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Universal Marketing Solutions review: Fraud 53

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I was contacted by Universal Marketing Solutions that they have sold my timeshare and that I also get 4 weeks bonus weeks. I cpuld sell them for 2000 each but a processing fee of 499 for each week will be charged to my credit card and returned in the guaranteed sale of my timeshare. I think I've been scammed

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53 comments
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Donovan Lawrence
, US
Apr 10, 2017 9:24 am EDT

Took my money and will not answer phone call of potential renters for my property.

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mcfly
03053, US
Mar 18, 2009 1:16 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Anyone up for a class action lawsuit against these ###?/

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joann simpson
Creston, US
Feb 19, 2009 4:24 pm EST

I was contacted by this company and asked if we were interested in selling our time share and any unused weeks we might have. I told them we did have a time share. Tom Ford called me soon thereafter and said that they had a lot of buyers and had oversold timehsare and needed to purchase some to sell. Also would line to purchase the unused weeks we might have. The cost to sell the unused 2 weeks was $1200 with a return of $5200 and $1398.48 to sell the property. I have since been contacted by a company and told that this is a scam and directed to this web site. I am contacting the Attorney, Andrew Cov and the Dept of Ag in Flordia.

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kcad1
Buckeye, US
Mar 15, 2009 12:48 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Claims to have buyer for my time share states they have a down payment on this time share so that the 1396.24 i pay will be refunded if sale does not go thru. They send out a contract which i have not signed and bill my credit card for the $1396.24 before the contract even gets to me. The lat call i got was they were doing a title search on the time share i have told them there is no title it is a lease. Called to cncel on number states all people are busy leave a message or cll back. The other number styates there mail box is fill.I want this contract cncel and my money back

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Lea Anne
New Carlisle, US
Mar 18, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

Universal Marketing Soulutions contacted my elderly mother to say they could sell her time share in Florida. She sent them $1300 on her credit card. She aslo sent Western Unions for $400 and for $300. This was in a telephone request from Zachary White at phone number [protected], who was to have represented Universal Marketing Solutions. Earlier, my mother spoke with a man named Michael along with the Regional Manager, Matt Hicks, who when she called today, Michael stated he did not know who she was or anything about selling a time share then hung up the phone on her. Michael's phone numer is [protected]. She has continued to attempt to call this company, but none of her phone calls have been answered or her calls returned.I truly have a problem with scammers, but especially those who prey on the elderly. I am certain my mother will probably never see her money again; however, action should be taken to prevent others from meeting a similar loss.
laneiman@msn.com

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Mistyj30
Black Hawk, US
May 06, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

I was scammed by Universal Marketing Solutions... they took $300 from me to sell my timeshare. Everytime I called them they said they were waiting for people to get financed. Eventually, about a year later they contacted me again to try to get money from me to sell my timeshare, they hung up on me when I said I was already listed through them.

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EaglesforLiberty
, US
Jun 09, 2010 11:24 am EDT

Here's the website he works out of...this guy is [censor] of the earth! Taking advantage of good people.

http://www.rciinnovations.com - Gregory Fusca

So sad...hope this helps someone that's has been a victim of this guy.

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jakejj995
Raleigh, US
Nov 03, 2009 7:15 pm EST

check out the latest info on Florida Attorney General action against this company at
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=814535&posted=1#post814535

they are ### and a scam..

learn more about timeshare at http://www.TUG2.net

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joecarr
Yorktown, US
Jul 01, 2009 1:19 pm EDT

Wow I thought I was the only one. They got me for $1997.00 back in February. They call my and I to tell us they had a buyer for our timeshare. Well low and behold months later my property still has not sold. I got told that the buyer did not agree to their finance rate and the buyer opted to get there own finance. Please direct me on what to do. I need my money back.

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MBNY
, US
Jun 27, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

I'm in for a classaction suit! Who's going to start the ball rolling? Companies are going under all over with the economy as it is. How do we do this before they go out of business?

MBNY

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Becky in GA
Clarkesville, US
Jun 26, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

My husband and I are in for a lawsuit against this company! They are theives. We had our timeshare listed with someone else. Then in February we got a phone call for Univeral Marketing Solutions stating that they had a buyer for our timeshare. They asked for $1396.00 which we charged to our credit card. We received a contract and signed it and sent it back. We assumed everything was legit. We have called several times and talked with them, they assure us that they are having the title search company working and the people are getting their financing in order. Well it's been 5 months and we still haven't received anything. I too have been calling but have to leave messages, but no one is returning calls. Help, we work hard for our money and can't afford to lose it.
Rebecca in GA

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Andrea Richardson
Millington, US
May 30, 2009 7:38 am EDT

