told. Mrs boyd then states I will not talk to anyone but her. I told her I will report to Bbb someone will hear me out mrs boyd said do what you have to do if your not paying we dont need to talk do we and hung up in my face

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RachKieselstein
Spring, US
Feb 16, 2015 9:05 am EST

Well with grammar like this...I would hang up too...there is no "I'm sorry" for adults. Your phone number will always go to her because it is on the records. The BBB is paid by companies to be a member so they choose or choose not to be on the list. Stop complaining and get another job. BTW...Do your research!

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8:43 pm EST

Silverleaf Resorts liars

You were reading a complaint about Silverleaf Resorts.

Filing a new complaint about
We were told that they will waive membership fees if we buy the day we did.

Salesman signed the waiver and put the form in the yellow folder, after we got home the form was gone and now they are demanding membership fees and late payment fees on top of it.

They press us so much that they even convince us to have Bank of America credit card and pay the full amount with it.

I would like to know how do I get out of this contract?

On top of it all, they promised that payments start on January of 2012. And Bank is demanding payments now.

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3:09 pm EST

Silverleaf Resorts scam artists

Silverleaf is nothing but a scam! These people lure you in and lead you to believe you are getting a great deal and all these wonderful things...then you get locked in and that's when you realize that you are NOT getting what you paid for! They will kiss your butt until you have a complaint then they talk down to you and make it seem like you are the problem, not them...WTF who does that? I guess they don't care how they treat you at that point because they will get their money, regardless of how you feel about it. If you haven't sold your soul to these people yet, DO NOT do it! I promise you, you will regret it if you do!

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slrscam
Peoria, US
Feb 13, 2011 8:43 pm EST

Silverleaf has been trying to call me stating I owe them. I have been contacted by a number of different people and when I have tried to work with them, they always tell me I have to pay at least 1 payment by whatever deadline they make up that day. I dealt with a man named Tim Miranda. I checked him out. He is over their legal department but does not even have a high school diploma. how do you get over a legal department without a high school diploma. I am going to the attorney general now. they are crazy. He told me his boss name and I tried to call him but they tell me the boss is out every time I call in. right this jim scott is out every single time I call. they have called my neighbors, my coworkers and my family, plus the people I gave them as referals. this is crazy. who does business that way? I am calling attorney general tuesday when I am home and lettig them know what this company is doing. I am sick of them all. no high school diploma and they run a legal department. where is our money going?

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7:30 pm EST
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Silverleaf Resorts debt settlement

Do not under any circumstances sign any type of contract with this company. They talk a good story at the beginning and then they do absolutely nothing for you when they have your money. Never do any type of debt settlement with a company who asks for fees upfront. It is a SCAM. I am out $3, 800 and have nothinn to show for it. I am in the process of writing to all agencies that may be able to go after this company, however if I can save people from making the same mistake then it will be worth it.

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allan cowan
, US
May 14, 2013 1:48 pm EDT
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Lloyd ward, silverleaf, and debt rx usa have scam me big time, then they sent my account to meracord. I just found out that they are going out of business. I paid a total of $284.01 for 36 months, then they wanted more. that's when I close the bank draw they were getting from me for 36 months. they called and said they were working on settling. I here nothing from then since. now I get this check in the mail from meracord for $4, 541.98 refund stating nothing what it was about. so I called meracord to find out whats going on. that's when they tell me that meracord is going out of business in 30 days. then I called Lloyd ward, they were awhere of my account. as I was talking to them the phone conversation was cut off. I then called back only to get that this phone number is no longer in service.
I been scam by people who only made my situation worst. I could only say that I think the government should make these people pay back for all the misery they have caused a lot of people. what to do next, I do not no. if anybody knows please advise me. my e-mail is arcowan19022@att.net

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joanie boston
Martinsville, US
May 24, 2011 5:51 pm EDT

LLOYD WARD AND SILVERLEAF IS A SCAM THEY LIED TO US FROM THE START.WE GOT A SUMMONS FROM ONE OF OUR CREDITORS AND THEY TOLD US NOT TO FILE A RESPONES SO NOW WE HAVE A JUDGEMENT AGAINST US AND WE HAVE TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT PLUS ATTOURNEY FEES AND COURT FEES. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LET YOUR CREDITORS KNOW WHATS GOING ON AFTER AWHILE. LLOYD WARD AND SILVERLEAF DO NOT TELL YOU THAT ALL THE CEDITORS ADVENTUALLY COME AFTER YOU AT THE SAME TIME SO THE MONEY YOU PUT A WAY WILL NOT COVER IT. PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY YOU WILL BE WORST OFF THEN WHEN YOU STARTED.

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NIKNOK
oxnard, US
May 13, 2011 11:18 pm EDT

LLOYD WARD AND ASSOCIATES = WORST EVER, SCAM ARTIST...PLEASE DO NOT FALL AND SIGN ANY CONTRACT WITH THIS COMPANY. THEY ONLY KEEP GETTING YOUR MONEY AND CHARGE YOU FOR THE SERVICES THAT THEY DO NOTHING. THEY ARE AGENCY FOR SCAMMING AND YOUR DEBT WILL GET WORSE. I END UP DEALING IT WITH MY SELF. SO PLEASE ANY DEBT CONSOLIDATION COMPANY WILL MAKE IT WORSE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CREDITOR AND DEAL WITH THEM. CREDIT CONSOLIDATION WILL MAKE IT WORSE. PLEASE SPREAD THIS INFORMATION TO ALL THAT HAVE CURRENTLY ON DEBT ISSUES. THIS WILL HELP YOU BIG TIME AND REGRET IF YOU SIGNED UP TO THIS KIND OF SERVICE. HOPEFULLY MY EXPERIENCE WILL BENEFIT YOU. PLEASE HEAR ME...

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5:54 pm EDT

Silverleaf Resorts rip off

We were sold a 2 night stay at a Silverleaf resort in San Antonio by a street vendor at Six Flags. It cost us $60 to stay but we had to listen to their 90 minute sell on their resort but after that we would win a prize and get to stay at the resort for the rest of the time. Once we paid we received a call a few days later to schedule our stay. On the phone with them we find out the resort we will be staying at isn't actually in San Antonio but an hour north of it and the resort we paid to stay at was only for owners so they put us up in a cheap hotel 30 minutes further away. We drove 5 hours to get to this place to stay at a clean but very cheap hotel. The next morning we drive the 30 minutes to the resort to be hounded by several sales people for 4 hours (not 90 minutes like they told us) to finally tell them no and all we got was a free days stay at that resort. When we asked about the chance to win a vacation, car or money with some scratch off game, they told us that was for people who bought into their scam. When we told them our sales guy told us we would get it no matter what the lady told us "Oh he has only been working for us for 2 weeks so he didn't know any better". This is truly a scam so please save yourself time and money and don't ever get pulled into a Silverleaf resort scam.

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GreO87
, US
Sep 15, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

I too went to the pineyshores resort to a supposed 90 minunute presentation. they promised us 8days/7nights every yr. but contract said 8 days/7night everyother, they never tld us that, and when I caught it in the contract, the sales rep lied & said that's not what he said. he kept promising us extra days "off-record" just call and "he'll fix us up"

They would not what he sold us so we cxcled the contract, and they didn't want to give us our deposit back, after 5hrs we finally got our money back & got to leave.

