In doing a bit of Research on Diamond Resorts CEO Stephan Cloobeck I found an interesting quote;
The setting;
During an interview after a very heated board meeting with regents for the Navada University system regarding instate tuition fee. The article is interesting and gives more background on THE MAN himself, but the quote tells the story of the man...
Direct quote from an online article from the Las Vegas Sun.
Heather Rawlyk
Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 | 11:14 a.m.
...
In the hallway Cloobeck told a small group that if his business had overcharged people and refused to pay them back, there would be a criminal complaint from the attorney general's office.
Where's the criminal complaint against them? Cloobeck asked. This is so wrong and incorrigible that we would have elected officials acting like an (expletive) circus. Its simple, give all of the people their money back...
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2004/jan/30/regents-reduce-in-state-tuition-standard/
see the article yourself, just want to share with everyone what a great man they have running Diamond Resorts hypocrisy and self importance.
CVO
The Irony is uncanny dont you think...
Mr. Cloobecks empire is falling down ohhhh that is tooo bad I'll shed a tear the day they slam the cell door.
CVO
Mr. Cloobeck founder and CEO of Diamond Resorts made political contributions in 2008 of $89, 340.00 and $198, 730.00 in 2010 all this in the middle of the worst economic crisis in 80 years, and 2008 was the same year my maintenance fees started heading up at a rate which to this day has not slowed. something smells fishy in Denmark if you ask me...
according to the website;
http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/stephen-cloobeck.asp?cycle=08 2008 contributions
http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/stephen-cloobeck.asp?cycle=10 2010 contributions
That is more than most people make annually, and we still wonder why this industry is allowed such latitude. I am curious why a big company Like DRI is allowed to operate like this, regardless of the LEGALITY on the issue, forcing people in to foreclosure as fees -not mortgages- are raised to the breaking point of most families in order to finance the DRI beast a company can have this many folks up in arms around the world over the treatment they receive from Diamond Resorts International. Still nothing is done, where is the consumer protection. It is possible that some people may think that donation dollars are worth more magic points than tax dollars when it comes to justice for the people.
My two Cent
CVO
It is psycological manipulation, if that is even a phrase. The timeshare biz went to hell in a hand basket when the points system started with the likes of Sunterra and now the same [censored] is happening again greed makes this type of system unsustainable. They eventually collapse under the heavy burden put on the base from the top.
See if you can follow the twisted web they weave. They have created an entity with it's own monetary system for which they receive fair trade of their currency (Points) with US dollars. The problem is the fair trade is determined by the entity, as such the entity has full liberty to TAX its members at whatever rate it deems fit. Since the monetary system only transfers currency in one direction from us to them, we must transfer US dollars in to the currency (Points) system each year and feed the ravinous apitite of the beast they have created. The Points you received are also manipulated by the entity as the entity can limit your travel to destinations by raising the value required to said destination. Often times the very resort you purchased is unavailable because they have raised the price or points required.
The irony here is people pay them to steal their deed (metaphorically speaking of course) and put it in a safe place like an IRREVOCABLE TRUST, sorry I do not mean to yell. Now the entity has the only thing of value you had in your vacation ownership and that was the real estate that you originally purchased your 1/51 of a very expensive condo of which they assigned some arbitrary value in points based on your pain threshold at the 90 minute presentation.
There is always the option to pay higher taxes for your vacation by upgrading during one of your subsequent visits to your vacation spot if you could book it. This again is fully under the control of the entity. The members are offered no way out short of foreclosure/ default /death ( but only with death certificate and the survivers are offered the option). Currently in the United States the plans for buybacks is not an option awaiting results of a similar but selective program in the UK for refunds under limited conditions very restrictive, google it if you like.
Timeshare Retail Sales are in the toilet and DRI is back peddling trying to keep from being the holder of too much of their own foreclosed deeds/relinquished deeds/points and no tax/mortgage payers to pay their bills. Much like the recent banking crisis 2007/2008 just on a smaller scale sounds familiar though. They have a ravenous beast to feed and we the people have the cash they need to keep feeding, the more foreclosures the higher our fees, the longer we keep paying the higher our fees, until we say enough and give in ourselves.