I, like so many of you have the same problem. I would love to get in on any law suit! I was told when they called they a buyer for my timeshare for 17, 000. and they were going to credit my credit card account for 1, 398.00 for fees not used during their survices. I gave verbal consent for them to deposit the money. I then told them to send a copy of the contract of sale to me and my husband to review. I was told a copy of the contract would be sent in the mail by priority mail to sign it and send it back. I later checked the account and realized they did not credit my account the 1, 398.00 infact they had charged my account 1, 792.00. I did receive a priority mail from the company, but instead of the sale contract, I received a two page contract agreement stating I give them written promission to sell my timeshare for 1, 792.00. and in big bold letter it states "YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PAY ANY MONEY UNLESS YOU SIGN THIS CONTRACT AND RETURN IT TO NATIONWIDE MARKETING SOLUTIONS." Of courst I DO NOT intend to sign the darn thing or send it back. I am in the process of trying to get my money back.

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Mike Eugene
Harvey, US
Apr 22, 2009 5:30 pm EDT

I have been in contact with Det. Bollan of the DelRay Beach Police Dept. He has sent me an affidavit to fill out and send bact to him. He informed me that one of the people working for this company has died from an overdose but he is after one of the women that works for this company. He said that I will not get my money back. If you would like to talk to Det. Bollan, the number is [protected].

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EASiber
Jericho, US
Apr 20, 2009 3:39 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I would join in the class action suit. This sompany is horrible. Kelly Cahill promised me the sale with a person waiting to purchase also because of over sale. Sadly, my credit card company was unable to get my money back because I signed the contract. I wss told by the Better Business Bureau that the company has an F rating. If there is anything that can be done, I would like to join in.

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sorryfellas
Byron, US
Apr 09, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

Yes, a lawsuit is in order. We can win this folks, please let's all contact our nearest authority and find out how to get the ball rolling. This is America...we can get blood from a turnip, Mr. Obama is, :)

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Jersey Girl
Somerset, US
Apr 04, 2009 10:48 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi There
I had my west gate lake time share listed with this UMS Scam company. I DID receive all of my $ that I put down. I did this by disputing my master card charge...Filing a complaint to the Boca Raton PD and BBB. I do believe that I scared the crap out of them.
Do this and you will get a full refund I assure you.

Jersey Girl

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Mike Eugene
Harvey, US
Apr 03, 2009 10:17 am EDT

I signed a contract with this company in January. They bugged the mess out of me until I sent them the money. I have not heard from them since and everytime I call them, I keep getting that same recording about them calling me back, and they never have. If there's a class action suit, I'm in

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Alan Taylor
, CA
Apr 01, 2009 10:52 am EDT

I have had a similar experience. I paid $1246.24 for them to market my Hawaii timeshare with the provisor written into the contract that if it takes longer than 120 days the marketing fee will be refunded on closing. It took longer than 120 days. No sale. If you call their "Customer Service" you get a msg saying wait. My inside cell # to 'Amber' now belongs to a student in high school. Now I'm told by "Creative Vacations" (tel. [protected]) that they are out of business. I have now been scammed by these guys, Timeshare Market Pro, Global Timeshare Solutions & Century 21 at a cost of many $1000's. Is there no consumer protection in the USA? It's so hard to get legal recourse from north of the border...

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mcfly
03053, US
Mar 27, 2009 6:43 pm EDT
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Oh yes I did sign a contract but was misled into signing it!

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mcfly
03053, US
Mar 27, 2009 6:42 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I dont know how class action lawsuits work so if anyone in this forum knows how please advise! I spoke with Mr Sherman at the AGs office and they were supposed to meet UMS and their attorney Andrew Cove. Many many complaints have been filed with the AGs office and the Dept of consumer affairs. I am waiting to hear from him with the results. When he calls me I will post what was said!

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Mysterio911
Polk City, US
Mar 27, 2009 3:29 pm EDT

My wife and I are in! Absolutely! They are ### and I would like a piece of them!

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Shirley Avina
Coppell, US
Mar 26, 2009 2:00 pm EDT

We also were scammed by Universal Marketing Solutions. They told us they had two qualified buyers for our timeshare and asked us register the unit with them. We gave them our credit card number and $1, 995.00 was charged to our account. Meanwhile, they contacted us again and told us they had someone who wanted to rent the timeshare for a week while waiting for the sales agreements to be processed.The people would pay us $3, 900.00 for the week and they were mailing the check on that day. They told us that the complex charges $599.00 for the renters to use all of the facilities. So, we again gave them our charge card number.

We cannot get them to respond to our calls. We are contemplating on retaining an attorney. This is definately fraud and they should go to jail.

John & Shirley Avina
Coppell, Texas
[protected]

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Jersey Girl
Somerset, US
Mar 25, 2009 5:51 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I believe that I am up for the class action suit. I first am going to get my money refunded back. I am filing a complaint with Boca Raton Police. Dective Flecua [protected]. I asked him if he had previous complaints agains this company. Since the first of the year he has had OVER 200! Mary Clyde is very convincing and are the rest of the other people in this company. A class action suit is my next step. Does anyone know how that works?
Thanks Jersey Girl!