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sfisher50
Rusk, US
May 04, 2012 4:16 pm EDT

I basically had the same experience, except I did get the "scratch off" and won another "free" trip (I already 'received' 2 "free" trips, which also required $100 deposits) to Aruba, however no transportation, no taxes, etc AND I would have to pay a $100 non-refundable deposit. This 90-min tour also was 4 hours for me, I was promised a "no pressure" tour and it felt very pressured to me. My kids were with me and they kept trying to get my kids to encourage me to buy in. It was ridiculous. I filed a complaint with the BBB because of the advertised and promised "free" vacation that costs $100.

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5:20 pm EDT
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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Silverleaf Resorts misleading

If you have a complaint about Silverleaf, I urge you to take further action. Place you complaint in the Better Business Bureau.

http://bbb.org
http://www.consumeraction.gov/

I also sat through the endless, high pressured meeting filled with lies. They purposely left out critical information to make the sale sound too good to pass up.

Common Complaints
-Its not a good investment (Horrible Resell Value)
(Think about this...If its such a good investment...Why don't they buy back the Timeshares from individuals?)

-Limited Time usage

-Bonus Time is hardly available...unless you agree to 1 hour meeting that turns into 5 hrs

-Maintenance fee purposely left out of equation.
ex: I had already signed some document with a total of $240...as I read the documents further I noticed the $65 Maintenance fee. The Sales Rep. presented the material in such a way that sounded like the Maintenance Fee was already included in the $240.

-Some Room are purposely book for new prospects member (know as VIP Guests)

-Constant Phone Call Harassments to attend an Owner's Meeting (AKA a chance for the Sales Rep to sell you an upgrade)

While I agree some individuals like their timeshare, most individuals are trapped. If any business has wronged you, please write a complaint to BBB.org and be heard. Maybe they can get you out of your contract for misrepresentation for fraudulent forging as I read in one of the comments.

And for those passing judgement on individuals who feel wronged...what kind of life are you all living if you took the time to read all these complaints?

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Spared and Grateful
Gainesville, US
Sep 05, 2012 8:02 pm EDT
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Unlike some others I did find the comments on this board very helpful. We have some friends and familyl members who are involved with this place so I decided to look in to it. It would be so nice if everything they are telling us were true. I understand why people sign contracts without reading them. When people are breathing down your neck and waiting for you to act you feel rude if you are taking too long. Everyone has done that at some point in there life. Did you read all the fine print when you joined your gym or signed your kid up for swimming lessons? I highly doubt it...some things we assume and take for granted, I don't think expecting people (or companies) to do the right thing is a bad thing. It obviously can however cause a big issue when they don't. You can not tell someone how to feel about getting ripped off or knock them for wanting to vent about it. What is the saying about people in glass houses? Well you get the idea. Anyway I appreciate the comments and thank you for sharing...I do believe we will keep our money!

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Romeisburning911
Waco, US
Dec 24, 2010 4:28 am EST

A timeshare is a luxury item. It is an impulse buy. It is not a mutual fund. It is not real estate. I don't feel sorry for any people listing their sob stories on this board. If you were stupid enough to sign a legal contact without reading it then you don't deserve to keep your money or reserve the right to complain. It is not a scam when you sign a contract agreeing to the terms and conditions. Are the sales techniques questionable? Maybe. But then again what isn't these days? Bank screw people out of money daily with interest and credit cards. The government prints money and causes inflation that weakens the value of the dollar while my paycheck stays the same. The government has waged an illegal war that is costing this country a fortune and breaking our economy into peices. The national debt is approaching 13 trillion dollars. Before long our country wont be able to pay the interest on that debt and will be BANKRUPT. When will you wake up! I'd like to see you people place a tenth of the contempt you have for this company into something that matters. America is asleep, it is fat and lazy, and the powers that be like it that way. Because as long as your spending your time and energy buying stupid things and complaining about your own stupidity they can do whatever they want. So stop blaming everyone else and take responsibilty for your decisions.

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12:45 pm EDT

Silverleaf Resorts bad employees

We were invited out to the hill country resort in canyon lake. our appt was @ 4 pm, but we were called and were urged ot be early so we arrived @ 3:30. There were about 75 families waiting in the lobby when we arrived. we waited for 3 hours before we were seen. They paired us with courtney who was great at first but when we decided not to but she quickly got an attitude and even had some rude words for us in the parking lot. We did not leave the resore till 9 pm, we were passed from sales person to sales person and they would not take no for an answer. This company should take more pride in it's sales reps. Courtney made several racial remarks and was very rude after we did not purchase...something just deems really shady about this company. They broought out payment down from 8, 000 to 3, 000 total, they brought the down payment down from over 3, 000 to $150.00, and the monthly payments went down from 470 to 110.00...questionable!

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Roger brown
Kansas City, US
Mar 21, 2013 12:41 am EDT

Bottom line is you have to understand something before bashing it cause it's an awesome program that helps family togetherness. Granted if u had an issue with an employee attitude that's different but silver leaf it's self it an awesome place to be, but keep open mind to things an beautiful things will happen.

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Roger brown
Kansas City, US
Mar 21, 2013 12:35 am EDT

110 is for a club amenities member ship for 1year an others are deeds that are higher in monthly payments if you would have payed attention to presentation you would have understood it k
Idiot

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2:44 pm EDT

Silverleaf Resorts if only we knew

A friend of mine was invited to the Canyon Lake Resort in TX. She asked me to attend. I did not know what was going to take place. We were matched with Courtney because we are all NASCAR fans.

We kept on saying NO until a gentlemen stepped in to help and he pulled something out of Inventory. These people are good sales reps because they know how to get your likes out of you. That's how they connect. Finally, they got it down to where we could split the pmts. I wrote a check?

We went back to the hotel room. Started reading over the documents and realized we couldn't do this! So, we read again about how to cancel.

The next day we went back to the sales office and returned the folders and asked for our money back. This was on a Saturday and I knew my check was still in the office. We told the gentleman from Friday that we just cannot do this. He then introduced us to Brad. I explained my situation to him and he understood. He then introduced us to a Trial Membership for 18 monts @ $1, 500. We only have day usage until the $1, 500 is paid. Then we call 2 weeks before we want to use it for a weekend. We still pay $50 each night. To use it for a week it is $80 per day.

Do you see what is wrong with this picture! Too much money going out the door for what?

How do you get out of a Trial Membership?

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2:07 pm EDT
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Silverleaf Resorts impropper treatment

We went on our 2 hour tour and when we told them that the purchase was feasible just nopt at this time...that i needed to think...i was rudely ushered out the door with my wife and mistreated verbally on the way down...so after we received our "FREE" trips(that we will still have to pay to go on)...i call the next day...complained and was reimbursed for my gas and meals on the way...DO NOT GO ON THIS TOUR! It is 100% scam... when u don't put the 5k down and sign...you get thrown out. If you do attempt this...make sure to call the corporate number which is [protected] and complain for reimbursement of money since they cannot return the lost time...good luck!

