Merry Riemer Travel Rental Ripoff originating on Rentalo.com Merry didn't deliver, kept my money, refused to respond to my allegations Brandon Manitoba
I'm writing in to report a case of rental fraud that has taken place in Canada and has continued down into Mexico.
It all started when I posted a request for long-term accommodations on Rentalo.com.
I was contacted by several parties by email and some by phone.
The person who started off this whole chain of events is a woman by the name of Olga Figueroa and she has a web site named vallartarealtyrents.
Olga violated the Rentalo rules by forwarding my information to a woman who calls herself Merry Riemer, (more on her later).
According to what I found out from Rentalo, property owners aren't supposed to forward their listings to outside parties and there is a system block in place, but it doesn't prevent people from doing a cut and paste into an email, which is what happened here. I also told them that they need to change the way their site is run, because they have cautions to travelers advising them to check the legitimacy of the property owner they want to rent from, but that information is not in plain sight but is buried deeper in their site http://rentalo.com/docs/disclaimer.html
It's only after things started to go sour that I found that information, where they the site states that they take no responsibility for what happened. However, I was told by my contact at Rentalo to give them as much detail as possible so they could conduct an internal investigation.
As I was saying, Olga forwarded my information to a woman who calls herself Merry Riemer, from Brandon, Manitoba, email: merrysparadise@yahoo.ca and merryboomboom@yahoo.ca
Tel. (204) 726-8480
The fraud began either when I received an email from Merry or when she was forwarded my information by Olga. (At this moment I'm not sure who is responsible; one thing I can say is that even though I contacted Olga twice by phone trying to find Merry, she never called back, which I find suspicious.)
Initially, none of Merry's listings (in her email) matched my requirements and it was hard to state exactly what I wanted, given the limitations of the Rentalo system.
In conversation, Merry told me of a deal off the system where she didn't have to pay a commission and had a good friend who would rent me a place for $500.00/month near the highway in South Bucerias, but that deal fell through and she found another place for more money ($575/month) 2 kilometers North.
It was pretty steep for me financially, but Merry, knowing that I was afraid I might not get a place (due to finding out that Bucerias and Vallarta was busier than usual due to vacationers being displaced by Cancun) played upon my fear and used it to up the ante.
When I saw that the property didn't match my needs (through photos forwarded to me by a friend of Merry's in the Bucerias area, I immediately told Merry and she said that the woman who owned the property (Liliana Hernandez) would make sure that the security arrangements were upgraded. I was suspicious but I couldn't do anything at that time, except wait until I got to Mexico.
(Also, Merry left Brandon and went to Mexico, not telling me when she was going, which sent me into a panic when I couldn't contact her. Further, she didn't give me her cell phone number in Mexico and there was no way to contact her except by email, which she wasn't answering.)
When I arrived in Mexico on December 13th, I went to see the property and immediately know it wouldn't work. Why? Because the property was so far away from everything that I needed that I would have had to buy a car to make it work, an expense I couldn't afford. When I contacted Merry (by email), she wrote that she was disappointed and tried to talk me into going to Barra de Navidad (some 4 hours away), which I resented. I made it clear I wanted Bucerias and nothing else. She said she would work on it.
On December 16th, I told her that I'd found a temporary place and we could all take time off for awhile. On December 27th, I found a new place and I wrote to her immediately, letting her know that I'd found something long term and I wanted a refund. I offered her some money for her time, but I had no response. I sent her another email on January 3rd, again letting her know that I wanted a refund and that I wanted to resolve the matter by the following Friday, the 6th. But Friday came and went with no response.
On Friday, January 6, I filed a formal complaint with Rental and posted a comment in Olga's Guestbook on Rentalo.com. I followed that up today (Monday, January 09, 2006).
I have a couple of emails (on December 10 &12th) where Merry had said that she was having problems receiving mail with her laptop and claimed to have sent me multiple emails before I arrived (in Mexico) that I never got. Those problems are a possiblity, but Merry could have sent or received email to/from me any time she wanted to. How do I know this? Because she has a public account with Yahoo, which is accessible from any Internet cafe that I've been to in Canada, as well as in Vallarta, Neuvo Vallarta or Bucerias. I know the area and there are tons of internet Cafe's there.
