Although I travel frequently, I have never encountered the level of dishonesty and corruptness in all of my trips as I did when I crossed the path of the employees in the sales department of the El Cid Resorts. I was a victim of one of its many fraudulent schemes where Rui Manuel Veloso Ferreira, through a series of lies and deception, defrauded me of funds allocated for a deposit. When I informed him that I already owned two time shares, he fabricated this scheme wherein he assured me that I could consolidate three time shares into one without using any of my personal funds. He stated that I could sell one unit to pay for an El Cid property and trade another to consolidate my weeks and improve the ability to secure the resort of my choice.
The entire premise was a hoax and was doomed to failure from the very beginning because of Ferreira's trickery and bundle of lies. Approximately three months after I had returned home, I discovered through the Ripoff Report that other tourists had also been duped by Ferreira. Thank you Ripoff Report for exposing these predators, who frequently victimized senior citizens on fixed incomes.
During the first phase, Ferreira immediately sabotaged the project by referring me to a company to sell the designated property; I later discovered that the company was an internet advertising agency and its employees did not have real estate licenses. Second, Ferreira stated in an e-mail that he would grant me an extension of the due date for selling the property. He never did follow-up on his promise.
Third, after receiving numerous billing statements and telephone calls from a collection agency, Ferreira and his supervisor, Karl Eisenman, refused to return my calls and e-mails. Fourth, I discovered that the property that Ferreira had told me to sell for $16,000 was actually selling for $35,000 at the home resort. Numerous other discrepancies occurred during my dealings with Ferreira, which revealed that the majority of his statements were devoid of the truth.
I have tried twice to negotiate with the company, but was unsuccessful. I offered to forfeit part of my deposit for his commission, but that fell through when Ferreira did not follow up on my amendment to his letter of release. Earlier in the process, Ferreira and Eisenman released me from the contract, but then without an explanation, sent my file to a collection agency. That agency closed my account without providing any details.
When I thought that I was again in negotiation with El Cid, I heard from a second collection agency. I called the general telephone number at El Cid to speak with Eisenman's supervisor, and the personnel at the switchboard refused to transfer my call. I have collected an abundance of documentation illustrating the trails of deception and the many lies and contradictions perpetrated by the El Cid Resorts.
The business deal with El Cid was entered based on the fraudulent claims, deception and dishonesty of Rui Manuel Veloso Ferreira, whose actions have been supported by his supervisor, Karl Eisenman. As other tourists, who were defrauded by Ferreira, have been reimbursed, I, too, seek a return of my funds.
Mitch
Kenner, Louisiana
U.S.A.