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2:51 pm EDT

Silverleaf Resorts stay away

I've visited all of the Texas resorts. The units vary from very old (70's) to new and the maintenance seems to vary equally from not-so-good to excellent. Every location was pretty much as I expected and certainly nothing to wave a plus banner for. My biggest negative would be saless. These folks are hard sale all the way. Very misleading and generally just insulting. Non-professional would be a gross understatement. Watch your back with these guys; they are of the shifty persuasion.

I'm an owner of Hilton's Grand Vacation Club since 2003 and they are are first class and professional in every instance. I'm sure Silverleaf would be better if I didn't have a first class organization to use as a comparison.

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jangg
, US
Jan 22, 2011 6:16 pm EST

After just sitting thru the farce of this scam, we are rescinding our program with Silverleaf, before we even start. We went yesterday for the tour, and couldn't get out of there until we bought, due to the high pressure. We read over the right to cancel, and are cancelling it today. What helped the most was reading all the complaints. Sure wish I had done that before we went.

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4:06 pm EDT

Silverleaf Resorts lied and cheated us

I am attempting to file a class action suit against Silver Leaf. I have already paid $2500 to get cancelled contracts but I want a refund.

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issy18
, US
Feb 09, 2011 1:56 am EST

LexisNexis Academic
Advertising Age

November 7, 1988

Texas officials probe resort mailings

BYLINE: By DENISE GETSON, Christy Fisher in Dallas contributed to this story

SECTION: NEWS; Direct Marketing; Pg. 30

LENGTH: 566 words

A U.S. attorney in Texas has obtained what he believes is one of the largest-ever mail fraud judgments against a time-share resort company. Now, he wants to nab the company's direct-mailing agency.
The lawsuit, brought by U.S. Attorney Bob Wortham in Beaumont, Texas, last month, resulted in a $1.5 million fine against Freedom Financial Corp., which advertised time-shares by offering prizes to consumers for visiting the resorts.

Among the prizes: an "all-terrain vehicle" that was actually a lawn chair with large plastic wheels.
As part of plea-bargain agreement with the court, the Dallas company pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit mail fraud and two counts of mail fraud relating to the distribution of misleading direct-mail ads for its time-share resort properties from September 1987 to June 1988. Freedom Financial operates five time-share developments in Texas and two in Missouri.
"I plan to change the way these time-share operations do business, and the direct-mail companies are at the top of the pyramid." Mr. Wortham said.
"Freedom Financial was sold a package by a direct mailer who claimed that their tactics were legitimate and had been proven with other resort operations in the county, " Mr. Wortham said. "Of course, Freedom Financial had to be pretty greedy to shut their eyes and be taken in by the claims."
His office is still investigating the direct-mail company's role in the scheme.
An official statement by Freedom Financial implicated a third-party professional mailing organization, which it had contracted with for the creation and distribution of its ads.
However, Freedom Financial's plea-bargaining agreement with the court has been sealed.
Penny Wilson, VP-marketing for Freedom Financial, refused to release the company's name.
Separately, Freedom Financial is paying $219, 000 in fees and restitution to Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma and residents of those states who complained to government agencies that prizes offered for visiting the resorts were misrepresented.
Time-share resorts often entice visitors by claiming that a major prize is being reserved for them.
The investigation by the Texas attorney general found consumers who visited Freedom Financial time-share properties often were subjected to high-pressure sales tactics. In some instances, consumers got virtually worthless gifts rather than the high-price prizes they expected.
In addition to the "all-terrain vehicle" was a ladie's imported black mink coat, which was composed of dyed waste fur parts, including snouts, paws and ears. The value of the coat to winners, after they paid a "redemption fee, " was 5¢.
A Freedom Financial solicitation resembled an official telegram and carried a false endorsement from the Texas attorney general's office.
The attorney general won an injunction requiring Freedom Financial to declare its contracts with mailing organizations to his office. Further, the office will regulate future ads for proper disclosure of prize information and terms of redemption.
Lorna Christie, director of ethics and consumer affairs for the Digest Marketing Association, said vigorous prosecution is appropriate when direct mailers employ fraudulent practices.
"Fraud hurts our business, " Ms. Christie said. "It's in the best interest of this organization that companies engaging in fraud are put out of business."

PERSON: BOB WORTHAM (63%);

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES (97%);

STATE: TEXAS, USA (97%); MISSOURI, USA (92%);

CITY: DALLAS, TX, USA (79%);

COMPANY: FREEDOM FINANCIAL LIFE INSURANCE CO (90%);

SUBJECT: RESORTS (90%); DIRECT MAIL MARKETING (90%); LAWYERS (90%); PLEA AGREEMENTS (89%); JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS (89%); FRAUD & FINANCIAL CRIME (89%); ATTORNEYS GENERAL (89%); INVESTIGATIONS (89%); CONSPIRACY (78%); FINES & PENALTIES (76%); GUILTY PLEAS (75%); SUITS & CLAIMS (73%); SALES PLAN (71%); MOTOR VEHICLES (70%); FUR & LEATHER CLOTHING (62%);