Further, Merry repeatedly ignored/refused my request to give me her Mexican cell phone number and when I tried to locate her by calling her home in Brandon, the people taking care of her place refused to give me a contact phone number, saying they didn't have one.
I don't believe that. No one would give over care of their home to friends without having a contact number in the event of an emergency. It doesn't make any sense. I made a mistake in not getting a rental agreement contract but I do have a solid email trail, both to and from Merry, recording our communications. This is the first of many more postings if I don't get my money back by Monday (January 9th) at the latest.
SG
P.S. She was good, I admit. I even let her get away with talking me into putting down a full month's rent, which I really couldn't afford. But then again, I was in fear of not getting a place and having to come back to Canada and she took full advantage of that fact. The one really important thing I learned is never to make important decisions when in a state of fear; to sit still and wait it out, no matter how painful it feels.
The other thing I learned, after sending her the money by money order, is that I could have put a stop payment on it- something I didn't know at the time, but learned only a few days ago. Another thing I've learned is why so many people quit during the reporting process, due to the large volume of paperwork to do.)
Still, I'm posting this due in part to the belief that if she ripped me off, she probably did so to others. If enough people come forward, we can shut her down.
For reference here are a few web sites to consider:
Report Economic Crime Online
phonebusters
ripoffreport
Nathan
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Nathan
Victoria,British Columbia,
Canada
Followup with Merry and Her Responses
#2Author of original report
Fri, January 20, 2006
Merry,
I've tried repeatedly to contact you and obtain a refund, but you seem to be avoiding me at every turn.
As a result, I want you to know that I've filed multiple reports against you for fraud with the RCMP, Phonebusters, Rentalo.com (the agency where this started) and the Ripoff Report.
To see the full report, visit http://www.ripoffreport.com/ and click on the following URL: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff171425.htm If that doesn't work, type in merry riemer into the search box on the far right and click on the URL that will come up.
I've spent more than three weeks trying to recover my money and I've tried to contact you repeatedly, but you refuse to respond. I was planning to visit PROFECO today, but I was delayed. If this doesn't get resolved by this Friday at the latest, that's my next step. I've been ripped off, lied to repeatedly and I'm extremely angry about what's happened.
You can contact me at: 250 480-0877 or at my email address above.
Rest assured, I will pursue this matter until justice is done.
Sincerely,
Nathan Segal
Below are two responses from Merry to me, as of Jan 18, 2006.
Nathan,
Sorry that you feel this way. But both Bob and I have been rally sick with some flu bug we got here and I have not been into town for anything for quite some time. Beside the fact that one of our very good friends had a heart attack here and it has caused much confusion.
I just had a friend arrive yesterday with my laptop power source that went out when I arrived.
I went through my emails and had nothing since you said you would contact me in a bit for a day and time to meet up but no set date. I do know that many emails do get lost here unlike at home, not sure why but they do,, I would have met with your right away if we had made a day and time.
I have your refund and I am sorry you have filed your reports. I went above and beyond trying to help you find your lodging in Bucerias. I made many calls to Mexico to help you out. I am sure you can understand my concern to this. Of course this is upsetting to me. I will forward you your money which ever way you want.
I am quite surprised by this email and I have done more help to more people and to have you tell me that there are many complaints against me is a very nasty thing to say when I spent endless hours trying to help you out.
Let me know where to send your deposit. I would appreciate being re-imbursed for my phone calls. I don't think that is too much to expect. So let me know what you feel is fair.
Sorry this turned out like this, but I tried to do what I could for you and I told you I had many more contacts in PV than Bucerias.
If I had my cell phone activated I could give you the number, but since we have been sick, I have not gone to town to do it. Merry
Nathan,
I just read your report. I don't know how you can even say what you said. I don't have any idea who this Olga is. Personally if the 575 was too much why did you tell me that you could have gone up to 600 a month.
