Silverleaf Resorts’s earns a 3.2-star rating from 0 reviews and 114 complaints, showing that the majority of guests are somewhat satisfied with vacation experiences.
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beware
Beware of Silverleaf Resorts and their practices! I Am a former employee and here to let you know that they run your credit without your permission! If it is below a certain score, they will call you and say all appointments are booked up and keep rescheduling you. Also you must have a household income of $40, 000 or greater to qualify for the tour. Your prizes will be A trip to Hawaii and you have to pay for the airfair and a trip to Vegas... There are blackout dates! They'll reschedule you until You say forget It! BEWARE!
misleading, lying, and apathetic
I sure wish I had done better research on this horrible scam. We bought a "try it before you buy it" type of vacation where we would pay 1000 over the next year which could go to the down payment toward a deed or cancel at any time. Well, before we made a single payment, I found out I'm pregnant and needing to put all the money we can aside for the next 8 months, I tried to cancel my plan. They said that since it was past the 6 day grace period, that I was required to complete the contract. No where on the contract does it say that the plan may not be canceled prior to pay off. It says that 6 days for cancellation without penalty...that's it. I'm going to have to take this to the next level and make sure that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows what sort of misleading, lying, apathetic company this is. They don't care who they scam as long as they get the money. Out right crooked.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
There is a specific form that spells out this cancellation condition. It is called the Rights of Recision and I guarantee you got it. The contracts you signed also discusses recision rights and advises how to complete this.
consumer fraud / scam
My husband and I purchased a timeshare week from Silverleaf Resorts at Oak n' Spruce in Lee Massachusetts in December 2009. We were enticed to go by the offers of a prize that was guaranteed to us and a chance to win $50, 000.00. They gave us gas money so we decided to see what it was all about. Now, I am an attorney in Massachusetts and I KNOW that there is a scam element in many timeshares. I KNOW not to trust sales people; and I KNOW that my husband and I have trouble saying no to people. So why did we go? I'm still kicking myself over that answer. They made it seem to good to pass up... Anyway, we went there on a Wednesday and a nice young gentleman gave us the spiel. We were soooo ready to say no. We had absolutely no interest in Lee, MA and none in the other locations that Silverleaf owned. What sold us was the Interval International catalogue. I think my husband and I were both under the impression that once a year we would be able to go to anyplace in that catalog, at anytime. Again, it was too good to pass up. We were told that we were being offered a white week with bonus time availability. We, being the serious informed purchasers that we were declined the offer to buy the white week. We asked for a red week. We should have been tipped off that things were not right when the young man seemed at a loss and that he had to get a manager. Long story short we were not buying the next to worthless week 1 white week that they were suckering everyone that day to buy. The manager did a nice job of making us think that we were getting a special deal on a red week that was being resold. We were pretty proud of ourselves...I'm not kidding you. We were suckers. We knew nothing about timeshares at all. We didn't even understand that we bought week one. In January we were invited to our owners' orientation weekend so that any of our questions could be answered about our timeshare. The owners orientation weekend is a designed sales tactic. They give you the weekend free instead of the $100 or so it would have cost you otherwise. We were sold on a Presidential level week, week number 38, a red week. We were sold because I liked the better accommodations and also the possibility of more options in the exchange company, this time RCI. The sales woman told us that 33% more would be open to us on the exchange market because of the Presidential level (she never mentioned week 38...and come to think of it the first guy never mentioned week 1...hmmmm). She also said (and I believe this now to be a blatant actionable lie) that the unit we were buying would exchange for 2 weeks in the exchange company. We were told that we were boosted to a Diamond level of ownership and that meant we could stay for up to 6 days in a row for our bonus time. Plus the weekdays were free. And we would be able to stay in the nicer accommodations for both weeks we now owned.
We paid off our loans a couple of months later with a refinance. Here's what I know now:
1. Silverleaf's customer service is atrocious unless you are doing what they ask which is to show up for more "owners' orientation weekends to sell you another week which will give you everything you thought you were getting in the first purchase.
2. Most of what you see in the RCI or Interval International catalogues is not available to you for exchange - each has many resorts listed but depending on the week(s) you own you may or may not qualify to exchange for where (never mind when) you want to go (no matter how early you plan). And many of the resorts are offered as "Extra Vacation Getaways" (ie you have access but you still pay full or nearly full price (not $150.oo for the week).
3. Bonus time is not easy to cash in. I have called a half dozen times to get accommodations at Oak n' Spruce on bonus time. Each time I have been told that there is nothing available. Sometimes they call back and tell you that something has become available, but not always. My guess is that they hold a good amount of their inventory for "owners' orientation" weekends and such. Some maybe for the exchange companies...I can't figure it out. All I know is that owners' are the very last on their priority list for rooms.
4. I was almost begged by this woman at Silverleaf to come in April for my owners' orientation weekend. She eventually offered us $100 and told us that we could come up for the day. That was pretty funny. I mean Lee's a nice little town, but seriously I'm not going there for a day to be sold something I can't afford. These people must get some sort of commission on getting people up there for sales.
5. Now I want out. I have been an owner for almost 6 months and I am ashamed of myself at being such a sucker. These people know their business, and their business is sales, sales, sales first. Taking care of their owners' seems to be an afterthought. Vacations and getaways have become all pressures and uncertainties. It is not worth it! It just isn't. I'm willing to take a loss if I even can sell these things.
I hope this forewarns people. I wish I knew more. You aren't getting what you think you are getting. The salespeople will tell you anything to get you to buy.
2.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
We bought a timeshare through silverleaf and I hate every minute of our purchase. We were suckers from the beginning. I would like to sell my timeshare but they told me I need to pay in full before I can do that. Can anyone give me advice on what I can do!? I am sick of the increased fees every other month. If you have advice please email me at jmcrowley15@yahoo.com
I am a former Silverleaf Employee . I am so gladd I no longer work for SLR. I worked in The Corporate Office in Dallas and I got first hand experience on how the public gets shafted. I worked in Financial Services. This is the dept that is in charge of collections. The first thing we are made aware of in Trainning class is that SLR is not a third party collector so we are not bound by the Federal collections laws ( FDCPA) . So that meens you will get harrassing phone calls at work, at Home ., your next of Kin, and your neighbors will be contacted as well if no one can get a hold of you on the phone. All this is if you fall behind a couple of weeks ! not months. In Trainning we are also advised that the people we deal with are not very SHARP . they are mostly blue collar working people who dream of having a lake House or just a place to take the kids on the weekends.But do not have alot of money. I would like to share with you some of the things that SLR does that made me want to leave the company after only 1 year . (1) High presure sales. I can not tell you how many people call everyday explainning that they went to a 90 min presentation that turned out to last over 3 or four hours. The sales people will say any thing to get you to sign up . They say alot but none of it is in writting. I had a large number of people who purchased a " Sampler package" This is presented to people as a way to test drive one of the resorts. for only $ 850.00 to $ 1, 000.00 What they dont say is you can only use during white or blue weeks at participating SLR resorts ( not all SLR) . the blue and white weeks are the coldest and the least popular of all weeks. When you come to the 90 min meeting you are asked to bring two forms of ID and a credit card. If you show any intrest in SLR or you just want to get away with the " FREE PRIZE " they will set you up with a sampler package and start auto debit installments on your debit card. People find this out after the first month or two then call in upset and want to stop the auto draft. The sampler package does not hit you credit report when you cancell because the laws of lending are not followed so they can not use the threat of bad information at the credit agencys as leverage to collect. (2) I had a large number of calls from people who said they went to the sales meeting and decided to purchase but were not to clear on the terms of financing. The painfull clarity comes in a couple of months latter when the customer finds out that a credit card has been opened up in their name and the entire purchase price is the unpaid balance on the card. SLR does disclose they will do this but it is fine print and covered so quickly in a 3 or 4 hour meeting that no one seems to remember going over this big DETAIL. The reason SLR does this is so they get paid up front if you default you will have the credit card people to deal with. The reason the collection dept calls them is that even if you make the pmts on time you still have to pay the monthly HOA or maintainance fees that have now increased 10% across the board. this is the third increase in 5 years. there are some folks that are paying more for dues monthly then they did for the original resort on a monthly basis. And yes SLR can take back the property for un paid dues. ( 3) The next biggest complaint is bonus time that years ago was called endless escape. Bonus time is availble but not guarenteed . bonus time can not be used during major holidays . you can request bonus time and if none of the current week owners or some who paid more money for their timeshare then you did want that particular week, then it will be awarded to you . so yes there is bonus time but you wont get it when you want it. (4) I contacted a large number of people who said they wish they would have never purchased thier timeshare with SLR . They advised they are trying to sell the timeshare But, they say no one wants it and they cant even give ti away. This is true. this is allways the caller who has paid some timeshare resale company any whear from $ 500.00 to $ 2500 dollares to sell their timeshare and after they pay them they dont hear from them again . The previous reasons are the main ones why I left . I felt bad for the people I talked to on the phone and the hardships SLR has caused them . My advice to any one wanting a vacation. DONT FINANCE . for $ 850.00 to $ 1, 000.00 you can get a nice weekend just about any whear in the world, dont buy a something that you will pay on forever and not use but every now and then . the owned weeks can run from $ 3, 500.00 to $ 60, 000.00 You can buy a lake house or a lake lot for that and its yours . And allways buyer beware . SLR does have some happy campers . The happy campers I have seen are old retired and have lots of family who use the resorts and help with the maintainace fees. but the number of happy camper calls i got were few and far between. Please be advised that the SLR financial services ( collection) is growing and is expecting to double due to the incredible number of defaults . so dont be surprised if you get a call from SLR wanting to know if you can knock on your neighbors door and have them contact SLR about an urgetn matter
Do a 'google' search on Silverleaf Resorts and you will find a myriad of problems with this company, including several complaints with the Dallas Better Business Bureau.
