Complaint Review: Sunset Lagoon

We purchased a timeshare in September 2005 at Sunset Lagoon in Cancun, Mexico. The timeshare was presented as an "investment package" and we were offered guaranteed rental income for two years as part of the deal. The sales manager provided us with a document that was to serve as a guarantee of rental income. They also guaranteed that our existing timeshare in Myrtle Beach would be sold by their US brokerage company (Resorts International Marketing Corp) for $10,000 within 90 days. During the sales pitch, he put me on the phone with a representative from Resorts International who verified that we would get $10,000 for the sale.

When we got back to the states, I called Resorts International to inquire about the rental income I should soon be receiving. They had no record of any guarantee from Sunset Lagoon and also told me that they were NOT a part of Sunset Lagoon. I immediately called Sunset Lagoon to discuss this situation and was told that the document we had been given was not a part of our contract and that Sunset Lagoon would not guarantee anything. I requested a refund for the amount of our down payment and also requested that the contract be cancelled due to deceptive sales practices. Sunset Lagoon refused to give us a refund and said the contract could not be cancelled. After many more requests, both verbally and in writing, they still refuse to give us our money back.

We have filed formal complaints with Profeco, the FTC, econsumer.gov, RCI and the Attorney General's Office in NC and FL (Sunset maintains a US address in Miami for purposes of collecting money).

Debbie
High Point, North Carolina
U.S.A.