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ripedoff
Highland, US
Mar 24, 2009 1:30 pm EDT

did you sign a contract with this company? We did and we are trying to get our money back.

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ripedoff
Highland, US
Mar 24, 2009 1:20 pm EDT

how did you people get your money back from being scammed from the Universal Marketing Solutions? We were scammed from this company for $1296.00 and we have worked very hard for our money. Everything sounded ligit. On the contract that we signed it states that we can cancel the contract but when I have tried to call the company to cancel the contract it tells me to leave a measage. Please can someone help me. rsonni4@yahoo.com

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earl moeller
Batavia, US
Mar 23, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

we sent universal marketing a check for 1493 back in June of 2008 to sell our timeshare in Tahitti Village in Las Vegas as of today we still have not heard anything and all the numbers we try go straight to a recording I am sure we were also scamed.

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cylegreen
minneapolis, US
Mar 22, 2009 12:53 pm EDT

I'm in!

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Turcotte
New Port Richey, US
Mar 11, 2009 12:53 pm EDT

We too were scammed by these no good dirty rotten people. Of course they call around tax return time when you have the cash to pay the 1395. to do the "deed and title search" guaranteed sell in 90 days and now nothing! We can't even get a return phone call. If only we had read this in advance. I too prefaced with we had already tried listing with another agency and they assured me they had a buyer that had already put 5000 down on our property and would buy ours in the Virgin Islands for 14, 500. We were thrilled due to our daughters medical condition and need for the cash to pay off debt from loss of work etc. They are vultures that prey on the sick weak and tired. I think they look for medical bills and then tempt us with big pay offs. We certainly could buy more with our tax money that they STOLE from us. Maybe ALL of us need to contact 8 on your side or one of the news reporters to get some action to keep this from happening to anyone else. We will try to get our money back as well but it has been more than 60 days so it may be too late. Floridians at a lost!

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Pat James
9409 Aspen, US
Mar 10, 2009 6:11 pm EDT

This is to give you all an idea of how dumb I am... When they contacted me in Jan I was in my car and didn't realize I had 2 previous contracts wit UMS..one for renting my timeshare and the other for selling it. I remembered the one for sale listing. Anyway an email to Jeniffer Kirk got a response that bnasicially said we have your money and name on a contract..

I emailed her back and asked why the previous 2 contracts didn't cover things.. they sent a refund for the $2395 they got from me in Jan.

At the same time I was assured that my sale was in the final stages and would be complete in the next few days ( Mar 10 to 13).. Needless to say I am NOT holding my breath.

I have recently received phone calls from 2 separate companies stating Universal has sent them my information and ask if I want to sell ... Not suprisingly, they say how good they are but both want money up front. I think I am on a 'chump' list... 'hey we got a live one here, see what you all can get out of it...' Maybe Universal is getting a kickback.

I might pay a title search fee.. but not before I have a full contract to seel the property with a real name on it that I can check out and confirm., not somebody's brother or made up name but that I can take to an attorney. Just like if you sold a house.

I personally think the whole system is bogus although I know some sell properties for real. In this tight market, I figure sales are few and far between. I've told these scam artists that it is cheaper for me to hold my property than float another nickel on a ### promise

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Douglas Veitch
Colorado Springs, US
Mar 07, 2009 12:06 pm EST

I was contacted for a "sale" of my timeshare in Beaver Creek. The offer was an excellent offer and I was ready to proceed. However, when they asked for acredit card to do the title search mu suspicions were raised. The rep promised to fax the contracts to my office for my review as I would not give a credit card to an unknown party regardless of the offer. No suprise, the contracts have yet to arrive and I doubt they will. Guess this outfit is exempt from prosecution as they are 'employing" people and have paid the appropriate fees. Glad I listened to my instincts.

Where is the DA when you want one?

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mjackson
Lakewood, US
Mar 06, 2009 6:23 pm EST

I want to thank everyone on this thread. I had initially been contacted in Sept. 2008 for the initial $1394 they got from me and then another $1596. When I did an initial search on the company, I could not find anything, and now I see I was not the only one. I used my Amex card and called them about the fraud charges and they not only applied the total amount back to my card, they took down all of the information so they could do their own investigation.

I had received calls from a Wayne and John Strassburg, and the phone numbers used were [protected] UMS, [protected] John Strassburg’s personal mobile #, which was disconnected and [protected] which now sends you to the UMS voice mail.