What really chaps my hide is I said no to these greedy ba$tards and yet my resort is taken over by them through the HOA they charge astronomical fees on top of fees to the resort we are talking in the millions, up from 2007 numbers almost threefold. These are straight fees charged to the resort and labeled as Resort Management fees. The owners and points folks just see it as the expense of running a resort, but there is no justification for the fees they are charging, if it is not a crime it certainly should be.
This is just my opinion
Stepping Down, Checking Heart Rate.
CVO
Thanks NeedAnotherJob,
You might check with Patty O' Duffrick he is probably looking for a job too. Just don't get in to the unselling of timeshares as it too is ripe with lairs, thieves and [censored]s much like your current job. Unless that is all you think you are good for... Sorry I have little to no sympathy for anyone who knowingly $crews people out of their money, irregardless of how you feel you are still there going through the motions of $crewing fine people out of their hard earned $$$$. I am glad to hear however that sales are way down where your at too and all the other sales guys are probably jumping ship too. Yeah us!
Diamond Resorts International will be in such hot water before this year is out (hopefully insolvent). It is actually happening faster than I could have hoped, Keep the fires burning till this beast is dead.
CVO
Dick0 7
All of their/our money is being kept safe in some offshore account I am sure. There is probably a bunch of it being moved as we speak in preparation for the future [censored] storm that is brewing, I am no genius and I can read the writing on the wall...
I will tell you this if you get a nickle on the dollar when this is all done, consider yourself a winner and move on. These guys may not answer for their wicked evil ways here on earth, but I hear there is a special place in HELL for them. Everyday for the rest of eternity they will have to endure a 90 minute timeshare presentation for Heaven which will last well over 5 hours of mind numbing CR@P and they will sign up only to find they must book their reservations for Heaven while they are still here on earth. Karma, Fate or Poetic Justice the result is the same. Enjoy Eternity you sorry greedy Ba$tards.
To the rest of you who have been Shat upon by these giant turds, keep reaching out contacting your Attorney General or news media anybody you know let them know to stay away, do not buy, run do not walk to the nearest exit.
Enough said
CVO
So you have written proof that Diamond Resorts will not let you resign from their magic points?
I would sure love a copy of that letter, how can they force someone to be a member for life especially in light of the hosing they are currently giving their members. Every contract has an out...
CVO
Dicko 7
Material Breach might be a better route, but I am no attorney, their inability to provide the services for which they are contracted to provide, in my mind is a material breach. Knowing how these schmucks work, I'm sure they have a couple of loopholes that they can jump through to escape. Something like vacation when you want where you want based on availability. That would give them an out and a reason to oversell as it seems they have done, then they just say oh that resort is not available for the time you requested. bye bye...
CVO
Good Luck needanotherjob,
I do hope you can find suitable employment that does not require you to [censored] out your morality. Thank you for your input, yes this is a place to vent our frustrations and hopefully save others from joining the ranks of DRI stooges/members. As for DRI, I know they have plenty of money to weather any storm and if they need more they will simply $crew their members again and again, at some point however enough folks will get totally pi$$ed at the abuse Diamond Resorts imparts to its members and finally do something to stop them. There are already enough folks world wide working to get DRI out of their Resorts as a developer, they are all around bad for business and they are destroying the TS industry as a whole.
CVO
Datrick of Puffy wont be back on this board the fire is too hot for him and he knows he will just get slammed again and again if he returns. His last posting was December 20th when he thanked me for my opinion about what a crappy bunch of used car salesmen DRI executives are and wished me a happy holiday (he is so nice) He signed off and never came back. I am assured he still works for DRI, I guess this board was a loosing battle and his boss had him focus other battles to fight elsewhere that maybe showed some promise of winning. Datrick must get rather discouraged with all of the HATE for Diamond Resorts International found on this board.
You know the saying if you can't stand the heat... I miss his charm and witty banter, don't you?
JK Datrick,
I really loath you and the organization you represent. If you (Datrick) and all of the fudge packed Executives at DRI stopped breathing right now the entire world would undoubtedly be a much better place to live, even Egypt and Iran and the entire middle east for that matter would probably be at peace, just knowing that the air breathing ### sucking pieces of [censored] that run Diamond Resorts International were all dead...