I've compiled more complaints than recommendations on my FB group site. It's NOT all inclusive, but has several other sites (including this one) pertaining to this company.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108284962536258&v=app_2373072738#!/group.php?gid=108284962536258&v=wall
I could have written this complaint myself. Word for word. The only difference is that I bought mine in November. Silverleaf - and Oak and Spruce - do not care about their owners.
run away from them
Silverleaf is full of lies! Eveything anyone in that company tells you is a lie! Thank God I only signed up for a one year sampler package, I can't imagine the poor people who are stuck with it for 30 years. You will get nothing from them except people who will give you empty promises or be rude to you.
If you see a "free car or $40, 000" in the mall to sign up for, it is them. They know they are so hated, they don't even put their name on the sign, you just see leaves as the background of the sign. Don't sign up, you will only "win" a vacation that they won't let you take.
Holy crap ! They just called me yesterday and told me to come to there apointment on sunday at 230 grrr ... What will happen if I dont show?
misleading and liars
I purchased a red week wth Silverleaf Timeshare in Flint, Tx. They promised that I would be considered a Diamond Plus Member. This was not contingent upon anything else. Yet after a year, they renigged on the deal. It is very important that any one dealing with them get everything in writing. Please don't trust this company. In fact don't buy a timeshare from them at all. Their facilities are not the best. They have hidden fees that you find out about later. And this is what pissa people off into postals. When in doubt don't do.
false advertisement and sales tactics
I am a christian woman who is married to a christian man. I would never write anything or take the time to go into detail about my experience at SilverLake Resorts if it wasn't true.
I just arrived back home to Longview, Tx from Flint, Tx where this Silver Lake Resort is located. When we pulled up to the Resort my Husband and I already felt like it was a scam because nothing in life is Free, but we were willing to be open minded. Once we walked in the environment was slightly friendly but seemed to be all business. My Husband noticed that the America's Funniest Videos was playing on the TV. He said "Hunny, if thats a DVD then you know they are up to no good"! Turn's out it was a DVD. LOL.
We we taken by a nice lady to another building and we noticed maybe 30 other couples on our side of the room and then maybe 30 more couples on another side of the room. This is when I began to question what is really going on here. Our TOUR GUIDE/SALES REP asked us all these personal questions. Where were we from, how did we meet, etc. Then she asked Whats the most important thing in your marriage? Of course we said, Spending time with one another. There's the hook. She asked us how much we spend when we go out of town-- on hotels, food, entertainment, etc. Then she added it up and showed us a figure. Then she said what if you vacationed 10 days out of the year. Adding more money to the calculated bottom line, Then she asked what trips have you planned already. We told her Spain, LA, and another place. She was like great, but ended up using all this information against us in the end. Then she made us feel like staying in a hotel was nasty because they are public and have no extra amenities. She made buying a vacation home sound like it was a bad idea because we would be stuck in the same location and worry about security and etc. She kept saying with these options we would lose and won't be able to get back anything overtime, or build equity.. Very convincing, but still would not discuss a price. She wanted to show us the "Property"
Then we asked just tell us the catch.. She said" There is no catch!" Just lets ride and see the resort! So we played along since there was no money being mentioned at this point. She showed us the welcome center-- Included two places to eat, a gift shop and an arcade. Then she told us to walk around a peak into a gym, it was small and cramped.. Not impressed, at all. The best thing we viewed was the water-park for our kids. We felt like it was nice to see a water-park with nice indoor slides for our kids to enjoy, great! Then we went on to view the actual condo itself.. The BBQ grill was about 20 years old and the condo looked semi-up to par. We loved the jacuzzi in the master-bath room, but felt like the beds were small and a tad but used. But the TOUR GUIDE/SALES REP said we change those out to ensure top quality.. HMMMM. We rode around in her vehicle by the way which I found to be weird, only because I felt like they should be able to at least afford a shuttle or Resort Bus Right? After viewing the amenities, I asked Are you going to talk money now and she said yes we can. But prior to this moment my husband and I kept asking how much, how much is this? She would not even give us a clue until we were back into the ROOM WITH ALL THE OTHER COUPLES, that we started in. Only this time we sat on the other side of the room. Which I found to be entertaining because now I see that they didn't want any of the New Comers/WINNERS OF THE ULTIMATE INVISIBLE PRIZES to over hear prices being discuss or have a plain view of people being disgusted and walking out.
Once we were seated down with our backs facing the wall. As other couples had done. Not realizing that there was a entire command center with other sales people and managers in the back of the room waiting to come over and talk. Not realizing that our TOUR GUIDE/SALES REP was sending signals to cue certain sales managers to come over. She went into another program called RCI, and how we could park our 8/7 day resort rental and travel the world. How we could travel to the other 6 resorts (4 of the resorts are in Texas, thats not a vacation, I wanna leave Texas!) Then she kept saying this is such a great deal, you guys deserve this! You're such good people. While the whole time while she is talking her hands shake, she tries to hide them, but I noticed. Then she went over how much we wanted to spend this year in vacations, how much we have spent in the past, and how much money we would lose if we continued to vacation like we have been. Which was a realist point, but thats going as much as we want whenever we want, and where-ever we want.
