Bluegreen Vacations review: fraud!!! 12

First of all please join the Bluegreen group on Yahoo.
If you had destinations in mind that bluegreen does not have resorts in then you should not have bought into a points system that uses its own internal exchange of over 40 resorts (at no extra cost) RCI will always charge you an exchange fee. Did you not ask to see pictures etc of the resorts in Alaska.
All Timeshare resale values are a fraction off the cost from the developer Bluegreen is no different in that respect. You should never pay large amounts upfront to seel a timeshare . The honest facts are you will get 20/30 cents from ebay or upto 50 cents per point from Pinnacle
All benefits from using credit cards are always very small, these are just little perks some are better than others, but no credit card is going to give you lots of benefits. They just don't work that way.

Dont despair join the Group on Yahoo and learn how to use those points and belive me you will be suprised how you can work the system to get the most out of them that suits you and what you want to do

Bluegreen is like pouring your money into a big bottomless pit. According to almost EVERYONE on this website (except Phil) tells of horror stories concerning Bluegreen. Take a few minutes and read them all! (actually, it might take hours, there are so many!) Anyway the ATTORNEY GENERAL in PA just filed suit against Bluegreen, numerous suits- and it wasn't for their upstanding service to their customers-trust me. Take a look at it and I'm sure it will bring back some not-so-fond memories.

www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=3999

Don't be so hard on yourself, most people have been scammed at some point in their lives so let's put the blame where it belongs: on BLUEGREEN! If you don't live in PA maybe you can take action in your home state. A lawsuit is underway in Michigan as we speak!

Attorney General Corbett announces lawsuits against Florida timeshare & vacation companies accused of advertising, real estate, and telemarketing violations

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced lawsuits today against four Florida-based companies accused of illegally marketing vacation packages, using "free" airline ticket offers and other worthless prizes to lure consumers into aggressive and deceptive timeshare presentations.

Corbett said consumer protection lawsuits were filed against Bluegreen Corporation, Bluegreen Resorts, Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited, Inc. and Great Vacations Destinations, Inc., all of Boca Raton, Florida. Bluegreen contacted consumers by phone and through kiosks at shopping malls, fairs, and festivals throughout Pennsylvania, and also operates full-time sales facilities in Hershey and King of Prussia.

"Virtually any consumer with a checkbook and a pulse allegedly qualified as a 'winner' in these promotions, " Corbett said. "Unsuspecting consumers who believed they were contest winners were actually drawn into a high pressure bait-and-switch campaign designed to push timeshare vacation packages costing thousands of dollars."

Corbett said more than 5, 700 Pennsylvania residents purchased Bluegreen timeshares, with many paying $20, 000 to $40, 000 or more for packages that violated Pennsylvania's Consumer Protection Law, the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act, the Telemarketer Registration Act and other consumer regulations.

Phony Prizes
Corbett said that Bluegreen representatives allegedly called consumers who believed they were entering contests and other promotions promising cars, cash and vacations.

According to the lawsuit, consumers were told that they had not won the "grand prize, " but had been selected to receive other items, like free airline tickets. Consumers were also promised free gasoline and meals when they collected their prize, if they attended a 90 minute timeshare presentation.

Corbett said the lawsuit alleges that consumers who were contacted by Bluegreen were not actually randomly selected prize winners. Instead, virtually everyone who entered the contests was contacted and falsely told that they were a prize winner.

In one case, Corbett said a consumer informed a Bluegreen representative that the person they were trying to reach did not live at that address. The consumer was told that it wasn't a problem - they would give her a prize too.

High Pressure Sales and False Advertising
Corbett said that in order to collect their "prizes, " consumers were required to schedule an appointment with a Bluegreen sales representative. In some cases, consumers who believed they would be attending a 90 minute timeshare presentation were actually subjected to relentless marketing pitches that lasted five hours or more.

According to the lawsuit, numerous deceptive statements were made to consumers during these presentations in an effort to get them to sign contracts immediately, including phony claims that prices would increase the next day, misrepresentations about when and where consumers could travel if they made a purchase and false statements about certain fees being waived.

Corbett said that some consumers bought vacation programs because they were told they were entitled to a one-week stay in Hawaii, only to learn afterward that the program they purchased could not be used in Hawaii.