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

Copyright 1988 Crain Communications, Inc.;
The San Diego Union-Tribune

June 11, 1989 Sunday

Fraud charges a threat to lavish lifestyle

BYLINE: Jim Okerblom, Staff Writer

SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. B-1

LENGTH: 1854 words

DATELINE: RANCHO SANTA FE

RANCHO SANTA FE -- David and Annette Hagen would seem to be the picture of success, what with the brand new, $670, 000 five-bedroom house they are renting here, the Cadillac and Range Rover in the drive and the direct-mail business they own in the the pink-stucco Polo Plaza complex nearby. That's what lots of people -- first in Seattle and then in Virginia -- thought about the Hagens.
Many don't think that anymore. "If you deal with that man, do so at your own risk -- he will take your money and run, " is how Desmond Call, manager of the Ad Pro print shop in a Seattle suburb, put it. Over the past 10 years, the 34-year-old Hagen has left in his wake scores of angry creditors, thousands of complaints from consumers, lawsuits, criminal investigations and an eight-count indictment for mail fraud and conspiracy, filed March 31 against him and his wife in Jefferson County, Texas. The Hagens recently opened the Brown Development Institute on Via de la Valle here. Approached at his office last week, Hagen answered to the name David Brown, but later denied that he was using that name.
A promotional brochure for his new company on his desk had his name printed as David Haggin.
He said that was a misprint. Hagen declined to be interviewed for this story, saying past interviews have resulted in "absolute lies" about him appearing in print.
In an interview with the Washington Post last month, he dismissed the indictment, saying, "Someone once said a U.S. attorney can indict a sandwich." Hagen's Houston attorney, Kent Schaeffer, said Hagen and his wife are innocent of the mail-fraud charges.
Schaeffer attributed Hagen's financial difficulties to business setbacks beyond his control. Despite his financial problems, Hagen has managed to live the good life by operating a series of direct-mail businesses that promote time-share campgrounds, resorts and condominiums.
Companies he has controlled in other states have sent out millions of letters -- by one account as many as 250 million -- promising prizes for people who attend time-share sales promotions.
Authorities allege the prizes often were never awarded. But much of Hagen's success, those who have dealt with him say, stems from his uncanny skill at running up hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, and then walking away from it -- over and over again. "He deserves an academy award -- he's that good, " said Paul Wham, co-owner of LaserPrint, a Seattle-area company that says it lost more than $30, 000 to Hagen. Before moving to San Diego about three months ago, Hagen lived with Annette, his second wife, in Great Falls, Va. There, the two were known as David and Annette DeFusco.
DeFuusco is her maiden name.
Their life in Northern Virginia including driving a $95, 000 Rolls Royce and a Mercedes Benz and living on a 150-acre farm. The mail-fraud indictment stemmed from the Manassas Park, Va., direct mail firm that the couple operated with Annette as president. The Northern Virginia operation used several names, including DeFusco Advertising and Design, Lead Marketing, Leadco, Bureau of Adjustment and U.S. Graphics & Mail Ltd. According to Texas authorities, the operation sent out as many as 26 million letters to people in six Southwestern states offering BMWs, large-screen television sets, up to $10, 000 in cash and other prizes for attending time-share promotions for resorts owned by Dallas-based Freedom Financial Corp. Bob Worthman, the assistant U.S. Attorney in Beumont, Texas, who sought the indictment, alleges that the mailings were a blatant scam.
Unlike many mailings of this sort, Wortham says, the Hagens letters listed no cheap gifts, only expensive prizes such as cars, television sets and cash. "A lot of them said you were absolutely guaranteed to get both of the prizes, " he said.
"And you'd get there and win a book on the 1984 Olympics." Wortham said the mailings, in mid-1987 to mid-1988, prompted more than 2, 000 complaints in Texas alone. "We've handled a lot of major cases in the United States -- drugs, major bank-fraud cases, " Wortham said.
"But no other case I've handled has received the interest of the public as this case." Bill Van Hook, the assistant attorney general in Springfield, Mo., said his office also received close to 1, 000 complaints about the letters. Schaeffer, the Hagens' Houston attorney, argued the mailings were not illegal because they contained a "qualifying number" that had to match a winning number before the prizes were actually awarded.
He also noted that Freedom Financial, which hired the Hagens and approved their mailings, paid a $1.5 million fine but did not face any criminal charges. (The company was named an unindicted co-conspirator.) The couple's trial is scheduled for August. In 1987, the Hagens declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy for their Manassas Park operation. The company listed debts of $875, 000 to 20 of the largest unsecured creditors, with the Hagens personally responsible for none of it, said Gerald O'Donnell, the U.S. trustee overseeing the bankruptcy in Alexandria. There are no substantial assets, O'Donnell said, because much of the property was leased. The company's debts, in a 13-volume bankruptcy file, reportedly exceed $1.3 million to nearly 100 creditors.
One creditor is the doctor who delivered the Hagens' baby three years ago. Another creditor is Tri-State Envelope in Beltsville, Md. David Zukerberg, Tri-State's sales manager, said Hagen came in and paid cash for several small orders, and then asked for credit. "We said, `OK, we'll give you 20 days, ' " Zukerberg recalled. Soon much larger orders came in, and checks began bouncing. "In the space of 45 days, he had us for about $40, 000 or $50, 000, " Zukerberg said. The company eventually recovered close to half the amount, after some heavy-handed collection tactics, Zukerberg said.
Many other companies, banks and the U.S. Postal Service were not so lucky.
They got nothing. Schaeffer blamed the debts on the "amount of heat" put on by government investigators, which he said quickly drove away the Hagens' customers and sank the business. But the stories about Hagen are similar in Seattle. In 1979, Hagen and his first wife, Amanda, filed for personal bankruptcy for a company they owned called Sunbeam Electronics.
They listed debts totaling $296, 955 to 23 unsecured creditors.
All were legally discharged, according to bankruptcy records. After working in the marketing department for a time-share campground company in Bellevue, Hagen formed his own direct-mail marketing company, World Wide Marketing, around 1981 with several partners, said a former business associate who asked not to be identified. Under contract, the company was paid $50 to $85 for each "lead" it could entice to come to a sales promotion for a time-share resort or campground. Hagen liked to brag about his $1, 000 suits and his silk shirts and ties; he drove a Cadillac and stockpiled diamonds and other jewels, said John English, a World Wide salesman who eventually became vice president for sales. World Wide's offices were equally lavish, with $80, 000 worth of custom furniture, including a $6, 000 conference table, $1, 700 leather chairs, a $3, 000 desk in Hagen's office and a $4, 000 reception center, said Edward Webb, owner of Crawford's Office Furniture in Seattle. All of the furniture, Webb said, was leased through a company Hagen provided.
His store, Webb said, received an initial $1, 700 down payment, and then the deal collapsed.
The store finally recovered the furniture after nearly a year by paying a lien to a storage company, said Webb's daughter, Lynn. The last of it has been sold only recently. "It was just one nightmare after another, " she said. When English became vice president for sales, he assumed World Wide was awash in black ink, he said.
Then, when his wife gave birth to a baby prematurely, he discovered money that had been deducted from his paycheck for health insurance had never paid to the insurance company.
Hagen, he said, dismissed it as a clerical error -- but it happened again with another insurance company. Calls from disgruntled creditors began surfacing, English said, "and it became obvious what was going on."
English resigned, still owing $6, 000 in hospital bills. In 1984, after Hagen had remarried, World Wide Marketing was forced into Chapter 7 bankruptcy, leaving debts close to $1 million to dozens of Seattle-area companies. The former business associate said Hagen went on to form two more direct-mail companies -- one called United Prudential Inc. and one called Matrix.
He lived an increasingly lavish lifestyle, the man said, while both those companies racked up more debts. Gary Jones, owner of Westgate Travel in Seattle, said United Prudential paid cash for small amounts of airline travel and then charged $6, 600 worth.
"I never saw a penny of it, " Jones said. While trying to collect the debt one day, Jones said, United Prudential's controller sat "face-to-face across the desk" from him and announced, "We never intend to pay you or any of the others.
It has worked very successfully for us." Call, the office manager for Ad-Pro Litho in Lynnwood, Wash., said United Prudential charged $14, 000 to his company within the first 30 days, paying nothing.
Call said a company official laughed and told him: "If I decide to pay you, I will.
If I decide not to, I won't. And there's not a damn thing you can do about it." Schaeffer, the attorney, emphasized that most of the more than $1 million in debts Hagen left behind in Seattle were legally discharged.
The remaining creditors, he said, had legal avenues they could have pursued. "If all these people were really defrauded out of their money, why wasn't something done years ago?" he asked. Postal inspectors in Seattle spent four years investigating World Wide Marketing, United Prudential, Matrix and two other companies connected to Hagen there, said Stan Pilkey, the inspector who headed the probe.
Postal officials have said thousands of people were promised free trips, most never receiving them, and about 1, 000 lost $200 each in "refundable deposits." Harry McCarthy, an assistant U.S. Attorney in Seattle, said his office received the results of the investigations in January, and is still reviewing it to determine whether a criminal indicment will be sought. "It's fairly extensive, in terms of the number of people involved, " McCarthy said. The Hagens' lavish lifestyle may finally be threatened. In addition to the criminal charges they face in Texas, their company's bankruptcy in Virginia may also be in trouble.
O'Donnell, the trustee, said he has filed a challenge to the company's request to discharge its debts, contending it is in "absolute violation" of the bankruptcy code. It is unclear what business the Hagens' new company, Brown Development Institute, is doing here.
Hagen told a reporter last month that the company would do desk-top publishing and design small ads, and was "staying away" from any time-share promotions. But the promotional sheet for the Brown Institute on Hagen's desk last week -- the one with a name spelled "Haggin" -- was a list of valuable prizes that someone may have won.