She went over the pricing, finally! We allowed her to play around with the papers and mispronounce my first name several times and she hit us with a pre-figured number and monthly payment. Nothing specially discussed or figured for us. It was $15, 500.00 for the price and it was 487.50 a month for 3 years. They wanted us to put down $3864.00 right then at that moment. I told her NO, H-E- double hockey sticks NO. I am thinking to myself, If you would have told me to bring 3864.00 I would have been more prepared. But you want me to use all the money I have, all the resources I have to make a hast decision. My husband and I said NO. Then she brought over a man who claims to just have returned from Italy and he tried to WOW us with all the extras he had and how he only paid 194, with RCI and blah, blah, blah. Then he says " You guys make such a great couple, and I am going to work with you this evening (b/c now we have been there for 2 hours). WE GO BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH. Until this man tells us well if you can put down 200, and write a post dated check for a week from today for $1358.00 we can work out the other half. Are you serious? What turned into a come out and enjoy a day at our resort was slowly turning into a plot to take all of our money. My husband began to really consider this deal only because it sounded great! But the ending numbers were this to be exact. Put down 1584.00 and have monthly payments of 247.00 for 84 months at a 17.4 percent interest rate. You do the math... Thats right at 22, 180.00. This is crazy! Not including maintenance fees or special fee's. My husband and I turned down the offer and was told that we would miss the special deal because it was good for TODAY and only TODAY. So we then realized two hours had passed us by. The day was almost gone! So at this point they say, we will send someone to talk with you about your prizes! Your trips, 40 gift card, and a chance to win $49, 000 dollars or a car... We waited... Then another gentleman came over and tried to convince us to put down 150.00 dollars to hold the price of the deal being offered today, for 18 months?.. As if this wasn't another attempt to get something from us, every-time a couple signed up they would announce their names over the intercom and the entire room cheered and stood-up to say CONGRATS. This makes you feel more inclined to buy because everyone wants to feel special. MANIPULATORS!
I was like Are you serious? I kept thinking, Why is there so much pressure? Why is this man's face so red? Why does it seem like this Resort is so desperate? Why can't they just allow us to think about it? Why is it so rushed? Something isn't right! I am so happy I stuck with my GUTT. I am happy that God saw us through these lies and repeat actions to get us to comment and do something we truly didn't want to do. We are NEWLYWEDS, why would we need to start off our marriage with DEBT.
We are in a recession! Please BEWARE of these people! They are salespeople. They will target and compliment you only to build you up, so you will be easier to manipulate and take advantage of your savings and money.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
As far as the timeshare I bought one with Silverleaf and love being able to take my children to the resorts. Since we live pretty close to three of them we spend a lot of time there. I mean we can either go spend a fortune playin golf, going to the pool, whatever or we can go spend three nights in a two bedroom condo with a free theater, basketball, putt putt golf and more. I don't regret buying a timeshare but I do regret who I bought mine with.
I would advise anybody to stay away from Silverleaf their sales tour is filled with lies, they will tell you anything to get you to buy and once you buy you find out all the lies they told. Not to mention all that money we pay in dues, where on earth does it go? I almost fell through the floor the last time I stayed at Lake of The Woods. Pathetic considering they are getting at least 30, 000 a year off the dues for one condo!
Oh yeah and the whole nobody can stay but Silverleaf owners or people exchanging through RCI is CRAP! Grand vacations and several other vacation clubs can rent condos at the resort as much as they want so there goes somebodies bonus time.
The up side is the bonus time has worked for us since we live so close we can just keep putting in bonus time if we get turned down and still end up staying several times a year and Sun thru Thursday is free there is no charge for a condo..
Did you ever get your prizes? Or was that just a scam as well?
Welcome to the world of timeshare sales. I have been to several of these presentations over the years. I always thought that the price was too high for what you get. Instead the wife and I purchased a vacation club. A much better value and we get to use all of the timeshare resorts without having to buy timeshare.
As far as selling your timeshare check out tug2.com but just to let you know, your timeshare isn't worth near what you paid for it. Good luck to both of you.
For your info the club that we own is called Grand Vacation Club.
Same thing happened to me but I was stupid enough to fall into their selling scheme. Now I need to sell my share but i have no idea how to go about doing it. Can anyone help me?
warning to prospective buyers
WARNING to prospective buyers of timeshares from the Internet, newspaper, Craigslist, Ebay...or any source OTHER than the timeshare company.
Timeshares look REAL CHEAP from sources other than the original timeshare company.
BUT, you must BEWARE and BE SUSPICIOUS of these cheap timeshares.
1. Carefully read (scrutinize) the contract, especially when it pertains to Endless Escape (Silverleaf), bonus time, or even Day Use of resort facilities.
2. A Silverleaf representative, in particular, has advised that Silverleaf contracts have been reworded to automatically cancel any type of Bonus Time verbiage on property sales from other than the timeshare company.
3. For instance, if I buy a RED week(s) and have Endless Escape (up to 6 days FREE) and ZERO maintenance fees, and then late decide to sell the property on my own, the new owner will ONLY have the RED week guaranteed...Endless Escape or bonus time and maybe even maintenance fees will not be honored.
BE CAREFUL...BEWARE...CAVEAT EMPTOR (BUYER BEWARE!).
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
scammers
I see I'm not alone when I say that I got suckered big time by these guys. Believe me, I take full responsibility for my lousy decision to buy this stupid time-share. I'm posting here to help save others from making the same mistake.
Even if you think (like I did) that you are a savvy consumer who won't be suckered into buying one of these things... beware! Their sales reps are aggressive and relentless. And once you are in they continue to hound you about buying more weeks or "upgrading" your membership. I once spent literally eight hours in their offices for an "update meeting" during which I was talked to by three different people until they finally gave up and let me get my 150 dollars cash (which is how they get you in there).
I was promised a presidential suite when I upgraded and I found out that my deed is actually a "presidential access" deed which mean I'm not guaranteed a presidential suite at all and I was paying presidential prices.
On top of that, I lost my second job and could no longer afford the over five hundred dollar a month payment. I contacted the company to try and refinance so I could lower the payment. First they asked me to send them all this personal financial information including three previous bank statements, a list of all my monthly expenses, and they pulled my credit report twice. Then I find out (according to them) that I don't qualify for 'assistance'.
I told them that I would have no option except to stop paying them because I could not afford it. They then proceeded to make all sorts of threats including reporting me to the IRS (for what, I don't know). They attempted to intimidate me into paying. I refused and have not given them a dime in over six months. So far, they have not reported me to the credit agencies and the loan has disappeared off my credit report (I have no idea what that means).
I would have gladly continued to pay them (even though I did not use their services) simply out of a desire not to wreck my credit but they were totally unwilling to work with me. Even home mortgage providers are willing to work with you these days but these guys won't budge an inch. They will not get any more of my money.
complain to bbb, texas general attorney, the general attorny of resort, and your state general attorny,
and if you want get a free consultation
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.
sales people are liars! get out!
First of all, I purchased my first timeshare from Silverleaf in May of 2007. It was week 52 at Hill Country. The payments were reasonable and I thought it was a good thing to do for family vacations down the road. The sales' people really put on the glitz and glam of how much more affordable this option is and how great it is to do an internal exchange if we chose not to use our week. Plus I thought it was a good deal because it was week 52(!) and the amount paid for it was around $7000. I got sucked in.
A few months after the purchase I received a phone call inviting me to stay at Hill Country for a "VIP" stay and enjoy time at the resort. So, I packed up the family and drove out there. Upon arrival, I was told that I needed to attend an "Owner's Update Meeting" sometime during the weekend in order to stay for the VIP weekend. I agreed. When I showed up to the "Owner's Update Meeting" it wasn't an update on anything other than trying to get you to buy more. I didn't purchase anything that time, but did later after being sucked into first of all the "Diamond Program". When buying my second week, I asked the sales people if there was anything above the "Diamond Program" and was told "no". Well, that wasn't true, because lo and behold a few months later, I was invited back for another "Owner's Update Meeting" to purchase another week for the "Diamond Plus Program". I gotta say these people are very good at blowing smoke up your fourth point of contact, if you know what I mean. Needless to say, I ended up with 3 weeks total. So far up to that point, I thought everything was fine.
Then in February 2009, I stopped by Fox River in IL. We were really just stopping by here on the way back from a funeral in Minnesota. Our sales person, told us after reviewing our accounts, that we would best benefit from being Presidential owners. They offered up week 14 (Presidential unit) and week 6 (Chairman unit) at Holiday Hills in Branson in exchange for our 3 weeks we already had. This sales rep continued to tell us that we were going to "luck out" on this white week because Branson had recently just opened an international airport and that week would soon be turning red.
