Universal Marketing Solutions reviews and complaints

I received a call from Jackson Darden a sales representative from Universal Marketing Solutions. I was told that Universal Marketing had a buyer for my Royal Holiday Club timeshare in Cancun, Mexico. For their $2500 fee my timeshare would be sold within 6 weeks of them charging my Discover card. It took them almost an hour to convince me. I even talked to a representative from Creative Home Mortgage, their financing arm, that confirmed the sale. I had second thoughts late that night and talked to a representative from Discover that assured me that this was a reputable company. 6 days later they called me back and said I needed to sign their standard listing contract so they could process the paperwork for the sale. I did and faxed it back to them. Needless to say the sale did not take place. I tried to contact them many times and the sales representatives cell phone number was no longer in service and all I could get from Universal Marketing was an automated answering system that said leave us a message and we will get back to you within 72 hours. I did not receive any call backs from any of the messages I left. I disputed the charge with Discover, and after a couple of months the temporary credit I had received to start with was disallowed. It just showed up on my statement. I received no information about the resolution from Discover until I called them to question why the conditional credit was disallowed. Discover said I had to pay because Universal Marketing had a listing contract, no matter how they obtained it, and it was getting service even though I can never get in touch with them. Needless to say I was disappointed in Discover and cancelled my card on the spot. They were no help at all. Do not do business with Universal Marketing. They use deceptive sales practices to get your money and then do nothing for you, not even communicate with you.

On Feb 12, 2009 we were told that they had a buyer and that we needed to pay $1396 UPFRONT. This fee would be refunded to us, so it would cost $0 to sell it. We were told the price they offered is $17, 500 and we would have this amount sent to us within 30 days of closing. Also, we were told to call back the 2nd week of May 2009. The representative was Nicole Williams her direct number to her was [protected] and she worked 4:30 to 10:00pm Monday thru Thursday. She also worked Friday and Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm. Toll free number [protected]. We called many times and was told the peoples financing fell thru. We are still waitning on our money and any response.

I think they sold our phone number. Ever since dealing with them we have had roughly 50 other similar companies bother us with reselling our timeshare.

Joey Huddleston
[protected]@yahoo.com

I got a call from Randy Hiefer saying he works for Universal Marketing Solutions. He informed me that he had a buyer for my timeshare. He said all I had to do is pay $1997.00 to do a title and deed search. After the transaction took place over the phone ( I gave him my credit card number) he sent me out a contract to sign. He instructed me that once they received the signed contract back from me it would take 60 days to close and I would receive 3 checks totally $10, 500.00 for my rental weeks and a check for $49, 995.00 would be deposit in my bank account upon closing once I gave them the routing and account number to my bank. Well I called Randy before the 60 days to check the status of my sale and all he would tell me is their just waiting on the family, after 60 days I called Randy and he would either give me a fake closing date or not answer his phone at all. He even went as far as giving me a fake fedex tracking number for the $10, 500.00 in checks I was suppose to receive for my rental weeks. Please if it's possible can anyone help me get my money back.

On 01/20/2009 I got a phone call from Jay Dixon a costumer representative from Universal marketing solutions saying that he has a couple of interested buyers and need $999.oo to research the deed and to get ready for closing. He also said that the money will be refund upon closing or in 45 day if the closing took longer.

Since Januray I had been trying to get a refund of the money and they refuse to do so cause is for marketing research.

I told Jennifer Kirk Vice president of universal marketing solutinons that I had various tape conversations between their employees and myself over the phone but she didnt care..

Please be aware of this company they are RATS, they dont care about your families.. They want your money using scam phone calls.

I concur with the aforementioned SCAM complaints against UMS. I was required to pay an up front fee of $2397, with the assurance that the representative at that time (Keith Shelley), had a buyer waiting to purchase my timeshares with the certain rental or purchase of my banked weeks. The upfront deposit was supposed tobe for title searchand closing costs, and would be reimbursed to us as soon as the buyer signed the papers. Then the agreed selling price check would immediately follow by overnight mail. We were told this whole deal would be finalized within 45 days, and we would be kept informed. Phone calls were seldom returned, and when they were, we were told UMS was just waiting for the buyers financing. After extensive research (which should have been done first), we contacted our credit card company to suspend payment, which they did. The bad news is that this gave UMS the time to refute our legitimate claim to stop payment. For latest information on this SCAM, you could contact the Palm Beach County Public Safety office.