The Washington Post

May 14, 1989, Sunday, Final Edition

DeFuscos Are Called Bad Example;
Time-Share Firms Changing Tactics

BYLINE: Mary Jordan, Washington Post Staff Writer

SECTION: FIRST SECTION; PAGE A18

LENGTH: 416 words

David and Annette DeFusco "are to our industry what pornographers are to the publishing industry, " said Gary A. Terry, president of American Resort and Residential Development Association, which represents a majority of the 1, 100 owners of time-share developments in the United States.
The millions of DeFusco mailings -- which promise, but do not deliver, expensive prizes to lure people to resorts or presentations of time shares -- have tarnished the image of time shares, Terry says.
But David DeFusco says that he is being blamed for the sins of an entire industry, and that vacation promoters have always relied on gimmicks and free gift offers to attract people.

"I did what everybody else did, " he said in a recent interview at his offices in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. "Only I ran into a prosecutor who wanted to clean up the industry."
Time sharing -- buying into a resort for a week or more each year -- has become increasingly popular both in the United States and abroad, according to industry figures.
In 1988, 1.3 million Americans owned a time share, according to Terry's group.
Faced with increasingly bad publicity recently, some resort owners say they are rethinking their advertising tactics and hiring lawyers to read their promotional mail.
Outdoor World Inc., which owns 14 vacation spots around the country and once hired the DeFuscos, reviews all its mailings for potential legal problems, according to Bruce Morgan, the company's attorney.
"What David DeFusco has been indicted for is not part of the mainstream, " Morgan said.
"We've never had anybody as nasty as this."
The resort owners who hired the DeFuscos have run into trouble, too. The Dallas-based Freedom Financial Corp. pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy and mail fraud charges and paid a $ 1.5 million fine.
According to federal prosecutors, Freedom Financial paid for millions of the DeFuscos' mailings and had endorsed their use.
In Alexandria, The Hensley Group Inc., a time-share company that also used the DeFuscos' mailings, has been the target of complaints and lawsuits in Virginia, Maryland and Florida. Federal prosecutors said other resorts linked to the DeFuscos also may find themselves indicted or fined for fraud.
"Most members would love not to send direct mail, " Terry said, "but direct mail plus a gift offer is the single most successful [advertising strategy for time shares]. Unfortunately, it lends itself to . . . unethical and misrepresentative material."

ENHANCEMENT: SIDEBAR

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES (95%);

STATE: VIRGINIA, USA (92%); TEXAS, USA (79%); CALIFORNIA, USA (79%); MARYLAND, USA (79%);

CITY: DALLAS, TX, USA (79%);

COMPANY: FREEDOM FINANCIAL LIFE INSURANCE CO (53%); AMERICAN RESORT DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (84%);

ORGANIZATION: OUTDOOR WORLD INC. ; HENSLEY GROUP INC.

SUBJECT: FRAUD; REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY; MARKETING; ADVERTISING REAL ESTATE (90%); RESIDENTIAL CO-OWNERSHIP (90%); REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT (90%); TRAVEL HOSPITALITY & TOURISM (90%); RESORTS (90%); DIRECT MAIL MARKETING (89%); JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS (89%); INDICTMENTS (88%); FRAUD & FINANCIAL CRIME (88%); INTERVIEWS (78%); LEISURE TRAVEL (78%); PUBLISHING (73%); LAWYERS (73%); GUILTY PLEAS (73%); MARKETING & ADVERTISING (72%); MARKETING STRATEGY (70%); CONSPIRACY (69%); FINES & PENALTIES (67%);

PERSON: DAVID DEFUSCO; ANNETTE DEFUSCO; GARY A. TERRY GARY A TERRY (90%); DAVID DEFUSCO (82%); BRUCE MORGAN (66%); ANNETTE DEFUSCO (66%);

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

TYPE: VIRGINIA NEWS, NATIONAL NEWS

Copyright 1989 The Washington Post
Austin American-Statesman (Texas)

September 13, 1997

Timeshare purchasers seldom satisfied

BYLINE: David Evans

SECTION: Business; Pg. D1

LENGTH: 1004 words

DALLAS -- To Connye and Melvin Eichelberger of Dallas, the proposition from Silverleaf Resorts Inc. was outrageous.
In June, Silverleaf offered $200 to buy back the same timeshare vacation unit in Flint that it sold her for $5, 850 in October 1994. The development is on a lake about 100 miles east of Dallas.
Though the Eichelbergers wanted to sell, they declined the offer.

