Complaint Review: Universal Marketing Company

I was contacted by Joe Heinz of Universal Marketing Company. He was interested in selling a time share unit at North Harbor III in Slidell, LA. I told him that this complex had been destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. He asked if we had any other timeshares we would be interested in selling. I told him yes.

I gave him the required information and he contacted me back and said that in order to list it with his company I would have to pay $1500 - up front - for them to obtain a title search. I complied with a credit card number. (I have cancelled this card now) I was contacted again on November 26 and told that 4 separate families would like to visit the resort and I would have to pay $499 for each to get a guest pass. I attempted to contact the resort because I knew a guest pass is only around $40.00. The line stayed busy for several hours so I contacted the Escapes Travel Group. the woman who answered the phone told me that our timeshare had been hit by one of the summer hurricanes and would not re-open until around December 5th.

I contacted Joe Heinz with this information and he told me that the families were renting the unit for $2300 a week and I would receive the $9600 which would refund my $1996 investment on December 13, 2008. We are supposed to have a closing date of January 3, 2009 for me to receive my 'guaranteed' $28,772 for the sale of this timeshare.

If it sounds too good to be true it usually is!

Anne
Central, Louisiana
U.S.A.