Our payments wouldn't change, however, we would have much better accomidations available by being Presidential owners and "be in the top 5% of their owners". We told her we have no desire to vacation inBranson and didn't care for the weeks either due to having children in school. She said, "You can easily exchange them. You will be guaranteed to stay in a Presidential or Chairman depending on the week you are exchanging or when using bonus time. We were also told that we would be pretty much guaranteed the exchange of our choice during almost any time with the exception of Orlando and the Pinnacle Lodge in Colorado. This was due to the ownership of the Presidential and Chairman. Her and her "manager" went on and on to tell us what a great deal we would get if we upgraded to these units. My husband and I thought we were getting a good deal. We noted however, that upon signing the paperwork, the week was not week 14 but week 15 instead. We asked thesales rep this and she stated it didn't really matter what week it was as long as it was red because we were going to trade it anyways.
Up to this point we hadn't really used the resorts, so didn't know the hassle we would soon be entering our selves into.
After the purchase of these units, we stayed one night during the middle of the week the end of September at the Villages. Upon arrival, we were placed in a regular unit. I complained and this was changed so we could stay in a Presidential. SInce then I had requested several exchanges/bonus time usages of my banked former weeks and was always told that they had no availability at any of the resorts or during any times (various times of the year from October-March then May-Sept). I asked a rep one time when our white week was going to be turning red as I explained we were told that it would change due to theinternational airport opening thus increasing tourism to Branson . I was laughed at. I last called for reservations to Seaside in Galveston for any availability this summer. I was told they are booked May through October. I asked about what oursales rep about guaranteeing availability and was told by the reservationist that exchanges are on a "first come, first served" basis. What?!This conflicts what we were told. I then asked if they had availability atHill Country . They said they did. I then asked if it was a Presidential unit and was told they don't have that information. How then, do they fairly make reservations without knowing what type of unit it is? Obviously they aren't going to put a "regular" owner into a Presidential or higher unit. I then called corporate.
First of all, Shirley in "Customer Service" which I later found out is "Legal" was very condescending when I talked to her. She told me I didn't know "how to use the timeshares" and that "the only availability you are guaranteed and type of unit is in your deeded week". I told her that the sales rep had told my spouse and I a different story. I then told her that why then were we paying over 800 dollars a month for something that we can use. She stated then, "You can use it". I asked her, "How? Everytime we call to use our exchange, there is no availability." Again we went round and round about how I told the sales person I had no desire for the location or weeks but were really buying the "exchange power". My spouse and I put a stop payment on the account. When we told her about the stop payment, her story changed to, "Well, I can offer to change your week and location to something you desire more." I asked her how she could magically do this considering that this wasn't done when we first purchased the units and expressed our concerns. She didn't respond to this. We told her that we felt that we were paying for something we can't use and want out. We also found out that there is a charge to use the exchange program. $75 per exchange. This was never disclosed to us. No where in any of the paperwork we found we had signed did it discuss this at all.
Needless, to say, I have filed complaints with the BBB and the Federal Trade Commission just 3 days ago. Today, I received a call from Tonya offering me a release from the contract and Silverleaf will pay off the remaining balance of the loans. She stated that nothing would be reported on my credit. While this is desired, my spouse and I looked at getting some of our money back because we felt we were misled into what we were getting/able to use.
So, here's what I recommend if your story is similar...file complaints with the right people (BBB, Texas Attorney General's Office, Federal Trade Commission). Send a certified and registered letter describing your encounter to Silverleaf and your wish to be released from the contract. I don't know about these groups that "guarantee" to help you. But I know one thing...they are expensive (upwards of $3000 up front) to assist you in releasing you from the timeshare. Also, most of them are not attorneys. They are regular guys like you and me that know the right channels. Hope this helps some of you. Buyer beware!
Always First Come First Serve...Simple
silverleaf resorts
Hard-sell approach by company 'henchmen' sometimes leads a bad taste in owners' mouth.
Kept getting phone calls from Silverleaf Vacations in Irving (?), TX, trying to get my wife and I out for a 'complimentary' stay at The Villages Resort near Tyler, Texas. Kept telling the telemarketer(s) that we didn't 'need' any update about Silverleaf since we had been with them since 1997. Apparently, I was wrong because the telemarketer(s) kept insisting (and calling back that we 'needed' the update.
1. Last year (Jan 2009) we completed paperwork with Allison Mowery at Holly Lake Resort to sell our 'Lodge' week at Holiday Hills Resort (Branson, MO) and buy a 'Presidential' week at Seaside Resort (Galveston, TX). After dealing with her about mailing the paperwork to our four grown children (who were on the deed)--2 lived in Colorado, 1 lived in Arkansas, and 1 lived in Germany--we received a letter from Silverleaf telling us that the 'deal' had been cancelled since we hadn't turned in our completed paperwork. Surprisingly, we couldn't contact Allison Mowery at Holly Lake, despite leaving several messages for her to contact us. We tried to contact her since we had been dealing with her about the correct way to send mail to an APO and she already knew the problems SHE had been experiencing trying to get the paperwork mailed and signed and returned to her.
2. Bottom line is that we 'lost' our Presidential week..however, we really were not sure about our previous 'Lodge' week at Holiday Hills Resort in Branson, MO.
3. We went back to Holly Lake and tried to talk with Owner Services...and started 'new' paperwork for another Presidential at Galveston. Allison was there, but she basically blamed 'Corporate' for the cancellation and paperwork screw-up (her words). So, again, we started out with the paperwork that Allison was going to mail to all our children, getting them to sign the 'release of deed' for Holiday Hills and signing paperwork for the 'new' contract for Galveston. Suffice it to say that it took my wife to call down to Corporate and asking for their help...we made two or three separate trips to their Dallas location and FINALLY got all the paperwork done (NOTE: We eventually had to send copies of paperwork OURSELVES and had our kids sign and notarize them and send them back to us so we could collect them and take them to Corporate.
4. In March 2010 we went to The Villages Resort...we were offered $100 to attend a meeting so that we could have our 'owner options' explained to us. The 'salesman' drove us around for about a half-hour, then took us to his office and explained why we needed to buy another vacation week. After telling him several times that we couldn't afford to buy another week, especially if Silverleaf was not going to give us ALL CONDITIONS (Endless Escape AND zero maintenance fees) that we currently enjoy with our current week, he left for about 15 minutes. He returned with his boss, who was the 'money man.' This man spent another hour trying to twist our am and cajole us into buying another week. We told him 'NO' several times. Then he left for about 15 minutes and came back with 'a really good deal' with XXX dollars down and XXX dollars a month. Then he tried to get us to sell our Presidential week and buy two RED weeks. After telling and explaining to him why we couldn't afford to pay any more than what we were paying, he finally 'released' us.
We spent more than two hours for this (initially) 'brief' update on owner options. The salesman and his boss seemed to be very disappointed (disgusted?) in us because we didn't buy the 'good' deals they were offering. They seemed to try and shame us because we couldn't afford to buy any more.
I think that's their secret...trying to shame owners into buying additional weeks even if the owners could not afford a down payment or additional monthly payments. Their disgust and scorn of our failure to afford to buy more weeks/property was almost humorous.
AND, that's the SECRET to beating these salesmen and their bosses.
(1) Tell them that you can NOT afford to pay additional down payment.
(2) Tell them that you can NOT afford additional loan payments.
(3) Tell them that you want Endless Escape...if they say it's not available, tell them that this is a deal breaker.
(4) Tell them that you want ZERO MAINTENANCE FEES.
IF Silverleaf won't give you Endless Escape and ZERO MAINTENANCE FEES, tell them, "NO DEAL!"...and WALK AWAY.
My wife and I are sooo FORTUNATE that we have ZERO maintenance fees.