According to the lawsuit, consumers who sat through the timeshare presentations received "prizes" that were nothing like what they had been promised. The "four free airline tickets" were actually booklets that offered two airline tickets with each hotel room reserved, at high prices, in a limited number of cities. In some situations, consumers were required to commit to a 10 night stay at overpriced hotel rates before being able to select a local airport for their flight.

Corbett said "free" gasoline and meals that consumers were promised turned out to be coupons or certificates with lengthy terms and conditions. For instance, consumers who were promised $40 in free gas were required to submit written requests to obtain a series of gas coupons. The coupons required consumers to pay for their gas first and then mail a receipt for reimbursement, with each coupon limited to a $5 purchase, with no more than one purchase per month.

Illegal Contracts
Corbett's said contracts used by Bluegreen failed to properly inform consumers of their right to cancel their purchase. Pennsylvania law requires that consumers have five days to cancel any timeshare or campground purchase. Bluegreen is also accused of violating a state law that requires all consumer contracts to be written in easy-to-understand terms.

Do Not Call Violations
According to the lawsuit, Bluegreen made numerous calls to consumers who were on Pennsylvania's Do Not Call list, allegedly basing those calls on referrals from other customers. Additionally, the companies are accused of making repeated calls to consumers who clearly told them not to call again.

"Bluegreen took advantage of hardworking Pennsylvania residents eager to find an affordable getaway, " Corbett said. "Using deceptive contests, relentless sales presentations and misleading contracts, consumers were pressured into paying thousands of dollars for vacation packages that don't meet their needs or their budgets."

Corbett said the lawsuits seek restitution for consumers who suffered financial losses because of these deceptive or illegal practices.

Additionally, Corbett says the lawsuit asks the court to void all illegal consumer contracts and give consumers the right to cancel any agreement that did not include the state-required notice of cancellation.

The lawsuit also seeks up to $1, 000 in civil penalties for each violation of the Consumer Protection Law, or up to $3, 000 for each violation involving a senior citizen.

The lawsuits were filed in Commonwealth Court, in Harrisburg, by Senior Deputy Attorney General David Sumner of the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Corbett says the investigation began after consumers contacted his office to report these practices. He encouraged other consumers who have problems with Bluegreen to file a complaint by calling the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at [protected] or submit an online consumer complaint.

Oh and did I forget to mention that they try to pressure you into using their financing so, you will pay over $14, 000.00 in interest on a purchase of a $20, 000.00 package over the life of the loan? They like to call it "creative financing" I like to call it a rip-off. I'm going to have my husband take a look at the entire lawsuit to find out whether the ATTY. GEN. is aware of this fact. They most probably are but, I just want to be sure. The way they finance may just be the one thing that sends the judge over the edge. I want the people such as yourselves who have been victimized to recover most if not all of their money back. I wish you the best of luck with this nightmare. I sincerely mean that.

Robin,
I think you may well find that it is the banks etc that always finance timeshare loans this way and is is the same for all timeshare companies .

the way round it is to sort out your own finance and yes before you start you are given that option and infact ask around and most finace by credit card then sort out a loan and pay off the card.

Doing it that way gets round the laws of financing timeshare by loans

read this article

Browse > Home / Latest Articles, Timeshare Articles / Online Lender Helps Timeshare Owners With Excellent Credit Save Thousands Online Lender Helps Timeshare Owners With Excellent Credit Save Thousands
September 22, 2008 by Owners Perspective (Fractional Ownership & Timeshare Consumer Magazine) ·
Ronald Jones didn’t quite believe it at first. He and his wife Karen had been in the market for a timeshare loan for some time, with little success. The developer of the Las Vegas timeshare Jones was looking to purchase had offered him a loan with an unappealing 14-percent interest rate. And despite the couple’s excellent credit, the banks and credit unions they approached told them they had no interest in financing timeshare purchases.

So when he discovered FirstAgain, an online consumer lender offering timeshare loans with rates nearly 50 percent lower than what his developer had offered, Jones figured it was too good to be true.

“The banks and credit unions wouldn’t deal with me and the developer wanted to give me what was practically a credit card rate, ” he said. “When we found FirstAgain, the rates were so good we thought there had to be a catch.”