It was ridiculous, '' Connye Eichelberger said. I thought they were joking.''
It's no joke, however. Many owners of Silverleaf timeshares who want to sell their vacation investments accept the company's $200 buyback offer. That's because the resale market for timeshares -- which grant owners the right to use a condominium for a specified week each year -- is almost nonexistent.
Such transactions contributed to the 94 percent gross profit margin that Silverleaf posted last year, which was higher than that of almost any public company. Silverleaf's stock has gained 44 percent since its June initial public offering of 3.6 million shares at $16 by Credit Suisse First Boston. The stock closed at $22.75 a share Friday.
Silverleaf is one of the largest timeshare vacation developers in the $2 billion-a-year U.S. timeshare industry. It is an industry that is still dogged by customer complaints that, in the 1970s and '80s, led to some timeshare promoters going to jail for defrauding consumers.
For some timeshare owners who want out of their vacation investments, the difficulty in reselling their units is a source of grief. Silverleaf bought back 1, 500 timeshares for $200 a unit at its seven resorts in Texas and Missouri last year. Meanwhile, the company was able to sell units to new customers for an average price of $6, 645.
Silverleaf's average cost for each one-week unit sold to new customers last year was about $387, including buybacks, foreclosures, new construction and units from inventory.
Almost half the 1.8 million U.S. owners of timeshares are interested in selling, according to an industry study released in July. The number of units that Silverleaf bought back last year was equal to a quarter of the 6, 054 units it sold to new customers. Now, Silverleaf plans to buy back only about 500 units a year, according to the prospectus for its IPO.
Sharon Brayfield, president of Dallas-based Silverleaf, said the company buys back timeshares as a favor to its customers. It's kind of a customer service-type thing, '' she said. This is not something we forced anyone to do.''
The market for resale of timeshare intervals is very limited, '' said Silverleaf in its prospectus. Resale prices are substantially below their original purchase price.''
It isn't easy to sell timeshares the first time, either. Silverleaf spent 45 percent of its 1996 revenue on sales and marketing, which is in line with the industry, about $3, 000 for each timeshare sold. Timeshare buyers get title to 1/50 of a resort condominium unit and the right to use it for one week a year. They must also pay maintenance fees or dues.
Regrets purchase
Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, I want to buy a timeshare, ''' said industry consultant John Simon of KPMG Consulting.
Ask Ruthie Seward, an inventory clerk from Frankston who now regrets her $8, 500 purchase of a Silverleaf timeshare last year. She paid $850 down, and committed to monthly payments of $142 for seven years.
It's a lot of money for something we don't even use, '' Sewardsaid.
She said she was lured to the sales presentation by a letter from Silverleaf informing her that she'd won a prize.
Three months ago, Seward paid $200 to list her timeshare with a broker, asking $7, 000, but hasn't attracted any inquiries.
Foreclosures are another source of low-cost timeshare inventory for Silverleaf. In 1996, the company charged off bad debts representing 25 percent, or $12.1 million of its $48.1 million of sales. That's more than five times the industry average.
No Buyer Found
The Eichelbergers weren't able to find a buyer for their timeshare by July 1. That's when Silverleaf foreclosed on it. Even though Connye Eichelberger and her husband owned it free and clear, they were $350 behind in paying the $600 annual dues Silverleaf charges all its timeshare owners.
We kissed $6, 000 goodbye, '' said Eichelberger. Yet she said she doesn't regret turning down Silverleaf's $200 buy offer. I considered that an insult.''
According to the industry's study, the most common reasons timeshare owners want to sell are lifestyle changes, insufficient usage, the continuing expense and wanting more vacation flexibility.
The industry was notorious in the 1970s and 1980s for using high-pressure sales tactics and phony contests to persuade unsophisticated consumers that timeshares were a good investment.
In 1988, Silverleaf, then called Freedom Financial, was convicted on federal mail fraud and conspiracy charges, and paid a $1.5 million fine. The company admitted defrauding consumers by promising them nonexistent prizes in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation.
Robert Mead, who owned Freedom Financial, is now chairman and chief executive of Silverleaf. He holds about 7.7 million shares, worth $175 million. Although his company was convicted of fraud, he wasn't personally charged with any crime. David DeFusco, who provided sales leads for Freedom Financial, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges and received a prison sentence.
Yes, we had problems back in 1988, '' said Brayfield. That was a really painful period for Bob.''
Besides the criminal conviction when it was called Freedom Financial, Silverleaf has been the subject of several enforcement actions by Texas and Missouri regulators.
In March, it donated $30, 000 to Texas to settle allegations by the Texas Real Estate Commission that it used illegal sales practices. Silverleaf admitted no wrongdoing.
The commission is now investigating 16 new complaints against Silverleaf, said Beverly Rabenberg, an attorney for the commission.

TICKER: SVLF (NASDAQ) (91%);

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES (94%);

STATE: TEXAS, USA (94%);

CITY: DALLAS, TX, USA (94%); AUSTIN, TX, USA (91%);

COMPANY: SILVERLEAF RESORTS INC (91%); CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON (69%); SILVERLEAF RESORTS INC (91%); CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON (69%);

SUBJECT: RESORTS (91%); RESIDENTIAL CO-OWNERSHIP (90%); TRAVEL HOSPITALITY & TOURISM (90%); INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS (89%); STOCK REPURCHASE PLANS (78%); EXISTING HOME SALES (74%); CONSTRUCTION (74%); COMPANY PROFITS (73%); STOCK OFFERINGS (72%); FORECLOSURE (69%); CUSTOMER SERVICE (65%); RESEARCH REPORTS (50%); RESORTS (91%); RESIDENTIAL CO-OWNERSHIP (90%); TRAVEL HOSPITALITY & TOURISM (90%); INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS (89%); STOCK REPURCHASE PLANS (78%); EXISTING HOME SALES (74%); CONSTRUCTION (74%); COMPANY PROFITS (73%); STOCK OFFERINGS (72%); FORECLOSURE (69%); CUSTOMER SERVICE (65%); RESEARCH REPORTS (50%);

LOAD-DATE: September 13, 1997

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

Copyright 1997 The Austin American-Statesman
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)

September 21, 1997, Sunday, FIVE STAR LIFT EDITION

SILVERLEAF PROFITS BIG IN TIGHT TIMESHARE BUSINESS;
COMPANY HAS BEEN A TARGET OF COMPLAINTS

BYLINE: David Evans; 1997, Bloomberg News

SECTION: BUSINESS, Pg. 08E

LENGTH: 1144 words

DATELINE: DALLAS

To Connye and Melvin Eichelberger of Dallas, the proposition from Silverleaf Resorts Inc. was outrageous.
In June, Silverleaf offered $ 200 to buy back the same timeshare vacation unit in Flint, Texas, that it sold her for $ 5, 850 in October 1994.

Though the Eichelbergers wanted to sell, they declined the offer.
"It was ridiculous, " Connye Eichelberger said. "I thought they were joking."

It's no joke, however. Many owners of Silverleaf timeshares who want to sell their vacation investments accept the company's $ 200 buyback offer. That's because the resale market for timeshares is almost nonexistent.
Timeshares grant owners the right to use a condominium or other piece of property, such as a campsite, for a specified week each year.
Silverleaf is one of the largest timeshare vacation developers in the $ 2 billion-a-year U.S. timeshare industry. The Dallas company has two timeshare resorts in the Branson area. It is building a third one south of Festus, Mo. It also has five in Texas and is building one near Chicago.
Silverleaf posted a 94 percent gross profit margin last year, higher than that of almost any public company. Its stock has gained 44 percent since its June initial public offering of 3.6 million shares at 16 by Credit Suisse First Boston. The stock was trading at about $ 23 Monday .
The timeshare industry is still dogged by customer complaints that, in the 1970s and 1980s, led to some timeshare promoters going to jail for defrauding consumers.
In 1988, Silverleaf - then known as Freedom Financial - agreed to pay the state of Missouri $ 45, 000 after the state accused the company of breaking consumer fraud laws related to its direct mail practices.
Tom Franks, a key officer of Silverleaf, said last week (Sept. 11) that those practices occurred when the company used outside marketers to drum up customers. The company has since brought all its marketing in-house, he said.
A spokesman for the Missouri state attorney general, whose office oversees timeshare resorts, said that it had received no complaints in the past couple of years about the company.
For some timeshare owners who want out of their vacation investments, the difficulty in reselling their units is a source of grief. Silverleaf bought back 1, 500 timeshares for $ 200 a unit at its seven resorts in Texas and Missouri last year. Meanwhile, the company was able to sell units to new customers for an average price of $ 6, 645 a week.
Silverleaf's average cost for each one-week unit sold to new customers last year was about $ 387, including buybacks, foreclosures, new construction and units from inventory.
Almost half the 1.8 million U.S. owners of timeshares are "interested" in selling, according to an industry study released in July. The number of units that Silverleaf bought back last year was equal to a quarter of the 6, 054 units that it sold to new customers. Now, Silverleaf plans to buy back only about 500 units a year, according to the prospectus for its IPO.
Sharon Brayfield, president of Dallas-based Silverleaf, said the company buys back timeshares as a favor to its customers.
Franks said customers are told before closing a deal that Silverleaf makes no promises about buying back weeks or re-selling them for customers.
"The market for resale of timeshare intervals is very limited, " said Silverleaf in its prospectus. "Resale prices are substantially below their original purchase price."
Franks said salesmen are told to tell customers that in order to get value out of the purchase, they must use it.
Silverleaf spent 45 percent of its 1996 revenue on sales and marketing, which is in line with the industry. That amounts to about $ 3, 000 for each timeshare sold.
"Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, 'I want to buy a timeshare, ' " said industry consultant John Simon of KPMG Consulting.
Ask Ruthie Seward, an inventory clerk from Frankston, Texas, who now regrets her $ 8, 500 purchase of a Silverleaf timeshare last year. She paid $ 850 down and committed to monthly payments of $ 142 for seven years.