This is just a personal opinion (Brenner put your lawsuit down, I have a right to my opinion, it says so in the constitution that would be the first amendment, just in case you missed that lesson in school)
CVO
Sorry that is Loathe not Loath, the latter is what one should feel when presented with a magic points membership contract from Diamond Resorts International.
loath
–adjective
unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse: to be loath to admit a mistake.
Loathe
–verb (used with object), loathed, loath·ing.
to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor: I loathe people who spread malicious gossip.
definitions courtesy of Dictionary.com (giving credit where credit is due)
Pretty sad when a customer gives praises for a good job for something that should not have been a problem to begin with. Like saying what a good job the phone company does by providing phone lines, oh great job AT&T for selling phone service and providing it too...
What a pathetic attempt to put a good face on an ugly monster...
CVO
Kellybean
With Diamond Resorts International it does not matter where your home resort (contract resort) is located because you do not own anything, you have placed a Real Estate Deed in to an Irrevocable Trust naming DRI the Trustee, for that privilege of temporarily possessing what I like to call DRI Magic Mystery points. The magic is they disappear each year if you don't use them and the mystery is to see if you can book anything. The real beauty is regardless of whether or not you are able to use the DRI Magic Mystery points, you will pay for them until your dead, 75 years old or 2054 whichever occurs first (fine print somewhere in your contract).
If you just did this recently you may have a way out within 5 days for sure FAX and registered mail rescind your contract, longer than 5 days you will probably need to fight some. If you think you were lied to and deceived and want out you might try to contact the missing DRI spokes hole Patrick Duffy. I will advise you as I have others on this board to get away from this company before it is too late for you.
Here is Mr. Duffys contact Info Tell him CVO sent you... ah on second thought better not he says I am rude... (often times rudeness is synonymous with blatantly honest on this board... depending on perspective)
patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com
[protected]
Not sure if he will/can help you OUT, he may have you upgrade to a Sedona property for a small fee of course...
Good Luck,
Concerned Vacation Owner
Oh Kellybean, I forgot Bankruptcy is another way out of DRI
Death
Critical Illness (on Deaths bed with one foot in grave)
Bankruptcy
75+ years old
and the year 2054 which I am guessing may be the life of the Trust or some other legal time limit imposed on DRIs CLUB, maybe Pattrick could explain the 2054 date.
Those are the only ways (in the united states) currently available to get out of Diamond Resorts International CLUB and the hefty fees they charge for the so called maintenance fees and SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.
Again Good Luck,
CVO
You must understand DRI needs to pay their executives multi million dollar salaries so they need your money. Don't be late either or they will stick it to you at about 25% penalty. That is more than Uncle Sam charges if your late on your TAX bill. So I guess that makes DRI FEES worse than paying Taxes.
My personal opinion they (ALL DRI decision makers and their legal staff) can bake in Hell for all of eternity and cloobeck should be keelhauled, drawn and quartered and then bake in Hell for all eternity. What a truly slimy ripe piece of [censored] he is, fleecing his members and even those that are not DRI members like myself. So he can fund his $100, 000+ political contributions ($189, 000 total for 2010) and pay TOP dollar for acquisitions (because he has our unlimited supply of money) like the 2007 Sunterra bailout 700 million and the 2010/2011 Bluegreen (NYSE:BXG) acquisition that he is currently attempting 500 million, both considered by Wall Street as over priced. Your DRI extortion uh I mean maintenance fees are very important to cloobeck's future political bribery, oh excuse me I mean contributions and resort/exchange company take overs uh I mean acquisitions.
Simply amazing how cloobeck/DRI's political contributions made a dramatic upswing around 2007 the same time DRI began the fleecing of it's members and resort owners. Coincidence I think not...
fleecing –verb (used with object)
to deprive of money or belongings by fraud, hoax, or the like; swindle: He fleeced the stranger of several dollars. -- dictionary.com
DRI Turn from your greedy wicked ways or change your motto from Relaxation... Simplified to perhaps Robbing our members blind one year at a time or how about FLEECING... Simplified that has a nice ring.