AND, with our ENDLESS ESCAPE, we do not have to pay a dime for bonus time (maximum of 6 days and nights, space available).
I really feel sorry and sad for all the HORROR stories I've seen and wish that there was some way for Silverleaf to admit to their 'hard-sell' tactics and unscrupulous (sp?) acts by their employees.
Since they are going to re-sell any foreclosed or other property they get back, why do owners have to SUFFER a loss?
My wife and I went to Silverleaf on Tuesday, 18 May 2010, for an Owner's Update meeting (standard 1 1/2 hour (right!)). The draw? $150 (one hundred fifty dollars) CASH!
Dana was our 'initial' contact (tag-team member). She said that we HAD to tour the property, so we spent about a half-hour riding around and ooohing-aaaahing. Then we went into her office. She put us at ease by asking questions...when we said that we could NOT afford to buy, she said that she was required to 'explain' some stuff to us. So we allowed her to continue.
She said that ‘DIAMOND’ owners represented 10% of all Silverleaf owners while the other categories (Presidential, Lodge, Condo, and Cabin) represented 90%. Then she asked us WHO (which category) would get first response back from Customer Service. We said, “Diamond?” and she replied, “Yes. That’s why it is SO IMPORTANT to be a DIAMOND owner.”
She also went through ‘PLUS’ program….blah, blah, blah. We kept trying to tell her that we couldn’t afford it…the ONLY way we could get an extra week is IF Silverleaf would give us the property AND zero maintenance. And more blah, blah, blah. We explained that we had a Presidential with ZERO maintenance fees and would NOT buy any property with any type of maintenance fee.
She finally came to her LAST couple of points. If we wanted to get a RED-week Lodge, Silverleaf could let us have one for $36K (thirty-six THOUSAND dollars!)…50% down ($18K) and $500/$600 per month (PLUS maintenance fee of $69).
But, if we wanted a RED Presidential, we could buy one for $68K (sixty-eight THOUSAND dollars), with 50% down payment ($34K) and monthly payments of $1000/$1100 per month (PLUS maintenance fee of $89 per month).
NOTE: Monthly payments are given as rough approximations, only.
We told her again, NO, we can’t afford it. So she said that she would get her boss and have him ‘talk’ with us.
After about 15 or 20 minutes (it seemed longer), Mr. Dave Cortez, Member Services Sales Manager, came in. He basically restated all the stuff Dana had told us, albeit somewhat more concise. We again said, “We can’t afford to buy. The ONLY way was if Silverleaf gave us a property for FREE to include ZERO maintenance.” He sort of scoffed at the idea, and said (more or less) that Silverleaf doesn’t give out ZERO maintenance. Then we told him that we had ZERO maintenance. He looked disbelievingly at us and then turned to the computer. I’m guessing that he pulled up our account ‘cause he then looked at the computer disbelievingly. He asked us how we managed to get ZERO maintenance. We told him that a Member Services person at Holly Lake was so intent (desperate?) on upgrading us from a cabin at Lake O’ The Woods that she offered us ZERO maintenance fees AND ZERO percentage rate on the loan if we upgraded to a condo at Holly Lake (which we really couldn’t refuse). AND, that we had insisted on and kept ZERO maintenance fees ever since. Finally, he said that he wanted to check the computer to see if there was any way he could find us property so that we could become DIAMOND.
Another 15 minutes or so passed. He returned, saying that he thought that he found something that might interest us. He opened with a RED Lodge for $9999 ($5, 000 down payment and $300/$400 per month…with maintenance fee). We again stated that we couldn’t afford it.
Then he came out with the piece de resistance (or so he thought). He said that Silverleaf had a property (BLUE Cabin) that had been returned to inventory because the owners had passed away and the non-payment of maintenance fees caused the property to come back to Silverleaf (or something similar). He said the property was priced at $8000 ($4000 down payment, $XXX monthly payment, with $46.50 maintenance fees). However, he said, if we would buy the DIAMOND Plus Program for $5995, he would throw in the property. AND, he brought out a magazine for ? (Camp Out America or Go Camping America or ?), a camping program where you can rent sites for $4 to $8 a night. He said that if we would pay the $89 to transfer the ‘program’ ownership from the dead couple to us, that he would also throw in the membership (unfortunately, I can’t remember specifically which camping program/magazine was proffered, but I remember the $4 to $8 per night for sites).
OK, we again told Mr. Lopez that we couldn’t afford to buy any additional property. We were in the process of liquidating our assets (selling our house and getting rid of our stuff), buy a pop-up camper, and becoming road gypsies. He said that the DIAMOND ownership was imperative for us to guarantee that we could really enjoy using Silverleaf’s RV sites (not all resorts) and combining it with our Endless Escape. Again, we said, No. He then gave us his business card, wrote Dana’s name, and told us that when we had sold our house, we should give him a call and see what was available at that time.
They finally let us go. Our “90-minute” owner’s update meeting had turned into a 2 ½ hour meeting. We went to the front desk, retrieved our voucher, and then went to the Registration Desk (check-in) and exchanged our voucher for $150.
So, there it is, folks. YOU must remember that these sales people are NOT your best friend and they do NOT have your best interests in mind. The ONLY way they get paid is by COMMISSION; the only way for them to get COMMISSION is to SELL property—at any cost (NOTE: You will pay the cost, so they really don’t care as long as you BUY!). Remember that YOU are in the driver’s seat and YOU control their pay. As long as you say, NO, they do NOT get paid. NO matter how many times they ‘push’ you to buy, NO matter how many ‘deals’ they tell you---JUST SAY NO!
Just make it through (perservere?) the 90-minute (or 2-hour, 3-hour and sometimes longer) presentation (a typical ‘dog and pony’ show). The SECRET to getting a 'short' meeting is NOT to engage the salesperson in conversation...answer their questions in vague, monosyllabic phrases if at all possible...NO, YES, DON'T KNOW, NOT SURE, etc.
The idea is for you to get YOUR money...then walk away. Just make sure you’re not ‘tricked’ into buying!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Put them on the deed. $100 fee to do this but you have to go through the deed dept.
We were some of the original owners at Holly Lake back in the 80's. We have used the facilities quite a lot thru the years, appreciated that they were kept clean altho they have, of course, gotten pretty old just like we have but that was okay. We have bonus time which worked well for us since we work shifts, farm, etc and don't have regularly scheduled vacations like some people. We felt the maintenance/tax fees were reasonable. HOWEVER, since selling out the Holiday Inn Resorts things have changed drastically...they no longer work with you on scheduling, essentially tell you to talk to the computer, leave us alone. Ex: Our daughter is not on our deed (she was born after we bought) but they have always let us use one weekend per year at The Villages for her to use during a yearly business trip she makes...no problem. This year, I made the reservation, put her name on it as usual, and when she went to check they would not let her in since her name was not on the deed. She called me, I talked to the desk...nope, no way, Holiday won't let us do that any more. They turned them away (late at night, little children, middle of nowhere) then said I would be charged $50 no-show fee and could make any kind of reservation after that until it was paid. ALSO...the maintenance fees have gone up astronomically...I now pay $90 a month. It's more than we can afford now that we are retired; besides that, we are no longer able to travel. If our kids can't go there without us standing at the desk vouching for them, it's useless to them. We had wanted to keep the property for our kids/grandkids to continue using...they've grown up there...but we are now trying to figure out a way to get out of this without ruining our credit.
ANY SUGGESTIONS?
You shouldn't use people s full names, it just seems that you are on a smear campaign. However that all sounds very stressful. I had a similar experience with Rci.