As Jones quickly learned, there was no catch whatsoever. A lender catering specifically to individuals with excellent credit, FirstAgain is shattering the rules of timeshare financing with the AnythingLoan, a completely paperless, unsecured loan that can be used to finance or refinance literally anything, including timeshares. The AnythingLoan offers ultracompetitive, fixed-interest rates starting at 5.99 percent on loans ranging from $7, 500 to $100, 000. Rates vary by loan purpose, term and amount. Timeshare loans feature interest rates starting as low as 7.49 percent. Current rates are available at www.FirstAgain.com.

“It’s incredible how easily we were able to get a loan that we were comfortable with, ” said Jones, a resident of Lake Mary, Fla. whose loan from FirstAgain allowed him to finance his Las Vegas timeshare purchase with an affordable 7.75 percent interest rate.

REFINANCE AND SAVE
Prospective timeshare buyers aren’t the only ones benefiting from FirstAgain. At a time when economic uncertainty is forcing families to pay close attention to the bottom line, timeshare owners across the country are saving money by using the AnythingLoan to refinance their existing high-interest timeshare loan. The average interest rate on a timeshare loan stands at 14.1 percent according to a recent ARDA-commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers study. For years, borrowers with excellent credit who were looking for a timeshare loan had little choice but to accept whatever terms the developer was offering, leaving many with loan terms unbefitting of their excellent credit. Thanks to the AnythingLoan, however, timeshare owners with excellent credit no longer have to settle for average and are saving thousands because of it.

Consider the hypothetical example of a couple with $20, 000 and 72 months remaining on their timeshare loan paying the industry average 14.1 percent interest rate. That couple would pay $29, 749 over the life of their loan. By refinancing at an interest rate of 7.99 percent through FirstAgain, they would pay just $25, 241 over the remaining life of their loan. Refinancing with FirstAgain would save $4, 500–more than 20 percent of the original cost of the timeshare. Simply put, lower interest rates mean lower monthly payments and an overall cost savings.

For Jean and Bradford Cole of Monticello, Minn, refinancing their timeshare loan through FirstAgain meant exchanging a 10.5 percent interest rate for a 7.75 percent rate and a more affordable monthly payment.

“Our goal was to find a lower rate and we definitely found the lowest by far, ” explained Jean. “With the timeshare company, our excellent credit history meant nothing. It came as a shock to us that with our level of credit, the interest rate on our loan was still 10.5 percent. Thankfully, our good credit mattered with FirstAgain.”

REWARDING BORROWERS FOR EXCELLENT CREDIT
Pioneered by the founders of PeopleFirst, which became the nation’s largest online auto lender prior to its purchase by Capital One in 2001, FirstAgain is a company dedicated to rewarding borrowers for their excellent credit by providing a loan experience unparalleled in the lending world.

“For too long, the lending industry has done little to reward borrowers for the diligence required to build excellent credit, ” said Gary Miller, co-founder and CEO of FirstAgain.

“We’re changing that at FirstAgain by treating our customers to custom tailored products and loan experiences worthy of their hardearned efforts.” According to Miller, great rates are just part of the loan experience that has helped FirstAgain win over thousands of borrowers nationwide.

Customers complete and submit credit applications online and are emailed a response within minutes. Applicants even have the convenience of signing loan documents with their computer mouse. Approved applicants can go online to set up their loan for funding immediately. Funds can be transferred into the borrower’s bank account as soon as the same day.

In addition, the AnythingLoan is unsecured, so financing or refinancing with FirstAgain does not require borrowers to pledge their homes, timeshares or other assets. The FirstAgain loan experience is 100-percent paperless and there are no fees, down payment requirements or prepayment penalties. In essence, none of the hassles traditionally associated with securing a bank loan.

“Offering a paperless, unsecured loan product is part of our relentless commitment to creating a better customer experience for individuals with excellent credit, ” said Miller.

“IT WAS AS SIMPLE AS CAN BE”
Customers are often amazed when they see first-hand just how much better that experience actually is. “We were shocked, ” said Jones. “It was straightforward, unassuming and smooth. There were no unexpected questions or fees or incidents. There were no ‘oh by the ways.’ When we started the application I thought for sure there would be a catch somewhere but there never was. To this day it still doesn’t seem possible.”

Being able to receive a loan without having to add more paperwork to her life was something Cole appreciated greatly. “We gave a few pieces of information, all online, and that was it, ” she said. “It was as simple as can be. If more people were aware that an option like this was out there, they’d jump on it too. It’s too good not to.”