CVO
Don't worry Bluegreen may be Diamond Resorts soon, if the deal goes through then your problems will just be starting...
CVO
Actually looks like Bluegreen is almost on par with Diamond Resorts lies, misrep, and more. Not sure if they have the extortion fees I mean maintenance fees going through the roof like diamond, but if thediamond/Bluegreen deal goes through you'll get those too...
Looks like cloobeck is fishing in familiar waters...
CVO
You must understand DRI needs to pay their executive's multi million dollar salaries so they need your money. Don't be late either or they will stick it to you at about 25% penalty. That is more than Uncle Sam charges if your late on your TAX bill. So I guess that makes DRI EXTORTION FEES worse than paying Taxes.
My personal opinion they (ALL DRI decision makers and their legal staff too) can bake in Hell for all of eternity and cloobeck should first be keelhauled, drawn and quartered and then bake in Hell for all eternity. What a truly slimy ripe piece of [censored] he is, fleecing his members and even those that are not DRI members like myself. So he can fund his $100, 000+ political contributions ($189, 000 total for 2010) and pay TOP dollar for acquisitions (because he has our unlimited supply of money) like the 2007 Sunterra bailout @ 700 million and the 2010/2011 Bluegreen (NYSE:BXG) acquisition that he is currently attempting @ 500 million, both considered by Wall Street as way over priced. Your DRI extortion uh I mean maintenance fees are very important to cloobeck's future political bribery, oh excuse me I mean contributions and resort/exchange company take overs uh I mean acquisitions.
Simply amazing how cloobeck/DRI's political contributions made a dramatic upswing around 2007 the same time DRI began the fleecing of it's members and resort owners. Coincidence I think not...
fleecing –verb (used with object)
to deprive of money or belongings by fraud, hoax, or the like; swindle: He fleeced the stranger of several dollars. -- dictionary.com
DRI Turn from your greedy wicked ways or change your motto from Relaxation... Simplified to perhaps Robbing our members blind one year at a time or how about FLEECING... Simplified that has a nice ring.
CVO
HadIt2011
you are right, that is why if you have not already done so you sould DO at least 1 of these two things
Join
Diamond Resorts International Protest Group.
DRIP.WEBS.COM user group of over 800 members and growing rapidly
Post a complain with the WATCHDOG
HERE'S HOW TO CONTACT WATCHDOG
you go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory and select Holidays, then Timeshare in the dropdown boxes. Then it's just your name and address, email and a brief note of your concern. In the 'when did the problem start' you can enter the year you first started having problems or the year you stopped paying fees.
Do something besides post/vent (I know posting is good therapy for me) The DRIP group is one of the largest groups of like minded folks tired of the fleecing we get year after year from DRI. Lets look at it like this; if you do not do something and still expect change you are part of the problem. If you want to do your part to create change then why not NOW every day that passes us by is one day closer to next years maintenance fleece uh I mean fees. No time like NOW to do what is right. The more individuals gather the loader our voice.
CVO
CVO
Well guess what Mrs. Reason,
Everything that is wrong with the world is IN MY OPINION what is wrong with Diamond Resorts. It is called the love of money and it is said to be the root of all evil. I am not saying a ligitamate resort management company should not make an honest buck providing real services. But the math is not adding up on special assesments and the hefty fees charged without any real accountablility. Hiding behind legal logic DRI is fleecing its members and apearantly Mrs. Patricia Reason thinks only the sheep need to take personal responsiblity, what about ethical and moral responsability Mrs. Reason.
CVO
Diamond Resorts only cares about one thing and it is not their members...
$$$$
Here are some numbers that might make your head spin.
Currently DRI claims 1.4 million served annually (that is members and deeded folks that own at a DRI hijacked resort)
Now guestamate an average for fees charged (all 1.4 million are paying something to diamond for SERVICES)
lets use a number that is probably very conservative and also makes the math easier $1000.00/members and owners fees (number is more like 1200+) Some that own more points or weeks as the case might be are paying much more.