"It's a lot of money for something we don't even use, " said Seward.
She said she was attracted to the sales presentation by a letter from Silverleaf informing her that she had won a prize.
Three months ago, Seward paid $ 200 to list her timeshare with a broker, asking $ 7, 000. She hasn't attracted any inquiries.
Foreclosures are another source of low-cost timeshare inventory for Silverleaf. In 1996, the company charged off bad debts representing 25 percent, or $ 12.1 million of its $ 48.1 million of sales.
The Eichelbergers weren't able to find a buyer for their timeshare by July 1. That's when Silverleaf foreclosed on it. Even though Connye Eichelberger and her husband owned it free and clear, they were $ 350 behind in paying the $ 600 annual dues Silverleaf charges all its timeshare owners.
"We kissed $ 6, 000 goodbye, " said Eichelberger. Yet she said she doesn't regret turning down Silverleaf's $ 200 buy offer. "I considered that an insult."
According to the industry's study, the most common reasons timeshare owners want to sell are lifestyle changes, insufficient usage, the continuing expense and wanting more vacation flexibility.
The industry was notorious in the 1970s and 1980s for using high-pressure sales tactics and phony contests to persuade unsophisticated consumers that timeshares were a good investment.
In 1988, Silverleaf, then called Freedom Financial, was convicted on federal mail fraud and conspiracy charges and paid a $ 1.5 million fine. The company admitted defrauding consumers by promising them nonexistent prizes in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation.
Robert Mead, who owned Freedom Financial, is now chairman and chief executive of Silverleaf. He holds about 7.7 million shares, worth $ 175 million. Although his company was convicted of fraud, he wasn't personally charged with any crime. David DeFusco, who provided sales leads for Freedom Financial, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges and received a prison sentence.
The Texas Real Estate Commission is investigating 16 complaints against Silverleaf, said Beverly Rabenberg, an attorney for the commission. These are in addition to the allegations of illegal sales practices that were settled in March when the company donated $ 30, 000 to Texas. Silverleaf admitted no wrongdoing at the time.
Silverleaf acknowledges using "intensive" tactics with sales prospects, who aren't wealthy. "The company targets audiences which generally are less financially sophisticated and more susceptible to intensive sales practices than more affluent customers, " according to its prospectus.
"Intensive sales practices do not mean high-pressure sales, " Brayfield said. "Intensive merely means giving a special effort or certain emphasis."

TICKER: SVLF (NASDAQ) (91%);

INDUSTRY: NAICS721110 HOTELS (EXCEPT CASINO HOTELS) & MOTELS (91%); SIC6081 BRANCHES & AGENCIES OF FOREIGN BANKS (67%);

PERSON: MELVIN EICHELBERGER (59%); TOM FRANKS (58%);

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES (94%);

STATE: TEXAS, USA (94%); MISSOURI, USA (94%);

CITY: DALLAS, TX, USA (91%);

COMPANY: SILVERLEAF RESORTS INC (91%); CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON (67%);

SUBJECT: RESORTS (93%); TRAVEL HOSPITALITY & TOURISM (92%); RESIDENTIAL CO-OWNERSHIP (90%); US STATE GOVERNMENT (77%); DIRECT MAIL MARKETING (77%); CORPORATE WRONGDOING (75%); CONSTRUCTION (74%); COMPANY PROFITS (71%); INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS (70%); EXISTING HOME SALES (70%); CONSUMER LAW (69%); FORECLOSURE (69%); JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS (63%); ATTORNEYS GENERAL (50%); RESEARCH REPORTS (50%);

LOAD-DATE: September 22, 1997

LANGUAGE: English

Copyright 1997 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Inc.
Daily News (New York)

July 20, 2000, Thursday

PRIZE SEEKERS BEWARE OF TIME-SHARE OFFERINGS

BYLINE: BY ASA AARONS

SECTION: NEW YORK NOW; Pg. 62 ASK ASA

LENGTH: 380 words

Maureen Arscott wonders whether there's a car at the end of the drive to Massachusetts - or just a waste of fuel.
The New York woman has been trying to decide ever since she received a call from someone at Silverleaf Resorts, a Dallas-based vacation time-share company.
A vacation time-share gives the owner the right to use vacation property for a limited period over a specified number of years.

"I was told I won a car, but that I would have to travel to Massachusetts to collect the prize, " Arscott explained.
Why Massachusetts?
It's the home of Oak in Spruce, one of Silverleaf's 22 resorts nationwide.
The one thing Arscott is assured of finding there is a sales staff eager to tell her about the merits of the vacation property.
According to the Better Business Bureau in Fort Worth, Tex., Silverleaf sends letters offering one of several free awards to consumers who agree to attend a sales presentation.
Not all the consumers have been satisfied.
The BBB reports the company has been the subject of complaints alleging misleading or high-pressure sales tactics.
Other consumers have complained about the award they received at sales presentations.
The BBB added that most complaints have been answered, but not always to the customer's satisfaction.
If you receive an award letter or a call, it doesn't mean you've won a contest.
Though you will receive a gift if you attend the sales presentation, the chances that you will receive a major prize, such as a car or cash, are very slim, the bureau warned.
It found that most consumers receive a package for 10 one-day holidays, which allows use of resort facilities during the day only.
Overnight accommodations and transportation are not included.
Ed Lahart, a vice president at Silverleaf, could not confirm that Arscott won a car.
The company described the call as a solicitation to tour the property and not a guarantee of a specific prize.
Tomorrow: Are time-shares good investments?
Asa Aarons is a consumer reporter who appears on WNBC-TV, Channel 4, News. His Daily News column appears Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Send your questions to: Ask Asa, P.O. Box 3310, New York, N.Y. 10116, or E-mail him (DNconsumer@aol.com). Questions can be answered only through this column.