Even long-time vacation ownership veterans are taking notice of how convenient and hassle-free the FirstAgain loan experience is for borrowers. “My view is that for people with good credit, FirstAgain is the way to go, ” said Gregg Amonette, senior vice president of business development for Ultimate Escapes, a leading luxury destination club. “Our clients who have used FirstAgain have had great things to say. It’s about combining great rates with ease and convenience more than anything else.”

AN ALTERNATIVE TO HOME EQUITY
Given the current state of the housing market, it has grown increasingly difficult for borrowers to secure new home equity loans or tap existing lines of credit. The AnythingLoan serves as a competitive and convenient alternative for these individuals, according to Miller.

“Timeshare owners with double-digit interest rates on their loans have in the past used home equity to refinance and that’s worked well for many of them, ” said Miller. “But in the current economic climate a lot of people may be either unwilling or just unable to tap into the equity in their home. Or they may just be looking for a loan experience that’s less time consuming and free of upfront charges and fees. That’s where an unsecured loan from FirstAgain is a nice alternative. There are no fees and the loan experience is paperless and stress-free.“

A RESALE PARTNER IN A GROWING MARKETPLACE
A study conducted by Ernst & Young, LLP and released by the ARDA International Foundation in 2007 indicated that the timeshare industry is the fastest growing segment of the travel and tourism industry.The study found that the number of timeshare owners in the U.S. grew from three million in 2002 to 4.4 million in 2006. For timeshare owners looking to resell their unit, this means increased competition. Resellers have long been at a competitive disadvantage in that unlike developers they were unable to offer financing to prospective buyers. Once again, FirstAgain has changed the rules, allowing resellers to refer potential buyers to a fast, easy and reliable source of low-interest financing.

““Being able to refer potential buyers someplace where they can get a lower interest rate is going to give resellers a competitive advantage, ” said Douglas Lupton, president of All Islands Timeshare Resales. “Historically, financing hasn’t been available from a resale perspective. Now that it is, FirstAgain really is the best option out there.”

A RESOURCE FOR HOAS
According to Miller, FirstAgain can play a vital role for any timeshare homeowners association (HOA) charged with the responsibility selling empty units within its complex. “Now the HOA has an added element–a low-cost source of hassle-free financing–with which to augment their sales pitch, ” Miller said. “FirstAgain can help you compete with developers on the resale market.” HOAs can also introduce the AnythingLoan to their existing owners as a refinance option, helping lower monthly payments for owners throughout the property. “The AnythingLoan can be a cost-savings play for many of your owners, ” said Miller.

“It helps you do your job as a homeowners association in so many ways.”

A LOAN FOR ANY PURPOSE
As its name indicates, the AnythingLoan can be used for literally any reason, not just timeshares. FirstAgain’s customers, many of whom are repeat borrowers, have used the AnythingLoan to finance home improvements, medical and education bills, wedding expenses, full and fractional ownership of boats, RVs and private jets, yacht repairs, new and used auto purchases and more.

Visit www.FirstAgain.com today for more information or to apply for a loan

Its all about knowing the facts

By the way Robin we only have 3 machines running on long runs tonight so I am bored

Hey Phil,
What's up? Well, thanks SO MUCH for the info. However, I don't need to finance anything at this time. The only thing I've EVER financed was my home. We pay cash for all of our vehicles. ( And yes, I too drive a Mercedes-) SO WHAT! BIG DEAL- why the hell did you post that in one of your other comments. People don't give a damn what you drive, they weren't even talking about you. ANYWAY-

I'm just trying to enlighten people to the OH-SO-WICKED ways of Bluegreen. The financing is just another way in which they decieve people- And NO Phil-NOT ALL financing works in this way. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

Another thing...

WHY DO YOU PICK AND CAREFULLY CHOSE what you will respond to?

Guess what? I went to the discussion boards on Yahoo! and guess what I found?
I read about how Bluegreen's CEO is taking 1.6 million YES Phil, 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS of all you fool's money$$$$ and living large. The only problem is -HE IS RUNNING IT (Bluegreen) IN TO THE GROUND. (not my opinion, I don't know him I read it on Yahoo! )

What with all of these new LAWSUITS cropping up against them- their stocks plummeting- coupled with mismanagement-MANY predict their days are numbered!

Better get those vacations in NOW!
USE THOSE POINTS PEOPLE-FAST!