Unfortunately I am too late. I purchased a timeshare in June 2009 so I'm a new sucker! I ABSOLUTELY HATE this place. The only reason I visited this website today is because I was trying to find an address to put into MapQuest. The only reason I'm going this weekend because I feel that I should at least get my money's worth and besides it's supposedly a "free" weekend. When putting in SILVERLEAF RESORTS into a Google search, the first thing that pops up is SILVERLEAF RESORTS SCAM so I clicked on this website and her I am, complaining like the rest of you. Silverleaf is a joke, a rip-off, and anything else you want to call it. My first "free" stay was a joke! It took us over 2 hours to get a room because they claimed it had to be cleaned. Those low lives knew for 2 days that we were coming so why would they wait until we got there to clean the room. After that took too long, they decided to put us in a different room, but then couldn't find the key and couldn't get a locksmith out there at 9:00 at night, go figure. We finally got settled in after 10 p.m. only to get a nasty, filthy, disgusting room. All of the appliances were old. They were nothing like the model that the young snake-in-the-grass had shown me when I went for the 90 minute (which actually turned out to be 3 hours) visit! The oven didn't even work and the stove was missing some knobs. The microwave looked like it was one of the originals. I wouldn't dare put a year on it. I was VERY disappointed. After my visit, they kept calling me wanting me to give them some names of friends or family members that I thought would be interested. On several, and I do mean several occasions, I told them that I had no one that I would like to refer to them. They kept calling so finally I had to tell them that I think this mess is a scam and I would never put anyone I cared about in the same situation I'm in. Now I will be very cautious when I go to this so-called “update” meeting now that I know that it is really an "upgrade" meeting. I have nothing else to offer Silverleaf and they have nothing else to offer me! I just want to pay my account off and run like hell! I'm thinking about jumping ship like the other guy and taking my chances with the credit report. Like one person wrote earlier, you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip!
Once you own a Silverleaf timeshare, you never pay it off and then jump ship because of the maintenance fees so sadly you are stuck for life and your children, etc. Best bet, is stop paying and complain, complain, complain, complain and maybe you will get a Deed in lieu of foreclosure.
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.
Thank you for this awesome information. A lot of help.
I got my dumb waste of time share from Silverleaf back in 2006. I just now was able to give it back. I tried to list is with yet again another let us help you for sale by owner junk and more money for nothing. I have now learned to not pay up front for something you HOPE to see later on in life and to just pay for my trip when I want to go on one. :) So im happy to not have to see a letter from the dumb Silverleaf no e-mail no calls to update no nothing from no one. I t cost me a lot of money but boy did I learn from it. So now I hope folks take the time to write what others have gone through and to not follow in our mistakes.
I am in the same boat you are or were. Did you stop paying or did you just keep paying? I don't know what to do either?
How they are still in business I just dont know.
i got suttin funny for ya. I went to silverleafs resort called oak n spruce for a time share presentation, which wasnt to bad cause i knew they were gonna try to suck me in, but i went on my tour with a kid my age right around 26, we did some crazy boring stuff with numbers inside (which was pathedic, cause they were telling me what i spend and what im gonna spend on future vacations, they were telling me, i was like no, but ok your a idiot) it was by far the worst salesman i mean sales kid, cause this idiot was by far so stupid it wasnt even funny. Then we proceed to go hop in his 2 door car. now i had 3 people with me so we had to climb over seats and car seats, it was unherd of. Then outa no where this kid pulled out a blunt. ( a empty cigar rolled with Marijuana) now i smoke weed ( kill me for it) but i would never do suttin as stupid as this kid was about to do. he asked me and my friends if we wanted to smoke it with him. Im a pot head so i said yes, why not it was good pot. I couldnt believe he was actually doing this with me #1 we didnt know each other so he was stupid to do this with me, and then #2 of all things when we came back and he parked his car, he pulled out a bag that was like a pound and asked me if i wanted to buy some. It was good pot so i said yes, why not? i wasnt the silver leaf employee as far as i was concerned i could do whatever i wanted, it wasnt my job on the line. so i bought it, then he pulled out a pill container with Oxi-cotin, perkaset 30's and numerous other drugs and asked me if i wanted any. I said NO way to that, i have never messed with pills. so i took the weed and finished my tour. i went to gifting and was owed a trip, etc... but i was also owed a $40 AMEX card, so the girl that did my gifts was flirting with me, and i was flirting with her. she was a good looking little girl, so i flirted back, and then i walked out with 10 $40 AMEX cards, so i was the big winner for the day, i got good pot $400 dollars and a bag of good weed. If ur a pot head or a drug addict get yourself on tour with these kids down there, the kid that took me told me everyone that works there sells something or uses it and can get it for you. This place was crazy, i couldnt actually belive what actually was going on at this place. they should fire everyone and hire new people, or do car checks cause this kids weed was in like a pillow case under his cars seat. or they should do drug testing. as far as im concerend Silverleaf is a joke, and should be reprimanded by the goverment and not be allowed to take anyones money nevermind sell property! what property? if u wanna spend more and get less go to silver leaf, if u wanna save money do what ur doing, if its not broke why fix it?
hahahahahaha ... that was too funny. It made me cry...
I would be too. You paid for your timeshare and get to enjoy it. Not like the others who pay and pay and pay some more. Im glad we can warn people to be very sure what they get themselves into when buying a timeshare. Read into timeshare before you buy one yourself world. Take care
scam/swindled
My husband and I were tricked into signing a contract with Silverleaf Resorts and promised so many things in return. Well let me tell you Silverleaf gets you in the door and then never follows through with what they promise! When sugning this contract we were to have any year and then after signing we came to find out that we just have odd years and have yet to use our vacation time because when you call to schedule the dates are never available. Now we are stuck paying for something that is not being able to be used. We never received our "FREE GIFTS" and yet we still have to pay! Canceled the contract within the right amount of time and yet we still have to pay also did everything the way we were supposed to and YET WE STILL HAVE TO PAY! so please beware of this scam and no matter what is promised please do not sign a thing!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
annoying phone calls
Silverleaf Resorts from the no. [protected] calls my home 4 to 5 times every day for over the past two weeks. Leave a message for us to respond to or Stop The Telephone Calls. We are retired, we do no travel we are not interested in anything you advertise like renting, buying or selling a timeshare and we are not going to answer your annoying telephone calls that come very early, during breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekends, even today, Sunday you have called three times. The next complaint I have is you required at least 100 words!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
We have been getting the same calls constantly every day, glad to read these posts & know who these people really are. All I can do is tell my kids NOT to answer the phone because I don't want to pay extra on my phone bill for a call blocker.
former manager/ complete scam
i used to work sellin the timeshares until i got sick of bein screwed on my paychecks as well. u would think after lying there way into $50000 a day they could take care of there employees atleast. top management would get paid 10, ooo a week while the people who are doin all the work would starve. they train u to lie to the tours there are no re-sale of deeds, u can never use bonus time and NOTHING works like they say. it truely would not be worth havin if they waved the sales price of thousands of dollars and u just paid the 800 in dues every year. fyi the public uses the golf courses, swimming pools, mini golf etc. nothing is private and the rooms are filthy. don't do it u will be unhappy immediately. the managers laugh at the people who by that S*&t
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
If you quit, Silverleaf also refuses to pay your final bonuses ($$ for getting people to tour resorts) which are hard to get! I had close to $200.00 missing from my final paycheck because of that...which was also sent to me over a month after quitting...
Silver Leaf is a definite rip off.
scam
Typical high pressure scam. Started with sending a mailout saying I'd won one of $49k, $1.5k, $500, or a vacation (no airfare) all I had to do was listen to a 90 min talk. After listening to a 2 hour talk here are the details: For $15, 000 plus monthly maintenance fees (starting at $65/mo) plus $200 fee each time you use the "resort, " you get to go to the resort of your choice. Boil it down, during your 1st three years you're paying about $900/month plus $200/reservation to stay at a "resort." Really? That's about $10000/year for a one week vacation (travel and food not included). Again, you really want to do this?
You could easily go to any other vacation destination for much less $ that these guys.
While I was at the store, the employees celebrated a "new member." The new members were a military family. That hacked me off. They took advantage of someone who devoted his life to our country and freedom.
