RCI, A Cendant Company ripoff slamming Carmel Indiana

We are Worldmark/Trendwest timeshare owners and bought RCI membership when we bought that timeshare ownership, about 10 years ago. As Worldmark members we have always been entitled to use RCI on a "points" basis rather than a "weeks" basis.

On 9/11/00 we renewed our RCI membership for a five-year period and paid $355 to do so (I have all documentation).

In 2003 at some point RCI people began calling us asking us to upgrade to a "points" program. We asked them to mail us an explanation. We never authorized any switch in service.

In August RCI sent us a letter demanding payment of some amount less than $100, with no explanation. I sent it back with a note that we had purchased a 5-year membership in September 2000.

9/24/03 we received another bill. 9/25/03 we faxed a letter to RCI with documentation of our 5-year renewal, and told them we were concerned that they were defrauding the public.

10/4/03 RCI wrote to us stating we had converted to a "points" program and that that had not only cost us additional extra money but that it had reduced our membership by a year or so, and that more money was due for that switch.

10/5/03 we wrote stating that they were in error, that we had never authorized any switch, and demanding a full refund, as well as documentation of the supposed debt. That day we also complained to the Oregon Attorney General as well as to Worldmark/Trendwest.

Now RCI is telling us we will get a tiny refund because they are still charging us for the unauthorized switch.

Marianne
Eugene, Oregon
U.S.A.