I agree with all other posts thus far, this company scams you out of a fee telling you they have a buyer for your timeshare. They are no buyers and Universal Marketing will not return fees even when they guarantee you a sale in 120 days or your fees returned.

I want to participate in a lawsuit.

Contacted by Universal Marketing solutions by a salesperson named Melvin who said they had a buyer for our timeshare. He indicated that the process would take 45 days for closing. This was in Jan 2009. After numerous calls, as of today, May 8, 2009 we have nothing, but a loss of $1396.00.

Each phone call left us with empty promises of when to expect closing. As we called to inquire about specifics (that we probably should have asked first) the representatives became agitated and one even hung up on my husband.

Who can help us recover the cost of this scam?

In Aug and Sep of 2008, I was contacted on several occasions by a John Egan of Universal Marketing Solutions telling me he had a buyer confirmed waiting to purchase my timeshare. On 24 Sep 2008, I paid them $1125 via credit card as requested to continue with the sale of the property. I later told that a credit check on the buyers was in progress and would take about 30 days. After 30 days I contacted a Mr. Jay Dixon [protected]). He informed me that they had extended the buyer's time period three weeks.

I was even contacted by someone claiming to be from Fidelity Title and some Finance Company 'by mistake' to con me into thinking there was progress being made on the sale. Then in Nov 2008, I was contacted by Jay Dixon telling me the buyer's wanted the (3) banked weeks also so they could look at the property before the purchase. However, I would need to pay Universal Marketing Solution $897.00 for a rental contract before they could proceed. I agreed and paid them the requested amount on 19 Nov 2008.

I have since contacted them every week requesting status. They either don't answer the phone or, when they do, they tell me they have extended the buyer's timeline to secure funds another three weeks. This has happened three times. So here it is six months later and still no confirmation of a sale or even a rental. These people are absolute thieves and should be prosecuted for fraud at the highest level.

This company promised me to sell my time share and it never happened. First i spent $699.00 for the tittle search. Yeah what ever!. That never happen! Then a couple of month later they call telling me that I have three weeks there that i should rent, they asked me for 300.00 per week to rent it and i was going to get that money back, yeah! so...in conclusion, I end up expending $1600.00. can you believe this @#$@#@#@. I just found out that the company went out of business. I hope to get this money with my credit card.

I received a phone call that I had an offer on my timeshare (I had it listed with someone else). They wanted an advance payment on a credit card to start the title search that would be refunded at closing. I thought it was legitimate because they asked all the right questions.

After not receiving the paper work and leaving many messages and getting put on hold I did a google search and found out I was Scammed!

I called my credit card company and they told me since I am disputing the charges now Universal Marketing has 30 days to prove a contract exists and that I owe them the money. Time will tell what happens!

We wanted to sell our timeshare and unfortunately tried to do business with Universal Marketing Solutions in Delray Beach, FL. They called to say they had 2 interested buyers and needed $1493.24 to research the deed to get ready for closing. Also that this money would be refunded upon closing. This was Dec 1, 2008.

On Dec 26, I again called because I had not heard any news on the closing. I was told that Diane would check into the status and call me back. On Jan 10, 2009 I finally called them back because of no response and demanded our money back.

On Jan 19th Harrision Pomerantz called and said that we were closing in 3-4 weeks. He also said that we have 1 banked week and 2 promo weeks that the buyer wants to purchase from us (an additional $7716.00 for us at closing). He said that these weeks are in our name and we would need to pay about $1400.00 to change the name to the buyers. I told him we do not have that kind of money and he offered to talk to his boss to see about a short term loan with Universal Marketing until closing date.

Since then, I called 1/20, 1/21, 1/22 and 1/26 and left messages for Harrison to call me. Today, 1/26 I called and left a message that I want my $1493.24 refunded to me and if I do not receive a call by tomorrow 1/27, I will seek legal action. I don't know what course of action we can take, it sounds like they have done this to others. I wish I would've looked on the Internet before this fiasco!