And for the "free gifts." The odds of winning any "good" prize are at best 20 in 53, 130...read it yourself. The odds of winning the "exotic vacation" are 53, 000 in 53, 130. You don't get your playing card until after you tell them if you will buy the package or not. Then you have to compare your "number" to a list of numbers they give you on the spot. Think that's rigged... Guess which prize you'll get.
Your exotic vacation will also come bundled with so many hoops to jump through that you realistically cannot ever use it.
Bottom line, run away.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
information
I need some information from all you upset Silverleaf owners out there. My resort is paid in full, but I refused to pay the dues as they said dues would only be needed to be kept current if I used my week. That was a lie as I received a letter from an attorney stating my "property " is to be auctioned off and I am no longer an owner. I say thats great if thats all but knowing how they have been to me in the past there has to be a catch. Anyone out there with a similar situation and what does this do to my credit. Also will I still have to pay late dues.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
How do you give back the timeshare? I need details.
I could not sale it, could not get anyone dumb enough to take it from me, so I gave it back to them. The best thing I ever did. So what I lost money. LOTS of it for that matter. But Im free to not go to anymore dumb [censor] update meeting. We are almost 2011, send me e-mail update Silverleaf! No we all know what they update you. To up sale you. They just keep raping our pocket books. I hope other keep on reading before they buy something that sounds too good to be true. Hang in there and keep your head high. One day we can fight this, for now we give it back and walk away a bigger person. Have a good day. Feel free to call or e-mail me.
Hi i am Carolyn and i came across your reply about a Silverleaf owner who had a question about of what to do to dispose the timeshare. I share the same problem with you. Our timeshare is paid years ago, but we stopped paying the dues last Jan but 2 days ago we received a foreclosure letter. As much as I don't want to, i am now pressured to send the entire amount of dues for this year just so our credit won't be affected, but what other alternative do we have. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks. Email me at carpwes65@hotmail.com
Hello, I hope I can answer some of your questions with the dumb thing we all got our self in with Silverleaf. You paid for the timeshare. Then for the REST of your life you will owe what they call HOA fees. If you do not pay they miss up your credit. You can only hope to sale it, like I have been trying since 2008 with no luck. Or give it back to them. You will lose all the money you put in it but you will be free of them once and for all. All you can do is to pray. Im in the same boat as you, only I pay them so my name & credit are nice and clean. It makes me so mad that I have to pay for something I dont even use. :-( You take care and e-mail at Raluca.Saturn@gmail.com if you want to talk more about this. I really want to find a better way for us all. There has to be hope out there.
executive scam
I tried to work for Silverleaf in an ethical way but the direction from the top and the pressure they place on you makes any kind of ethical selling impossible. It is impossible to compete with individuals and resorts willing to sell their soul to the devil by cheating, lying and stealing from members. The leaders of this company, David O'Connor, Jeremy Brayfield, & Denny Moore are major con artists that thrive on illegal selling activities. They put on a good show and cover their ### in their memos and paperwork that denounce unethical selling behavior but in private and in everything they teach it is the most unethical sales methods ever imagined. The managers and the reps who are rewarded are the ones who make sales at all costs. There are known felons that have been promoted to Director and other reps and managers who get promotions and are rewarded after flagrant illegal activity. I am convinced that a top producer could do just about anything as long as they sell without any worries about losing their job. To be fair I have seen reps fired but only after numerous illegal activites but these same people were rehired back within months. It was all a show and just a wink of the eye. The leaders of the company allow customers to pay up to $150, 000 for a week that really is listed on the price sheet for $20, 000 ($100 on Ebay). In fact, they celebrate and cheer when they can sucker someone clearly overpays. Jeremy Brayfield thinks nothing of inventing benefits that don't exist and flat out lying to customers about what they own. He is a first class ### hole. He runs meetings like an idiot out of control. He is only in the position he is in because his mom is the president. Even David O'Connor laughs about him and his inadequate abilities. If you ever want to see nepotism at its finest just look at Silverleaf Resorts top management. Here are somethings to remember if you go for a tour. The price they show you is about 5 times what it really sells for. No matter what you own they will find fault with it in order to get you to upgrade or buy more. Finally, everything they tell you is a calculated lie. They are very scripted and have rehearsed exactly how they will con you. Good luck and stay away from this deceptive company.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
We had the same feeling in our stomach and decided to cancel the next day. Our contract had a three day cancellation clause and we took it. I can't believe how big of a bullet we dodged. I hope someone in my position can read this and realize they can cancel in the first three days. BTW they told us that weekends count as days, I don't know how true that is.
We went to a pitch in Dec 2011. Very hard sales pitch. I didn't want to buy anything, I didn't want to spend any money, and yet they got me to sign. We were there from 9 am to 2:30 pm without lunch, and without them saying why don't you get something to eat and we'll meet back here. They certainly didn't offer us anything to eat either. It's all part of breaking a person down to the point where they'll do anything to leave. OH and by the way, the whole time your there they will try to convince you that its the only way to vacation and save money. Guess what I can save more money by not going on vacation every year for a week any certainly by not committing to a contract.
we just got back from a four hour episode at a silverleaf resort and everybody was so nice and the deal sounded like a no brainer we are a family of seven and the cost of vacation seemed so much cheaper than what we spend normally. But my husband and I left still with kind of that sick feeling in our stomach asking did we do the right thing? Now reading these reviews I feel like maybe we have been conned. Is this really a scam?
I have recently encountered the same thing. The sales reps tell you one thing and hand you literature that says one thing and then you find out down the road that it says something different in the owner's manual. I am a Diamond club member and they tell you that if you become a diamond member by buying a second week, you will receive many benefits which does not happen. The sales practices are as close to "bait and switch" as you can imagine. I am an owner with everything paid and get almost nothing for my annual dues!
Since you worked there, do you know if they truly can harm your credit report? Would love to get out of contract, and have always been honest in business deals, but I'm seriously considering not paying on the loan anymore. I've read that some people have just stopped paying and exeprienced no damaging credit reports. Is this true?
I stopped paying!
Ok, just wanted to update everyone on my post from September. Silverleaf sent us notice that they would foreclose on the timeshare in OCT. The phone calls have stopped and we have been monitoring our credit closely. Nothing! There is no record of Silverleaf on there anywhere! I do think that something should be done about a class action lawsuit, though, to prevent this sort of thing from happening to others. Good luck to all of you!
Try sending them a cease and desist letter and also report them to the attorney general. They are not allowed to harass those who know you. You should be able to pull a cease and desist template off the internet for free.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I have stopped paying and continue to get letters and phone calls from Orange Lakes. I contacted them for 4 months following Harvey and never received a response. Told them to foreclose on the property because it was worthless per one of the high pressure salesman, and there were deceptive trade practices regarding the original sale. I am 74 and cannot throw good money after bad. I have my presidential almost paid for, but I DO NOT CARE. This is property so they need to take it back. I am interested in the class action suit that I keep hearing about. They are using timeshare properties for vacation clubs and timeshare owners have none of the benefits of the vacation club unless they spend thousands more to get points!
I tried to work with them because I was divorced and unemployed. At that time they said there was nothing they could do. I've been too worried about keeping my home than messing with them. It has been 20 months. They reported my late payments to Experian this month and just the late payments, no on-time payments from the previous years. When my now ex husband and I visited one of the properties, he was very, very disappointed with the way it was maintained. He was feeling sick and the sales managet wouldnt let us leave the sales office. To top it off, we all went home sick.
Class-action lawsuit recommended against SilverLeaf.