TICKER: SVLF (NASDAQ) (58%);

INDUSTRY: NAICS334111 ELECTRONIC COMPUTER MANUFACTURING (63%); SIC3571 ELECTRONIC COMPUTERS (63%); NAICS721110 HOTELS (EXCEPT CASINO HOTELS) & MOTELS (58%);

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES (94%);

STATE: NEW YORK, USA (94%); TEXAS, USA (88%);

CITY: DALLAS, TX, USA (88%); NEW YORK, NY, USA (79%);

COMPANY: ASK ASA (63%); SILVERLEAF RESORTS INC (58%);

SUBJECT: SALES & SELLING (90%); RESIDENTIAL CO-OWNERSHIP (90%); RESORTS (90%); TRAVEL HOSPITALITY & TOURISM (89%); NEW ISSUES (89%); BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS (77%); SALES FORCE (74%); CUSTOMER SATISFACTION (72%); TELEVISION INDUSTRY (50%);

LOAD-DATE: July 20, 2000

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

Copyright 2000 Daily News, L.P.

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Silverleaf Resorts deceiptful sales practices

Silverleaf has earned quite the bad reputation in my opinion due to dissatisfaction in virtually EVERY aspect of their exsistance with my experiences. The rooms are rundown and in need of repairs at EVERY resort I have ever visited, the customer service usually boils down to "Sorry, I can't do that...", and the salesmen are out and out liars.
This particular trip I was sold a "Presidential 3 room suite" at Orlando Breeze so when I arrive I am in an RV only to find that they do not allow RV parking ANYWHERE on their property. Well, that poses 2 problems for me #1 that is the ONLY vehicle we have brought, and #2 they want me to PAY to park it at the local RV camping place where I will have to pay to park even though I am not camping there :( (Nowhere on the website or brochures do they tell you there is no RV parking.) Luckily, Yasmine- the day manager helped us out by allowing us to park out in the back of the resort in the area where maintenance has some storage pods. Thank you Yasmine!
So... upon entry to our room we are highly distressed at the shape our room is in. Linoleum floors that are peeling up, fixtures hanging haphazardly from the ceiling, shower heads that should be artifacts in a museum somewhere, poorly repaired furniture with nails protruding THROUGH THE CUSHIONS! This is Presidential? What freaking president would be staying in this slummy joint? I called Yasmine up and told her surely there was some mistake- um, we are "Presidential" owners... She quickly tells me that all of their rooms are considered presidential because they have 3 bedrooms but only their NEW 2 bedroom suites are upgraded with the tile floors, large tubs, better beds, ect. O_O WHAT?!?! I was sold a three bedroom PRESIDENTIAL that doesn't even EXIST?! Um, I do believe that is bait and switch which happens to be ILLEGAL business practice! If you go to the company website http://www.silverleafresorts.com/resorts/orlandobreeze-resort you will notice that the "Presidential" are absolutely pictured as the nicer upgraded rooms- again with false advertisements. When we called the office to find out what was going on we were told that only the 2 bedroom units at this resort were the upgraded rooms and that our room was considered a presidential simply because it was a 3 bedroom. I noticed then that there was a presidential sign outside the 2 bedroom units but not on my building at all. We asked for a tour of the 2 bedroom presidential and sure enough they were EXACTLY what I had been sold only it a 2 bedroom unit. I told the manger that I was very upset that I had been sold something that doesn't even exsist.
The Orlando Breeze manager directed me to go back to my salesman and file a complaint with him. Upon trying to call my salesman (Scotty Scottino)I was told he no longer worked for the company and was handed over to Bryan Watts. Bryan has now told me that I have no case here because those ARE considered presidential units at Orlando Breeze. I explained the tour, the website, and the sign outside the building. He then hung up saying there was nothing he could do for me and that I could seek counsel if I liked. Well, customer satisfaction is really high on the priority list now isn't it?
Another note- the pool is tiny though clean, there are no playgrounds for children. The only things this RESORT- and I use that term VERY loosely, is a volleyball court and basket ball court and the tiny pool and hot tub.
Ok, so needless to say, this IS NOT a place I recommend doing business with. I would stay here only if I could find absolutely nothing better. I would HIGHLY advise you NOT TO BUY ANYTHING from this company.
Later in the day Bryan Watts called me back and suggested that my other option is to buy yet another upgrade into the company. He is now trying to sell me yet another unit- this time at Hill Country Resort (because it DOES have a 3 bedroom Presidential unit) for the bargain price of an additional $9, 500.00. A savings of $4, 000.00 from their going price of $13, 500.00 (above what I have already agreed to pay for my 3 bedroom presidential unit at Orlando Breeze that doesn't even exisist. I informed him I was not interested in paying him any more money for what I had originally been sold to begin with and that I did not feel that I should have to pay any more money for a 3 bedroom presidential room- Silverleaf Resorts owes me a 3 bedroom presidential unit for the price we originally negotiated!
As a last comment- it appears the money that the owners pay for "maintenance" monthly is being spent to build new builidings in order to be sold to new people. The building that you bought into unfortunately is yours FOREVER, which means all your funds that should be being used to keep your unit nice and up to date is simply being pumped into new sales. Your room will continue to rot. This is a very poorly run business. No money is ever invested back into the older units to keep them up- its all about new sales. BEWARE.

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VACACIONES
San Antonio, US
Jan 02, 2013 8:03 pm EST

I LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO TX. I THE OWENER OF THE ORLANDO BREEZE. FIRST I GO TO GAVESTON AND THE RUDE. I NO HAVE THE PRESIDENT. GO TO HILL COUNTRY RESORT AND AGAIN NO HAVE THE PRESIDENT. AND THE EXUSE IS BECAUSE I RESERVE IN EARLY NOV 2012. AND NOW IN DEC 2012. AND THAT WHY I NO HAVE THE PRESIDENT. THEY SAID PEOPLE IN THE AMBASSADOR THEY SENT TO LA QUINTA. NOW I GOIN IN FEB 2013 TO ORLANDO. WOW I NEVER GOING TO HAVE THE PRESIDENT. LATER THE SALESMAN NO WANT TO TALK TO YOU,

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Silverleaf Resorts lies about free cruise

My wife and I attending a time share presentation in Lee MA. They said we would get a 3 night cruise for free if we attended. "No hard sale, just listen" they said. It was a hard sale, but we held out and they gave us our

voucher for our "Free 3 night cruise to the Bahammas" In the end they charged taxes, fees, and season charges that came to $700.00 About the same amount if we had booked the cruise ourselves. They are liers

and rotten theives. do not go to a time share presentation for this company.They have no integrity and nothing is free. It is a big scam. We wasted a day and in the end it cost us money.

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Theresa Cowart
Arlington, US
Jul 07, 2011 2:08 am EDT

We sent the 50 dolaars to the cruise and the vacation in Hawaii pkg-- Total rip off we have been trying to call to get answers but no answer and it doesn't matter what time you call-- Silverleaf Resorts Timeshare is the biggest rip-off in the entire vacation scams

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Silverleaf Resorts sampler membership

My girlfriend and I also was misrepresentated by the sales Manager at Piney Shores/Silver Leaf Resorts. We told them we didn't want the timeshares just the free cruise. They came back and offerred a special sampler package and said we can use it any time and we would get additional free time to use other locations during off peak time for our $1, 000.00. I gave them the initial $150.00 down and they would bill $85.00 for ten months. I called reservations and they denied my membership and said it had to be paid first. These people have our SS #s and now I have to worry about our credit being tarnished as well.

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