Nathan, I though we could have been friends and to read what you wrote certainly shocked me. I never tried to get you to go anywhere other than Bucerias once you told me you didn't like the home. For your information. You did not go to the right property. The Mexican lady who owns the home said you never showed up leaving her without a renter until some time later. So where you went from what I am told was not the correct location.
I have never been treated so unfaily by someone that I did nothing buy try and help. You know yourseld I tried desperately to find you accomidations. I just want to give your back what is fair to me for my time and get this over with. Merry
I would suggest to you the next time you write something negative aboutsomeone and hurtful you give the real facts................
Here is my response to Merry, dated January 19, 2006
From NATHAN SEGAL
Sent Thursday, January 19, 2006 11:03 am
To Merry Riemer
Cc
Bcc
Subject Merry: I want a full refund by no later than January 21, 2006. See my letter for details.
Merry Riemer
3929 Centennial Blvd.
Brandon, Manitoba,
Canada R7B-2X2
Email: merrysparadise@yahoo.ca
January 19, 2006
Dear Merry,
I received your email responses yesterday and the crux of the matter is this: I want a full refund of $575.00USD. It's that simple, period.
To send the money, visit the nearest Western Union office and make the transfer of $575.00 US Dollars payable to:
Nathan Segal
32A Carmen Serdan
Bucerias, Nayarit
Mexico
Tel. (322) 205-6471
Once you email me the MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number which is ten digits in length), I'll be able to locate the funds and pick up my money in Puerto Vallarta.
In your two emails to me, you made several comments about getting my facts straight. Just so there's not any confusion, here are several direct quotes from your letters:
a) I went through my emails and had nothing since you said you would contact me in a bit for a day and time to meet up but no set date. I do know that many emails do get lost here unlike at home, not sure why but they do,, I would have met with your right away if we had made a day and time.
b) I am quite surprised by this email and I have done more help to more people and to have you tell me that there are many complaints against me is a very nasty thing to say when I spent endless hours trying to help you out.
c) I would appreciate being re-imbursed for my phone calls. I don't think that is too much to expect. So let me know what you feel is fair.
d) If I had my cell phone activated I could give you the number, but since we have been sick, I have not gone to town to do it.
e) For your information. You did not go to the right property. The Mexican lady who owns the home said you never showed up leaving her without a renter until some time later. So where you went from what I am told was not the correct location.
f) I would suggest to you the next time you write something negative aboutsomeone and hurtful you give the real facts................
Here are the facts, according to my email log and my notes:
1. In your email responses you've said that I didn't contact you about obtaining a refund. In fact, I wrote to you about getting a refund on December 27th and did so again on January 3, 2006. Not once did you respond, either by email or phone.
2. In fact, that prior to yesterday, the last email communication I had from you was on December 15th, meaning that I hadn't heard from you for over a month.
3. I have a solid email trail dating back to November 15th. Not a single one of those emails I sent to you had bounced; if they had, I would have received a message stating that fact.
4. I gave you my Mexican Cell phone number on November 23rd by email and did so again on December 15h.
5. I gave you the phone number at the Hotel Palmeras where I was staying on November 29th.
6. You stated that I never went to Liliana's place. When I arrived in Mexico on December 13, I found it that night. In truth, I went there on three separate occasions, but there was no one there for me to talk to, a fact confirmed by two of the neighbors (one of whom is a personal friend) and I had no phone contact for Liliana. My only contact was you, and only by email.
7. Finally, from December 16 to January 3, I emailed you four times and received no response. And despite giving you my cell phone number repeatedly and that of the hotel where I was staying, you never called me. Even now, you refuse to give me your cell phone number; you claim it still isn't activated, you won't meet with me, and you want to send my refund anonymously. That strikes me as highly suspicious.
It is unreasonable to ask me to compensate you for your phone calls. You've avoided me for over a month and it's cost me time, money and effort to track you down. If anything, consider yourself lucky that I'm not sending you a bill to cover my expenses.
I want a full repayment of my $575.00USD, otherwise you'll suffer the consequences as dictated below.
At this point, all my police and Internet files will remain open until I have my money back in my hands which I expect by no later than Saturday, January 21, 2006. If I've not received my funds by then, I will continue to pursue legal action until justice is done.
Yours truly,