Went with Resort Relief that uses a group "Castle Law".. paid around $3000 to get out of our Silver leaf timeshare (Paid for over a year and a half with a crappy experience the couple times we went.. the one time we actually were in our unit the A/C wasn't working in the middle of August). They sent me copies of the notices they sent to Silverleaf stating to "not contact us" and to "not report to credit bureaus". It's been over a year now. I have not been contacted by Silverleaf nor have I seen anything on my credit reports. I'm getting the cold shoulder from the Castle Law group though. They originally said it could take up to a year. Now that the year has passed they really don't answer back, so I am beginning to feel like we were played twice in a row. YOLO! Anyways.. seeing the balance due recently when logging in to my silverleaf account is very upsetting. I'm considering just taking out a loan to pay off the full balance and then try out that "deed back" option that some ^ have seemed to have success with. I am just ready to be done with this virus that haunts my thoughts every now and then.
Before you waste money paying those crooks, contact Jim at www.timesharetricks.blogspot.com, he is a great guy and you'll pay him only 400 dollars then a commission after he gets you out of the contract with your money back.
If you paid Resort Relief by credit card you can get your credit card charged back, I did. Kevin Hanson and Castle Law are fraud!
How did you get your card charged back, if it's been over a year?
The same thing happened to us. we got played by those cooks
Please if anyone is planning a lawsuit or has info about stopping payment pass on the info to the rest of us.
I got a guy! Always wanted to say that. Jim at timesharetricks@gmail.com is the guy you want to talk to. His website is www.timesharetricks.blogspot.com
I received a silverleaf guest card with a $40.00 value ( supposedly ) on it and when I went to use it, the card was rejected for no funds available! the tracking # [protected], this card has never been used before and I would like for the $40.00 value to be put back onto the card or there will be serious consequences to bare! My name is Carla Gregg and can be reach at this phone # [protected] at any given time! So please call, email, or do whatever you are supposed to do to refund my $40.00 ! I'm sorry to have to contact you guys with this mess, but it must be corrected ASAP! I expect a response from you about this matter, so please stay in touch, I certainly will! Thank-You for your time, Sincerely, Ms. Carla Gregg
Joined back in 2008 for the trial version which gave us a week of free vacation at one of the resorts, had to have emergency surgery so we called them to let them know & they said it wasn't a problem that we could still use it. Well surprise - surprise we still didn't get it even to this date. They still call wanting us to come to a meeting to discuss the issue so far we have been to quite a few with no results, now they say we have to buy the time share in order to receive our week. My husband & I have told them to quit calling but they don't and it is the same lies every time. Beware people of their false claims ..
Like many of you who have posted. My mother and I have been scamed by silverleaf resort as well. The also told us to upgrade to the diamond program to use as much as we would like. Everytime we try to book not available. If anyone has any advice or would like to participate in bringing justice to these crooks, please contact me at j.bramble27@yahoo.com. Thanks
Any update on those who stopped paying?
I am having the same problems with silverleaf. I plan to file a 1099-c with the IRS and a 1096. 1099-c is cancellation of debt and the 1096 is a form needed to file the 1099-c.
From what I understand one should receive a treasury check for the amount of your timeshare. This should solve the issues.
false advertising
I am so tired of the drama with this company. They have intimidated my husband again and he just paid an additional $2700 because of their constant calling and badgering. We have never been able to use the timeshare and we have 2 also never able to trade up like they promised. I am speaking to an attorney regarding a class action lawsuit if anyone is interested in adding their names to the list, please respond.
I have set up a website at Google and I am still working on the details I will email you later
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Please include me to your list
Please include me in your list.
As with almost all properties these days, timeshares are not easy to sell. There are few incentives for buyers and even less demand. With so many tens of thousands of timeshares available, it’s difficult to find someone willing to take on ownership. Most people looking at the timeshare resales market know the truth about timeshares being poor investments, having many fees and the difficulty in getting rid of them making it extremely difficult to sell even during good times, but you can still give it away. This is a good article on how to give away a timeshare:
http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/160-how-to-give-away-a-timeshare/
We took the 90 minute tour...you know, the one that took 4 hours in real life.We are smart consumers who prefer money in the bank over material possessions.
They say no pressure, but you deserve the pressure if you believe they will not pressure you:. Sitting for the sales pitch, listening to the deal, I looked around and realized we were being herded like cattle.. If it is too good to be true, it usually is folks'. This timeshare business is well crafted. The salesman made comments to my husband such as, " you know these vacations will really strengthen your marriage, . Your little boy isn't getting any younger:." Puh-lease!. He said he preferred a no over a "we need to think about it, " and that is a pressuring sales tactic...not to mention a preposterous demand for the truth from someone who tells half-truths for a living. If you read this forum before visiting, just stay away. Yes, we received free incentives for taking the tour. However, we drove three hours to take the tour. I don't feel guilty. No hard-working, honest, middle class family deserves what they are selling, and that is ice cubes to Eskimos. I recommend you to read this article on how to give away a timeshare, I hope this helps:
http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/160-how-to-give-away-a-timeshare/
I just canceled the 18month with free vacation. When I went to hand deliver the notice of cancelation she got so pissed she started to act like she had no class! Now I'm afraid they won't cancel the account and I'm going to be fighting with them! This place is so messed up I feel bad for those who took out the timeshare! They say oh you won't see surprise raises or you will be able to come out for 50.00 buck. Didn't I just pay you 1000.00 and you treating me like I'm Renting a hotel.. It's just truly a scam!
I am also willing to join, these people really threw out a bunch of lies. What they verbally agreed to and the actual contract are different. I wanted to get into something like this, but not get conned into it. Let me know, cdiablo77@msn.com.
I am more than willing to join you! I kept all of my documentation that the salesman gave to prove that it was all a lie. I even made the salesman sign a sheet stating my usage, only to find it was all still a lie.
How would you like to go about contacting each other?
lies and can't sell
We purchased a Silverleaf timeshare at the Fox River (Illinois) Resort on August 15, 2003. We tried using this timeshare at least once and were always told that our use week was not available at any of Silverleaf's resorts, certainly not at our home resort. Silverleaf also charged more than the monthly fee to our credit card for at least most of two entire years, although we notified them and protested. This was only resolved when we involved Illinois' Attorney General.
Like so many others, we want out. Please let us know how to do this with the best possible financial result for our family.
We had the same problems this man describes with both Silverleaf Resorts and Bluegreen Vacation Club. The only way out with Silverleaf is to request a "back-on-inventory" deed, especially if one has documentation of difficulty using the timeshare and/or of financial errors on Silverleaf's part. We had both.
We must disagree on one point, however: Both Interval International and Disney Vacation Club (from the Walt Disney Company) are legitimate timeshares that do not present difficulties for members to use their assigned week at the assigned resort. It may be difficult at times to book time at a different resort, but if one starts looking early enough, that can usually be overcome. In fact, if one has any problems with a Disney resort, Disney wants to know so that they can hopefully fix the problem and keep records on that resort. Interval and Disney are reputable and should not be lumped in the same (bad) category as RCI and its affiliates.
i use to work in the call center in north richland hills, TX. these people are all crooks! Most managers and divisionals use drugs. i even know a divisional john h who sold weed in the building. i did cocaine with phillip h in the bathroom, he is now a senior divisional mgr in arlington. i also seen many other drug transactions in this company. i had to get out. they care nothing for the customer, and use high pressure sales to get you to go to a even more high pressure sales pitch about time share. oh yeah the gifts you get, , good luck using the trips, , you have to travel tues-thurs and no holidays or peak times. so just remember the people on the other end are more than likely on drugs and please do not purchase or even go to a timeshare to visit, , , you will be sorry!
sexual harrassment
im a female was working in landscaping and a co worker constantly sexually harrassed me i complained to supervisor repeatedly and all he could tell me to do was slap him so when i reported him to another supervisor he was mad . you people with children be cautious because a lot of their workers are out on parole if he will assault me just think what he may do to a child, one of our workers was caught peeking in skylights on roof. the members were very mad i felt sorry for them ladies. beware and god bless all members
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
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Silverleaf Resorts address1201 Elm St STE 4600, Dallas, Texas, 75270-2112, United States
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