I also noticed that you never commented on all of the lawsuits filed (or being filed) by the ATTORNEY'S GENERAL in some States here in the USA?

Did you read through it? It states what I've been saying all along. It echoes my sentiments-EXACTLY! (it almost looks as if I wrote it myself). Ha Ha Ha

Why don't you tell us all what you think of it? I'd LOVE to hear your humble opinion.

Robin dear
please engage you brain before your 160 word per min hands

I said all timeshare finanicing works that way

Sorry Did not see your name as a new member on the Yahoo group maybe if you join you could learn a thing or 2

Now is that not strange nor the post about the CEO must have been working lol

The comment about a merc was made in fun and reply to a comment that somebody had already made

So please dont take little bits out of comments and add your little twisted comments to them, it just makes you look silly,

and don't forget a signed contract is a signed contract a signed paper saying you understand what you are signing says it all

Don't get me started on Bluegreen! What a complete rip off and fraudulant bunch of con artists. I have been a timeshare owner for over 20 years and I never experienced such a wrath in all of this time. I own property all over the US with Marriott, Vacation Village and several individual resorts-6 weeks total-and I have never been exposed to such lies and deceitfulness in all of my life. These guys are absolutely horrible and don't care about anything but getting you hooked in, by any means, and once you say OK the real truth comes out. Just try and make what they promise happen and you find out just what you have gotten yourself into. I have never heard such lies to get your money and then ALL of the UNBELIEVABLE restrictions they convienently don't bother to tell you about when you try to go through the crazy motions to get what they have promised you. It's been a year and I am still finding out how horrible these guys are, everytime I pick up the phone and try to talk to them, I learn of something else that I can't do or supposedly was misinformed or misunderstood. They are nothing but scam artists through and through and I would love to talk to anyone else who has a found a way to stop them at their game! It's just very sad that this bunch of bad apples give the rest of the truly respectable timeshare companies and developers a bad rap. I thoroughly love the timeshare experience but these guys are bad news and need to be stopped! Thanks for any help anyone out there can supply.

Wow they seem like very big idiots. and BIG BULLIES

I agree! My husband and I bought into all this as well. We actually weren't married at the time when we bought and what sold us was a great honeymoon destination and camping for little money in the Wisconsin Dells. With four kids we do a lot of camping because it's cheap. The first time we tried to camp they denied us saying it was a different company that does that and we can't take advantage of it. WTH? We were not amused! Then we tried to book our honeymoon and the first four of our picks were all booked! I was booking over six months out!
We also signed up for their "fun weekend" and brought our parents up to experience. The party the had was boring, cheap and it wasn't even at the resort. They all sat through the 90 min. presentation and when they said they were not interested the sales staff freaked! They were rude and made our family feel embarrassed which made our parents defensive. Not a good scene at all that day. We made a VERY wrong decision in purchasing this timeshare. We thought it would be a great investment and allow us to see parts of the world throughout our life and pass on to our children. We couldn't have been more wrong. We've tried to call and complain but it several times but it really gets you nowhere. The maintenance fees are also ridiculous. $500 a year? For what? It's crap just like the company. Shame on you Bluegreen for taking families dreams and squashing them along with their bank accounts.

I totally agree with everyone...Does anyone know about the lawsuit against Bluegreen in Michigan right now? and what i can do to join it and prosecute Bluegreen?

Well...I discovered the deal with these Bluegreen cheerleaders.
Ever wondered why someone would come to a consumer complaints site and cheer on the bad guys, the rip off artists, scamsters, crooks and thieves (Bluegreen). I just didn't get it...until I did some research. These guys are paid "REPUTATION DEFENDERS". Companies pay these dirt bags to scour the internet and DEFEND thier practices.
Proof: Google the following words "reputation defense".

[censor] working for [censor].

I bought my 25000 points in 2005 and spent close to $30, 000. Since then blue green is constantly changing the rules that they did not have at the time
when I bought my points. Today when I wanted to book bonus time I was rejected on the line and supervisor could not help me since they put limitation in 2014 how many reservations you can have at the same resort.
Since I bought it, They also changed how many free cancalations I can have. My fees are going up every year.
For $30000 I spend 11 years ago plus maintance fees over $20000 in 10 years you would think that the rules should stay the same as they were when I signed the agreement.