1, 400, 000 x 1000=1.4 BILLION dollars
Now you tell me what is DRIs incentive to buy back your points/deeded weeks (regardless of their actual value to you being near zero) to Diamond Ripsorts it is their biggest profit center and they need that extra bump to offset the sliding timeshare sales slump.
DRI has realized the best way to get new members is to acquire new resorts and bailout failing Vacation Clubs at ridiculous prices and then saddle the membership/affiliate owners with the cost of the overpaid acquistion.
Examples
2007 DRI bails out the failing Sunterror for 700 million (Wall Street experts say way over priced, google it) and kick starts DRIs own reign of terror.
2008 DRI failed attempt to pay 500 million for Bluegreen Resorts. Also deemed by Wall Street as over priced.
DRI has no problem overpaying because really it is you and I that must foot the bill.
Join DRIP.WEBS.com if you too have had enough of DRIs Fleecing, dont just read about the problem be part of the solution...
CVO
Decieved,
It seems we are funding all of the short falls for DRI, my understanding of MFs is they are to be used to MAINTAIN our home resort. Why should my excessive fees go to Maintain some run down DRI resort acquisition with little or no reserve. That is not my problem that is Diamonds Resorts problem and Diamonds Resorts Responsibility and unfortunately the Home Owners of the run down/low reserve resort. I understand DRI magic socialized points system tends to make it every members problem too. I however am not a magic points member and not part of Diamond Resorts Socialistic Magic points program yet Diamond Resorts still gets to put their grubby paws on my money.
WTF is wrong with this picture, we are all paying for the acquisition of new fodder for DRI to pilliage and fleece, looks like a win win for DRI and a loose loose for DRI members and affiliated Interval owners. If I were corrupt and had no moral compass I guess I would probably screw over anybody and everybody too. If that is the direction of SJC for DRI, Good job... Karma shall eventually set us free, hopefully sooner rather than later.
CVO
I can not give you any legal advice.
With that said, If I were in your situation I would nicely tell them to go pound sand. They (the collections ppl) will use any tactic they can to try and get you to pay their extortion, I mean maintenance/assesment fees. If you signed and had a properly filed quit claimed deed giving your interval rights to your ex-wife you should be able to get that record as it should have been filed with the courts as a public record. You do not need to refile as once you properly file you are legally removed from the property and any legal obligations assessed against the property. Unfortunately the responsibility to prove it is on you, but that should not be a big issue.
Regardless of your quit claim status you need to dispute in writing to whomever sent you the collection notice. Send it certified mail Return receipt if possible. If you can obtain a certified copy of the quit claim deed include that with your written dispute. In your dispute you should state your reasons and that you have no intention of paying for property/services for which you have legally been release from obligation.
If it were me I would also kindly ask them NOT to contact me regarding this issue unless they have OTHER relevant information of financial obligation not absolved by the aforementioned Quit Claim Deed. This should prevent them from harassing you in the future. For more info on your rights as a consumer to dispute such a claim check out,
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm
or google debt collection rights, there is a bunch of info on the net about how to handle collections such as this.
Hope this helps
CVO
We can certainly hope that is the case Dick07
Keep up the pressure...
On another note I found the CeO Dufster on a quiter board (only 27 complaints so far)
/link removed/
In case you wanted to drop him a quick note... Same MO however as he used on this board, ( Call me, email me ) to keep from posting negative posts on the boards. Still just a scared little boy with expensive squares that we paid for with our high MFs.
PPL that must do their business behind closed doors are scammers, not unlike polaticians.
CVO
aeo
(you do not own real property anymore you signed over your DEED to an Irrevocable Trust Owned and managed by DRI they sugar coated it so it was easy to swallow at the time)
Yup! there seems to be a lot of Points Owners are just jumping ship, taking the hit your deed is gone anyway or you can continue to pay until 2054 or your dead or damn near dead. I believe those are your current options (March 30th 2011) from what I understand, but I can not speak on behalf of DRI perhaps they have further options to exit their points program.
Now if your fortunate enough to be part of the UK collection DRI is piloting (or was, who knows with these guys) a buy back program through one channel, hmmm nothing fishy there...
I believe DRI is also available to speak on this OPEN FORUM Discussion.
CVO
I approve of my opinion;-)