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RG4
, US
Mar 05, 2009 2:57 pm EST

Today is 3/5/09 and I was just contacted by Andre from UMS. I wrote down the caller ID. After a convincing performance by this man I told him I would get back to him. He gave me the office number, toll free number and his cell number. The caller ID number was [protected]. When I called back the guy answered with hello. I told him someone called me from this number and asked who he was. He said his name was Chet. All you could hear in the background was a bunch of grown men laughing and having fun. He said that some people got a hold of their phone number and have been trying to sell timeshares from it. (then I noticed that there was no noise in the background anymore, like he jestered from them to be quiet). He said that they are actually a garbage company. I said, 'really, funny how all the guys in the background got real quiet when you started telling me about this company that is scamming people.' He didn't have anything to say after that. Then I called the other phone numbers that Andre gave me: [protected] - no one answered but it finally went to an answering system for UMS. The other numbers were: [protected] and his personal cell phone was [protected]. I did call that number, Andre answered and said UMS. I told him what I am writing here and he said that the person who had been scamming people is no longer there and that they are trying to build their way up again and be a successful business. He said that he did have a buyer for me but I should do what I need to do and go with whatever company I am comfortable with. That was actually fun to do! When he called me he was so confident! WHen I called him he got very quiet and mousey and matter of fact. I'm tired of being scammed. These people have no conscience, I don't know how they live with themselves, but our God upstairs is watching these people that side with the devil! THey'll get theres.

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THB
Pink Hill, US
Mar 04, 2009 7:09 pm EST

I was contacted by Michael /last name removed/ yesterday asking about my timeshare. Today he called backed stating he had an offer. My husband and I are alway suspicious if we have to pay money upfront. I really appreciate all these posts so I now know. As others I wish I could find an honest seller.
TB

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eagledancing
Kamiah, US
Mar 04, 2009 4:38 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi all, this morn.(3/04/2009) I got a call from a Ralph at unversal marketing saying that they had a buyer for my timeshare and that these people already have seen the place and payed a down payment. The funny thing is that I did not have my timeshare listed yet as I am having problems trying to find a "honest" company to list with. I'm really thankfull for all the people that have made complaints against them as I won't get scamed for $1, 000. I do need to know if anyone out there knows of a good and honest company that I can list my timeshare with? You can contact me @...robertmolly@msn.com. Thank you, MS

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Ladykq
Chestermere, CA
Mar 04, 2009 9:37 am EST

For those who have gotten money back did you have to retain a lawyer to do that?

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Ladykq
Chestermere, CA
Mar 03, 2009 8:26 pm EST

I called Andrew Cove's office two days ago. Same thing...call UMS. Jennifer Kirk emailed me back and said Andrew Cove no longer represents them. What a mess. What can anyone believe. They are so convincing. Its a sad world when people have to resort to this kind of con to get money. I guess it shows how desperate some people are to make a buck. I got sucked in Jan 27 and have not slept a night since.

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bigchaddy
bryan, US
Mar 03, 2009 11:47 am EST

Just called Andrew Cove's office and got the same junk...email UMS. I emailed Jennifer Kirk (jkirk@universalmarketingsltns.com). I told her I was going to file a legal suit if they did not return my funds and she emailed me right back and told me that according to my contract, the money would not be refunded until the sale of the property. She did add that someone would call with an update.

I seriously doubt that b/c no one has called me from that company since they got my money...a year ago. I have been trying to get my money back for months now to no avail. I wish I would have seen all this stuff last year before I gave them the money.

anyone no any other way to get around this mess and get money back?
Chad
chad.gonzales@dfps.state.tx.us

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washington73
Maple Valley, US
Mar 01, 2009 10:50 am EST

I had been wary of this compny. They contacted me too. I asked for the contract and it was very vague. Thank goodness I looked them up! They had wanted $1, 399.00 from me too for the title search. I have just emailed Colin Tolmodge back with all my findings and a big NO THANK YOU!

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Tine W
Cordova, US
Feb 28, 2009 11:31 am EST

SO GLAD I found this site and checked them out. I spoke with a Kurt who called on my cell phone yesterday inquiring if I wanted to sell or rent my timeshare. Gave him my resort and number of BR and baths etc. He called me this morning and said he had a renter who also wanted my banked week with II as well and they would pay more than I was asking . and for $398 for each week which is charged by the resort for a guest pass etc. OR I could pay $796 for a LIFE TIME use of their company to rent or sale my Timeshare in the future. Of course they wanted my CC number up front to start the process and the contract. I said I need ed to check themout.He was very convincing and eloquent in his speech...THANKS TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT. I will not call him back.

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Pat James
9409 Aspen, US
Feb 26, 2009 2:29 pm EST

I just called the attorney listed above, Andrew Cove. One of his secretaries answered and said that while they do represent UMS, they have been directed to only give out an email address for UMS. That gives UMS another layer to ignore customers...or should I say victims.

Personally I think anybody with a question should call Mr Cove..maybe he will not be real happy with his client, no matter what retainer he is getting.